Beautiful fit: Desert Highlands blends naturally into Southwest setting.

Desert Highlands

Most golfers don't have to worry about snakes and Gila monsters on the back nine. But most golfers don't get to play Desert Highlands.

"If you go out in the fall in the afternoon, you will see rattlesnakes and bobcats and coyotes," said Tim Bakels, CCM, the Scottsdale, AZ club's general manager. "We live with them and they live with us."

Even by country club standards, Desert Highlands is unique. First of all, it is a community--850-acres nestled around the desert, rock outcroppings, and Pinnacle Peak, a local landmark. Residents pay a fee on buying their property, agree to the monthly dues, and are automatic members.

But it's earned its country club chops. The 18-hole, par 72 course was designed by none other than Jack Nicklaus. And the club hosted the first two Skins Games.

Because the country club and community are intertwined--members own both the community and the club and one board oversees everything--the club's general manager is more like the mayor of a small town.

"You're deciding not only what to do with the club, but with people's homes--which is much more personal," said Bakels, who came to Desert Highlands four years ago from the Marbella Golf & Country Club in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

It was exactly that sense of community that Susan Cline was seeking when she and her husband moved in seven years ago. Originally from Park Ridge, IL, Cline knew she wanted to join a country club--but she also wanted a friendly neighborhood. So she scouted the clubs of Scottsdale herself--to see what members were really like. "I'd go inside and go down to the ladies locker room at different clubs," said Cline, now a board member. "I'd meet the pro, look on the bulletin board--and you can tell a lot from that."

"It's really a community," said Marcia Naseman, a six-year member. "We've gotten to know people, their families, their kids and their grandkids. You forget you haven't known these people all your life."

Ancient Style, New Look

While Desert Highlands is brand new by country club standards, the clubhouse was beginning to feel a little frayed, said Bakels. There was also the need to compete more aggressively with newer clubs in the area. Plus, the club had never had a fitness center--something current members desperately wanted. "Our membership was becoming much more health conscious," he said.

After a survey of the members--and a lot of soul-searching--the club launched a $16 million renovation in 1998. An assessment paid roughly $1.2 million, and the club financed the rest.

Architect Lee Dean Sanderson, AIA, who worked on the project, was a natural for the job. A native of Scottsdale, he was more than familiar with the area. He used to climb Pinnacle Peak in high school. And because he knew the land, he also recognized that the club wasn't making the best use of its spectacular setting.

"Desert Highlands was a benchmark in the community, but for some reason they kind of left it unfinished on the north side," said Sanderson, vice president of SHJ Studio, Inc. With an awe-inspiring view of Pinnacle Peak in their own backyard, only one room opened to that side--the kitchen. "I always felt like it was a missed opportunity," he said.

But that's no longer the case. The reconfigured club house--approximately 10,000 square feet larger than the old--brings the outside features in through oversized, unobstructed windows. And the newly added casual dining room--a big incentive during the renovation--overlooks Pinnacle Peak.

The interior design also got a makeover. Residents were reluctant to part with the old decor, which Sanderson dubs "organic pueblo." But the color palette--which featured mauve walls and purple hues, was definitely dated.

Still, members wanted to retain a comfortable, informal environment, said Traci Davis, ASID, design director for Image Design Inc. in Atlanta, which handled the project. Davis opted for the natural colors visible in the desert backdrop, and played them up with neutral beiges and sage tones. While almost all of the furniture was re placed, Davis did "an extensive amount of research" collecting reproductions that looked old, including over-stuffed leather chairs and kilim pillows made from Native American rugs.

The regional look was preserved and enhanced. Several rooms feature kivas--Southwestern shaped-clay fireplaces. Walls are plaster and give the impression of being several feet thick, "very much like an old adobe hacienda," said Sanderson. Many rooms have the traditional viga and latilla ceiling, a lattice-work of rough-hewn logs.

But the original floorplan of the club was dark. "They wanted to ratchet up that aspect of the club," said Sanderson. "We added more accent lighting, more halogen lighting, more decorative lighting fixtures."

Smart planning minimized the upheaval during two years of construction. The fitness center was built first, and all of the clubhouse functions were moved into that building while the club house was renovated. When

the clubhouse was finished a year later, it only took a nip and tuck to turn the fitness center into the facility they had envisioned.

"Some people, when they do remodeling, end up in tents or trailers for a year," said Sanderson.

"They really had a better home."

