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Golf Digest Logo | Desert golf

The 25 best courses you can play in Scottsdale

By Drew Powell
February 05, 2025

When Scottsdale was incorporated in 1951, the town had no more than 2,000 people. In recent years, however, the greater Phoenix-Scottsdale area has been among the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States. One of the main catalysts for this population boom is the abundance of exceptional golf—there are over 200 courses in the area, making Scottsdale one of the best golf destinations in the U.S.

The desert town is popular with tour pros as well. If Jupiter, Fla., is home to the most tour players, Scottsdale is a close contender. Hundreds of mini-tour players grind and compete on Scottsdale’s courses in the hopes of joining their accomplished neighbors.

When you’re planning a golf trip to the Arizona desert, it can be tricky to sift through all of the options and find the best courses. That’s why we’ve created this guide of the 25 best courses you can play in Scottsdale, complete with a 100 Greatest Public member, a famed PGA Tour host and plenty of other must-plays featured on our Best in Arizona list. We also included several hidden gems that are occasionally overlooked given their proximity to the city center but are well worth the short drive.

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Scroll on for the complete list of the best courses you can play in Scottsdale. Be sure to click through to each individual course page for bonus photography and reviews from our course panelists. We also encourage you to leave your own ratings on the courses you’ve played … so you can make your case for why a course is worth playing or not.

Public
Quintero Golf Club
Peoria, AZ
3.9
25 Panelists
Perhaps no course in the greater Phoenix area provides a better experience of the area's diverse topography. Some holes are framed by mountain ridges, others are out in the Sonoran desert. Still others are edged by manmade irrigation lakes or natural desert washes. Holes like the par-5 eighth and par-4 14th climb up long slopes, while dazzling par-3s at six and 16 plunge dramatically downhill. Quintero, a former private club, is a scenic and playable delight.
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(Note: It's worth noting that Quintero is about 45 minutes from Scottsdale's airport, so while it may not fit into everyone's itinerary, it's a must-play if you've got the time. If you're able to get to Quintero, it's worth heading another 30 minutes up the road to play Wickenburg Ranch, a current member of our Best in Arizona.)

