ASU Karsten Golf Course: History Surrounds You
TEMPE - Many golfers dream of walking in the footsteps of the tour professionals...hitting from the same fairways, bunkers, putting on the same greens and facing the situations that Phil Mickelson, Grace Park, Wendy Ward, Brandy Burton, or Emilee Klein did. It is very easy to play where several touring professionals played their college golf and not pay a king's ransom.
ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Arizona has been the home of many great golfers and champions. You'll understand how their short games became so refined and their iron play developed for the small greens at ASU Karsten. Park, Ward and Mickelson are just a few of the professional golfers who attended Arizona State University and were part of championship golf teams.
This classic Pete Dye Scottish links designed course, built in 1989, has plenty of challenges...rolling hills, railroad ties, partially hidden greens, hidden bunkers, and water.
This is a Pete Dye course that can be enjoyed by players at every level. However, your full attention will be necessary for each challenge that awaits you.
When you arrive at ASU Karsten Golf Course on the Arizona State University campus, you will immediately realize this will be more than the ordinary golfing experience when you are met at the clubhouse by outside staff dressed in knickers in the ASU Sun Devil colors.
The 21,000 square foot Sun Angel Clubhouse includes a large golf shop and the Trophy Room Restaurant that provides breakfast and lunches.
Another feature is a 20-acre practice facility. As you hit from the practice tee, you will see Sun Devil Stadium in the background, the home of the ASU and NFL Arizona Cardinals football teams. The stadium also hosts the Fiesta Bowl each New Year.
The front and back nines are quite different. The first nine are shorter (par 35) and the back nine are longer (par 37). Yardage ranges from 4,765 from the forward tees to 7,026 from the Professional tees. Most players will use the Champion (6,272 yards) or the Regular (5,694) tees.
Distance is not important on several of the first holes.
The par 4 first hole requires you to leave the driver in the bag and hit a shot that is comfortable for you that will leave you with a short iron or wedge to the green.
The right side of the fairway has two bunkers so left is good. Stay below the hole on your approach shot because there are grass bunkers behind the green.
The greens are also fast, so below the hole is a good rule on most of the holes.
A decision awaits you on Number 2. The short par 4 may tempt you in taking out the driver and trying to hit a 240 yard carry over the three fairway bunkers that line the left side of the fairway. Or you can lay up short of the bunkers and have a wedge shot to the three-tiered green.
A ball in most of the fairway bunkers can make any of the holes more difficult. The third hole is a dogleg left par 4. The dogleg is guarded by a tree and bunker making the right side of the fairway a wise choice. A pot bunker guards the left side of the green.
The number 4 hole is the number one handicap for a good reason. Keep the ball down the left side of the fairway. The wind should blow it back to the middle of the fairway. A bunker is in the middle of the fairway for anyone who hits a drive 290 plus yards.
The green is protected on the left and back by water and a bunker left front.
Avoid any shot that takes the ball near the water. A pin placement on the left side of the green can make this a very difficult hole.
Number 5, the only par 5 on the front nine may be reached in two with a long straight tee shot. However, a crooked shot to the left will find trees or a bunker. A shot to the right of the fairway will find sand as well.
There are also hidden bunkers in front of the green. Number six is a medium length par 3. Aim for the middle or to the left of the green. A bunker on the right front of the green makes for a difficult up and down. Deep grass bunkers surround the par 3 seventh green except in the front.
If the flag is on the left side of the green, take plenty of club to stay away from those bunkers. Hit over the green and you will find a sand bunker. This short par three can give you a birdie or bogey if you aren't careful with your tee shot.
Pete Dye railroad ties are evident on the par 4 eighth hole, lining a bunker along the left side of the fairway. There is plenty of room to the right, so you should play it safe.
Bunkers line the right side of the green so take plenty of club. Water runs along the right side of the fairway on the par 4 ninth hole. Across the water parallel to the 9th fairway is the finishing 18th hole. Aim left to give yourself a chance. Then play for the fat part of the green because water is to the right of the green.
This is a deep green which can be the difference of three clubs depending on pin location.