There were also some challenges on the site, he said. While the rock outcroppings on the grounds were beautiful, they also acted as natural barriers to expansion. And an old water treatment facility on the property needed a new use.

Sanderson made the most of the rocky background creating a flow between the club house, pool (nestled right into the rock 39 steps below), and the new fitness center. To pull the three elements together, and make the most of the magnificent setting, he added an outdoor patio with heaters and clay fireplaces for cool winter evenings and misters for steamy summer afternoons. "You look out on the covered patio and there are these incredible rock formations and golf course in the background," said Sharon Carry, the club's marketing director. And the pool, which had fallen into disrepair, now sparkles.

The bar and grillroom make the most of the view with oversized windows. And the new bar, which overlooks the patio, has become a favorite lingering spot for members. "We really didn't have a comfortable place where people could come in and eat and sit and watch a Diamondbacks game," said Bakels.

Sanderson expanded the fitness offerings by using the lake from the former water treatment facility as a centerpiece for a jogging and walking trail. "It's become a really nice environment," he said.

The nearby property was transformed into a tennis center--a natural fit to the residents' active lifestyle--along with a basketball court. Previously, tennis courts had been scattered throughout the community, making tournaments a logistical nightmare. "We had to create a natural home for it," said Sanderson.

First-Class Service

In the 7,000-square-foot fitness center, the membership wanted the feeling of a luxurious spa. Sanderson used "very tall windows to bring the natural features into the exercise facility," he said.

Perhaps even more than he intended. One day during an exercise class, a bobcat wandered up and peered in the window, said Clay Ward, FTC, CME, the club's fitness director. "It's almost like we were in the zoo, and he was outside looking in," said Ward.

Members are getting a lot of use out of the new fitness facility, which offers access to personal trainers, as well as a full slate of classes, including several varieties of yoga, pilates, aerobics and tai chi. One new offering on the drawing board for Fall: a wellness and fitness program for cancer patients, "since a number of members have been diagnosed with cancer," Ward said.

The center also offers a host of spa services like Swedish and hot stone massage, salt glow body scrubs (using salt and essential oils) and scalp massage.

Mark Lapolla, who admits that he and his wife Holly indulge in a weekly massage, calls the experience "a real stress reliever from a busy schedule."

Desert Highlands members admit they feel pampered. Between the service and the views, "you feel like you're in a resort," said Naseman, who co-hosted the renovation reopening party.

And curbside take-out from the club kitchen is a real resident favorite. They can call in their order from anything on the dining room menu, drive to the club and valets will bring the food to the car. "It's absolutely decadent," said Lapolla, a hedge fund manager and five-year resident.

"I've gone up there, literally, in my pajamas and socks," said Naseman.

The food may be fast, but the club doesn't skimp on cuisine. "We don't open cans, we don't use frozen products," said Bakels. In fact, members can also hire the club staff to cater their private parties. Last Christmas, the Lapollas catered an Italian dinner in their home. Not only was the food "just incredible," said Mark, but Executive Chef Shawn Chappel showed up personally to check up on the details.

Members also like the fact that they can use a variety of a la carte club services--like landscaping, pool care, and catering--and get just one bill at the end of the month. "It's pretty integrated and pretty nice," said Lapolla.

Despite the hectic schedule, 600 club members and a staff of almost 200, Bakels admits that there are times when even he can't help but stop and admire the view. "Many times I'll get in a golf cart and drive around and think to myself, `My God, if this isn't one of the most beautiful places I'll ever see--it's a picture postcard. Cactus with the setting sun behind it--it's amazing.'"

Desert Highlands at a Glance

Size: 850 acres

Amenities: Includes 29,000 square foot club house, 18-hole, par 72 golf course, tennis center with 13, courts on four different surfaces, free form pool, 7,000-square foot fitness center with classes including tai chi, yoga, aerobics and pilates, 24-hour security manned entry gates, walking and jogging trails, basketball co 18-hole putting course. For an extra fee, community offers residential services which include pool care, landscaping pest control, security check and mail collection. In-home catering and curbside take-out from the club dinning room also available.

Number of members: Approximately 600

Number of staff: An average of 190

Average member age: 50 to 55

Cost of member: $75,000 non-refundable (one-time fee on purchasing land in the community), $710 monthly for dues a nd association fees.

Home prices: On average $700,000 to $3.3 million

Official website: www.deserthighlandsscottsdale.com

Dana Dratch is a free-lance writer based in Atlanta.