Golf Course Guides

Aguila Golf Course

Laveen, AZ

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 1999, Aguila Golf Course is a premier 18-hole municipal championship venue owned by the City of Phoenix and located at the base of South Mountain in Laveen, AZ. Built with a links-inspired feel over gently rolling terrain, the course features wide 419 Bermuda fairways, extensive transition areas filled with native desert grasses and wildflowers, deep penal bunkering, and large TifEagle greens. Three lakes bring water into play across five holes, complementing scenic vistas of South Mountain and the downtown Phoenix skyline.

Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club

Maricopa, AZ

Designed by Schmidt-Curley and Fred Couples, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Arizona, is an Australian Sandbelt-inspired layout featuring vast sprawling fairways, expansive native desert areas, over 100 deep sand traps, and large, fast-rolling green complexes.

Antelope Hills Gc — North

Prescott, AZ

Antelope Hills Golf Course - North Course in Prescott, Arizona, is a traditional parkland-style municipal layout designed by Lawrence Hughes and opened in 1956. Tree-lined corridors framed by mature 50-foot Elm trees pinch narrow fairways, while fast, smooth bentgrass greens punish inaccurate approaches. Sitting at high altitude in Prescott, shots carry farther through the thin air, requiring thoughtful club selection into well-protected greens.

Arizona Biltmore Golf Club — Adobe

Located in central Phoenix in the shadow of Piestewa Peak, Arizona Biltmore Golf Club's Adobe Course site was completely rebuilt and modernized by Tom Lehman in 2023 and reopened as the Estates Course. This classic parkland layout features wide TifTuf bermudagrass fairways defined by over 400 trees, reshaped white sand bunkers, updated green complexes, and flat, walkable terrain.

Arizona Biltmore Golf Club — Links

The Links Course at Arizona Biltmore Golf Club in Phoenix, designed by Bill Johnston in 1979, is a par-71 resort layout offering dramatic contrasts between its two nines. The front nine is relatively flat, meandering through residential corridors and lakes, while the back nine climbs into the foothills of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve with steep elevation changes, blind shots, sidehill lies, and mountain views. Highlighted by the signature 15th hole—an 80-foot drop par 3—the course emphasizes precise club selection, position off the tee, and disciplined approach play to elevated greens guarded by deep bunkering.

Arizona Grand Golf Course

Designed by Forrest Richardson at the base of South Mountain Preserve, Arizona Grand Golf Course offers a 6,288-yard par-71 layout featuring a distinct dual character. The front nine blends traditional links and resort-style elements with water features and suburban corridors, while the back nine shifts dramatically into narrow, technical Sonoran Desert target golf defined by steep elevation drops and mountain views.

Arizona National Golf Club

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1996, Arizona National Golf Club is an 18-hole championship desert layout carved into the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Tucson. The course navigates mesquite-lined arroyos, natural spring-fed wetlands, craggy rock formations, and dense saguaro forests, demanding precise shotmaking and strategic distance control.

Bear Creek Golf Complex — Bear Course

Designed by the Nicklaus Design Group and architect Bill O'Leary, the Bear Course at Bear Creek Golf Complex in Chandler, AZ, is a championship 18-hole inland links layout. Opening in 2000, the par-71 course features rolling fairways, strategic pot bunkering, tightly mown green surrounds, and exposed desert valley terrain where wind plays a significant factor in shotmaking.

Bear Creek Golf Complex — Cub Course

Bear Creek Golf Complex's Cub Course in Chandler, Arizona, is an 18-hole executive layout designed by Nicklaus Design Group and Bill O'Leary. Featuring five par 4s and thirteen par 3s, the course provides a fast-playing, sporty test with rolling fairways, strategic bunkering, and contoured green complexes.

Black Butte Ranch — Glaze Meadow

Black Butte Ranch, OR

Redesigned by John Fought in 2012, Glaze Meadow at Black Butte Ranch is a classic mountain course set among Ponderosa pine forests and restored native wetlands near Sisters, Oregon. Featuring Donald Ross-inspired turtleback greens, grass-faced bunkers, and views of Cascade peaks, it demands distance control and strategic positioning.

Boulders — North

Carefree, AZ

Designed by Jay Morrish and opened in 1984, Boulders - North is a premier championship desert layout in Carefree, Arizona. Set against 12-million-year-old granite boulder outcroppings and Sonoran Desert landscape, the course tests golfers with target-style fairways, desert wash carries, and well-guarded green complexes.

Boulders — South

Carefree, AZ

The South Course at The Boulders Golf Club in Carefree, Arizona, designed by Jay Morrish, is a premier Sonoran Desert resort layout famed for routing directly up against 12-million-year-old granite outcroppings. Featuring generous fairways, multi-tiered bent grass greens, desert waste areas, and signature rock formations like the Boulder Pile and Rosie's Rock, the course balances visual drama with strategic playable design.

Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course

Redesigned by Jason Straka in 2013, the Ambiente Course at Camelback Golf Club transformed the old Indian Bend layout into an eco-friendly, links-inspired desert track. Built along the Indian Bend Wash, over 360,000 cubic yards of earth were moved to create 10-to-12-foot elevation changes, rolling fairways, and improved drainage. The course features just 90 acres of maintained turf framed by dense native grasses, wildflowers, and 74 strategic bunkers, providing a distinct challenge with firm, fast Champion Bermuda greens.

Camelback Golf Club — Padre Course

Designed originally by Red Lawrence in 1966 and substantially redesigned by Arthur Hills in 1999, the Padre Course at Camelback Golf Club is a traditional parkland-style layout in central Scottsdale, Arizona. Framed by mature eucalyptus and palm trees with Camelback and Mummy Mountains in the backdrop, the course features wide fairways, strategic bunkering, and water hazards coming into play on nine holes, culminating in a memorable water-lined finishing stretch.

Continental Golf Course

Continental Golf Club is an 18-hole executive golf course located in Scottsdale, Arizona, designed by Greg Nash and Jeff Hardin. Operating to a par of 60 with twelve par 3s and six par 4s, the layout features mature tree-lined parkland fairways, fairway mounding, undulating greens, and water features including lakes and a drainage canal.

Coronado Luxury Club & Suites — Coronado Golf Course

Coronado, 10

Designed by George Fazio with input from Tom Fazio, Coronado Golf Course at Coronado Luxury Club & Suites is a mature 18-hole, par-72 parkland-style championship course located along Panama's Pacific coast in Playa Coronado. Characterized by narrow tree-lined corridors, firm Bermuda grass fairways, gentle terrain, and smallish push-up greens flanked by sand bunkers, the course demands disciplined accuracy and trajectory control, especially when coastal breezes pick up during the dry season.

Desert Canyon

Desert Canyon Golf Club, originally established in 1971 as Fountain Hills Golf Club and designed by John Allen, is a scenic public desert-mountain layout in Fountain Hills, Arizona. The course features significant elevation changes, elevated tee boxes, rolling fairways framed by native Sonoran Desert arroyos, and oversized green complexes that generally slope away from the surrounding mountains. Notable for panoramic mountain views and sightlines to the iconic 550-foot Fountain Hills fountain, Desert Canyon tests golfers with strategic doglegs, sharp terrain slopes, and variable elevation changes.

Dobson Ranch Golf Course

Mesa, AZ

Dobson Ranch Golf Course is an established 18-hole municipal championship facility in Mesa, Arizona, originally opened in 1974. Unlike typical Valley target desert courses, Dobson Ranch features a traditional parkland layout with mature tree-lined fairways, flat terrain, water hazards, and large, back-to-front sloping greens.

Dove Valley Ranch Gc

Cave Creek, AZ

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in Cave Creek, Arizona, Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club is an 18-hole championship layout that presents a clear contrast between its two nines. Set in the high Sonoran Desert near Black Mountain and Willow Wash, the front nine offers wide, forgiving fairways with visible hazards, while the back nine demands precise course management through tight, tree-lined desert corridors, dry washes, split fairways, and water hazards.

Eagle Mountain Gc

Designed by Scott Miller and opened in 1996, Eagle Mountain Golf Club is a desert layout set in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Differing from typical target-style desert tracks, it features generous bowl-shaped fairways with lateral side-slopes that funnel mis-hit drives back toward the short grass. Significant elevation changes, rugged canyon vistas, multi-tiered greens, and select water hazards on the back nine define the strategic challenge.

Elephant Rocks Golf Course

Williams, AZ

Located at 7,000 feet elevation near Bill Williams Mountain in Williams, Arizona, Elephant Rocks Golf Course is a historic 18-hole municipal layout originally established in the 1920s and re-designed by Gary Panks in 1990 and 2000. The course provides a unique mountain layout divided into two distinct environments: narrow, tree-lined forested corridors winding through towering Ponderosa pines on the opening and closing stretches, contrasted by a wide-open meadow section through the middle of the round with expansive views of surrounding peaks.

Encanto Golf Course

Designed by William P. Bell in 1935, Encanto Golf Course is the third oldest golf course in Arizona. Located in central Phoenix, this municipal parkland course features flat, walkable terrain, wide fairways framed by mature palm trees, low-lipped bunkering, and views of the downtown Phoenix skyline.

Gainey Ranch — Arroyo/Lakes

Gainey Ranch Golf Club's Arroyo/Lakes combination in Scottsdale pairs two distinct nine-hole layouts designed by Benz & Poellet. The Arroyo Nine requires strategic navigation of natural desert washes and fairway run-outs, while the Lakes Nine presents lush parkland terrain dominated by sparkling waterways, creeks, and a signature waterfall green on the 18th hole.

Gainey Ranch — Dunes/Arroyo

Designed by Michael Poellot and Bradford L. Benz, Gainey Ranch Golf Club's Dunes/Arroyo layout combines two distinct nine-hole experiences in central Scottsdale. The Dunes 9 features links-inspired terrain framed by native desert, wide fairways, and multi-tiered greens, while the Arroyo 9 presents a longer, highly strategic test dominated by a meandering dry wash (arroyo), dramatic risk-reward options, and water hazards culminating in an iconic peninsular green on the 18th.

