We were looking for a late spring round of golf, and decided on Las Sendas, after hearing great things about the place. The first thing I noticed was that the $60 rate includes range balls, which is something that I'm not used to. Superstition Springs had a comparable tee time with a rate of $50, but when you add in up to $10 for range balls, the two courses are comparably priced. It leaves a great first impression when you show up, pay the advertised rate, and don't get nickle-and-dimed just for warming up.
The second good impression came when I got a call from one of the guys in my group, who was running late because of an unexpected freeway closure. I mentioned this to the starter, who was more than happy to accommodate us. The staff was very friendly in general, and they almost seemed like they liked having us there, in contrast to some of those courses where they herd you around like cattle.
The actual course was excellent. There were plenty of interesting holes, the layout was challenging, and the setting felt pastoral. Some courses, Kokopelli for example, have houses so close to the fairway that any slightly errant ball has a good chance of getting lost or hitting a house. At Las Sendas, there are houses, but they left the fairways wide enough that it felt wide open, and in most cases, even left a desert buffer between the houses and the fairways. And perhaps best of all, this course offers some of the best scenery I've seen at a golf course in Phoenix. The 18th tee box, among others, offers a sweeping view of the Phoenix area; constantly throughout the day, I was cursing myself for not having brought my camera.
After a very enjoyable 18, we ate lunch at the clubhouse, and decided we wanted to play more. They got us back out at a very reasonable $20 replay rate.
Now I'm not a very experienced golfer, but I think I have a new favorite public course. Even my colleague, who is experience, said after the fifth or sixth hole, "This might be a little premature, but I think this might be my new favorite public course in Phoenix."