By Brent Long

Need a holiday, or at least a few days to re-energize? Want to play some great golf where the sun is almost always shining? Then hop on a plane and head to Arizona. That's what I did earlier this year for a direct flight to Phoenix and a five-night getaway with some buddies in nearby Scottsdale (a 30 minute drive from the airport).

Like most of you, I have spent most of my life chasing my friend/enemy, the little white ball, down lush fairways cut through picturesque forests and parkland setting where lakes and ponds are natural hazards and the odd bit of sand is found in bunkers. Fast forward to Scottsdale – the capital of desert golf with upwards of 200 courses to choose from. We played just four and didn't make a dent in the list.

I've never played golf wearing sunglasses before, but picked up a pair of Adidas glasses in the pro shop and never took them off – well, a few times to putt! It's just so bright and sunny from sunrise to sunset – never saw a cloud! For a northern golfer it doesn't take long to learn (a three-pack of Titleist Pro V1s) that elevated tee shots over cactus-filled gullies to small or moderate patches of grass called fairways are part of life here in the desert.

Did you know that there are some cactus plants that are heat sensitive and if you get too close the needles actually spring out at you as a defensive mechanism?! You also don't want to mess with a rattlesnake looking for a ball.

Played one of the top-10 courses I have ever played - and that was a pleasant surprise I didn't expect. We teed it up at the Saguaro Course at We-Ko-Pa GC (25 minutes outside of Scottsdale) in the Sonoran Desert and surrounded by the majestic McDowell Mountains. Well worth the drive to Fountain Hills where you will also find the Cholla Course, the quintessential desert course designed by Ian Miller and Saguaro, a majestic desert experience with a traditional feel and a walkable layout. I had never played a course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, but I now understand what all the fuss is about when it comes to these two guys, and will seek out their courses in future travels. Not a home in site and no residential development is ever planned for the golf courses. One of my travel companions commented that we should have stayed at the nearby Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino that's operated by the native Yavapai Nation – there's no casino in Scottsdale itself – and played a couple of the other area courses including Eagle Mountain GC, Desert Canyon GC and SunRidge Canyon. Maybe next time! Another resort we'll consider "next time" was named for the 12-million-year-old granite boulder formations that dot the landscape - The Boulders is situated on 1,300 acres in the Sonoran Desert foothills in North Scottsdale. This exclusive desert hideaway and its 160 luxurious guest casitas and 60 villas are shaped into the natural terrain. Heralded as one of the finest golf clubs worldwide, The Boulders features two 18-hole championship layouts that are considered to be among the most demanding in the Southwest and are known for their rugged beauty and breathtaking desert panoramas. We played one of the two Jay Morrish designs – the South Course and would like to see the North Course next time around, too. There's a lot to do at this resort aside from golf. It's up, up and away, from the resort's golf course, when you sail up high over the landscape on a sunrise hot air balloon ride capturing a true bird's eye view of the desert. We only saw them from the ground looking up, but it sure looked like fun! There's also great afternoon Jeep tours complete with a knowledgeable guide with exciting stories of fascinating plant, desert animal life and geology. Even rock climbing clinics, mountain biking, bi-plane flights, and soaring are available.

The Boulders Legend Trail GC TPC Scottsdale Xona Resort Suites

For this trip, we stayed at Xona Resort Suites, centrally located to golf and one of the more reasonable places to stay in Scottsdale when it comes to golf with a team of "Golf Experts" that have played all the courses and can make recommendations and reservations. Four swimming pools, a small gym and terrific dining at Southwest-inspired Asada Desert Grille made the stay enjoyable and the full suites with living room and kitchens were a great place to relax at the end of a busy day. Took a stroll over to the neighbouring Fairmont Scottsdale… Wow – this is the place you take your better half for a holiday she'll never forget!

We teed it up at the exquisitely manicured Legend Trail GC that once again meanders through the Sonoran desert landscape and features breathtaking, panoramic vistas, including some of the areas well-known landmarks such as Pinnacle Peak. With five sets of tees ranging from 4,910 to 6,845-yards it was certainly the most player friendly layout we encountered and a pleasure to play.

My group also dropped by the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale where Kenny Perry won an exciting 2009 playoff over Charlie Hoffman at the FBR Open. Simply a great course! Always fun to play where the PGA Tour pros tee it up and playing the par-3 16th - the rowdiest hole on tour – was a blast even without the 25,000 screaming fans.

There's no doubt that Scottsdale is one of the world's great golf destinations. We could go back year after year, play a handful of courses each time and never make a dent in the list of must play courses in the area – now wouldn't that be the life!

02/10