Located just south of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Legoland Discovery Center and the city of Tempe, Arizona Grand is a AAA Four Diamond Resort and among the Phoenix-Scottsdale area's largest golf resorts with 744 total guest rooms. Set on 164 acres, the highlight of the property is the 18-hole golf course that winds into desert foothills of the…
Near downtown Scottsdale, The Phoenician, A Luxury Collection Resort, is a five-star golf resort that underwent significant renovations in 2017-2018. This large resort features over 600 guest rooms and also includes a fractional ownership program. Guest rooms are 600 square feet and suites are one or two-bedrooms starting at 1,200 square feet.…
Legacy Golf Resort, operated by Shell Holidays, is located just south of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. This resort features the 18-hole Legacy Golf Club, designed by Gary Panks and home to a full practice facility and golf instruction and academy. The resort features 328 suites set in a Spanish mission-style theme and units feature…
Reopened in 2017, Mountain Shadows Resort is a freshly renovated and reimagined golf resort. For golfers, the centerpiece is the brand new, 18-hole par-3 course. Located in Paradise Valley between Scottsdale and Phoenix, the resort is ideally located for trips into the shopping, hiking trails and attractions of both cities. Onsite are several…
Historic JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn dates back to 1936 and is set on 125 acres at the base of Camelback Mountain. This 425-room and suite property in a pueblo-style features a spa, tennis courts, heated outdoor pools, garden terraces and desert hiking trails. Camelback Golf Club features two 18-hole courses, the Padre (designed by Arthur…
Just east of Phoenix-Scottsdale, Talking Stick Resort is owned and operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. It is among Arizona's largest golf and casino resorts with nearly 500 guest rooms in a 15-story hotel tower, six restaurants, entertainment and pools. Located off the Highway 101 loop, it is conveniently located near…
McCormick Ranch is a Scottsdale master-planned community with a 36-hole golf club and two 3-star resort hotels on either side of the golf courses. On the west side is The McCormick Scottsdale, part of Millennium Hotels group. It has 125 guest rooms and suites, tennis and 24-hour fitness center. There are two dining concepts, the signature Pinon…
Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, is one of the most historic golf resort properties in the state, opening in 1929. It features a Frank Lloyd Wright architectural style and has hosted U.S. presidents over the years. The resort features 720 guest rooms, suites and villas, as well as eight swimming pools. Dining ranges from fine dining at…
Located in Chandler southeast of Phoenix is the historic Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort. This property dates back to 1912 as one of the earliest developments in Chandler and boasts the oldest grass golf course in the state of Arizona. This property on the National Registrar of Historic Places has 249 guest rooms and suites with private…
Located in the East Valley of Phoenix-Scottsdale, Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa features 85 casita-style accommodations to go along with 36 holes at Gold Canyon Golf Resort. Guest rooms are spacious, casita-style units that feature private patios and fireplaces and range from king- and double-queen rooms to 1- and 2-bedroom suites. There is an…
Scottsdale's Orange Tree Resort provides condominium-style accommodations geared for families and groups. It is also home to its own 18-hole parkland golf course, Orange Tree Golf Club. The resort features 160 large suites with patios or terraces and barbecue pits, multiple pools and hot tubs, badminton courts, horseshoe pits and a community…
Wild Horse Pass is a 2,700-acre development on the Gila River Indian tribal community grounds with two separate hotels that are a partner of the 36-hole Whirlwind Golf Club, home to the Devil's Claw and Cattail courses as well as a full practice facility. The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is a 500-room, AAA Four-Diamond resort that features an…
Located in Mesa, Arizona, Westgate Painted Mountain Golf Resort has 76 guest rooms and 1 and 2-bedroom villa accommodations that sleep up to six guests. It is located next to Painted Mountain Golf Resort, a 6,021-yard, par-70 design. The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center and outdoor pool, laundry facilities, barbecue grills, volleyball, picnic…
Near the heart of Scottsdale, the Westin Kierland Resort features one of Arizona's largest and all-encompassing resort properties. Set on over 600 acres with 700-plus guest rooms, there are a wide variety of activities to enjoy before and after golf. For swimming, there is an adults-only pool, cabana rentals, as well as kids area with waterslide…
The Inn at Eagle Mountain is a small, 37-suite boutique hotel in Fountain Hills, set in the East Valley of Phoenix-Scottsdale. This property is located adjacent to Eagle Mountain Golf Club, a Scott Miller-designed golf course that opened in 1996. There are three suite types, but each features a small fireplace with sitting area, patio or balcony…
Arizona Golf Resort & Event Center is located in Mesa near Arizona State University and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. This 200-room property features banquet and wedding space and its own 18-hole golf course and practice center. Rooms types range from a studio double at 518 square feet to a three-room Casita King concept over 700 square feet, as…
The Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort is located in Phoenix, north of downtown and in easy access to the golf courses of Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale. It is an amenity of nextdoor Lookout Mountain Golf Club. The resort is set on over 400 acres and adjacent to North Mountain Park, which is home to outdoor activities. The hotel has 584 guest…
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, located adjacent to the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course, is an expansive, luxury AAA Five Diamond resort property with 750 guest rooms. These units include 122 casitas and 66 Fairmont Gold rooms, all of which have oversized luxury bathrooms. Recent tech upgrades from a recent renovation include Amazon Echo Dots with an…
Viewpoint RV and Golf Resort is located in Mesa, Arizona near Phoenix-Scottsdale and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport just off Highway 202. This RV resort has 331 sites and features an 18-hole championship course and 9-hole executive course onsite. The resort features tennis, an outdoor pool, pickleball, volleyball, fitness center and…
In the East Valley of Phoenix-Scottsdale, We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, located on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation tribal land, features 246 guest rooms adjacent to We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, one of the best 36-hole golf clubs in Arizona. The resort features a large conference center and casino with live table games, plus an outdoor pool, fitness center and…
With close to 200 courses in the area and great golf weather (including little chance of rainouts) throughout the year, the Phoenix-Scottsdale market is one of the most popular golf destinations in the world. The peak season is winter and spring since temperatures are cooler and courses are generally heavily overseeded, but summer and fall are the best times to find deals.
Now with modern greens, a 21st-century irrigation system and a little more length, Papago Golf Course in Phoenix has become a lot more than a shell of its former self; it's been reinvented. Come spring, when Papago has a chance to fill in a little, demand for tee times will probably be high.
From resorts to par 3s, here are 10 courses suited for beginners, high handicappers and seniors and players who just don't hit the ball that far or with much carry.
It might be a cliche to describe the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa as an oasis in the desert, but that's exactly what it is. That's evident in everything from the food to the hospitality to the rooms themselves. I've stayed in many of the Valley's top resorts, and the JW Marriott is as good as it gets. Here are 10 reasons why.
There are more than 200 golf courses in the Valley of the Sun, many of them concentrated in the Scottsdale area. With that said, you might want to look to south Phoenix, where there are some excellent choices, perhaps a little less crowded than the Scottsdale courses seem to be in peak season. Here's a look at six that warrant consideration.
Over the years, veteran Arizona sports writer Scott Bordow has had the good fortune of playing some of the finest golf courses in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Here are his 10 favorites.
The proximity of the Cactus League parks (roughly a 60-mile radius) and the Valley of the Sun's legendary status as a golf vacation destination team up to create an ideal spring break golf/baseball getaway.
When sizing up golfing locales in the Phoenix metropolitan area, west will never be considered best. That doesn't mean there's no reason to find out what's on the other side of I-17. The West Valley can't compete in terms of quantity, but courses such as Golf Club of Estrella, Quintero, Raven at Verrado and Trilogy at Vistancia stack up with what's being offered across town. If you're building a golf trip on a budget, your buck will go a lot further "way out west.
Start with 36 holes of championship golf, add in a world-class resort and you've got your next vacation destination in Scottsdale: Talking Stick Resort. The two Coore/Crenshaw-designed courses at Talking Stick offer a wide variety of challenges. What's more, there's not a house in sight. Players will step up to the tee and eye acres of wide open space.
Big changes are coming to the Indian Bend Course at Camelback Golf Club in Paradise Valley, Ariz. In conjunction with the property's 75th anniversary in 2012, Marriott is completely redesigning Indian Bend, one of two 18-hole courses at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Scottsdale Resort & Spa. "When it reopens, the course will be unrecognizable," said Rob Bartley, the director of golf at Camelback.
Located just off of Maricopa Road and I-10, Whirlwind Golf Club is in the Gila River Indian Community and home to two excellent 18s -- Devil's Claw and Cattail -- designed by Gary Panks. What you will enjoy most about both courses is the solitude. Aside from the Estrella Mountains views, golfers can look for South Mountain, the San Tan Mountains and the Superstitions.
Located 20 minutes southeast of Scottsdale, Ariz., Longbow Golf Club doesn't have the panache of some of the Valley's esteemed courses. For one thing, none of the 18 holes are visually spectacular. But what the part links-style, part desert course lacks in style, it makes up for in consistency. Longbow is a solid golf course that will entertain and challenge golfers. Its best attribute is its simplicity.
