A desert golf course can combine beauty and challenge, while still being player friendly. Longbow Golf Club in Mesa succeeds in that combination to bring the golfer an enjoyable desert golf experience. Mountain views and the desert landscaping make this Ken Kavanaugh designed 18-hole championship golf course pleasurable. more»
Pete Dye and Perry Dye designed the golf course at Red Mountain Ranch Country Club. He incorporated some of his trademark elements including deep bunkers and mounding reminiscent of traditional Scottish courses that are reinforced with railroad ties. more»
While the PGA Tour only uses the TPC of Scottsdale for one week, the Stadium course maintains top-notch playing conditions for most of the year. The added beauty of the Stadium course is its playability. more»
There's no other way to say it: Scottsdale -- and in particular north Scottsdale -- is a golfing Mecca.
Nearly 200 public golf courses have been built in the Valley, and it seems like 198 of them are in six-mile square radius in north Scottsdale.
There's Troon North and We-Ko-Pa, Grayhawk and Wildfire, Kierland Golf Club and The Boulders and, just a few miles east, in Fountain Hills, Sunridge Canyon and Eagle Mountain.
Those are just a few of the offerings in Scottsdale. Golfers could plan a seven-day vacation, play 36 holes a day and still not hit all of of the top golf courses in Scottsdale.
The quality offerings come at a price, though. First, properties like Troon North and Grayhawk aren't always easy on the wallet. A winter tee time will run north of $200. But golfers don't seem to mind, given how spectacular both the courses and the surrounding scenery are.
Second, Scottsdale's best courses, like Troon North, aren't for the pitch-and-putt crowd. The desert layouts will tax the most accomplished golfer. It's wise to stock up on sunscreen and golf balls. But, then, if you're going to pay $200, might as well get your money's worth.
Scottsdale does have alternatives for the golfer looking for more affordable tee times, or a higher level of playability. The North and South Courses at the Talking Stick Resort are easier on the scorecard, and McCormick Ranch features two old-fashioned, tree-lined golf courses with plenty of water.
Then, of course, there's the Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale, site of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. No golfing trip to the Valley is complete without standing on the tee box of the infamous par-3 16th hole on TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course and imagining 20,000 boisterous fans primed and ready to boo if your tee shot misses the green. It's a unique -- and yes, somewhat frightening -- experience.
That's the beauty of the Scottsdale golf scene. There's something for everyone, from the high handicappers who just want to enjoy themselves to the serious golfers who expect the best of everything, from the clubhouse to the course.
Simply put, Scottsdale has it all. The difficult part isn't picking which courses to play, but which courses don't make the cut.
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The playable Cholla Course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club -- one of two "Top 100" public courses at the facility in Fort McDowell, Ariz. -- will close later this year for an off-season renovation. Now is a good time to play this Scott Miller-designed gem. ... full article »
Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa lands on just about every list of top courses in Arizona; and while the course is quirky, unique and challenging it's more about the location. Las Sendas sits in the Usery Mountains with gorgeous views of vistas, with Red Mountain the star of the show. ... full article »
It's easy to find the best places to play golf in Scottsdale. But there are also courses in Scottsdale that fly under the radar, courses that might not make every top 10 list but still are fun and challenging to play and not as hard on the wallet. Here are four Scottsdale gems you might have missed. ... full article »
Scottsdale, in particular north Scottsdale, is a golfer's paradise. You can't hit a 3-wood without hitting a golf course that's made somebody's top 10 list. If you have a week, what courses should you play? Scott Bordow offers up some advice to get the most out of a seven-day golf vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona. ... full article »
The big attractions at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale are the nearby golf courses at Troon North, which can be reached in a couple of minutes with the on-resort shuttle. Staying at the Four Seasons, which pays attention to every detail, merely completes the experience, Mike Bailey writes. ... full article »
Laid out in the shadow of Camelback Mountain, the Padre Course at Camelback Golf Club is unique among golf courses in the Scottsdale area. Wide fairways, water hazards and plenty of grass rule the day, making the Padre Course a solid play in an area full of great golf courses, Mike Bailey writes. ... full article »
The Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale weaves its way through the Sonoran Desert. One of two championship courses at Grayhawk, this Tom Fazio design has hosted the Frys.com Open on the PGA Tour, among other events. Its fairways are generous, but in typical Fazio fashion the Raptor is strewn with bunkers both in the fairways and around the greens. ... full article »
With Camelback Mountain as its backdrop, the Padre Course at Camelback Golf Club is among the most scenic golf courses in the Valley of the Sun. Designed by Arthur Hills, both nines of this traditional parkland-style layout end with par 5s that wrap around a lake. In between are a good mix of difficult holes and birdie opportunities. ... full article »
McDowell Mountain Golf Club has a new name and new operators to go with a golf course that has a brand new look. Phil Mickelson led a group of investors who took over the club in 2010 and renovated the course, which is set along historic Rio Verde Canal in Scottsdale. The back tees now play more than 7,000 yards, while the removal of bunkers and addition of turf in strategic areas makes it more playable for higher handicappers. ... full article »
Orange Tree Golf Resort doesn't pretend to be one of the Valley's elite golf courses, but it's a terrific compromise for golfers who don't want to play the local municipal but aren't quite ready for a place like Troon North. A scratch golfer or low-handicapper may find Orange Tree too simple, but it will do just fine for the majority of golfers, Scott Bordow writes from Scottsdale. ... full article »