Gainey Ranch — Lakes/Dunes

Designed by Michael Poellot and Bradford L. Benz, Gainey Ranch Golf Club's Lakes and Dunes combination presents a contrast of garden-like water features and links-style desert terrain. The Lakes nine features lush fairways and water hazards on multiple holes, culminating at a famous waterfall green on the 9th. The Dunes nine introduces rolling terrain, desert arroyos, overhanging trees, and strategically bunkered landing zones. Precise tee shot positioning and disciplined distance control into multi-tiered greens are essential throughout the 18 holes.

Gold Canyon — Dinosaur Mountain

Gold Canyon, AZ

Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon Golf Resort is a high Sonoran Desert mountain layout designed by Ken Kavanaugh and Greg Nash/Jeff Hardin. Built along the foothills of the Superstition Mountains, the course features roller-coaster elevation drops, dramatic cliffside tee shots, native desert carries, artificial mounding, and six distinct par-3 holes.

Gold Canyon — Sidewinder

Gold Canyon, AZ

Designed by Ken Kavanaugh and located at the base of the Superstition Mountains in Gold Canyon, Arizona, Sidewinder is the desert-resort counterpart to Dinosaur Mountain. The course winds through natural arroyos, dry creek washes, and native Sonoran Desert vegetation. The front eight holes feature rolling terrain and elevated tee boxes set against mountain backdrops, while the middle and back nine present broader fairways, crowned greens, and strategic water hazards.

Grand Canyon University Golf Course

Redesigned by John Fought in 2015 on the historic 1961 Maryvale Municipal site in west Phoenix, Grand Canyon University Golf Course is a championship parkland-style layout set in an urban environment. The course features wide, tree-lined fairways, contoured landing areas, deep grass-faced bunkers, water hazards, and expansive, fast greens.

Granite Falls Gc — North Course

Surprise, AZ

Designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash in 1999, the North Course at Granite Falls Golf Club in Surprise, Arizona, blends traditional Midwestern design elements with Sonoran Desert surroundings. Spanning up to 6,720 yards, this 18-hole championship layout is widely regarded as the most challenging of the four courses in Sun City Grand. It features rolling fairways, extensive sand bunkering, native desert transition zones, and water hazards coming into play on 10 holes.

Granite Falls Gc — South Course

Surprise, AZ

Designed by Greg Nash and Billy Casper and opened in 1997, Granite Falls Golf Club's South Course in Surprise, Arizona, is a par-72 championship layout stretching up to 6,839 yards. Situated within The Grand active-adult community, the course features a Midwestern-style traditional layout seamlessly integrated into the Sonoran Desert. It boasts wide, rolling fairways, mature tree-lined borders, subtle mounding, desert washes, and massive green complexes averaging around 10,000 square feet. Water features come into play on 10 holes, culminating in a signature 18th hole featuring two lakes connected by a cascading waterfall.

Grass Clippings At Rolling Hills

Tempe, AZ

Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills in Tempe, Arizona, set against the red rock backdrop of the Papago Buttes, is an 18-hole public facility originally designed by Milton Coggins (front nine, 1960) and Gary Panks (back nine, 1987), with a major 2023 renovation by Jackson Kahn Design and Troon. Operating as a par-59 executive course during the day (mixing short par 4s and par 3s) and converting into an 18-hole, fully lit par-54 course at night, the course features dynamic rolling elevation, narrow fairway corridors, and small, firm, crowned green complexes surrounded by native desert terrain.

Grayhawk — Raptor

Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1995, the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a premier Sonoran Desert layout known for hosting PGA Tour events and NCAA Championships. Unlike traditional target-style desert tracks, Raptor features broad, rolling fairways framed by native saguaros, mesquites, and arroyos, with relatively few forced carries. Its primary defense lies in sweeping multi-tiered greens, deep steep-faced bunkers, shaved collection areas, and strategic water hazards on holes 10 and 18.

Grayhawk — Talon

Designed by David Graham and Gary Panks and opened in 1994, the Talon Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a premier Sonoran Desert layout. The back nine is built around deep box canyons, dramatic ravines, and thick stands of native mesquite, ironwood, and palo verde trees, offering striking views of the McDowell Mountains. Featuring generous landing areas that often appear tighter from the tee than they play, large multi-tiered greens, and strategic bunkering, Talon delivers a visually captivating and tactical desert golf experience.

Ken Mcdonald Golf Course

Tempe, AZ

Ken McDonald Golf Course is an 18-hole municipal championship facility in Tempe, Arizona, designed by Jack Snyder and opened in 1974. Set on flat, highly walkable terrain, the traditional parkland-style layout features generous fairways framed by mature trees, large greens, and water hazards on up to eight holes fed by the Western Canal and internal lakes.

Kierland Gc — Acacia/Mesquite

Designed by Scott Miller and opened in 1996, Kierland Golf Club features 27 holes divided into three distinct nine-hole loops: Acacia, Ironwood, and Mesquite. The Acacia/Mesquite 18-hole combination blends resort-style playability with over 300 sand bunkers, dry desert washes, and rolling terrain crafted from over 1.3 million cubic yards of earthmoving. Featuring wide fairways, sculpted side mounding, and large TifEagle Bermuda greens, the course offers a parkland feel with panoramic views of Camelback Mountain, Pinnacle Peak, and the McDowell Range.

