Kierland Golf Club, a 27-hole, par-72 championship daily fee course, has been open to the public for the past six years. During that time, the golf club had been working out of a temporary clubhouse on the course. Although it was just a temporary building, the shop was recently named one of the Top 100 Golf Shops by Golf World Business Magazine.

Today, the new 19,000-square-foot clubhouse offers guests a comfortable atmosphere to relax before or after a game of golf and an outstanding new restaurant with incredible views. The clubhouse also includes an 1,800-square-foot pro shop and men's and women's locker rooms.

"This new clubhouse creates a cohesive union between the golf course and the hotel. Resort guests, area residents and out-of-town visitors will be surprised to discover this secluded gem with breathtaking views of the golf course and surrounding mountains," said Bruce Lange, general manager for The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.

The clubhouse was designed by Hill Glazier Architects, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., which is the same company that designed the hotel. Nelsen Henrich Interiors of Scottsdale, Ariz. designed the clubhouse interior.

The course, which is managed by Troon Golf, is recognized by Audubon International's Cooperative Sanctuary programs and features more than 45 species of wildlife and at least 30 native plant types. Kierland Golf Club offers two teachers in Golf Digest magazine's Top 100 and has been honored with multiple awards from its management company.

The restaurant at the clubhouse, Brittlebush Bar & Grill, will be more than a golfers' gathering spot. This quaint, rustic restaurant is designed as a comfortable traditional Arizona eatery. The restaurant, which includes a private dining room, offers a warm, western feel decorated with deep brown leather cowhides, rustic timber finishes, classic stonework and distinctive southwestern accessories. 

"We've heard incredible reviews of the new clubhouse from our longtime regular guests," said DJ Flanders, facility manager. "They've always loved our golf course, but now they have our magnificent new golf shop as the icing on the cake."

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is scheduled to open in December and will use the clubhouse for a variety of its upcoming meetings and conventions.

Phoenix-based golf course designer Scott Miller, previously a senior designer for Jack Nicklaus, designed the Kierland Golf course. One Miller trademark is playability, and Kierland takes pride in offering multiple tees, generous fairways and a desert-style golf experience with a wide variety of native plants. Miller is best known for Coeur d' Alene in Idaho and Eagle Mountain in Arizona.

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is a joint venture among entities affiliated with Woodbine Development Corporation of Dallas, Texas; the Herberger Interests of Scottsdale/Phoenix; Cook Inlet Region Inc. of Anchorage, Alaska; and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.