Lonna Tucker
Lonna Tucker/Courtesy of We-Ko-Pa
Lonna Tucker
LONNA TUCKER
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: Saguaro
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: Saguaro
18200 E Toh Vee Cir
Fort McDowell, AZ 85264-3121
United States
Telephone
Overview
A previous honoree on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public, the Saguaro course is ranked among the best public options in the state. This Coore and Crenshaw design incorporates all the typical traits of a desert course while maintaining a traditional, walkable feel—the Saguaro features wide, forgiving fairways and greens situated close to the following tees. Similar to Coore and Crenshaw standouts like Bandon Trails, Sand Hills, Friar’s Head and Old Sandwich, We-Ko-Pa is a vibrant expression of the unique site, tracing its natural movements and siideslopes and providing 360-degree views of four surrounding mountains: Superstition, McDowell, Mazatzal and the Four Peaks.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest Public: Ranked 99th, 2017-'18.
Best in State: Ranked 18th, 2021-'22. Ranked 19th, 2017-'18. Ranked 20th, 2025-'26. Ranked 21st, 2015-'16, 2019-'20. Ranked 23rd, 2023-'24. Ranked 24th, 2013-'14.
Previous ranking: 23rd.
2025-'26 ranking: 20th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“We-Ko-Pa Saguaro is a fun and aesthetic golf course with water and rocks and some elevation changes. The layout variety is pretty good with some long and short par threes and fours. There are some uphill and downhill holes, as well as some doglegs, though most holes are relatively straight and flat."
Read More2025
Review
“The Saguaro course is the better of the two courss located at We-Ko-Pa Casino / Resort. This Coore-Crenshaw design is a fun desert golf experience with virtually every hole bordered by desert on both sides. Wide fairways lure you in but missed shots are incredibly painful if you get out of play and find yourself trying to hit out of the native desert rough!. The Saguaro course tends to play longer / more difficult especially if the local wind is blowing. Beautiful and scenic, a good choice for public golf when in the Scottsdale / Paradise Valley area."
Read More2025
Review
“Challenging desert golf course providing a very good variety of long and short holes bordered by tall Saguaro Cactus and mountain peaks. Course played firm and fast. Expansive fairways played into medium sized greens. Course afforded a number of shot options, scoring opportunities and challenges. The surrounding desert landscape and course features made this an enjoyable course to play."
Read More2025
Review
“Challenging desert golf course providing a very good variety of long and short holes bordered by tall Saguaro Cactus and mountain peaks. Course played firm and fast. Expansive fairways played into medium sized greens. Course afforded a number of shot options, scoring opportunities and challenges. The surrounding desert landscape and course features made this an enjoyable course to play."
Read More2025
Review
“The saguaro course is what you expect when coming to the Scottsdale area. True desert golf with the golf course being the thing that draws your eye. Rolling hills and challenging tee shots, while being fair it is also demanding. The gentle slopes off the tee really make what visually seems to be an open course, much tighter. The course allows you to use your entire bag and be creative, but tee to green is only half the battle. With well placed run offs and bunkers the rolling greens create a fun but challenging test. There is a mix of long par 5 holes and reachable ones with split fairways to keep you guessing. The saguaro course is one you will want to play in the Scottsdale area every time you go."
Read More2025
Review
“Have played this course a lot. I find it to be one of the most fun public courses in the area. really good conditioning, with excellent greens."
Read More2024
Review
“Good public access course that was in good condition and promoted speed of play."
Read More2023
Review
“A true desert golf experience; pretty much every hole is bordered by desert on both sides. Although the fairways are wide (as is typical with Coore/Crenshaw layouts), it is incredibly penal if you get out of play. I would consider the Saguaro to be more difficult than its rating (especially if you throw in some wind). The holes blend together a bit but do vary greatly in length."
Read More2023
Review
“Fun layout and great conditioning."
Read More2022
Review
“Architects-Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2006 The We-Ko-Pa Golf Club has 2 courses in North East Scottsdale, The Cholla and The Saguaro. It’s a 25 min drive for the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in Fort McDowell, AZ. The courses are upscale public access and in excellent condition. The staff and service is top notch. The fairways are wide and the greens are in excellent condition. There’s a great mix of elevation changes, aesthetics and challenges around the greens. Many are domed around the edges."
Read More2022
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