Back
Ocotillo Golf Club - Gold/Blue
Rating Snapshot
About
The Ocotillo Golf Resort sits on 185 acres and features lush contoured fairways that flow gently amid patches of mature trees, vibrant flower beds, pretty waterfalls and numerous lakes.
The Gold nine is a devilish test and not just because water comes into play on six of the holes. The greens have a lot of slope in them and are difficult to read. And some pin placements are brutal; hit a downhill putt two feet past the
hole, and it might roll down into a swale and 30 feet by. Uphill putts, on the other hand, are extremely difficult to get to the hole, if for no other reason than Ocotillo's greens aren't as fast as some of the Valley's marquee desert courses.
Two holes stand out on the Gold: No. 5 is a 212-yard par 3 with water running down the entire left side; and No. 9 is a 468-yard par 4 with a carry over water from the tee -- water that dissects the fairway about 50 yards short of the green and water left to the green. Par there is a great score.
Ocotillo's Blue Course is a watery grave; water comes into play on eight of the nine holes. It's not overly long but there's so much water the length becomes irrelevant. The best hole may be No. 1, a 590-yard par 5. Big hitters are faced with the classic risk-reward: Do they lay-up on their second shot or try to fly a tributary that splits the fairway about 50 yards short of the green?
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 72 | 7042 yards | 72.2 | 133 |
| Blue | 72 | 6379 yards | 70.0 | 125 |
| White | 72 | 6028 yards | 68.7 | 118 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 5128 yards | 69.6 | 124 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold M: 72.7/134 | 415 | 534 | 390 | 386 | 212 | 538 | 399 | 203 | 468 | 3545 | 590 | 431 | 381 | 197 | 371 | 559 | 170 | 415 | 383 | 3497 | 7042 |
| Blue M: 70.7/127 | 385 | 509 | 365 | 358 | 187 | 510 | 375 | 159 | 400 | 3248 | 502 | 378 | 353 | 159 | 342 | 533 | 142 | 372 | 350 | 3131 | 6379 |
| White M: 69.0/120 W: 75.5/127 | 362 | 492 | 351 | 331 | 164 | 490 | 356 | 142 | 380 | 3068 | 480 | 361 | 338 | 142 | 328 | 518 | 126 | 338 | 329 | 2960 | 6028 |
| Red M: 70.0/116 W: 70.0/116 | 298 | 415 | 310 | 269 | 142 | 402 | 298 | 116 | 309 | 2559 | 404 | 331 | 289 | 108 | 304 | 454 | 107 | 311 | 261 | 2569 | 5128 |
| Handicap | 7 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 4 | 8 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 8 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 18 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 7 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Locker RoomsAccolades
-
Golf Advisor: Top Courses in Arizona (2014 #13)
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
-
Photo submitted by VanDeezy on 06/02/2025
-
Photo submitted by realmonte on 10/30/2024
-
Photo submitted by Jake5774484 on 03/13/2024
-
Photo submitted by Jake5774484 on 03/13/2024
-
Bird poop and birds on 80 % of all holes & greens Photo submitted by Govers on 02/23/2024
-
Photo submitted by Garygoeman on 01/28/2024
-
Photo submitted by u314161622535 on 01/15/2024
-
Photo submitted by tyl3r on 01/01/2024
-
Photo submitted by u309972334 on 02/08/2022
-
Photo submitted by bargaumpire54 on 06/10/2021
-
Photo submitted by u000001295079 on 03/10/2021
-
Photo submitted by Ron5819331 on 02/27/2021
-
Photo submitted by Ron5819331 on 02/27/2021
-
Photo submitted by Ron5819331 on 02/27/2021
-
Photo submitted by Ron5819331 on 02/27/2021
-
Photo submitted by Ron5819331 on 02/27/2021
-
Photo submitted by Ron5819331 on 02/27/2021
-
Photo submitted by xmatt789 on 12/30/2020
-
Photo submitted by CwoIoilQspOLRMCPIarK on 11/06/2020
-
Photo submitted by u000004329072 on 01/05/2020
-
Gold course # 1 Photo submitted by dougmacnamara on 04/18/2019
-
Photo submitted by 3puttforthewin on 06/04/2018
-
Photo submitted by 3puttforthewin on 06/04/2018
-
Photo submitted by 3puttforthewin on 06/04/2018
-
Photo submitted by Rus2427758 on 02/01/2018
-
Photo submitted by bri4444 on 12/11/2016
-
Photo submitted by bri4444 on 12/11/2016
-
Photo submitted by bri4444 on 12/11/2016