Kierland Gc — Mesquite/Ironwood

Designed by Scott Miller, the Mesquite/Ironwood combination at Kierland Golf Club offers a resort-style resort-links experience in North Scottsdale featuring wide fairways, gentle rolling mounds, and immaculate TifEagle Bermuda greens without forced cactus carries.

Kokopelli Golf Club

Gilbert, AZ

Kokopelli Golf Club in Gilbert, Arizona is an 18-hole daily-fee championship course designed by Bill Phillips in 1992 within the El Dorado Lakes community. Blending Scottish links-style mounding with East Valley desert landscape elements, the layout features rolling Bermuda turf, moguls, mature trees, elevated tees, and seven serpentine lakes that bring water hazards into play on over half of the holes.

Las Sendas Golf Club

Mesa, AZ

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in the high foothills of the Usery Mountains in East Mesa, Las Sendas Golf Club is a target-style desert course offering wide fairway landing zones, dramatic elevation changes, desert washes, and highly contoured green complexes.

Laughlin Ranch Golf Club

Bullhead City, AZ

Laughlin Ranch Golf Club is a championship desert layout designed by David Druzisky situated in the high desert foothills of Bullhead City, Arizona, overlooking the Colorado River and Black Mountains. The course features dramatic natural elevation changes, wide halfpipe fairways, split fairways, natural desert arroyos, and strategic bunkering alongside water features and undulating green complexes.

Legacy Golf Resort

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 1999, The Legacy Golf Club is an 18-hole resort layout built on the historic 7,500-acre ranch of Dwight B. Heard in South Phoenix. Set near the base of South Mountain with views of Camelback Mountain and the Phoenix skyline, the course combines generous Bermuda fairways with strategic desert bunkering, native desert margins, and select water features. Historic landmarks include two original 1902 grain silos along the 18th fairway and the Sierra Vista House near the first tee.

Legend Trail Golf Club

Legend Trail Golf Club is a daily-fee desert layout designed by Rees Jones in North Scottsdale, Arizona. Sitting 2,500 feet above sea level in the Sonoran Desert, the course offers generous fairways, island tee boxes, contoured bentgrass greens, and forced desert carries, framed by views of Pinnacle Peak, Lone Mountain, and Black Mountain.

Lookout Mountain Golf Club

Lookout Mountain Golf Club at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, is an 18-hole desert layout designed by Bill Johnston and Forrest Richardson. Built along the rugged foothills of the North Phoenix Mountains, the course transitions from flat, forgiving valley holes (1–6 and 15–18) into dramatic mountain canyon terrain (7–14) featuring extreme elevation drops, desert arroyos, and panoramic vistas of Piestewa Peak.

Mid Pines Club

Southern Pines, NC

Designed in 1921 by Donald Ross and impeccably restored in 2013 by Kyle Franz, Mid Pines Golf Club is a quintessential Sandhills layout in Southern Pines, NC. Built seamlessly into the natural rolling pine terrain, the course is defined by wide fairways bordered by sandy native waste areas and wiregrass, natural elevation changes, and intricate, crowned green complexes guarded by flashing bunker sandscapes.

Mid South Club

Pinehurst, NC

Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, Mid South Club in Southern Pines, NC is an 18-hole championship layout situated on 545 rolling acres of longleaf pine forest. The course features generous fairways framed by native trees, significant bunkering across 11 acres of sand, and water coming into play on eight holes. A 2017 renovation converted the putting surfaces to Champion Bermuda grass. The round culminates at a dramatic shared double green for the 9th and 18th holes positioned beneath the hillside clubhouse.

Oakcreek Country Club

Sedona, AZ

Opened in 1968, Oakcreek Country Club is Sedona's original championship golf course, designed by the father-son team of Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Robert Trent Jones Jr. The par-72, 145-acre layout blends midwestern parkland architecture with red rock mountain views, featuring tree-lined fairways, strategically placed fairway bunkers, elevated greens, and three serene lakes coming into play across five holes.

Papago Golf Course

Papago Golf Course is a historic municipal championship golf course in Phoenix, Arizona, set in Papago Park with backdrop views of the Papago Buttes, Camelback Mountain, and the downtown Phoenix skyline. Originally designed in 1963 by William F. (Billy) Bell and restored by Billy Fuller, the course now serves as the home facility for the Arizona State University Sun Devil golf teams. The layout features wide fairways framed by native Sonoran Desert transition areas, mature trees, strategic fairway bunkering, elevated green complexes, and subtle mounding.

Phoenician

Redesigned in 2018 by architect Phil Smith, The Phoenician Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, transitioned from a 27-hole target layout into a cohesive, 18-hole resort championship course. Set at the southern base of Camelback Mountain, the course features generous 419 Bermuda fairways, smooth TifEagle Bermuda greens, strategic bunkering, and picturesque Sonoran Desert backdrops without blind hazards.