Already one of the more unique golf courses in Arizona -- and rated among the best public plays in the state -- Ak-Chin Southern Dunes is undergoing a major renovation project this summer.
If you're thinking of taking a golf vacation, it would be hard to beat a trip to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. With more than 200 courses, the choices are endless, and the weather - especially in spring, fall and winter - is ideal. Mike Bailey offers some tips for the ultimate Arizona golf trip that could save you everything from money to sunburn and embarrassment.
Outside Scottsdale and into the Sonoran Desert, the bright hotel lights fade into beautiful mountain and boulder formations that fill the horizon. You'll find plenty of culture contrast in the Valley of the Sun, from dive bars and Wild West attractions to luxurious resorts and world-class golf courses. And you can mix it all in one visit, writes Brandon Tucker.
ASU Karsten Golf Course, located on the Arizona State University campus just minutes from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, is a classic parkland setting full of ponds and trees. The Pete Dye design features typical Dye mounding and railroad ties, plus bunkers of all shapes and sizes.
Though it's certainly not a links course, the Links Course at Arizona Biltmore Golf Club in Phoenix isn't a desert course either. Opened in 1978, this Bill Johnston design offers plenty of green grass, elevation changes and a few great views.
The TPC Scottsdale Champions course plays plenty challenging for tour pros and aspiring area golfers, playing as a par-71 to more than 7,100 yards from the championship tees and three forward sets. There are plenty of risk-reward moments throughout the design, such as a split fairway par-4 fifth hole and a drivable par-4 15th on the back nine. Brandon Tucker has more in this photo gallery.
The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is home to the PGA Tour's Waste Management Phoenix Open, the largest spectator golf event in the world. The Jay Morrish/Tom Weiskopf layout is known for its playability, but it wouldn't host a pro event if it wasn't also challenging.
The Sonoran desert delivers some of the most dramatic par 3s in destination golf. Here's are some photos of some of our favorite par 3s in Phoenix-Scottsdale.
At first glance TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course looks pretty much the same. But following a $15 million renovation project by Tom Weiskopf last summer, there's more to it than meets the eye -- much more.
Picking the most scenic courses in Scottsdale is an impossible task. Not because there's so few courses from which to pick. Because there's too many. With that said, here are some camera-ready classics.
While Phoenix-Scottsdale may be the most expensive peak-season destination in the U.S., there 'are' some great bargains out there. If you're looking to save some cash, give these courses a try.
SunRidge Canyon Golf Club in Fountain Hills, Ariz. isn't particularly long, but it can be demanding. At 6,823 yards, this Keith Foster design winds its away around rugged ridges and canyons through the desert terrain. The course demands accuracy off the tee and the approach shots. There are risk-reward opportunities, but discretion is warranted to shoot a good score.
SunRidge Canyon -- located in Fountain Hills, Ariz., just northeast of Scottsdale -- is better than ever after a 2015 renovation brought new greens, bunkers and changed a few holes to make the course more player friendly.
There's a lot to like about the Cholla Course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club. Following a summer update it remains a slam-dunk pick among Scottsdale, Arizona's best public courses.
The Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club has long been a favorite in Scottsdale, Arizona. The three new holes that debuted in October 2015 aren't universally loved, but maybe that will change as they mature.
A striking Tom Fazio design, the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale plays more than 7,100 yards from the championship tees and runs over hills and natural washes. In typical Tom Fazio fashion, bunkers are plentiful and monstrous, though the fairways primarily play wide.
A recent renovation of the RTJ, Sr.-designed Patriot golf course at The Wigwam resort just west of Phoenix modernized the course's bunkers and improved its irrigation system.
The Gold Course at The Wigwam just west of Phoenix has a new look, thanks to a restoration by Tom Lehman. He sought to restore Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s original design, but also make adjustments for today's technology.
Verde River Golf & Social Club, located just northeast of Scottsdale, Arizona, has re-opened after a summer under the knife at the direction of Tom Lehman.
Giant boulders, some millions of years old, stand watch over your every move on the scenic South Course at The Boulders Resort & Spa in Carefree, Arizona.
The Phoenix/Scottsdale area has roughly 200 golf courses, but none of them have the type of scenery as The Boulders, especially the resort's South Course. This Jay Morrish design plays closest to some of the property's most stunning rock formations, and most green settings sit beside boulder piles. Accuracy is required off the tee as this is a target, desert-style course, and precision around the greens is needed to handle slopes that are both dramatic and subtle.