The We-Ko-Pa Experience

Whether you play the award-winning Cholla Course or the newer Saguaro Course, you’re in for a desert golf experience unlike any other in Arizona. At We-Ko-Pa, it’s just you, your ball and good old Mother Nature.

The We-Ko-Pa Experience begins miles from the Golf Club, where the city ends and the beautiful Sonoran Desert begins. Welcome to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Here, the landscape is open, the colors are more vibrant and the mountains are seemingly within an arm’s reach away.

Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by We-Ko-Pa’s award-winning clubhouse that rises from its desert surroundings. Inspired by the Yavapai culture, the clubhouse features a “desert vernacular” styling with unique detail contributions that draw inspiration from the natural environment. Sloped entry walls and a wood beam canopy create a canyon-like feel entryway, followed by a fire feature that is designed to symbolize the importance of woven baskets within the Yavapai culture. The clubhouse is replete with stylized detailing and yields spectacular views of the McDowell Mountains, Red Mountain, Four Peaks and the Superstitions.

From the moment you arrive until the time you leave us, you will receive the kind of customer service that has helped make the We-Ko-Pa Experience so special for every one of our guests. Whether you are a “local,” or in the valley on business or pleasure, our staff is here to help make your visit memorable.

Unlike other Arizona golf courses, there are no homes, condos or townhomes lining these fairways. At We-Ko-Pa, the Sonoran Desert is your neighbor and the term “high-rise” is either used to describe the ancient saguaros in the foreground or the magnificent mountains in the distance. In fact, the views are so spectacular at We-Ko-Pa that the sound, strategic playing value of the holes could possibly get overlooked. The variety in the routing and pacing of holes will keep all levels of golfers entertained from opening tee shot to final tap-in. Both courses, Cholla and Saguaro, feature an ideal blend of doglegs and straightaway holes, a mix of slender and ample fairways, a balance between benign and rugged green complexes. Yet without exception, both courses offer a host of shot-making options and plenty of grassy bail-out areas when the occasional shot gets away.

We-Ko-Pa is proudly owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and is managed by Scottsdale-based EF Golf and OB Sports.

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation

Located on the eastern edge of Scottsdale, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation offers premium accommodations, championship golf, fun gaming, Southwestern entertainment and unique shopping. From outdoor adventures to relaxing spa retreats, Fort McDowell Destination was created by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation to serve as your Arizona vacation destination while in our area.

Fort McDowell Destination includes:

• Radisson Fort McDowell Resort: The only AAA Four Diamond resort with spa and casino in Scottsdale.
• Fort McDowell Adventures: Individuals and groups can experience adventure tours, horseback riding, Friday Night Franks Cookout, all on a spacious 25,000-acre terrain.
• We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: Two championship 18-hole golf courses with a 10,000 square foot desert-themed clubhouse.
• Fort McDowell Casino: Live bingo, slot machines, live keno, and six restaurants and lounges are just a few of the things to experience at the Casino.
• Eagle View RV Resort: Offering 150 sites with 24-hour security on-site, free shuttles, complimentary continental breakfast and more
• Poco Diablo Resort: Full-service resort in Sedona ideal for couples and families.

For more information on Fort McDowell Destination Click Here
To learn more on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Click Here

EFGOLF Management

Ed Francese, president of EFGOLF Management, serves as a primary consultant or operator of We-Ko-Pa Golf Club.

Prior to starting EFGolf Management in 2001, Francese was president of OB Sports Management from 1993-2001, where he was instrumental in the development permitting, construction, initial opening and operation of numerous prestigious golf facilities on the West Coast, including Angel Park Golf Club (Las Vegas), Cimarron Golf Club (Cathedral City, Calif.), Langdon Farms Golf Club (Portland, Ore.), Legacy Golf Club (Henderson, Nev.), Oasis Golf Club (Mesquite, Nev.), Stevinson Ranch Golf Club (Modesto, Calif.) and Winchester Golf Club (Auburn, Calif.).

Francese began his career in the golf industry as an assistant golf professional at the Village of OakCreek Country Club in Sedona, Ariz., in 1972. Over the next five years, he also worked as an assistant golf professional at Phoenix Country Club and Continental Country Club in Flagstaff, Ariz.

From 1977-1993, Francese worked as a general manager/director of golf at courses in Arizona and Nevada, including Legacy Golf Club, Angel Park Golf Club, Pinetop Country Club, El Conquistador Resort and Continental Golf Club.

A graduate of Western State College (Gunnison, Colo.) with a degree in business administration, Francese has more than 34 years of experience in the golf industry and has been involved with a number of professional organizations and received numerous awards throughout his career. He’s been a Class A member of the Professional Golfers Association since 1976 and served on the Southwest Section PGA Board of Directors from 1978-1989. He was named the Southwest Section PGA “Golf Professional of the Year” in 1982 and 1993; the Southern Nevada Golf Association “Golf Professional of the Year” in 1994; the Southwest Section PGA Player of the Year in 1976; and was a member of the Goldwater Cup team seven times.

OB Sports Golf Management

History
The OB Sports story began in 1972 when Orrin Vincent became the Director of Golf at a new facility called Edgewood Tahoe. Orrin handpicked a unique team of experts to assist him – individuals whose talents encompassed all aspects of the golf business. Under the title of OB Sports, this team began managing, building, and consulting for additional facilities throughout the country.

Over the years, OB Sports continued to grow into a highly knowledgeable team of business people who truly understood the golf market. How to find the best locations. How to make a facility unique. How to make each aspect of the facility profitable. How to build a strong team that could achieve greatness at a golf facility.

Future
Looking to the future, we find our company in a unique position as a truly comprehensive golf course company with expertise in all aspects of golf course development and operations. Our roots are firmly established in golf and our business formula has proven successful time and time again. Our team is talented, experienced and highly skilled. Please let us know if we can assist your golf course needs.