At The Inferno, Country Club at DC Ranch Golfers Battle the Heat for Pride, and a Scotty Cameron Putter

Scottsdale, Arizona, has 8+ glorious golf months a year, dry heat and all. The area is littered with quality courses, but when it gets to 110+ degrees, most people tend to travel to more moderate-temperature locations in the country.

However, not everyone leaves town. Actually, in the peak of the summer Arizona heat, The Country Club at DC Ranch hosts a Men’s Member-Guest aptly-named, "The Inferno."

I was lucky enough to experience my first Inferno this year, and it was really, really, really hot. Wearing pants in 110 degree heat while waiting for scorecards to come in is quite the experience for any PGA Professional. 

This year, the tee-gifts were very much on-theme with the heat. We provided a water bottle/tumbler that also had a mister built-in on the top. The guys could use it to hydrate, and cool off their faces when on the golf course. They also received a custom dopp kit with The Inferno logo that was packed with two sleeves of golf balls. Lastly, they were given a custom hat that said “The Inferno” on it to shield the sun, and show the fellow members that they were tough/crazy enough to play a tournament in this heat.

The format is pretty simple, but fun for the participants. The first day is just one net best-ball of the partners in a standard round of golf with an afternoon shotgun start . . . so they can really feel the heat. The scoring is with Stableford points, which helps with pace of play. If you are about to record more than a bogey on a hole, you can just pick up. The points system: bogey is one point, two points for par, three points for birdie, four points for an eagle and five points for double eagle.

Following their round, the participants take part in the infamous “Shot to 18” competition. We set up a tee box just behind the clubhouse on a patch of grass in the back patio where each participant hits a shot from there to the 18th green. Each partner gets two shots to the hole, and each shot (that finishes on the green) is measured to find the best two distances of the four for the team score. Guys gather around this patch of grass heckling each participant, and creating a fun atmosphere. 

Once that is completed, they head to the practice green to compete in our “Long Putt” competition. We set up a 50-foot putt with the same format as the “Shot to 18” to create the team score. Both of these games are fun cash games for the guys to put pressure on each other, provide banter and build friendships. Once they’ve had enough golf for the day, they finish the night in air conditioning with food & beverages.

The golfers are lucky enough to have a morning shotgun start for the second day to avoid too much of the heat, and it's in the Chapman format (hit, switch, pick). This modified alternate-shot format creates a fun experience for the partners, as they rely a lot on one-another. 

The champions are crowned by scoring the most Stableford points, and the partners received custom Scotty Cameron putters with “2023 Inferno Champions” stamped on it, along with signed headcovers by Mr. Cameron himself. 

It is hilarious to chat with the players when they come off the golf course. Ninety percent of the comments are about the heat, but every single participant has zero regrets teeing it up in The Inferno. 

As a PGA Professional in Scottsdale, Arizona, I think I will always look forward to this event. After a long few months of heat and a slower golf course, it is great to be back in a tournament atmosphere with the members and staff, no matter how hot it is.