Golf in Arizona and Scottsdale
The capital of American desert golf, where saguaro framed fairways run beneath the McDowell Mountains, the WM Phoenix Open turns the loudest hole in golf into a stadium, and a hundred plus courses sit within an hour of Scottsdale. The courses that matter, the season, the costs and how to plan a buddies trip.
Photograph: TPC Scottsdale PGA, TPC Network, via Google
Why golf in Arizona and Scottsdale
Scottsdale is the beating heart of desert golf in the United States, and few places make it this easy to play world class courses one after another. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, hosts the WM Phoenix Open and its famous par 3 16th, the rowdy stadium hole that draws the biggest crowds in golf, while a short drive north the two Weiskopf courses at Troon North and the Coore and Crenshaw Saguaro at We-Ko-Pa set the standard for target golf through cactus and granite boulders. Within an hour of the city sit more than a hundred courses, from grand resort layouts to affordable daily fee gems.
The appeal is the climate and the convenience. Phoenix is a major hub with direct flights from across North America and beyond, the resorts and the golf cluster tightly around Scottsdale and north Phoenix, and from late autumn to spring the desert delivers warm, dry, blue sky days when much of the country is frozen. Add the Old Town Scottsdale dining and nightlife, the spas at the big resorts and the Sonoran Desert scenery, and it becomes the natural choice for a North American golf escape, especially for a group.
The regions
North Scottsdale
The premium desert golf belt around Troon North, Grayhawk and the Boulders, where target golf threads through the McDowell Mountains and the smartest resorts and spas are clustered.
Central Scottsdale
The home of TPC Scottsdale and Old Town, with the Stadium Course, the resorts of the McCormick Ranch corridor and the city's best dining and nightlife on the doorstep.
The Phoenix and East Valley
The wider Valley of the Sun, including We-Ko-Pa near Fountain Hills, the courses of Mesa and Gilbert and the resort golf of the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.
Tucson and the south
Two hours south, the desert golf of Tucson at Ventana Canyon and the Dove Mountain courses, a quieter, often better value add to a longer Arizona trip.
Sedona and the north
The red rock country two hours north of Phoenix, where Seven Canyons sets golf against towering sandstone, a scenic detour for those touring the state.
The resort corridors
The big stay and play estates that bundle multiple courses, hotels and practice grounds, from Troon and We-Ko-Pa to the Wigwam, the simplest base for a group.
The courses that matter
TPC Scottsdale, Stadium Course
The home of the WM Phoenix Open and its roaring par 3 16th, the loudest hole in golf, a playable but theatrical desert layout and the one course every visiting golfer wants to tick off.
Troon North, Monument and Pinnacle
The benchmark of Scottsdale desert golf, two Weiskopf designs, the Monument from 1990 and the Pinnacle from 1995, threading through boulders, washes and saguaro beneath Pinnacle Peak.
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Saguaro
A pure, walkable desert course with no houses in sight, the Saguaro by Coore and Crenshaw is widely rated the best daily fee round in the area, paired with the Scott Miller Cholla course.
Grayhawk Golf Club
A 36 hole club with the David Graham and Gary Panks Talon and the Tom Fazio Raptor, host to college golf's national championships, polished, central and a reliable pairing on any itinerary.
The Boulders Resort
Jay Morrish desert golf wrapped around twelve million year old granite boulders at one of the area's signature resorts, scenic and luxurious north of Scottsdale in Carefree.
Ventana Canyon
Two Fazio mountain desert courses in the foothills above Tucson, home of the famous island green par 3 third on the Mountain Course, the highlight of a trip south.
Designers and years verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
Buddies golf trips to Scottsdale Check tee time availability
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January to April | Warm, dry, blue skies, around 20 to 28 degrees | Prime golf, the Phoenix Open in February, peak prices |
| October to December | Mild and dry, cooler evenings | Fine weather and better value, the smart window |
| June to September | Very hot, often above 40 degrees | Early tee times only, deep discounts |
The high season runs through the winter and into spring, peaking around the WM Phoenix Open in early February when courses and hotels are busiest and dearest. The fall offers a quieter, cheaper alternative with very similar weather. Always confirm tee times before you travel.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TPC Scottsdale Stadium, peak | Around $300 to $500 | Winter rate, cart included, lower in summer |
| Troon North or We-Ko-Pa | Around $200 to $325 | Season dependent, twilight lower |
| Summer rates, leading courses | From around $95 | Early tee times in the heat |
| A week, all in | Around $3,000 to $6,000 per person | Good resort, golf and cart, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown in US dollars to set expectations only. Carts are standard and usually included. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Phoenix Sky Harbor is one of the busiest airports in the United States, with direct flights from across North America and a growing list of international routes, and it sits barely twenty minutes from Scottsdale. The golf is tightly clustered around north Phoenix and Scottsdale, so the daily drives are short, but a hire car is essential here, both to reach the spread out courses and to make the most of Old Town and the desert. Tucson is a straightforward two hour run south for those extending the trip, and Sedona a similar drive north.
Where to stay
North Scottsdale is the prime base for golf, with the Four Seasons at Troon North, the Boulders in Carefree and the Fairmont Princess putting the best courses minutes away. Central Scottsdale keeps you close to TPC and the Old Town dining and nightlife, ideal for a group that wants the social side, while the Arizona Biltmore and the Phoenician offer grand resort stays in Phoenix itself. We-Ko-Pa has its own casino resort near Fountain Hills. One planner can match the resort to your courses, your group and your dates, and fold in a Tucson or Sedona leg.
Plan your Arizona golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Arizona and Scottsdale golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Scottsdale and Arizona?
The peak season runs from January to April, with warm, dry days and the WM Phoenix Open in early February bringing the golf world to Scottsdale; this is also the busiest and most expensive window. Fall, from October to December, offers fine weather and better value. Summer from June to September is very hot, often above 40 degrees, with early tee times and steep discounts.
Which is the best golf course in Scottsdale?
The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish design, is the most famous, home of the WM Phoenix Open and its roaring par 3 16th. For pure desert golf the two Weiskopf courses at Troon North, the Monument and the Pinnacle, and the Coore and Crenshaw Saguaro at We-Ko-Pa are widely rated the best resort and daily fee rounds in the area.
How much does golf cost in Scottsdale in 2026?
Indicative peak season green fees at the marquee courses run roughly $200 to $400 in winter 2026, with the Stadium Course at the top end, and rates fall sharply in summer to as low as $95. A week of golf with a good resort typically lands between $3,000 and $6,000 per head excluding flights. Always confirm directly before booking.
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