Tag: Ariozna golf

Scenic Arizona golf course that battled javelinas will reopen in April after renovation

Javelinas, which are most active at night, dug up big swaths of grass at this scenic golf course.

A viral video last October showed what happens when hungry javelinas have free rein on a golf course in the dark of night.

Now, Seven Canyons Golf Club, located in scenic Sedona, Arizona, is getting ready to unveil a new look.

Originally a Tom Weiskopf design that opened in 2003, the course is putting the finishing touches on a Phil Smith renovation and, according to Golf Course Architecture, will reopen in April.

The course got new ownership in 2022 and Weiskopf visited later that year to offer some thoughts on the renovation, according to Golf Business News.

“It was Tom’s last site visit out of his home state of Montana,” Smith said of Weiskopf, who died in August of that year. “It was wonderful to have him here.”

The renovation includes a re-sequencing of the holes, levelling tees and rebunkering, with new sand in all the sand traps, which were returned to their original shapes.

New amenities include an 8,000-square-foot putting green and a social space called the Turn House.

Seven Canyons is tied for 178th on Golfweek’s Best Top 200 residential courses. The course does have a membership but tee times can be secured by staying in the Enchantment Resort or renting a townhouse at Seven Canyons.

During its back and forth with the javelinas, the grounds crew at Seven Canyons, with the aid of Arizona Game and Fish Department, managed to corral 18 of the wild animals before relocating them to less populated parts of the national forest nearby. It’s likely to be an ongoing battle, however.

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Javelinas destroy grass at scenic Seven Canyons Golf Course in Sedona, Arizona

Javelinas, which are most active at night, dug up big swaths of grass at this scenic golf course.

Seven Canyons Golf Course in Sedona, Arizona, is one of the most scenic layouts in the Grand Canyon State, with views of the iconic red rock bluffs coming from all directions.

This northern Arizona community can also be home to a wild animal called the javelina, which is generally more commonly found in the southern part of the state. The creature sort of looks like a pig and they belong to the peccary family, which is a group of hoofed mammals. Javelinas have long, stiff bristles for hair and sharp tusks. Like all wildlife, it’s best to steer clear of them.

Javelinas are most active at night. They’re also known to dig up turf and dig up some turf they did at Seven Canyons recently.

The assistant superintendent at Seven Canyons posted a video on X showing the destruction the group of javelina — actually called a squadron — inflicted on the Tom Weiskopf design.

The course, which opened in 2003, tied for 178th on Golfweek’s Best Top 200 residential courses. The facility also has a 20,000-square-foot practice area with two tiers and 20 hitting stations.

As for the javelina, the Arizona State Department of Game and Fish website states that:

  • The department will sometimes remove javelina that are causing extensive property damage or have become aggressive toward humans. However, this is a last resort, and measures must be taken to remove attractants to prevent problems from recurring.
  • Javelina are classified as a big game species.
  • It is unlawful to injure or kill game animals, even if they are causing a problem, unless certain rigorous provisions under the law have been met.
  • It is unlawful to trap javelina.

Seven Canyons does have a membership but tee times can be secured if you stay in the Enchantment Resort or rent a townhouse at Seven Canyons.

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