The number one, all-around favorite when it comes to challenge of play, condition of greens, clubhouse and friendliness of personnel - Las Sendas Golf Club located at Power and Thomas Roads, in Mesa. Paul Preston, PGA, is head of golf at Las Sendas, with Mark Gurnow serving as director of golf. A Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed par 71, 18-hole course opened in 1995, Las Sendas is considered a traditional-style course with turfgrass laid from tee to green. Boasting magnificent, 360-degree views of Red Mountain, the Superstitions, Papago Buttes and Spook Hilt, the signature hole is the third, a 440-yard right-to-left dogleg wrapped around the base of Spook Hill. Considered among the most challenging courses in the Valley, even the shortest hole, the 120-yard 16th, is not a "piece of cake" to nail. A delicate short-iron shot is recommended to stay on target.

Marked with championship, regular and red tee markers, the 6,866 yard course with its slope rating of 149, is one of the highest in Arizona. After a challenging round, golfers relax at The Grille with a patio overlooking the 18th green. Open for breakfast and lunch, plans call for The Grille, normally closed at sundown, to offer dinner beginning in mid January. A great close to an enjoyable day of golf in a beautiful setting once roamed by movie legend, Tom Mix and his gang, and the Hohokam Indians. For those who never want to leave Las Sendas, meaning 'pathways", the course sits amid an 1,800 acre master-planned community offering custom homesites from a quarter, to two and a quarter acres. Standard daily fees from now through April 4th, are $135. Group and private lessons are available by appointment at this public course. Call the golf shop at 396-4000 for reservations.