Trilogy at Vistancia

One of Golf Digest's Top 24 Places to Play

By Brian Weis

Did you know that in the golf haven of Arizona there are over 300 courses. Don't believe us, make sure to check out our course directory! Of those courses, there is only one that has received Golf Digest's prestigious Best Places to Play 5-Star Rating - The Trilogy at Vistancia in Peoria, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix. While there are numerous factors that go into being one of the top 24 courses in the United States, it's a safe bet the number one factor is the quality of the course. http://www.ArizonaGolfer.com recently had the opportunity to interview General Manager Greg Ellis about what sets Trilogy at Vistancia apart from the competition.

Q: Our staff was fortunate enough to play Trilogy at Vistancia last year and was thoroughly impressed. What in your opinion makes this property so highly thought of in national circles?

A: First of all, the golf course is located within the community of Trilogy at Vistancia, an award-winning Active Adult community owned by Shea Homes. The golf course is designed by Hall of Fame Architect, Gary Panks. He has incorporated the magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and the terrain of natural elevation changes. Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia is not the typical "desert golf course" that you will find in Arizona. As a matter of fact, the course will remind you of some of the best golf courses located in the Midwest. The fairway and landing areas are very generous and the greens a large and accessible. There is virtually no "desert landscaping on the golf course; as that has been replaced by the beautiful but penal native grasses that border the fairways. Another important thing to mention is the golf course is set up for golfers of all ability. All of those factors combine to make Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia one of only 24 golf courses in the United States to receive the prestigious 5-Star rating by Golf Digest Best Places to Play. It truly is a must play when visiting the Valley of the Sun.

Q: What else really sets Trilogy apart from the competition?

A: The native grasses bordering the fairways give you the feel of playing in the Midwest. The lack of desert terrain that will tear up your golf clubs like many of the golf courses in the area. We have a full spa resort here for the non-golfer to enjoy a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure while the golfer is spending four hours on the golf course. Golf rates here are half of what you would pay at many of the golf resorts in the Valley and as high of a caliber facility as those charging upward to $245.00 for a round of golf in the high season.

Q: What else is there to do in the area when visiting Trilogy?

A: There are many great restaurants in the area from fine dining to many ethnic type eating establishments for any golfers' liking. The Westgate area near the Phoenix Cardinals Stadium and the Phoenix Coyotes Arena is always a great place to go for evening entertainment. There are approximately 20 Major League Baseball teams that make this are home for Spring Training.

Q: Any packages or memberships you are promoting for 2011?

A: The Full-Flex Pass offers the following privileges:

* Golf course access on a space-available basis Monday-Sunday including all holidays

* A booking window of two days greater than the general public

* Use of the practice facility on the day of play ($7.50 on the other non-play weekdays)

* The purchase of the 50-Play or more allows for use of the Practice Facility on a space-available basis Monday-Thurs (non-holiday) anytime

* Transferability among couples (within the same household only)

* Personal golf car access or usage of one of the golf cars from the course fleet

The Costs:
25-Play Full-Flex Pass: 25 rounds at $70 each for a pass price of $1,750

50- Play Full-Flex Pass: 50 rounds at $65 each for a pass price of $3,350

75- Play Full-Flex Pass: 75 rounds at $60 each for a pass price of $4,500

Q: What is the best way to get to your property?

A: The golf course is located just 35 minutes from the Sky Harbor Airport in Peoria, AZ. Take I-17 north to Happy Valley Road and go west 14 miles to the golf course.

The Skinny

5 Tees: 7259, 6868, 6508, 6132, 5573 yards
Slope/Rating 134/73.9

Trilogy at Vistancia
12575 W. Golf Club Drive
Peoria, Arizona
USA 85383
623.328.5100
www.trilogygolfclub.com/vistancia

Article Tags: Trilogy at Vistancia

Revised: 01/06/2011 - Article Viewed 34,314 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.