Phoenix Country Club

Phoenix Country Club is a historic private parkland golf course located in central Phoenix, Arizona. Originally designed by Harry Collis in 1919 and redesigned by Tom Lehman and John Fought in 2002, the course offers a traditional tree-lined oasis setting amidst the desert landscape. Host to the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open for over 50 years and current host of the PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Cup Championship, it features lush fairways framed by tall pines and palms, strategically placed water hazards on five holes, and quick, heavily-sloped green complexes.

Pinewild Country Club — Holly Course

Pinehurst, NC

Designed by Gary Player and opened in 1996, the Holly Course at Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina, is a precision-focused shot-maker's course. Routing through magnificent longleaf pines, the course emphasizes target accuracy over length, featuring compact green surfaces, strategic water hazards, natural waste bunkers, and undulating sandhills terrain.

Pinewood Country Club

Munds Park, AZ

Pinewood Country Club in Munds Park, Arizona, is a high-country 18-hole championship golf course originally designed by Lawrence Hughes in 1959. Set within the world's largest ponderosa pine forest south of Flagstaff, the layout features narrow, tree-lined fairways, strategic doglegs, multiple lateral penalty areas, residential out-of-bounds borders, and heavily sloped or two-tiered green complexes.

Quarry Pines Golf Club

Quarry Pines Golf Club in Tucson (Marana), Arizona, is a unique par-71 layout featuring two dramatically distinct nines. Designed by Brian Huntley and updated by Gilmore & Graves, the front nine plays along the upper desert rim with pine-lined fairways, while the back nine drops up to ten stories into a reclaimed 90-acre sand and gravel quarry pit with extreme elevation changes, forced canyon carries, and tight target landing areas.

Quintero Golf And Country Club

Peoria, AZ

Designed by Rees Jones in the foothills of the Hieroglyphic Mountains near Peoria, Arizona, Quintero Golf Club is a premier desert championship layout carved out of rugged Sonoran terrain. Surrounded by protected Federal land, the course features sweeping visual beauty, massive mountain elevation changes, pristine bentgrass greens, and strategic bunkering set against natural desert washes.

Rancho Manana Golf Club

Cave Creek, AZ

Rancho Manana Golf Club is a dramatic High Sonoran Desert course located in Cave Creek, Arizona. Built on the site of a historic 1940s dude ranch, this Bill Johnston design features scenic mountain views, narrow fairways, severe elevation changes on the front nine, and water-guarded holes on the back nine.

Randolph North

Designed by William P. Bell and opened in 1925, Randolph North is a historic municipal parkland course in central Tucson, Arizona. As the longest course in the Tucson City Golf system, it features lush, tree-lined parallel fairways framed by mature pines, eucalyptus, and palms with views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Randolph North boasts a rich tournament history, having hosted the PGA Tour's Tucson Open, Champions Tour events, and the LPGA Tour's Welch's/Fry's Championship. Water hazards come into play on five holes, and compact green complexes place a premium on shot placement.

Raven Golf Club-Phoenix

Raven Golf Club-Phoenix offers a unique parkland-style experience in the Sonoran Desert, featuring plush Bermuda fairways framed by over 6,000 mature Georgia pine trees. Designed by Gary Panks and David Graham, the layout incorporates sculpted mounding, multi-tiered greens with false fronts, and strategic bunkering and water hazards.

Scottsdale Silverado Golf Club

Scottsdale Silverado Golf Club is an 18-hole public, par-70 championship layout in Scottsdale, Arizona. Designed by Jack Gilmore and Ross Graves and opened in 2000, the course offers an accessible, player-friendly alternative to area resort tracks while providing views of Camelback Mountain, Mummy Mountain, and the McDowell Mountains. The layout features level terrain with side-by-side fairways on the front nine, while the back nine introduces greater elevation changes and a unique routing running along a drainage corridor next to the Arizona Canal.

Sedona Golf Resort

Sedona, AZ

Sedona Golf Resort is a 6,646-yard Gary Panks design nestled in the Village of Oak Creek near Sedona, Arizona. Playing through high-desert terrain at elevations between 3,960 and 4,260 feet, the course features bentgrass greens, winter rye fairways, and striking views of red rock formations like Cathedral Rock.

Seven Lakes Golf Club

West End, NC

Designed in 1976 by Peter Tufts III, godson of Donald Ross, Seven Lakes Golf Club is an 18-hole public facility located in West End, North Carolina, near Pinehurst. Set amidst the Sandhills landscape, the course features plush Bermuda grass fairways framed by mature longleaf pine trees and smooth bentgrass greens. The layout is defined by rolling hills, multi-club elevation changes, strategically placed water hazards across seven lakes, and compact green complexes with pronounced back-to-front slopes. A unique feature of the routing is its continuous 18-hole loop, which does not return to the clubhouse until the final green.

Sewailo Golf Club

Designed by Notah Begay III and Ty Butler for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe at Casino Del Sol, Sewailo Golf Club is a hybrid desert-links championship layout in Tucson, Arizona. Built on relatively flat terrain, the course distinguishes itself from traditional target desert courses by featuring 14 acres of lakes, over a mile of meandering streams, four waterfalls, and deep, built-up bunker complexes amid 30,000 native Sonoran desert plants.

