SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA | When I take to the road, I often want to go local so I may acquire a better feel for a place. That means local bars and restaurants, local galleries and museums and also the golf courses that residents play.
So, my “perfect day” here starts at Papago Golf Club.
Situated west of downtown Phoenix, just two miles from the airport and a mere long iron from the zoo, this muni has been a hometown favorite since it opened in 1963. Residents like how this scenic track, which originally was designed by Billy Bell, has been revamped – and revitalized – over the years, most recently in 2022. And they appreciate the very modest rates they pay to tee it up here, with green fees for Maricopa County residents dipping below $50 a round during certain times of the year.
Then, there is its hub, Lou’s Bar & Grill, a sleek and modern space with top-notch food and drink and garage doors that open onto a patio. Named after the late Lou Grubb, a local car dealer who with his wife Evelyn helped to finance one of the upgrades at Papago, it is golf’s version of Cheers, with tables and barstools filled most of the day. And I not only take my breakfast here (ham and egg burrito) but also enjoy a Bloody Mary with my playing partners – all of whom live and work in the area – when our round is done.
I am in good spirits when I say goodbye to my new-found friends and then Uber to the Scottsdale Stadium in Old Town. Just five miles away, the 1955 structure has been the spring training home of the San Francisco Giants since 1984. (The team plays its final game of spring training today before the season starts Thursday in New York.) I settle into my seat, so close to the action that I can hear the players on the field talking to one another, and happily stay for seven innings, even though I have no real fealty for the Giants (as a New York Mets fan, however, I appreciate the historical connection) and no idea who all the kids wearing the uniform are. But I revel in the warmth of the sun, the cheers of the fans, the umpire bellowing out calls from behind the plate and, yes, the cracks of the wooden bats. And suddenly, I think that for some of us, attending a Cactus League game can be almost as spiritual of an experience as a round at Cypress Point.
A trip to a proper deli also can nourish the soul, and the nearby Andreoli Italian Grocer is as good as anything I have ever found on Arthur Avenue back in the Bronx’s Little Italy. Sandwiches and salads. Seafood and pastas. Cheeses and salamis galore. Espresso and cappuccinos, too. And for dessert, cannoli and tiramisu.
The restaurant is also, a good friend has told me, a favorite of locals, who can be loosely defined as such here given how many people have relocated to Scottsdale from colder U.S. climes.
I opt for the Cosa Nostra sandwich, made of thinly sliced roast beef with a spicy Italian relish called giardiniera and extra virgin olive oil. And after taking my first bites, I look around the restaurant and feel glad once again to be among the people of Scottsdale, for they have helped to make this a most perfect day.
Top: Evie's Pavilion at Papago can be as busy as the golf course at times; so can Lou's Bar & Grill.
Courtesy Papago Golf Club