Desert Mountain Cochise
The Jack Nicklaus Signature course that put Desert Mountain on the map, opened in 1988 high in the foothills north of Scottsdale. A par 72 of about 7,042 yards, it hosted The Tradition and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship and remains one of six private Nicklaus courses at the club.
Photo: Desert Mountain Club via Google.
The verdict
Cochise is where Desert Mountain began. When the club opened the first of what is now six private Jack Nicklaus courses in 1988, this was the showpiece, and it quickly became a Champions Tour fixture, hosting The Tradition from 1989 and later the season ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Set high above the valley on the old Carefree Ranch land, it gives golfers cooler air, big mountain views and the kind of polished resort scale conditioning the senior tour demands.
It is a classic Nicklaus Signature layout, a par 72 of about 7,042 yards with elevated, well bunkered greens and a quartet of genuine risk and reward par 5s that decided more than one professional title. Cochise is the most accessible of Desert Mountain's courses in feel, generous enough to be enjoyable yet demanding enough to have tested the best senior players in the world. As a private club, access is for members and their guests, but its tournament pedigree makes it one of the most recognized names in Scottsdale golf.
Desert Mountain Cochise at a glance
- Opened
- 1988
- Designer
- Jack Nicklaus
- Type
- High desert
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,042 yds
- Green fee
- Members
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Nicklaus Design and leading course databases. Cochise is a Jack Nicklaus Signature par 72 of about 7,042 yards, opened in 1988, a host of The Tradition and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Desert Mountain is a private members club with no published public green fee; access is generally limited to members and their accompanied guests, so always confirm any visit and arrangements directly well in advance.
The holes worth the trip
Cochise plays through the upper Sonoran foothills, so elevation is part of the test from the first swing, the cooler air and the big views a welcome change from the valley floor. Nicklaus set the greens up high and guarded them well with sand, so the premium is on a controlled approach that holds the putting surface, and a ball above the hole leaves a fast, defensive putt.
The par 5s are the heart of the design, four risk and reward holes that tempt the player to take on the corner or the carry for an eagle chance, and they decided plenty of senior tour drama over the years. The par 3s ask for precise distance control across desert, and the par 4s reward the drive that finds the right side of the fairway for the best angle in. It is strategic golf, classic Nicklaus, fair to the thinker and punishing to the careless.
Conditioning is to the standard a Champions Tour venue demands, the turf immaculate and the greens true and quick. Cochise wears its tournament history lightly, playable and enjoyable for a member's everyday round yet capable of identifying the best player in a major field. That balance is exactly why it remains the most celebrated of Desert Mountain's six courses.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; play generally limited to members and their accompanied guests |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest arrangements are made through a member (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Arrange any visit through a member or your trip planner well in advance |
| On the day | Carts standard; caddies and forecaddies can be arranged. Smart golf dress expected |
| Getting there | In the foothills north of Scottsdale near Carefree, about 50 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor airport |
| Best months | October to May; the elevation keeps it cooler than the valley floor |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Desert Mountain is private and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Desert Mountain sits high above Carefree and north Scottsdale, and while the golf is reserved for members, the surrounding area makes a strong base for a wider trip. The resorts and rental homes of north Scottsdale are a short drive south and put a long list of playable courses within reach, which is the practical way to build a Scottsdale week.
For a golf focused stay, a resort or rental in north Scottsdale or nearby Carefree keeps the courses, the dining and the airport conveniently grouped, with Phoenix Sky Harbor around fifty minutes away. We can shape an itinerary around the best courses you can book and advise on Desert Mountain where a connection allows.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Carefree and north Scottsdale.
Build a Scottsdale golf trip
We build north Scottsdale golf trips around the best courses you can play, book the resort and sort carts, tee times and transfers from Phoenix. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Desert Mountain Cochise questions
Who designed the Desert Mountain Cochise course and when did it open?
The Cochise course at Desert Mountain is a Jack Nicklaus Signature design that opened in 1988, one of six private Nicklaus courses at the club in north Scottsdale, Arizona.
What is the par and length of the Cochise course?
Cochise is a par 72 measuring about 7,042 yards from the back tees, with elevated greens, strong bunkering and four risk and reward par 5s among its signature holes.
Has the Cochise course hosted professional events?
Yes. Cochise hosted The Tradition, a Champions Tour major, from 1989, and staged the season ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in 2012 and from 2014 through 2016.
Can visitors play Desert Mountain Cochise?
Desert Mountain is a private members club. Access is generally limited to members and their accompanied guests, so there is no public green fee. Arrange any visit through a member or your trip planner well in advance.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; tournament history and access details verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.