The Best Golf Courses in Scottsdale and Phoenix
No metro in America packs in more great desert golf than Scottsdale and Phoenix, from the roaring Stadium Course of the WM Phoenix Open to the wild Sonoran beauty of We-Ko-Pa and the private sanctuaries of north Scottsdale. Here are the ten best courses in the Valley of the Sun, ranked with our verdicts and an honest read on which ones you can actually play.
Photograph: TPC Scottsdale, via Google
How we chose
We ranked these courses on the quality of the golf itself, their design pedigree and tournament history, and the experience of playing them in the Sonoran Desert, then we weighed access honestly, because a list that ignores whether you can get on is no use to a travelling golfer. The very best courses in the Valley are private clubs in north Scottsdale, so we have flagged each one clearly, and the rest of the list leans into what makes this metro special: world class public and resort golf you can simply book.
The result is a mix: the exclusive private trio that defines the ceiling of Phoenix golf, the marquee public and resort courses you can plan a trip around, and a classic or two that anchor the desert tradition. For what it actually costs to play here, and how the seasons swing the price, see our companion Arizona green fees guide, and wherever you land, book the headline tee times early, especially for the January to April peak.
The 10 best golf courses in Scottsdale and Phoenix
Whisper Rock Golf Club
The tour pro's home club, Whisper Rock in north Scottsdale runs two acclaimed courses, the Lower by Phil Mickelson and the Upper by Tom Fazio, and is consistently rated at or near the top of Arizona golf. Famous for its low key membership of touring professionals and its superb conditioning, it is an ultra private club with no public access, the aspirational summit of golf in the Valley.
Estancia Club
A Tom Fazio design draped across the granite boulders at the foot of Pinnacle Peak, Estancia is many golfers' pick for the most beautiful and best conditioned course in Scottsdale. The routing flows through dramatic rock outcrops and desert with the mountain always in view. A private club, played by member or guest only, and a fixture in the state's top handful.
Silverleaf Club
Tom Weiskopf's design in the upper reaches of DC Ranch, Silverleaf climbs into a secluded canyon in the McDowell Mountains and is regularly ranked among the very best in Arizona. Lush, private and exclusive, it pairs championship shaping with some of the most coveted real estate in Scottsdale. Members and their guests only.
TPC Scottsdale, Stadium Course
The best course you can simply book in the Valley, the Stadium Course is the Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish design that hosts the WM Phoenix Open, the most attended event in golf. The par 3 sixteenth, ringed by grandstands, is the loudest hole in the game, and the whole course is a fun, strategic desert test. A Fairmont resort course, fully open to visitors.
We-Ko-Pa, Saguaro Course
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw's Saguaro Course on the Fort McDowell Yavapai land is desert golf at its purest, a walkable, cart optional layout with no houses, wide forgiving fairways and 360 degree views of four mountain ranges. Many regard it as the best public course in the metro, and it is the one fairway purists travel for. Open to all.
Troon North, Monument Course
The course that helped define upscale desert golf, the Monument is a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish design that weaves through giant granite boulders in the shadow of Pinnacle Peak, named for the huge rock beside its par 5 third. With its sister Pinnacle course, Troon North is the benchmark public desert experience in Scottsdale. Open to public and resort play.
Desert Forest Golf Club
Arizona's pioneering all desert course, Red Lawrence's 1962 design in Carefree was the first to route golf through untouched Sonoran desert rather than wall to wall turf, and a sympathetic modern restoration has burnished its reputation. A walkable, strategic classic and a piece of desert golf history. Private, played by member or invitation.
Grayhawk Golf Club, Raptor Course
The Tom Fazio designed Raptor is the tougher and more acclaimed of Grayhawk's two courses, a polished, championship desert layout that has hosted NCAA Championships and high profile exhibitions. Central, immaculately run and easy to combine with the Valley's other public golf, it is one of the most dependable premium rounds in Scottsdale. Fully public.
The Boulders, North Course
Jay Morrish's North Course at The Boulders threads between the giant weathered rock formations that give the resort its name, a scenic, playable desert course with bentgrass greens and big mountain views. As a resort course at one of the desert's most characterful properties, it pairs a memorable round with a stay and play of real quality. Open to resort and public play.
Quintero Golf Club
Out in the high desert northwest of Phoenix, this Rees Jones design is a worth the drive secret, a big, dramatic mountain desert course routed through unspoiled terrain with no homes in sight, regularly rated among the very best public courses in Arizona. Quieter and more remote than the Scottsdale names, it rewards the golfer who makes the trip. Open to all.
Designers, tournament history and access verified June 2026 from course and tour sources; access policies and green fees change, so always confirm current rates and how to play directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Plan your Scottsdale and Phoenix golf trip
Tell us which of these appeals and roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge matches the courses to your group, secures the prime tee times at TPC Scottsdale, We-Ko-Pa, Troon North and beyond, and costs the trip to the head, with no obligation.
Scottsdale and Phoenix golf questions
What is the best golf course in Scottsdale and Phoenix?
By reputation and ranking, the private Whisper Rock, Estancia and Silverleaf clubs in north Scottsdale sit at the top of the Phoenix area, but they are members only. For the travelling golfer the best course you can play is the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, home of the WM Phoenix Open, followed by We-Ko-Pa's Saguaro Course, Troon North and Grayhawk's Raptor. These are the marquee public and resort rounds the desert is famous for.
Can you play the best Scottsdale courses without a membership?
Many of them. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, both We-Ko-Pa courses, Troon North, Grayhawk, The Boulders and Quintero are all open to public or resort play, which is why Scottsdale is one of the great public golf destinations in America. The very top clubs, Whisper Rock, Estancia, Silverleaf and the classic Desert Forest, are private and need a member or a guest invitation.
When is the best time to play golf in Scottsdale and Phoenix?
The desert season runs from roughly October to May, with the peak and the highest green fees from January to April when the WM Phoenix Open draws the crowds and the weather is perfect. Summer, from June to September, is very hot, often well above 100F, so courses cut their rates sharply and the play moves to dawn. For the best balance of weather and value, the shoulder months of October, November and May are ideal. Always confirm seasonal rates before booking.
How much does it cost to play golf in Scottsdale?
It swings hard with the season. The marquee public courses such as TPC Scottsdale's Stadium, Troon North and We-Ko-Pa command premium rates in the January to April peak, often well into the hundreds of dollars, then fall to a fraction of that in the summer heat. Twilight and off season rates make even the famous courses far more affordable. Figures are indicative and move constantly, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, tournament history and access verified June 2026. Rankings are our editorial judgement. Last reviewed June 2026.