Silverleaf

Designed by Tom Weiskopf and opened in 2002, Silverleaf Golf Club is an exclusive private 18-hole championship course set in the canyon foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale, Arizona. The course weaves through Horseshoe Canyon and Upper Canyon, combining sweeping fairways, desert wash crossings, strategic bunkering, and heavily contoured TifEagle greens with dramatic canyon elevation changes.

Southern Pines Gc

Southern Pines, NC

Southern Pines Golf Club is a historic Donald Ross design in the North Carolina Sandhills originally established in 1906 and comprehensively restored in 2020-2021 by architect Kyle Franz. Distinct from many area layouts, it features dramatic, rolling topography across bold sand ridges and knolls. Wide fairways framed by native sandscapes, wiregrass, and loblolly pines lead to heavily contoured Bermudagrass greens with false fronts, subtle knolls, and strategic cross hazards that reward thoughtful positioning over brute strength.

Starfire Golf Club — The King

Starfire Golf Club — The King (historically known as Scottsdale Country Club's Championship Course) is an Arnold Palmer-redesigned parkland-style layout in central Scottsdale, Arizona. Unlike typical target-style Sonoran desert courses, Starfire features traditional tree-lined fairways with mature eucalyptus, pine, and cottonwood trees, forgiving landing areas, and water hazards coming into play on multiple holes.

Starr Pass — Rattler/Roadrunner

Starr Pass Golf Club's Rattler/Roadrunner combination is an 18-hole desert layout set in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains. Originally designed by Bob Cupp and Craig Stadler in 1986 and later expanded and refined by Arnold Palmer, the course hosted the PGA Tour's Tucson Open from 1987 to 1996. The layout features dramatic elevation shifts, wide canyon views, natural arroyos, split fairways, and penal desert carries that demand disciplined course management.

Starr Pass — Roadrunner/Coyote

Starr Pass Golf Club's Roadrunner/Coyote combination is a 18-hole Sonoran Desert layout designed by Arnold Palmer and Bob Cupp in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains. Playing through rugged canyons, arroyos, and saguaro-studded terrain, the Roadrunner front nine features dramatic elevation changes and shorter tactical holes, while the Coyote back nine stretches out into a quiet, undisturbed natural sanctuary rich in native wildlife and local history.

Sterling Grove Golf & Country Club

Surprise, AZ

Designed by Nicklaus Design and managed by Troon Golf, Sterling Grove Golf & Country Club in Surprise, Arizona offers a distinct departure from traditional Arizona desert target courses. Opened in 2021 against the backdrop of the White Tank Mountains, the layout features generous grove-lined fairways, Golden Age architecture features, strategic bunkering, and heavily undulating green complexes with firm surfaces and sharp false fronts.

Stonecreek, The Golf Club

Stonecreek Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona, is an 18-hole par-71 championship course originally designed by Roy Dye and Gary Grandstaff and later redesigned by Arthur Hills. Set in Paradise Valley with striking vistas of Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak, the layout combines a links-style feel with Sonoran Desert aesthetics. Its primary defensive features are a dry desert creek bed that winds through 15 holes, water hazards coming into play on five holes, and narrow, elevated greens.

Sunridge Canyon Gc

Fountin Hills, AZ

Designed by Keith Foster in 1995 and set in the McDowell Mountain foothills of Fountain Hills, Sunridge Canyon Golf Club is an acclaimed 18-hole desert layout that descends 200 feet down a natural canyon on the front nine before climbing back up through the canyon on the back nine. The course is famous for its demanding finishing stretch known as The Wicked Six, featuring dramatic elevation changes, strategic desert washes, stacked sod bunkering, and fast Champion Ultradwarf Bermudagrass greens.

Talamore

Southern Pines, NC

Designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1991, Talamore Golf Club is a premier Sandhills resort layout in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The course winds through tall Longleaf Pines and gently rolling terrain, featuring recently remastered Champion Bermuda greens, expanded green collars, widened fairways, and 12 authentic sod-wall bunkers. Famous for its historic llama caddie program, Talamore blends strategic architecture, playable fairway corridors, and clever green complexes.

Talking Stick Golf Club — O’odham Course

Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 1997, Talking Stick Golf Club's O'odham Course (formerly the North Course) is a minimalist, desert links-style layout set on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land in Scottsdale, Arizona. Built on virtually flat terrain with zero residential development, the course features broad angular fairways, strategic crossbunkering, split fairways, low-profile crowned greens, and tight short-grass surrounds that demand thoughtful positioning and ground-game precision.

Talking Stick Golf Club — Piipaash Course

Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the Piipaash Course at Talking Stick Golf Club (formerly the South Course) offers a traditional parkland-style design set in the flat Sonoran Desert on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land. Flanked by eucalyptus, cottonwood, and native trees without course-side housing, the layout features generous fairways, slightly elevated green complexes defended by bunkers and subtle slopes, and water hazards coming into play on five back-nine holes.

