Arizona’s newest golf course, the Estates Course at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club, is in the final stages of grow-in and will open for daily-fee and member play in early November. Named after the iconic Biltmore neighborhood that surrounds the property, the Estates Course sits on the same footprint as the Club’s former Adobe Course, however that’s where the similarities end. Designed by the Lehman Design Group and Scottsdale resident and five-time PGA TOUR champion Tom Lehman, the completely new Estates Course features recontoured fairways, new tee boxes and green complexes, as well as new sand and grass bunkers throughout.
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“This project began as a renovation of the 95-year-old Adobe Course. As we moved through design and into construction, it became clear this would be a completely new golf course with more length, variety and challenge for golfers,” said Jerry Colangelo of Phoenix-based JDM Partners, owners of the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club. “In rebranding to the Estates Course, we recognize the beautiful neighborhood we call home and begin a new chapter in the storied history of the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club.”
In planning for the project, JDM Partners sought to make the refreshed golf course more sustainable, choosing to plant a new drought-tolerant TifTuf bermudagrass throughout the golf course and installing a new state-of-the-art irrigation system. The new irrigation system allows the agronomy team to control each sprinkler head while using high-tech sensors to measure soil moisture and salt levels to allow for precise watering and reduced water usage. During the six-month redesign project, crews have also planted over 400 new trees to add more visual appeal while helping to define fairways and playing corridors.
The multi-million-dollar Estates Course project is phase two of a three phase reimagining of the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club. In March 2023, the Club unveiled its new 19,500 sq. ft. golf shop building designed by Douglas Fredrikson, AIA, and Alexandra Lemos of Phoenix-based Douglas Fredrikson Architects. The new building, complete with Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture, includes retail and office space, member locker rooms, fitting rooms, restrooms, and over 13,000 sq. ft. of underground golf cart storage. Work on phase three is currently underway as construction crews are building a new 19,400 sq. ft. clubhouse and restaurant to replace the existing Adobe Restaurant and event tent, while also adding additional on-site parking and making landscape improvements. The new clubhouse and restaurant will open in 2024.
Prior to starting multi-phase property improvement project, JDM Partners consulted with neighbors, community stakeholders, the City of Phoenix and industry experts. The significant investment by JDM will bring the historic property on par with the neighboring Arizona Biltmore Resort and Wrigley Mansion.
The Arizona Biltmore Golf Club is set in the heart of Phoenix, with Piestewa Peak and the Phoenix Mountain Preserve to the north, the downtown Phoenix skyline to the south, and Camelback Mountain to the east. The 36-hole golf facility meanders through some of the most stunning homes in Phoenix and includes the Tom Lehman-designed Estates Course and the Bill Johnston-designed Links Course. For nearly a century, the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club has been a destination for Phoenix residents, tourists, corporate leaders, U.S. Presidents, celebrities, and dignitaries.
For more information on the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club and to make tee times for the Estates and Links Courses, visit www.azbiltmoregc.com. For additional information on the club’s renovation projects, visit www.YourBiltmoreGolf.com.