Public
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: Saguaro
Fort McDowell, AZ
4.1
35 Panelists
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.
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Public
Troon North Golf Club: Monument
Scottsdale, AZ
4.2
23 Panelists
This esteemed Tom Weiskopf design pays homage to Open Championship-style golf in the middle of the Scottsdale desert. Set in the shadows of Pinnacle Peak, Troon North weaves through giant granite boulders that often impact shot options. The track is a tough, yet aesthetically pleasing experience for any golfer.
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Public
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: Cholla
Fort McDowell, AZ
3.9
23 Panelists
Though our panelists rank the Cholla course as the second best at We-Ko-Pa, it's in the top-10 among public courses in golf-rich Arizona—making it a must-play. The Scott Miller design—located at the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, a 2022 Golf Digest Editors' Choice winner for resorts—winds through the arroyos and ridges of the Sonoran Desert. Split fairways, stacked stone riverbeds and 30-foot tall cacti in play give this hidden gem its character.
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Public
TPC Scottsdale: Stadium
Scottsdale, AZ
3.9
18 Panelists
The famed home of the WM Phoenix Open boasts probably the most well-known stadium hole in golf: the par-3 16th. Tiger Woods' hole-in-one in 1997 put it on the map for casual fans, who now flock to Scottsdale during Super Bowl week. The layout has architectural merit, too, with its risk-and-reward-filled back nine. The late Tom Weiskopf, who designed the course with Jay Morrish, oversaw a series of renovations of the course—making tweaks to please the tour player and resort guest alike.
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Public
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club
Maricopa, AZ
4.2
29 Panelists
An annual U.S. Open qualifying site and host to several top collegiate tournaments, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes is a long and challenging sand-belt style course. The Brian Curley and Fred Couples design sits on a piece of land that was home to the Ak-Chin Indian Community until a 1912 Executive Order removed the reservation. In 2010, the community recovered its sacred base and opened the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club for all to enjoy.
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Public
Grayhawk Golf Club: Raptor
Scottsdale, AZ
3.8
15 Panelists
Designed by Tom Fazio, the Raptor Course is one of two 18-hole layouts at Grayhawk. The course, which hosted the PGA Tour's Frys.com Open between 2007-'09, features generous fairways and greens, and has been lauded for excellent conditioning. The Raptor Course also hosted the NCAA Men's and Women's Division I Golf Championships from 2021-'23.
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Public
Troon North Golf Club: Pinnacle
Scottsdale, AZ
4
18 Panelists
Like its sister course, the Pinnacle at Troon North is carved into the natural desert landscape with unfathomably large boulders lining the fairways and greens. Severe elevation changes create an interesting variety among holes, as well as excellent vistas. The signature par-3 16th, referred to as the “Post Card,” features a tee shot over water to a large, undulating green.
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Public
The Boulders Club: South
Carefree, AZ
3.8
17 Panelists
Designed by Jay Morrish, this par-71 championship course is known for its natural beauty and intricate layout among the Sonoran Desert foothills. As players navigate boulder formations and elevation changes throughout their rounds, they are likely to spot some unique wildlife: bobcats, coyotes and even javelina lurk among the scenic desert terrain. In June 2022, the course broke ground on a four-month bunker and greens renovation project. The greens, in addition to being expanded to their original shape and size, were resurfaced with TifEagle Bermuda.
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Public
The Boulders Club: North
Carefree, AZ
3.3
7 Panelists
The older of the two 18-hole courses at the Boulders, the North Course presents stunning views of Black Mountain as it weaves throughout the rugged desert landscape. Also a Jay Morrish design, this track boasts bentgrass greens and several holes that are nestled tightly within ancient rock formations.
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Public
SunRidge Canyon Golf Club
Fountain Hills, AZ
3.8
7 Panelists
Tucked in a canyon 30 minutes northeast of Phoenix Sky Harbor, Sunridge Canyon features an intriguing mix of doglegs and carries over ravines. The course is best known for its closing "Wicked 6," which consists of two par 3s, two par 4s and two par 5s that play generally uphill and into the prevailing wind. The course hosted the 1997 USGA Men's State Team Championship.
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Public
Wigwam Golf Club: Gold
Litchfield Park, AZ
3.6
13 Panelists
The Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed Gold Course is the standout among the three courses at the Wigwam—and it's ranked in the top 25 of public courses in the state. The Gold Course was renovated in 2015 and plays plenty long at 7,345 yards from the back tees, with narrow fairways and strategically positioned bunkers along with small greens—making it a stout tournament host.
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Public
Verrado Golf Club: Founders
Buckeye, AZ
3.8
15 Panelists
Featuring picturesque views of the White Tank Mountains, the Founders course is a very playable John Fought and Tom Lehman design. Five sets of tee boxes and generous landing areas, coupled with hazardous rock formations and elevation changes, make this course enjoyable for a variety of skill levels.
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Public
Verrado Golf Club: Victory
Buckeye, AZ
3.6
11 Panelists

From Golf Digest Architecture Editor emeritus Ron Whitten: Every so often I come across a golf hole so compelling that it overshadows my memory of every other hole on the course. The par-5 18th at The Victory at Verrado is such a hole. It’s a dogleg right from the back tee (590 yards) over an irrigation pond (not really in play for big hitters) to a wide diagonal fairway with a rock escarpment on the left. The second shot is uphill to a green that’s tucked into a box canyon and protected front right by boulder outcroppings. It’s an unusual hole visually, the first hole you see driving up the street toward the course entrance, and it sets the tone for this very unusual course that was built partly on the site of an old Caterpillar Tractor testing grounds where operators learned to shove around chunks of rock using D-9 dozers.

 

For our architecture editor's complete view, click here.