The Club At Prescott Lakes

Prescott, AZ

Designed by Hale Irwin and opened in 2000, The Club at Prescott Lakes is a high-desert championship layout in Prescott, Arizona. Sitting at over 5,400 feet elevation, the course winds through natural arroyos, rock outcroppings, canyons, and scenic lakes while offering views of Granite Mountain, Mingus Mountain, and the San Francisco Peaks.

Toka Sticks Gc

Mesa, AZ

Designed by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s for Williams Air Force Base personnel and now owned by the Gila River Indian Community, Toka Sticks Golf Club is a traditional, tree-lined parkland layout in Mesa, Arizona. Unlike typical Arizona desert target courses, Toka Sticks features level, fully grassed fairways flanked by mature eucalyptus, mesquite, palm, and palo verde trees. Playing at par 72 up to 6,922 yards, the course relies on overhanging tree limbs, subtle doglegs, strategic water hazards on four holes, and small elevated greens to test course management and shot placement.

Tpc Of Scottsdale — Champions

The Champions Course at TPC Scottsdale is a Randy Heckenkemper design built on the site of the former Desert Course. Integrated into natural Sonoran Desert ravines and foothills with McDowell Mountain vistas, the par-71 layout blends strategic split fairways, desert carries, and fast multi-tiered greens for a complete test of desert golf.

Tpc Of Scottsdale — Stadium

Designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish in 1986, the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is a premier PGA Tour venue built specifically for spectator viewing and strategic target golf. Set against the Sonoran Desert and McDowell Mountains, the layout features generous fairways bordered by native desert scrub, desert washes, strategic fairway bunkering, and water hazards on key finishing holes. Its fast, firm greens require precise distance control and angle management.

Trilogy Golf Club @ Vistancia

Peoria, AZ

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 2004, Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia is a resort-style championship course in Peoria, Arizona. Combining traditional Midwestern prairie aesthetics with Sonoran Desert geography, the course features wide fairways bordered by tall golden native fescue grasses, over 70 strategically placed bunkers, gentle rolling terrain, and selective water hazards.

Troon North Golf Course — Monument Course

Designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish in 1990 and redesigned by Weiskopf in 2007, the Monument Course at Troon North Golf Club is a premier Sonoran Desert layout in Scottsdale, Arizona. Set among massive granite boulders, natural arroyos, and saguaro forests, the course combines classic British Open links concepts—such as open-front greens accepting ground-game approaches—with dramatic desert target golf.

Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course

Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the Pinnacle Course at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, is an iconic Sonoran Desert layout framed by massive granite boulders, saguaro cacti, and dramatic mountain backdrops. Featuring split fairways, natural desert washes bisecting landing zones, deep bunkering, and contoured bentgrass greens, Pinnacle demands disciplined target selection and precise distance control over raw power.

Tucson National — Catalina

Designed by Robert van Hagge and Bruce Devlin, the Catalina Course at Omni Tucson National Resort is a classic, traditional parkland layout situated against the backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains. A longtime host of the PGA Tour's Chrysler Classic of Tucson and current host of the PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic, Catalina features tree-lined Tifway 419 Bermuda fairways, Champion Bermuda greens, eight lakes, and 80 strategically placed bunkers. Unlike typical regional desert courses, Catalina plays as a lush parkland venue with gentle contours, demanding tee-shot positioning, and severe green complexes.

Ventana Canyon — Canyon

Designed by Tom Fazio, the Canyon Course at Ventana Canyon Club & Lodge winds through Esperero Canyon and the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona. The layout combines wide fairways with native desert terrain, subtle canyon drops, mesquite trees, and rock features like Whaleback Rock, culminating in an 18th hole framed by waterfalls.

Ventana Canyon — Mountain

Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1984, the Mountain Course at Ventana Canyon Club & Lodge weaves through the Santa Catalina Mountains foothills in Tucson, Arizona. Famous for its dramatic Sonoran Desert terrain, massive boulder formations, towering saguaros, and elevated tee boxes, the layout demands tactical target golf with precise distance control and cautious green reads influenced by mountain break.

Verrado Golf Club — Founder'S Course

Buckeye, AZ

The Founder's Course at Verrado Golf Club, designed by John Fought and Tom Lehman, is a daily-fee desert layout set against the base of the White Tank Mountains in Buckeye, Arizona. Winding through rolling foothill terrain, natural rock formations, and desert washes, the course transitions from broad, forgiving fairways on the front nine to dramatic mountain elevation shifts and box canyons on the back nine.

Verrado Golf Club — Victory Course

Buckeye, AZ

The Victory Course at Verrado Golf Club is a Tom Lehman-designed 18-hole championship desert layout located in Buckeye, Arizona, along the foothills of the White Tank Mountains. The course features wide, accommodating fairways, granite rock outcroppings, large desert washes, box canyons, and multi-contoured greens surrounded by swales and collection hollows.

Warringah Golf Club

Warringah, NSW

Warringah Golf Club is an established public 18-hole parkland course located in North Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Designed in the 1930s by Cecil Byrne, the layout features flat, walkable terrain framed by tight corridors of mature trees, Brookvale Creek, and strategically positioned drainage channels and green-side bunkers.

