After years of neglect, an abandoned golf course in Phoenix is being redeveloped, rebranded
While reenvisioning the 140-acre site, the developer carved out 50 acres for new single-family detached homes and for-sale townhomes and preserved 90 acres for the golf course.
To conserve water, the course will mostly feature par-3 holes, as they're shorter and require less turf.
In 2022, Laveen, located southwest of downtown Phoenix, 140 bought the long-neglected property that was once the Southern Ridge Golf Club and before that the Cotton Fields Golf Course. It originally opened in 1993. It closed in 2017, languishing with overgrown weeds and dead plants.
Initially, the ownership group had planned to remove and redevelop the course into smaller pockets of recreational activities, like pickleball and other sports courts, as well as playgrounds and dog parks. Neighbors vehemently rejected that plan, which also sought to eliminate any golfing activity and build 800 housing units.
Amid the fierce opposition, the group agreed to return golf operations to the site while modifying the course. To do so, Laveen 140 hired a Phoenix-based golf architect who has worked on international golf courses of all sizes.
The project was redesigned as Score Golf Club, which decreased the course's acreage and set aside space for the new homes.
The project went through the Laveen Village Planning Committee and Phoenix Planning Commission in August and September 2024, respectively. In October 2024, Phoenix leaders gave the project their stamp of approval. Laveen 140 teed off construction in early spring.
When will the work be done? According to the developer's website, the project is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete.
Republic Reporter Corina Vanek contributed to this story.
Is there something under construction you'd like to tell us about or find out more about? Contact the reporter. Shawn Raymundo covers Phoenix and the East Valley city of Scottsdale. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.
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