What is it like to live in a lifestyle community like Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona? Despite all the research people do before buying into a community, no one knows for sure what a particular community is like until they’ve lived there for a while. You might choose it for the superb golfing facilities but then discover that the social life isn’t what you had hoped for.
To provide interested homebuyers with a better idea of what it’s like to live in Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch, we spoke with two residents who have lived there for the last few years. We also spoke with the Wickenburg Ranch Lifestyle Director, who reveals that there’s a lot more to the simple description “Movie Mondays” than meets the eye.
What Current Residents Have to Say
Nancy Mueller and her husband Terry are originally from White Bear Lake in Minnesota, but they’ve lived at Wickenburg Ranch full-time for the last two years and part-time for about three-and-a-half years. Did they look at other communities before choosing Wickenburg Ranch?
“Yes,” Nancy says, “We looked at some of the other Trilogies, and at some places in California near Indianola, but we really like the weather here. We like a lot of sun!”
And what were some of the main factors when choosing a community?
“I think price was a consideration,” Nancy says, “and location to airports, things like that. And the weather. We really wanted nice sunny weather. And we definitely got that.”
Another resident, Suzy Battle, who lives at Wickenburg with her husband Bill, also appreciates the climate in Central Arizona (even though they moved here from Southern California, which has a pretty agreeable climate itself).
Suzy, who’s still in the workforce, says, “We love waking up here. It’s just so beautiful. I’ll take the laptop out to one of the patio tables and work outside. It’s pretty nice. I mean, in the middle of summer in the middle of the day, it’s hot, right, so you stay inside, but the rest of the year is pretty nice.”
The warm weather means residents can enjoy golf, tennis, pickleball, and bocce all year round. Suzy’s husband Bill, who’s retired, is a keen golfer and takes full advantage of the 300 sunny days a year in Wickenburg. But they take the chance to discover other sports too.
“I’m not a golfer,” Suzy admits, “and right now I’ve been swimming and doing yoga, trying to get out and get some exercise, and I am still working so that keeps me busy. And then eventually, I wouldn’t mind trying pickleball. Our best friends in Southern California loved bocce, and we used to play all the time. Here, we like to play bocce in the evenings, when it’s cool, and just kind of hang.”
Nancy and Terry Mueller do share a love of golf, and Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranches offers them a choice of two courses.
“We golf the smaller course, Li’l Wick, not the big course,” Nancy says. “I had been a golfer when I was younger, and then kind of stopped for my work world, and then thought, well, let’s try it again.”
Li’l Wick is a 9-hole course, but the community also has an 18-hole Big Wick course. In addition to golf, what else appeals to the couple about life at Wickenburg Ranch?
“It’s that kind of community feel,” Nancy explains. “Everybody’s interested in something around here, whether it’s pickleball or golf or working out. And all the things that we can do. If we wanted to, we could be busy every single solitary day. And in the beginning, we were doing a lot more than we are now. In the beginning, it sort-of felt like we were on vacation and so we did a lot, and now we’re more picking and choosing things to do.”
Suzy Battle grew up in Phoenix, which is about an hour’s drive from Wickenburg Ranch. She was living in Southern California when her husband Bill retired and he started looking around for a community to move to.
“He had been looking at places,” Suzy explains, “and I was like, uh-oh, I don’t want to do that! Then my dear friends, who I’ve known for 30 years, bought a place here. When we first came out to visit, I looked at it and thought: This looks cool. This looks like adult day camp! But I said, ‘I grew up in Phoenix, and I’m not moving to Wickenburg. That’s Cowtown!'”
Suzy and Bill also looked at other Trilogy properties in Phoenix, including Trilogy at Vistancia.
“They had golf, tennis, swimming, everything, but it was just in the middle of the city. I thought I wanted the city, but then I didn’t. This is special.”
So Suzy and Bill ended up moving to Cowtown after all, and they’ve never regretted it.
“Bill’s into golf,” Suzy says, “but I think it’s more the lifestyle. We can have people come out and visit. And, your blood pressure drops, you know? You feel like it’s a healthier lifestyle, a lot less stress. Just a better way of life.”
What the Current Lifestyle Director Has to Say
Residents of Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch have a very active lifestyle, with various clubs, groups, classes, and activities to participate in. We asked Morgan Barnes, the Wickenburg Ranch Lifestyle Director, which were the most popular events.
“Probably our most popular event takes place every Monday and is entitled ‘Movie Monday.’ Tom and Lorraine Brodek are a retired producer and VP of Marketing from Hollywood, and Tom is on the Academy. Every Monday our Members watch a movie that is currently creating a lot of buzz in the industry, and Tom and Lorraine share all there is to know about the actors, producers, filming, etc. Our Members love the casual atmosphere where they come together and have some popcorn, soda, and a little bit of gossip.”
Trilogy at Wickenburg Ranch offers such diverse options as art and cookery classes, guided hikes, various sports clubs, and holiday parties. So what else do residents enjoy doing?
“They love to get together and have a good time,” Morgan says. “Any event involving a BBQ and live music will have an awesome turnout. They’ll be up out of their seats and dancing throughout the evening.”
The fact that the Trilogy and Troon brands have combined adds further benefits to living at Wickenburg Ranch, though they’re not as evident as a list of amenities, as Morgan explains.
“If you’re a Member of Wickenburg Ranch, you have access to Troon Priv benefits, meaning you have access to a global portfolio of exclusive Member privileges. For example, we recently had Members travel to the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Hawaii and play the course for $25 per person. Trilogy creates amenities to support active, artistic, laid-back, or outgoing lifestyles. There’s truly something for everyone here.”
