Bigger and bolder than its sister course to the south (Talon), the Grayhawk Golf Club Raptor takes off, soaring and scoring to new heights. Built by architect supreme Tom Fazio, the Raptor is guaranteed to knock your golf socks off, especially if you're not firing on all cylinders. The Grayhawk Raptor Golf Course is a gorgeous layout that affords spectacular mountain views, and features tee shots that often demand short desert carries.

Four sets of tee boxes allow golfers to choose from yardages and slopes measuring 7135/142, 6593/137, 6150/127 slope for men and 137 slope for women, and 5309 yards with a slope of 127. To score well on this golf course, it is important to avoid the greenside bunkers - which are contoured, deep and abundant. These traps often line the front of raised green complexes that are very putt-able - if you can reach without landing in the hazards.

The signature hole is the 174-yard eighth hole, a unique par-3 dubbed "Aces & Eights." A beautiful mountain backdrop frames this green, which is a par three that plays to a putting surface with mounding in the front, left and back that creates a bowl shaped effect. Clear the front bunker and a good score is possible.

Grayhawk Raptor Golf Course is located about 40 minutes from Sky Harbor Airport, on some of Scottsdale's premier real estate. The upscale residential community formed around the property is aptly named "Serenity". More than 200 mature Saguaros and thousands of native Palo Verde, Ironwood and Mesquite trees were preserved in the landscaping process, and other desert plants include 80,000 Greasewood, Bursage, Ocotillo and Barrel cactus. Wildlife also abounds in this glorious desert setting.

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