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Arizona Jewels: John Fought Designs Singled Out

Golf Magazine, Golf Odyssey Come Away Impressed With Courses Near Phoenix, Tucson

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2006 . Three John Fought golf course designs in Arizona have been singled out in new reviews profiling the game of golf in the Grand Canyon State.

  • GOLF Magazine. In an article titled "Great New Golf Courses in the Valley of the Sun" (January issue), The Raven Club at Verrado is highlighted as one of the top layouts to play when vacationing in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. The story, written by Joe Passov, architecture/course ranking editor for GOLF Magazine, points out that ‘this two-year-old raven flies high 30 miles west of Phoenix, in the sleepy town of Buckeye, but you’d better be wide awake when you tackle this track by John Fought and Tom Lehman."

    Passov goes on to write, "The designers chiseled an option-laden layout in the foothills of the White Tank Mountains. The Raven is a healthy trek from downtown, but the Phoenix skyline vistas from the 494-yard 18th (hole) remind you that civilization isn’t that far away."

    A year ago, the Raven received similar praise from Gary Van Sickle, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and regular contributor to SI.com, when he named the par-72, 7,258-yard layout his new No. 1 public course in the Phoenix area.

  • Golf Odyssey. In a front-page January feature story titled "Raising Arizona: Tucson’s Terrific but Underrated Golf Appeal," this monthly luxury travel newsletter, which prides itself on its unbiased, independent reviews, gave the North Course (a Fought-Lehman co-design) at The Gallery Golf Club a ranking of 19 out of 20, or "extraordinary; nearly flawless." No other course reviewed received as high a rating. The South Course – Fought’s newer, solo design at The Gallery – earned an 18 out of 20 ranking, or "excellent; at times memorable."

    "With its glistening, pristine turf – a joy to hit from – and stunning desert setting (we saw a coyote spring across a fairway), The Gallery Golf Club provides a highly aesthetic experience. The two eighteens at The Gallery Golf Club, located 20 miles north of Tucson, are must-plays for traveling golfers."

    The article goes on to point out that, although the club is private, the public is welcome on the South Course on odd-numbered days, and on the North Course on even-numbered days. Of the North Course, the editors at Golf Odyssey wrote, "The hole everyone talks about is the 9th. A whopping 725 yards from the tips, it is one of the longest par fives in golf."

    Additional information about John Fought Design can be obtained by contacting his office at (480) 991-9858 or by logging onto www.foughtdesign.com.

    Contact:
    Karen Moraghan

    Hunter Public Relations – East

    908/876-5100

    kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com

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