North Course: Par: 72; Yardage: 4,900-6,811
South Course: Par: 71; Yardage: 4,684-6,726

READY TO ROLL

Where else in the world can you tee it up among billion-year-old piles of granite boulders? Serene and surreal and sitting elegantly on the edge of Scottsdale in the quaint town of Carefree, The Boulders Golf Course is the work of architect extraordinaire Jay Morrish, who finished off this natural wonder with his final 18 holes in 1991.

Of the two courses at the Boulders, the South is considered to be the more spectacular, with stunning views of the rocks that turn orange, purple and peach late in the afternoon. The signature hole is the par-5 fifth, which doglegs its way 545 yards to a green surrounded by the ancient relics.

The North Course is a bit testier, with tight fairways lined by houses. Don't be misled, as the North also includes some one-of-a-kind beauties, the best being the par-3 14th, which takes a mid- to long-iron from 185 yards to clear water that fronts the green.

Todd Massie's Tip: Two of the great things about The Boulders' golf courses are the bent-grass greens, and that both courses are true "resort courses," in that they won't beat you up. It's an intimate feel with cozy holes among unreal surroundings. The South might have a little more rugged terrain, but the North is tighter, and that makes them both equally challenging.