Some say it starts once they reach the town of Payson. Others will tell you it happens a bit farther east, as they drive along the Mogollon Rim with an eye out for elk and pass through the smaller Northern Arizona towns. In either case, they all agree on what takes place: the heart rate decreases, the breathing gets a little deeper and the stress of working and living in the greater Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Tucson area is left behind. Eventually their scenic drive reaches a destination in the White Mountains that serves as a welcome refuge from an increasingly hectic lifestyle, not to mention Arizona’s unforgiving summer heat.
Those lucky people are homeowners in Torreon, a residential golf community located on the outskirts of Show Low, some 175 miles northeast of Scottsdale. Laurie McCain, who sold the first lots at Torreon in 1998, has seen the community evolve to a truly coveted destination. She knows it doesn’t take much to sell golfers on Torreon. “I’ll drive them by the ninth hole slowly and then by the 17th on the Cabin Course so they can look all the way down the par-5 and take in the vistas beyond the trees,” she says. “When they see that they just get a look on their face and I know they want to stay.”
Torreon’s Cabin and Tower courses offer fairways lined by Ponderosa pines that individualize virtually every hole and create exquisitely serene settings. The 7,134-yard, par-72 Tower course debuted in 1999. The slightly tighter and tougher 7,148-yard Cabin Course opened its nines in 2001 and 2007 respectively, and features a popular namesake restaurant at the turn.
AMENITIES SECOND TO NONE
The amenities for non-golfers and families are equally impressive. The centerpiece is a roomy family center that includes a large playground, basketball court, sand volleyball court, small theater and video games. Nearby is a regularly stocked catch-and-release pond, and both camps and educational programs are offered for kids. There is an outdoor firepit for roasting and stories even a two-hole kids and family golf course. The main clubhouse includes a restaurant, bar, golf shop. It also features a high demand outdoor heated pool and hot tub that makes for great weekend parties. Most residents try to catch up on their fitness and utilize the expansive fitness center as well. A number of residents bring their horses to an onsite equestrian center for the summer to take advantage of cooler summer temperatures (which average 85 degrees). Or if you don’t have your own horses, then Torreon’s onsite wranglers can accommodate you with their individual trail rides, lessons or kids camps. There are also two tennis courts, 200 miles of trails nearby, hiking and fly-fishing clubs, and even a residential storage area, with spaces large enough to fit an RV. “No one gets bored up here because there are tons of things to do,” says McCain.
Perhaps most importantly, you will make plenty of new friends at Torreon according to general manager Ryan Lanzen. “Torreon is a very, very special place,” he says. “It’s an escape, a getaway from the hustle and bustle that daily life often presents; a place where families come to enjoy the outdoors, enjoy the activities and enjoy each other.”
A LIFESTYLE TO EMBRACE
Being part of Troon Privé is another element that members have come to appreciate according to Lanzen. “Especially since a large portion of our membership live in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson and know how good the Troon-managed courses are in those places.”
On the real estate side, lots in the community range in price from $39,000 to $195,000. Every resident or lot owner pays homeowner dues, and all are social members of the golf club which gains access to all of the non-golf amenities noted above. Golf memberships are $20,000 with affordable monthly dues. For slightly more, owners at Torreon can select a flexible Unit Golf Membership option that allows the property owner to transfer their membership when renting out their golf villas or home. And three years ago Invitational Golf Memberships were introduced for people who do not have property in the community.
GET A TASTE OF TORREON
For those looking for quick weekend getaway or to get a “taste of Torreon”, this White Mountain escape offers one, two and three-bedroom golf villas that are available for nightly and weekly rentals. These luxury residences are just steps away from the clubhouse and during your stay you will be a designated member, granting you and your immediate family full access to both courses, the family center complex and fitness center. Nightly rates vary by unit and season but range from $105-$205 per night for a one bedroom, $129-$249 per night for a two bedroom and $175-$335 for a three bedroom.
Another key part of Torreon’s attraction is a very informal atmosphere that permeates virtually every activity, from gatherings around a fire pit on the clubhouse patio to the very popular 4th of July parade. “People are not concerned with what you do for a living or what car you drive,” Lanzen says. “Torreon has a very unique sense of camaraderie, community, and family.”
Whether a homeowner, or visiting golfer, it doesn’t take long to embrace the relaxed environment. That’s why Lanzen always shares the same advice for anyone who has never escaped to the property. “To understand the Torreon experience, you need to come visit the property; touch it, feel it, live it” he says. “Come up, relax and enjoy the mountains.”
For more information on Torreon or Golf Villa rentals at Torreon, visit www.Torreon.com