As you head for the back nine, you will probably have had the opportunity to buy refreshments several times. The beverage carts make several rounds to allow you plenty of opportunity.
There are also snacks on the way to the tenth tee.
Long hitters will be faced with a decision right away on the back nine. A 233 to 270 yard shot will carry bunkers on the left of the fairway, making it possible to reach this par 5 in two strokes or a bad drive will mean additional strokes. Trees are also on the left and three bunkers on the right. A fairway bunker is about 65 yards from the green to catch a second shot so stay left for a good view of the green. The green drops off on the right of the green where there is also a bunker.
Long hitters could also find trouble on the 11th hole where they may end up in a straight away bunker. There are also bunkers on the right so it's best to be left center.
The 12th green is elevated so this par three could bring difficulty. A shot to the left of the green in bunkers will take away any opportunity for a par. It would be better to chip up onto the green from the right.
The short par 4 thirteenth could be lucky, depending on your tee shot. Using a comfortable iron or fairway wood off the tee will still leave you with a short iron or wedge to this small green.
A crooked drive could end up in trees or bunkers to the left or a pot bunker to the right. A bunker also is in front of the green for short approach shots. Play it smart and number 13 will be lucky for you and help your score.
Number 14 may not be a long par 5, but it can seem that way if you find any of the bunkers on the left side of the fairway. A drive could land in one bunker while a second shot could find the other.
Shots to the right will find hilly lies or trees. A pot bunker is in front of the green and a hill in the back. There is nothing wrong with playing it safe and playing your second shot short of the left bunker for an approach shot of about 100 yards.
Once you get on the left side of the fairway or even the left rough on hole 15, take plenty of club for the elevated green. Probably one extra club will do the job. Water runs to the right of the fairway about 90 yards out and to the right of the green. There is a bunker to the left and bunker and trees at the back of the green. A four is a good score.
Hole 16 is a par 3 where a 4 is also a good score. This hole can range in distance from 246 yards to 132 depending on what tees are used. Water definitely comes into play here.
The middle right of the green juts out into the water and when the wind is blowing left to right, a good round can be changed quickly. The championship tees are 176 yards from the green. Play to the left center if you decide to go for the green. There is a safe route. Hit your tee shot to the short left of the green and chip on and putt for par.
Bailing out can also bring danger. Hit that safe shot too far and a green side bunker awaits you. It would be fun to stay at this hole and hit a bucket of balls.
A three-shot par five is next. You won't be able to see the green unless you approach the green from the left side. There are trees and grass bunkers on the left and a fairway bunker on the right about 90 yards out.
There is a greenside bunker in front and another bunker to the left of the green. The finishing hole is a long par 4. Stay right because there is water all along the fairway on the left. Even staying right does not mean you stay out of trouble. Hidden bunkers can be found. So a tee shot in the fairway is a must.
The water extends to the left front of the green. It's a challenging finishing hole for this exceptional course.
Many of the greens on doglegs are hidden by hills, making it even more interesting the first time you play ASU Karsten. Local knowledge is a definite plus, but for any skill level, you would have been challenged and no matter what the score, you would have succeeded. You played where champions played. One additional note: ASU Karsten is junior golfer friendly. Junior golfers will find their own tee to green yardage.
The course rating/slope from the Champion tees is 70.0/122 and 67.7/115 from the forward tees. Green fees range from $45-$55 fall to January and $65-$85 mid January to spring.
How to get there: ASU Karsten is located minutes away from the Phoenix airport, Scottsdale, downtown Phoenix, and many other points of interest. Restaurants and lodging are abundant around the ASU campus.
From the airport, take 202 East and get off on the Scottsdale Road exit. Head south to Rio Salado Parkway where you will turn left. The golf course is on the right. Highway 202 also connects with Interstate 10 for those traveling that route from Phoenix.
Traveling from Tucson, take Interstate 10 to the Highway 60 East exit.
Take Highway 60 to Rural/Scottsdale Road. Rural Road and Scottsdale Road are the same. Go north to Rio Salado Parkway. Turn right and ASU Karsten will be on your right.