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Public
The Phoenician Golf Club
Scottsdale, AZ
3.6
17 Panelists
Phil Smith redesigned an existing 27-hole facility at The Phoenician into a new, ultra-playable 18-hole course that winds through the Sonoran Desert. The par-71 Phoenician can play as short as 4,594 yards or as long as more than 6,518 yards. The back nine winds through the mountainside, providing some dramatic views.
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Public
Talking Stick Golf Club: O'Odham Course
Scottsdale, AZ
3.5
23 Panelists
The O'odham course (formerly the North Course) is one of two courses at Talking Stick designed by the acclaimed designed team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. The layout places a premium on accuracy, with fairways and greens strategically surrounded by brush and waste areas and features a refreshing mix of long and shorter holes.
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Public
Grayhawk Golf Club: Talon
Scottsdale, AZ
3.7
11 Panelists
Designed by two-time major champion David Graham and golf course architect Gary Panks, the Talon is one of two courses at Grayhawk. A challenging layout that plays just shy of 7,000 yards, it requires precision off the tee and into these well-guarded greens. It also boasts beautiful views of the McDowell Mountains and the Phoenix and Scottsdale skylines.
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Public
Whirlwind Golf Club: Cattail
Chandler, AZ
4.3
3 Panelists
Just about 30 minutes south of Scottsdale, Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass boasts a world-class practice facility and two very good public courses. For five years, the then-Nationwide Tour hosted an event here, the Gila River Golf Classic, an ode to the heritage of the surrounding Gila River Indian Reservation. The layouts—the Cattail and the Devil's Claw—are routed over 500 acres, with half of that being native vegetation. The courses boast large greens and wide fairways for the most part, but golfers are rewarded for taking on hazards with shorter lines into the greens, which boast subtle but tumbling undulations.
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Public
Papago Golf Club
Phoenix, AZ
3.8
7 Panelists
Papago is one of the best values in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, offering incredible views of the nearby Camelback Mountains and downtown Phoenix. A recent $8 million investment into the course and the impressive Thunderbirds Golf Complex, where the Arizona State men's and women's golf teams train, have reengerized this municipal course that hosted the 1971 U.S. Amateur Public Links. The four-acre short game area boasts one of the most impressive collegiate practice facilities in the country with three acres of rough and fairway to mimic a variety of lies and a six-acre hitting area with 21 target greens and a number of fairway bunkers.
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Public
Wildfire Golf Club: Faldo Course
Phoenix, AZ
3.5
1 Panelists
As the name suggests, the Faldo Course at Wildfire was designed by six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo. Set on just over 6,800 yards, it plays relatively open, with ample landing areas off the tee and into greens, although there are some 140 bunkers strategically placed throughout.
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Public
TPC Scottsdale: Champions
Scottsdale, AZ
3.8
6 Panelists
The Champions Course was built on the site of the old Desert Course and was revamped in 2007. A very walkable course when the Arizona heat is not too severe, the Champions course is more forgiving than the Stadium course but also provides some great aesthetics and shot options.
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Public
Camelback Golf Club: Ambiente
Scottsdale, AZ
3.1
7 Panelists
Renovated in 2013, this beautifully conditioned desert course was made more playable for different skill levels, but at 7,221 yards presents a stout challenge for advanced players. Carve out some extra time for the first-class practice facilities, including an updated short-game area. Proximity to downtown Scottsdale makes Camelback a convenient choice for many visitors, and the JW Marriott is one of the best hotels in the Scottsdale area.
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Public
Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa: Dinosaur Mountain
Gold Canyon, AZ
3.9
6 Panelists
Just over a half hour east of Scottsdale, the Dinosaur Mountain course at Gold Canyon is a quality public track with some dramatic elevation changes. Numerous tee shots play significantly downhill and provide beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Interestingly, there are six par 3s on the par-70 layout. Occasionally overlooked due to its distance from Scottsdale, Dinosaur Mountain has all the intriguing qualities of desert golf, making it worth the drive.
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Public
Westin Kierland Golf Club: Ironwood/Acacia/Mesquite
Scottsdale, AZ
3.1
6 Panelists
There are 27 holes at this Scottsdale resort that hosted the USGA’s 1997 Women’s State Team Championship. All three nines play along rolling terrain with dramatic elevation changes and picturesque views of the surrounding resort.
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Public
Eagle Mountain Golf Club
Fountain Hills, AZ
3.3
3 Panelists
Unlike many desert layouts which are demanding from tee to green, Eagle Mountain is more forgiving. With few forced carries, it’s a departure from the target-style golf that characterizes many nearby courses. There are many elevated tees that provide scenic vistas of the McDowell Mountains.
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