Best golf courses near Tempe, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Phoenix Country Club is one of the best private courses in the Scottsdale area. Read our course reviews here

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.

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.

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.