-
Lots of water! Photo submitted by mriemer01 on 02/21/2015
-
Nice landscaping Photo submitted by timster on 01/24/2015
-
Good little par 3 Photo submitted by timster on 01/24/2015
-
Another nice hole Photo submitted by timster on 01/24/2015
-
Photo submitted by berry1000 on 02/04/2014
-
Nice hole Photo submitted by u000007374145 on 05/29/2013
-
Photo submitted by ppstrucking on 11/27/2012
-
Photo submitted by ppstrucking on 11/27/2012
Highly Recommended!
This was my first time playing here. Took my 2 boys and had an incredible day. Everything about the course was awesome. Water on every hole so wasn’t easy but couldn’t ask for better course conditions, great staff, great amenities and an awesome experience across the board. I would highly recommend this course to others and will be back very soon!
Attention all Arcis Prime Members
Attention all Arcis Prime members: Avoid this course like the plague. Greens are terrible, overpriced and understaffed (nobody in the clubhouse until 5:45 for a 6am tee time). Get a real golf course that knows how to manage a little heat, Palm Valley is in excellent shape, the staff is incredible and is by far the best bang for your hard earned dollar.
Pleasantly, surprised
I was very surprised by this course. I like the ideas of 27 different holes. The staff was very nice and pace of play was great.
Nice course
Just no cart lady after the first hole. Kinda ruined the round. They did give 1 free drink pass, but if no cart lady. What is the use
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your frustration regarding the absence of the beverage cart during your round and apologize for the inconvenience. The drink tickets provided were intended for a draft beverage in the restaurant, which was open and available during your visit. We appreciate you noting this experience and will share your comments with our team as we continue working to improve consistency in service throughout the course. We value your input and hope to provide a better experience on your next visit.
Still in rough shape
Still dont understand how they can charge what they charge & then up charge for range balls? Then after check in, advise that greens are struggling coming back from over seed. Fairways are in good shape but all tee boxes and most greens are pretty beat up. Great looking facility and staff is great.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your concerns regarding pricing and the additional range ball charge. The greens were impacted by the early stretch of 100-degree temperatures at the end of March, which accelerated seasonal stress and recovery challenges. We are also receiving strong feedback on the condition of our tee boxes and fairways, which is appreciated as we continue to evaluate course conditions. We’re glad you recognized the facility and our staff, and your comments have been shared with our team as we continue working to improve the overall experience.
Poor condition
I’ve played this course dozens of times - normally it’s in decent shape. Right now it’s definitely not. The tee boxes are a wreck, the greens are trashed and the bunkers are like hitting off of pavement. Now they want you to pay $12 to hit a few balls before teeing off. And the range is in terrible shape too. For the money - it’s not worth it. I’ll play whirlwind instead.
Also - why do they not fasten down the planks on the bridges? Taking a cart over the bridges is loud. Seems like an easy fix. A lot of decay showing at Ocotillo.
Thank you for your continued support and feedback. We understand your frustration with the recent course conditions. The early stretch of 100-degree temperatures at the end of March accelerated our seasonal transition and impacted the greens. We have received great feedback about our fairways and tees from other guests, but if there were specific areas that stood out during your round, we encourage you to reach out to us directly so we can address them. The bridge to the driving range has also been repaired.
We appreciate your comments and are continuing to work on improvements across the course.
