Sagewood, a life plan community featuring a resort-like setting in northeast Phoenix, has opened an 18-hole professionally designed putting course featuring a 50,000-square-foot layout. It is one of a few golf putting courses in the country.
The Links at Sagewood, located at 4555 E. Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix, has been designed as an 18-hole layout featuring MiniVerde Bermudagrass that can also be played in reverse. In addition to two 18-hole layouts called Golden Barrel and Agave, golfers have a nine-hole layout, Scorpion Nine, featuring a 107-foot hole as well as the superintendent’s choice of routing, called Greenskeeper’s layout, providing a different configuration to play each week.
“As part of Sagewood’s Phase II expansion, we’re excited to showcase this world class golf amenity that was built to be of the highest quality natural playing surface putting courses that would be both a fun and unique challenge for our residents and their guests,” says Stewart Ingram, executive director of Sagewood. “The lush natural grass putting course and a layout offering four diverse configurations is what makes The Links at Sagewood so special and great for any level of golfer.”
Gary Brawley, member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and an award-winning golf course architect, created The Links at Sagewood. Brawley has been involved in the design or renovation of over 50 courses throughout the United States as well as projects in Mexico and China. Brawley, who has a life-long passion for golf, has spent 25 years in every aspect of a course’s design, construction or maintenance.
Brawley was on site several days a week to observe construction of the putting course and to make any artistic changes necessary to provide the ultimate playing experience. The sand was laboratory tested multiple times during the course’s creation to ensure consistency throughout the project.
“For The Links at Sagewood, we wanted to offer a premiere natural grass putting course that offers a diverse offering of direction to play each hole and takes into consideration the picturesque setting of the community’s resort-style pool, surrounding Sonoran Desert, and view corridors as far to the stunning Camelback Mountain,” says Brawley. “From the lush natural grass turf and specially-designed varied layouts providing an environmental sanctuary, this putting course represents one of the best nationwide.”
The Links at Sagewood putting course was built following the USGA recommendation for putting green construction. Special care is being applied to the putting course for the best of play, with verticutting and top dress with sand application twice a month, frequency of mowing six times a week, and an AquaFuse technology for irrigation.
A Life Care Services managed community, Sagewood’s $100 million, 3.5-acre Phase II includes 101 independent living one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, new restaurants including The Owl’s Nest, and first-class community amenities. Phase II represents the largest addition to the luxurious Sagewood senior living community since opening in 2010. It is planned to complete later this year.
Sagewood features a diverse offering of homes, a fitness center, movie theaters, indoor and outdoor pools, auditorium for multi-purpose use, formal and casual dining. The beautifully designed Acacia Health Center and Desert Willow Assisted Living – which accepts admission from the public – offers a refreshing approach to long-term health care with assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care support. For more information, visit SagewoodLCS.com.
