Two Uniquely Distinct Golf Courses –

One Traditional, the Other, a More Open, Links-Style Course

"It is very exciting to finally have 36 holes renovated and ready for play at Rio Verde. It has always been the intent of both Lehman Design Group and the Committee at Rio Verde to have two very distinct golf courses. I believe we have achieved that and I am personally very happy with the way both courses look and play. From the beginning, it has always been the vision of LDG to have one course look and play in a very traditional way and the other in a more open links-type fashion. So, what exactly does that mean? When I think of a traditional golf course, I think of the courses of the midwest and northeast, courses that host US Open Championships. That look is one of narrower, meandering fairways with greens that are surrounded by fringe and then rough. Traditional to me means a course where the rough is a hazard, even if it is only two inches high. It is more difficult to chip from two inch grass than to putt from 15 feet off the green on fairway length grass. Quail, with its flashed up sand bunkers has all the elements of a traditional golf course and all of the things that go with it. This is a look that has been intended from the start. White Wing, on the other hand, was always intended to have very wide chipping areas surrounding the greens. The greens themselves were always intended to have more movement. The net result is a golf course that was always intended to play like a links course with the ability to use a variety of clubs around the greens. In addition, the style of bunkers with their grassed down faces are in perfect harmony with this style. I realize that Quail has changed since White Wing has been finished. I am sure that the membership at Rio Verde would wonder, especially if they liked the look and the feel on Quail the past two years, why the fairway lines have changed. The reason is very simple: to provide two very different golf experiences at Rio Verde. We intentionally gave more room for chipping initially on Quail because we believe it is a fun, strategic element for a golf course to have. We wanted the membership to experience this style of play until that point in time where White Wing was finished. At that point, Quail would then move back toward its more traditional look and vision. Now that both courses are finished, LDG wants to present each course in its own unique style. We certainly hope you enjoy the variety that your two courses now provide." 

    -Tom Lehman, P.G.A. Tour Player and Golf Course Architect