Way too much money for the conditions
This course I have played many times and I’ve always enjoyed it. The conditions were atrocious for $170. Why they have never repaired the bridge that leads to the driving range. I have no idea it sounds like mortar fire going off absolutely ridiculous . Makes you not wanna go to the range. It’s so noisy. It’s too bad the conditions of the greens. The conditions of the fairway were so bad for such a beautiful potential course.
Thank you for your continued support and feedback. We understand your frustration with the recent course conditions. The early stretch of 100-degree temperatures at the end of March accelerated our seasonal transition and impacted the greens. We have received great feedback about our fairways from our other guests. If there were fairways that stuck out to you, please reach out to us directly so we can address. The bridge to the driving range has also been repaired.
We appreciate your comments and are continuing to work on improvements across the course.
Rough conditions all over, far from the Mickelson days
Great clubhouse and excellent restaurant but other than that, not worth the money. If there was ever a course that needs GPS on the carts this needs it. Lots of layup blind shots and double trouble water holes. Crap bunkers with crusty dirt and fading greens. Some of the areas surrounding the greens are dry and hard. Last time I played it had lush conditions and excellent bunkers. I was given 1 drink ticket for 3 bad greens but it was more like only 3-4 good greens. Dead patchy greens with lots of slopes just isn’t fun. Maybe for $50 but not $130. Needs lots of work, hopefully they turn it around. Btw also a 5hr round
Thank you for your feedback and for recognizing our clubhouse and restaurant. We understand your frustration with the course conditions and pace of play during your visit. The early stretch of 100-degree temperatures at the end of March accelerated our seasonal transition and impacted areas of the course. We know that does not meet the standard our guests expect or that we expect from ourselves, and we did reduce our green fees due to this. Your comments regarding course conditions, navigation, and round time have been shared with our team as we continue working to improve the overall experience.
Challenging but super fun
Always enjoy the entertaining layout and the challenge of the course
Thank you for the great review! We’re glad you enjoyed the layout and challenge of the course. We appreciate your support and look forward to having you back out for another fun round soon.
Range
I thought the $12 charge to hit unlimited range balls was a bit exorbitant given the greens fees are also expensive. Should be included in my opinion.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your perspective and appreciate you sharing it. While our range program is separate from greens fees, we strive to provide a high-quality practice facility and overall experience for our guests. We’ll be sure to share your comments with our team as we continue evaluating our pricing and guest offerings.
Greens horrid
Just played this course this past week and the starter played it off like the greens weren’t that bad. They were absolutely atrocious and there was no sand in the traps. if you’re paying close to $100 I would expect this course be in much better condition than it was.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your frustration and apologize that the course conditions did not meet expectations during your visit. The early stretch of 100-degree temperatures at the end of March accelerated our seasonal transition, which impacted the greens. We have lowered our green fees due to this. We appreciate you sharing your concerns.
In need of repair
Definitely NOT worth your money right now. The course is in genuinely terrible condition from tee to green.
The tee boxes are a mess—uneven, neglected, and clearly not maintained for months. On most holes, you’re not even hitting off grass anymore, just dirt and sand. That alone should tell you everything.
The greens are even worse. Patchy, inconsistent, and easily some of the worst I’ve seen anywhere, let alone at a course charging these rates. I joked with my playing partner early on that we were “0-1 with the greens.” That quickly turned into 0-2, 0-3, 0-4… I stopped counting after six straight holes of unacceptable putting surfaces. It stops being funny and just becomes frustrating.
And the bunkers? Don’t bother. The sand conditions are so poor you’re better off pulling your ball and moving on.
For the price they’re charging, this is completely unjustifiable. There’s no evidence of proper upkeep anywhere on the course.
To top it off, the driving range was nearly unusable—almost every bucket was empty, with balls available in only a handful of bins. Whether it’s a staffing issue or something else, it’s not an excuse.
