For Arizonans hoping to escape the scorching summer heat, Flagstaff, a mountain community located at 7,000 feet above sea level, offers a welcome respite. It’s roughly a two-hour drive from metro Phoenix to reach the pine-wooded paradise, which is also home to several golf courses, most of which are private.
The drive is not bad, but there is only one main highway that goes up and down the mountain. So on weekends — especially around holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day — the grind starts early. Throw in an unfortunate fender bender or worse, and you could be looking at a long, painful ride.
Eliminating that potential aggravation was top of mind Pine Canyon — a luxury master-planned community and private clubhouse located just minutes outside of downtown Flagstaff. The innovative solution? Private charter flight service, direct from Scottsdale Airport to Flagstaff. Flight time: approximately 40 minutes from take-off to landing. And once you land, a car is waiting to take you the remaining five miles to the club.
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Courtesy of Pine Canyon
“Private golf space is exactly this idea of combining hospitality and lifestyle, and I think what we found is that to really be a leader in the space, it’s essential to bring that hospitality and lifestyle beyond the gates,” Todd Severson, managing partner of Symmetry Companies, owner and developer of Pine Canyon, told me recently. “Most of our members are second home owners, and so to the extent that we can integrate the lifestyle into the way they come, it allows us to meet their needs.
“When members and their guests arrive at the property, they are relaxed, excited and ready to reconnect with all their friends.”
The flight option proved to be a wildly popular amenity in its pilot season—but it’s not the only luxury members and guests enjoy at Pine Canyon. The course — a 19-hole Jay Morrish design that originally opened in 2004 — recently underwent a $6.4 million refresh, which included improving the course’s layout, visuals and playability, implementing more sustainable irrigation (with a total reduction in water use of 30 percent) and adding 100 yards of length.
The playing experience is mountain golf at its best, with multiple elevated pinnacles, each positioned to maximize the potential for high drives, sometimes against the impressive backdrop of Humphreys Peak. The fairways are perfectly laid out and the greens are fast and very contoured. Highlights include the drive on hole no. 1, the par-3 third and a stunning approach to the par-4 6th. The back nine also starts with a bang, thanks to a wonderful downhill par-4 10th and another stellar draw, the par-3 11th. There is a lot of variety on offer in the 3 tiers, even from the front machines. As the back nine winds down, you’re treated to views of one of the course’s “ghost trees,” which you must navigate around to reach the green on the 14th hole.
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Courtesy of Pine Canyon
There’s also a 19th hole – a short and sweet putter to cap off your round, with the opulent Pine Canyon Clubhouse in the background. Post-golf activities include full-service dining, a spa and state-of-the-art fitness and wellness equipment. Guests have the option of staying in one of the club’s custom-built cabins, each of which is carefully appointed and has a private balcony offering stunning and tranquil views of the property. Kids have plenty to do too, with a lush football and soccer pitch to play on, as well as a pool, splash pad and water slide. And there is more to come. Seventy-five additional acres will be developed into new residences and a 9-hole par-3 family course in the coming years.
According to Severson, giving members the ability to fully enjoy the club’s many amenities was a driving force behind the addition of the private flight. Although Pine Canyon does not have a current on-demand private flight reservation partner for members, the club’s concierge and hospitality department is still able to assist members in scheduling private aviation to and from Pine Canyon and even other on-demand courses, as well as car service to and from the Flagstaff airport. The Club understands that the most important benefit of private aviation is the shortened travel time, which enables members to extend and maximize their time on property.
“It allows for a smooth transition from day to day to their club life,” he said.
Whether you’re driving or flying in, the Pine Canyon experience is always worth the trip.
