104 Best of phoenix 2023 | WWW.bestofphoenix2023.c0m | septemBer 28, 2023 Best Place to Trace Your Balls BELLAIR GOLF PARK 17233 N. 45th Ave., Glendale 602-513-7070 bellairgolfpark.com Golf can be a game of inches, for sure, but it can also be super pretentious and not a lot of fun for people who like to enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere. The scene at Bellair Golf Park is just what the doctor ordered for those who like to knock the crap out of a little dimpled ball while laughing with friends and knocking back a few cold ones. Think Top Golf without a triple-digit tab at the end of the night. The best part is that the range, which features some nifty video features, is open until 10 p.m. every night, so you can get out of the sun and into the fun. There’s nothing else like it on the west side, and the opportunity to see your progress using TopTracer technology is well worth the price of a range bay. You might not cure your slice, but you will enjoy the price. Just tell ’em a little birdie told you so. Best Skate Park MANSEL CARTER OASIS SKATE PARK 19535 E. Appleby Road, Queen Creek 480-358-3700 queencreekaz.gov/departments/ parks-recreation Technically, anything is a skate park if you’re determined enough. But there are a limited number of true skate parks around metro Phoenix, and for our money, the best one is all the way down in Queen Creek. The Mansel Carter Oasis Skate Park (inside the park of the same name), an in-ground skate park, is a relatively new facility. It was only built in 2018, giving it a fresh, well-kept appearance. Features of the 11,000-square-foot park include a mini ramp and contest-style street course with colored concrete. Though it’s a trek from many parts of the Valley, it’s worth it to practice your moves at the best skate park in town. Best Public Pool MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN RANCH AQUATIC & FITNESS CENTER 15525 N. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale 480-312-6677 scottsdaleaz.gov/sports/aquatics/ mcdowell-mountain-ranch-pool Many residents of metro Phoenix are fortunate enough to have private pools. Still others may have access to one at an apartment complex or condo community. But the pool-less don’t have to go undunked, because there are plenty of public options around town. The best, in our opinion, is the McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic & Fitness Center in north Scottsdale. The facility has a 13-lane lap pool that’s heated in the winter, plus four diving boards (two 1-meter and two 3-meter). In the summer, the number of amenities grows to include a waterslide, lazy river and zero-depth-entry play pool. The entire center is well-kept and visually appealing, and if you want to take swimming lessons or water exercise classes, those are options, too. There’s a small fee for everything, and nonresidents of Scottsdale will have to pay a couple of bucks on top of that, but overall, the price is right for a fun day at the pool. Best Public Tennis Courts ROADRUNNER PARK 3448 E. Cactus Road 602-682-6862 tennisphoenix.com There are six courts always up for the taking at Roadrunner Park in north Phoenix. No fee is required to use the courts, but it’s first come, first serve. The courts were recently resurfaced, so you don’t have to worry about a giant crack getting in the way of the backhand winner down the line. On any given day or evening, you’ll see hardcore competitive tennis players practicing serves as well as recreational players enjoying a fun game of doubles. There’s no need to cut the evening short, because the courts are lighted, and for those who want to practice their strokes, there’s a hitting wall available, too. When it’s time to cool down or shake off a bad game or two, you can stroll around the park, watching kids play on the playground or dogs walking with their owners. Best Event for Horse Lovers SCOTTSDALE ARABIAN HORSE SHOW 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale 480-515-1500 scottsdaleshow.com Scottsdale is known among a certain set (read: people with real money) as one of the epicenters for Arabian horses, not least because its annual horse show is the largest in the world. From its humble start at the Arizona Biltmore in 1955 with 50 horses, it’s grown to nearly 2,400 horses and top owners, breeders and trainers at WestWorld each February.