Whoever is responsible for this course needs to step in and fix it. Right now, this place is charging premium prices for substandard conditions, and that’s simply not acceptable.
Jeff, I'd be happy to drive the course with you. You'll see how terrible it is. I just emailed you.
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your recent experience with us in greater detail. A lot of what you described is very different than what a vast majority of our golfers are saying, and I would like to better understand what you encountered. Please reach out to me directly at jrosen@arcisgolf.com. Thank you. - Jeff Rosen, GM
Terrible greens and rock hard bunkers
Are they kidding? Premium bucks for no bunker maintenance and greens missing big patches of grass.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your frustration, and the bunker and green conditions you experienced are not up to our standards, especially at that price point. This season’s early transition due to the warmer weather in late March has impacted certain areas, but our team is actively working to improve conditions. We have also recently adjusted our rates to better reflect current conditions. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention, and hope to welcome you back again soon.
Jkeevasu, thank you for the 4-star review! I am glad to see you enjoyed your time with us, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon!
Nice property. Maintenance playing catch-up
Well funded landscaping, cart paths and water mangment throughout the course. Visually interesting but funky layout that would be fun in good conditions. Surprised there was not GPS on carts given the number of blind water hazards. Conditions were much worse, tee to green, than expected for the price; unlevel tee boxes, inconsistently soaked and dry fairways (some hold shots and others are dry and thin down to blind water hazards), and thin compacted sand in bunkers. Greens were blotchy with many bare spots and had recently been painted/treated, punched and top dressed. For a local point of reference, most area courses are in transition preparing for summer heat. However, nearby courses and ALL the city courses are in much better shape.
Thank you for the detailed feedback, we appreciate you sharing your experience. We did undergo an early transition this season due to the unusually warm weather in late March, which has impacted some areas of the course. That said, we’ve been receiving great feedback on our fairways and tee boxes, so we’d welcome the opportunity to connect and learn more about your specific concerns. We hope you’ll consider giving Ocotillo Golf Club another try as conditions continue to improve.
Fun. Day
While place is great. Green were recently top dressed so weren’t perfect but a great track and we will be back
Thank you for the kind words and for your understanding regarding the recent top dressing. While the greens may not have been at their peak, we’re glad you still enjoyed the course. We appreciate your support of Ocotillo Golf Club and look forward to having you back again soon.
Needs maintenance
Tee boxes are covers with debris from trees. Putting green were a mixture of seeds sand very little grass. Grabbed a tank to smooth out a bunker and fiberglass was embedded in my hand the rest of the day.
Thank you for the feedback, we understand your concerns. The course went through an early transition this season due to the 100-degree heat in late March, which impacted overall conditions, but what you experienced still falls short of our standards. We’re also addressing the bunker issue immediately, as safety is a top priority. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and hope you’ll consider giving us another opportunity to provide a better experience.
A bit disappointing
The greens are in rough shape, putting thru other than grass. The play was slow at a +5 hour round, sad. Fairways in decent condition but lots of dry and dead areas for as much water that they have available. Better options out there.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry your experience didn’t meet expectations. This season brought an early transition that affected the condition of the greens and some fairway areas more than we anticipated.
We also understand your concerns about pace of play and appreciate your patience. Your comments are valuable as we continue working to improve the course and provide a better experience for our golfers.
Late afternoon golf
The greens on a few holes were pretty burnt up and pace of play wasn’t great but overall I like playing here and will return
Thank you for your feedback and for continuing to choose our course. We appreciate your patience with the pace of play and the condition of some of the greens, this season brought an early transition that impacted a few areas more than expected.
We’re glad to hear you enjoy playing here overall and look forward to welcoming you back for your next round.
Whirlwind Golf Getaway Package
Mesa Golf Around Package
The Fairways of Fountain Hills Package
The Fairways of Fountain Hills Package
Thank you for the great feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the 27-hole layout, found the staff welcoming, and experienced a smooth pace of play. We appreciate your support and look forward to having you back again soon.