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club — Cholla

Designed by Scott Miller and opened in 2001 on Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation land, We-Ko-Pa's Cholla Course is a premier target-style desert layout in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Free from residential development, the course features sweeping views of Red Mountain, Four Peaks, and the Superstition Mountains. It is characterized by wide landing zones, dramatic elevation changes, strategic cross-bunkering, and open green fronts that allow both high aerial approaches and ground-game run-up options.

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club — Saguaro

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club's Saguaro Course in Fountain Hills, Arizona, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is a premier minimalist desert course set within untouched Sonoran Desert terrain. Unlike traditional target-style desert tracks, Saguaro features wide fairway corridors, minimal earthwork, and a walker-friendly routing without residential development. The course incorporates natural elevation changes, strategic bunkering, split fairways, and open-front green complexes that promote ground-game approaches.

Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 2002, the Cattail Course at Whirlwind Golf Club is a 7,334-yard championship layout situated on the Gila River Indian Community near Chandler, Arizona. Framed by native mesquite, palo verde, and saguaro desert vegetation with vistas of the Sierra Estrella and South Mountains, Cattail features generous turfed fairways, multi-tiered greens, deep bunkering, water hazards, and desert canyon washes.

Whirlwind Golf Club — Devil'S Claw Course

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 2000 on Gila River Indian Community land in Chandler, Arizona, the Devil's Claw Course at Whirlwind Golf Club is a 7,029-yard par-72 resort-style desert layout. Unlike traditional target desert tracks with tight corridors, Devil's Claw features generous rolling fairways framed by native flora such as saguaro, mesquite, palo verde, and cottonwood trees. The layout relies on multi-tiered greens, multi-level bunker complexes, strategic fairway options, and mild elevation changes to test golfers of all skill levels without housing lining the fairways.

Whisper Rock Golf Club — Lower

Designed by Phil Mickelson and Gary Stephenson in 2001 as Mickelson's debut golf course design, the Lower Course at Whisper Rock Golf Club is a strategic desert layout in North Scottsdale. Built low in the Sonoran Desert valley among natural washes, palo verde, mesquite, and juniper trees, the course features recessed fairways, uniformly generous landing areas off the tee, shallow bunkering, and distinctive Pinehurst-style crowned greens surrounded by tight chipping hollows.

Whisper Rock Golf Club — Upper

Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 2005, the Upper Course at Whisper Rock Golf Club is an exclusive private facility in North Scottsdale set entirely within an undisturbed Sonoran Desert landscape. Built specifically to challenge low-handicap golfers and PGA Tour pros while remaining playable for average handicaps, the layout features generous landing areas off the tee coupled with demanding diagonal angles, dry desert washes framing the front nine, and a celebrated five-hole stretch on the back nine (holes 12 through 16) routed through dramatic granite boulder outcroppings near Pinnacle Peak.

Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club

Wickenburg, AZ

Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club features the Big Wick championship course, a Bill Brownlee and Wendell Pickett design set in the Sonoran Desert roughly an hour northwest of Phoenix. The course features an unusual par-71 layout composed of six par 3s, five par 5s, and seven par 4s. Built through canyons, arroyos, and rolling hills, the course boasts year-round bentgrass greens, sweeping vistas of Vulture Peak, and water features on signature back-nine holes.

Wigwam Golf Club — Wigwam Golf Club - Gold

Litchfield Park, AZ

Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. in 1965 and nicknamed 'Arizona's Monster,' the Gold Course at Wigwam Golf Club is a classic parkland-style championship course in Litchfield Park. Featuring mature eucalyptus and pine trees, strategically placed fairway and greenside bunkers, canals, and water hazards, the layout demands tactical tee-shot positioning and precise distance control into small, elevated, and well-guarded green complexes.

Wildfire — Faldo

Designed by Sir Nick Faldo in 2002 alongside Schmidt-Curley Design, the Faldo Championship Course at Wildfire Golf Club offers a distinct contrast to typical Arizona target golf. Drawing inspiration from Australian Sandbelt classics like Royal Melbourne, the 174-acre layout features wide, generous fairways framed by native Sonoran Desert flora and over 100 deep, steep-faced pot bunkers. With no water hazards on the course, bunkering serves as the primary strategic defense, rewarding thoughtful positioning and smart approach angles into elevated, multi-tiered green complexes.

Wildfire — Palmer

Designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1997 at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, the Palmer Course at Wildfire Golf Club is a desert layout known for wide fairways, scenic mountain backdrops, and expansive undulating greens. The layout features strategic flashed bunkering, natural desert arroyos, segmented fairways, and select water hazards on the back nine.

Wildfire Golf Club

New Concord, OH

Wildfire Golf Club is an 18-hole public course located in New Concord, Ohio. Established in the 1960s, the par-71 layout measures roughly 5,900 yards from the back tees. Characterized by rolling hills, bluegrass fairways, bentgrass greens, and mature pine tree lines, the course features elevation shifts, blind approach shots, and water hazards on three holes.