A GOLFER’S GUIDE TO SPRING TRAINING SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Outta Here! Pitchers and catchers have started reporting—and so should you. Swing for the fences with our annual golfer’s guide to SPRING TRAINING IN ARIZONA. By Kim Stewart
THE 2016 WORLD SERIES WILL go down as one of the most memorable ever. Not only did players
on two championship-starved franchises make us believe in the impossible, but each inning also held us in suspense through seven well-played games. Given that the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians (and our own Rockies) perfect their game in Arizona during Spring Training, now is the time for a trip south to hear the crack of the bat and thwack of the club before the Colorado golf season begins. Within a half-hour of picking up your rental car at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, you can be attending a game or checking in for a tee time. But with more than 200 courses, 10 ballparks, 15 teams and thousands of things to do and sights to see, the choices can multiply overwhelmingly. So, like a good caddie, we’re dispensing some local knowledge. Locals divide the greater Phoenix region, known as the Valley of the Sun, into three areas: the central region of Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe; the West Valley (Goodyear, Surprise and Peoria) and the East Valley (Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert). We’ve done the same so you can easily get from game to game and course to course within a short time (see page 57 for teams, ballpark information and driving times). We’ve also included an eclectic assortment of places to stay, eat, drink and bring the kids (not necessarily in that order). Play away!
Field of Dreams SALT RIVER FIELDS AT TALKING STICK Both
the Rockies and Diamondbacks share this one of a kind stadium on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The 140-acre complex and stadium, with the motto “Two Tribes. Two Teams. One Home,” was designed to be respectful of the surroundings and traditions of the Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Deeply angled roofs provide much needed shade and frame the natural landscape. The Rockies dugout is on the first base side; the Diamondback’s dugout is along third base. Fans love that there is easy access to players along the baselines for a prized autograph. If the kids need to burn off some energy there is a whiffle-ball field. Leave the car at the hotel, a trolley runs every 20 minutes from downtown Scottsdale to Salt River and Talking Stick Resort. saltriverfields.com
Eat, Imbibe & Explore OLIVE & IVY RESTAURANT AND MARKETPLACE Southern Mediterranean warmth and provincial charm, open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. foxrc.com/restaurants/olive-ivy-restaurant-marketplace MONARCH When special occasions call for white tablecloths, quiet conversations and the finest culinary talent. cafemonarch.com SONATAS RESTAURANT Modern and Eastern European cuisine with tantalizing flavors that cross cultures for a dramatic and surprisingly wonderful experience. sonatasrestaurant.com
coloradoavidgolfer.com
SCAPEGOAT BEER AND WINE Escape the DJs and hip hop to this lovely small intimate spot for a beer or a glass of wine. scapegoatbar.com ODYSEA AQUARIUM This might be the desert but it’s also home to penguins, otters, sea lions and 500 other sea creatures. odyseaaquarium.com PENSKE RACING MUSEUM There is a lot of history and horsepower hidden behind the doors of this car museum, which features some of the most famous racing cars in the world. penskeracingmuseum.com
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Penske Racing Museum
Spring 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER