During construction of The Ranch, a sum equaling over $130 million dollars was spent to provide infrastructure and site improvements, including paved and natural hiking and biking trails and a residential cable-TV station that continually broadcasts information about events and club meetings. The McDowell Center was also developed; available for use by all residents, the McDowell Center boasts meeting rooms, two heated swimming pools and spas, volleyball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds and picnic areas. In keeping with its amenity-rich theme, The Ranch maintains an impressive calendar featuring a variety of activities for both children and adults, including excursions, social clubs and sports clubs. In addition, the community's closeness to the Loop 101 means that a plethora of fine shopping, fabulous restaurants, theaters and other cultural venues are just a proverbial hop, skip and jump on the freeway away.
Nearby, the City of Scottsdale features first-rate facilities including the McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center, Horizon Park, Scottsdale's Arabian branch library, WestWorld and the Sanctuary Golf Course. This gorgeous golf course, built on the western slope of the McDowell Mountains, was designed by Randy Heckenkemper as a showcase not just for great golf, but also to highlight the spectacular Sonoran terrain. From the longest tees, the par-71 Sanctuary at WestWorld plays at 6,624 yards, with a slope rating of 135. It's a fun challenge for golfers of all stripes, with just one par-5 on the front nine and two on the back nine, plus eleven par-4s that range from a sweeping 438 yards to a shorter 319 yards. But don't let the shorter length fool you; the expert's advice is to watch for doglegs, rolling fairways and those darned bunkers – hey, it's always interesting, and the design of the course adds to the scenic wonders all around.
