SunRidge Canyon golf course in Fountain Hills, Arizona has new greens, a few softer features

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. -- SunRidge Canyon, designed by Keith Foster, is better than ever after a 2015 renovation that brought new greens, bunkers and a few changes on some holes to make the golf course a little more player friendly.

Among the most significant changes was the installation of Champion Bermuda greens, which aren't being overseeded in the fall and winter. This means a better transition into Arizona's early spring and lightning-quick conditions in the winter when they are dormant. Some bunkers or waste areas were moved or eliminated as well to make some of the holes play a little easier.

In addition to the golf course, which plays just over 6,800 yards from the back set of four tees, the clubhouse was expanded and opened up, there's a new restaurant, a new Howard Twitty Golf Academy and a new expansive Hot Stix Golf Center, where you can choose from thousands of combinations of heads, shafts and grips, scientifically fitted for your game.

As for the par-72 golf course, there are a few homes around it, but they are set back and don't detract from the beauty of the desert landscape, which includes the McDowell Mountains. A handful of elevated tees, especially on the par-3 17th, make for some dramatic vistas as well. And the course is known for its finishing stretch, named the Wicked Six, a collection of difficult holes that close out the round.