Arizona golf and the start of GolfTroop.com

In March of 2002 I traveled to Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ with my Father to check out colleges in Arizona. Growing up in Colorado I was familiar with mountain style and tree lined golf courses and had never seen courses like they have down in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson. I love golf. I played in high school and wanted to go into golf course management. With a year round golf season, amazing courses, this would be a perfect place to start.

My Dad and I played four courses during that trip. We played Eagle Mountain (Fountain Hills), Tonto Verde (Rio Verde), El Conquistador (Tucson), and Firerock (Fountain Hills). My mind was blown away by how cool desert golf was. They somehow had found out a way to grow the greenest, most beautiful grass, on top of the most raw desert landscapes. They shaped these holes throughout the canyons and ups and downs of the land to create courses that would both challenge and amaze every player that stepped foot on them. And the AZ sunsets...Let’s just say I was hooked...bigtime.

I had heard of this course called Troon North (Scottsdale) from one of the assistant pros at the golf course I worked back home who worked at Troon in the winters. They told me it was incredible and if I was ever there to visit it just to see it. My Father and I made the trip up the 101 freeway to visit Troon. I was pumped to see this place. I will never forget walking into the pro shop and seeing the practice green through the windows. It was SO pristine and immaculate. We visited with the shop staff and my co-worker from Colorado. It was peak season and course prices were pretty steep. I promised myself I would play that course someday.

That trip was my first golf vacation package. It was a memory and experience I will never forget. One, because it was with my Father who also loves golf and hanging with his son. Two, because it solidified what I wanted to do after high school which was go into the golf industry somehow. And three, because I really felt at home in Arizona.

I went on to become a teaching professional in Colorado and shortly after I ran the golf program on Carnival and Celebrity cruise line ships around the North America, South America, and Europe. I loved and still love to travel. If I can play golf while traveling then even better. In 2008 I started GolfTroop.com with my best friend, fellow golfer, and investor. We had one goal, it was to get as many people to AZ to play golf as we could because it is so amazing. Things have grown since we started but that is still our same goal. Come out and see this amazing place...we will help you plan it as well as save you some money as we have the relationships with the courses, accommodations, and rental vehicle companies.

Fairways and Greens,

Ryan Northrop
Founder & CEO
GolfTroop.com

PS: I recently took my son to play Troon North and what a great day that was. Get out here and make some memories!