Best golf courses near Gilbert, AZ

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.

Raven Golf Club Phoenix is a Gary Panks and David Graham design that plays among stands of pine trees, giving it a unique setting in an area dominated by traditional desert layouts. Though most holes are relatively straight, the prominent contouring in the fairways and variety of bunkering prevents the course from getting monotonous. Vistas of the surrounding rugged mountains and Phoenix skyline are present throughout, which paired with the serene setting make this a fantastic public option in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

About 30 minutes south of Scottsdale, Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass is an underrated public facility with a world-class practice facility and two very good 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.

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.

Just a few miles south of the Phoenix airport, The Legacy Golf Club is a par-71 layout that features five par 3s. The course is situated on a former 7,500-acre ranch, and two original grain silos, built in 1902, remain in the 18th fairway. According to the course, the silos were at one time the tallest manmade structures in Maricopa County. The course plays over rolling terrain and features many of desert golf’s signature characteristics: sand lining the fairways, a few forced carries and scenic mountain views.

Just south of Scottsdale in Chandler, Ocotillo is a 27-hole public facility that more closely resembles a Florida course than one in the Arizona desert. Water is in play on most of the holes on each nine, as the course plays around lakes and trees in a residential community. The many water hazards weave across many of the fairways, creating plenty of risk-reward decisions. The greens offer ample challenge as well, as some have significant undulation and multiple tiers.

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.

Playing at nearly 1,800 feet elevation, Las Sendas offers tremendous vistas of the greater Phoenix area. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is demanding from tee to green, with desert lining each fairway and water in play on many holes.

This centrally located Scottsdale public course plays to a par of 70 and is just 6,300 yards from the tips, making it play quite short for the longer hitter. That said, the course is often in quality condition and offers scenic vistas of the desert landscape and nearby mountains. Scottsdale Silverado finishes strong with the par-3 18th hole, which plays from an elevated tee to a green guarded by water on the front left.

Having recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation, Western Skies now boasts improved irrigation and a lighted practice facility. The affordable public layout is flat and forgiving, with wide fairways and minimal rough, making it a great option for beginners. The drivable par-4 18th is a captivating finisher with water up the entire right side, making longer players debate whether to go for the green off the tee.