It's one of America's most coveted warm-weather golf destinations. Arizona boasts plenty of excellent public and resort golf, from Sedona and Flagstaff in the north, to Phoenix-Scottsdale's 200-plus options, then down to Tucson, where plenty more unique courses await.
With thousands of reviews coming in from Golf Advisor readers in 2015, we've tallied up each course's score to find the 25 best. The score is made up of a course's overall score combined with its subcategory scores, also with attention paid to number of reviews and how active reviewers who scored the course have been on Golf Advisor.
There was pretty significant movement in the rankings for the top Arizona golf courses as rated by Golf Advisor reviewers from 2014 to 2015. Tucson's Sewailo Golf Club, which opened in 2013, is climbing in ratings as it matures. It was the top-rated course in Arizona in 2015 and placed in the top 10 nationally among reviewers on Golf Advisor. A big reason why may be the price point. The course, part of Casino Del Sol, is just $81 in the peak months, which is far below the median price of the top courses in Phoenix-Scottsdale.
Quintero Golf Club, which was the state's no. 1-rated course in 2014, slid to no. 16, but still edged out out other high-end destination courses such as Troon North and Ak-Chin Southern Dunes. You can click on each course page to view full reviews and ratings details.
Courses needed a minimum of 20 reviews in the calendar year to qualify.
Top 25 courses in Arizona in 2015 on Golf Advisor
Tubac
Architects: Red Lawrence, Ken Kavanaugh
Sun City West
Architect: Greg Nash
Phoenix
Architect: Nick Faldo
Phoenix
Architect: Arnold Palmer
Rio Verde
Architects: David Graham, Gary Panks
Peoria
Architect: Ken Kavanaugh
Scottsdale
Architects: Tom Weiskopf, Jay Morrish
Chandler
Architect: Gary Panks
Maricopa
Architect: Brian Curley
Peoria
Architect: Rees Jones
Tucson
Architect: Tom Fazio
Florence
Architect: Gary Panks
13. Legacy Golf Club
Phoenix
Architect: Gary Panks
Tucson
Architects: Bob Cupp, Arnold Palmer
Scottsdale
Architects: Jay Morrish, Gary Panks
Tucson
Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Goodyear
Architect; Jack Nicklaus Jr.
Tucson
Architects: Bruce Devlin, Robert von Hagge, Tom Lehman
Marana
Architect Jack Nicklaus
Wickenburg
Architect: Greg Nash, Jeff Hardin
Sedona
Architects: Robert Trent Jones Sr., Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Buckeye
Architects: Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley
Buckeye
Architects: Tom Lehman, John Fought
Scottsdale
Architects: Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf
Tucson
Architects: Notah Begay, Ty Butler
*Denotes 36-hole facility.
Wow.........As I am reading your rankings, then rereading them again, out of my mouth comes "golfadvisor.com must have been given free golf at these course, to have included them". Only to read the 1st two comments suggesting the same thing.How on earth could so many of AZs' top ranked courses (by the other 50 or so AZ golf course rankings btw), be missing from your list?
You are trying to say that Sewailo Golf Course in Tucson is better than Stadium TPC, We-Ko-Pa (either course), Troon N or S or even Boulders????? And they are 6th in NATION???? Is this a joke?? And just to clarify..... you mean Sewailo golf course that I have NEVER even seen ranked in an AZ top 20 ranking?? You mean that one??PLEASE explain how you derived at these rankings? What reviews are you talking about?
These are based on ratings submitted by anyone throughout the year, not the staff.
Not really "top" courses. These are just some that are apparently popular with a certain level of golfer. I've played with some of these people and they won't give a good rating to any course that they consider too difficult. One even just called some "tricked up" when they couldn't score well on it.
How does Wickenburg Ranch GC not make the list? It is easily in my top 3!!
It has done very well on our site so far but not quite enough reviews to qualify in 2015. http://www.golfadvisor.com/courses/34994-wickenburg-ranch-golf-course/
It is obvious that Golf Advisor was compensated to create a list like this....
How can you exclude both courses @ WeKoPa? Ranked #2 + #4 last year (if I'm not mistaken) and this year BAM! - gone? Also, Talking Stick North, another Coore/Crenshaw design deserves a place among your Top 25.
Too bad - I was actually looking forward to this list...maybe next year?
TK
Talking Stick (both courses) are totally lame.
We-Ko-Pa simply didn't receive enough reviews last year to qualify. Hopefully this year.
Talking Stick didn't fare particularly well last year, as its overall score was below 4 and in the middle of the pack.
Sorry...not a very good list at all. How about both We-Ko-Pa Courses or SunRidge Canyon? Even Eagle Mountain should be in there for consideration. CyberLinksGolf.com has video on all the above mentioned tracks.
We-Ko-Pa didn't receive enough reviews to qualify. SunRidge Canyon came close but maybe now that it will have a full year post-reno it will make the 2016 list. Eagle Mountain's overall score was below 4 and in the middle of the pack.
Doesn't receive enough reviews because it costs $235 a round !! People that can afford that don't write reviews, too busy playing places the rest of can't afford...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! WORST RANKING I have ever seen. What ever you are smoking please sell it, make millions and hire someone who know how to do a course rating. God bless!
agreed...it leads me to believe this list is junk
Was down there at the first of the year and did golf several of these courses as well as two that were mentioned as should have been, well I believe your list for the most part is spot on and as was stated Talking stick North was not good either the conditions or the hospitality, Eagle Mountain was close but still needs some work. Good job
Talking Stick courses are boring . Eagle Mountain is hit or miss in regards to condition ; at least you have some great views at Eagle Mountain. Neither belong on any top list
I think you need to understand the criteria on which the list was created before "HaHa"ing it. It's based on reviews from users. There are a couple of courses that are missing, some could be rated higher, and some that seem to be rated higher than I'd suggest, but it's not that bad that it deserves the dissing that you've given it. It's a very subjective rating.