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Rating Index Rating
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3.7
618 Reviews (618)
5 Stars
164
4 Stars
264
3 Stars
99
2 Stars
60
1 Stars
31
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.3
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
3.3
Amenities
4.0
69.6%
Recommend this course
469 out of 618 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
4 Reviews (4)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.7
Value
3.7
Layout
4.3
Pace
2.8
Amenities
4.5
StaffFriendliness
4.3
75.0%
Recommend this course
3 out of 4 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.8
21 Reviews (21)
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.3
71.4%
Recommend this course
15 out of 21 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Municipal
Style Traditional
Par 72
Length 7380 yards
Slope 130
Rating 75.0

Papago Golf Course is conveniently situated just a few minutes from downtown Phoenix though you would never be able to tell with the peace and seclusion provided by the course's location in Papago Park. The golf course sits at the base of Papago Buttes, past the rugged red rocks you can see Phoenix skyline. The course was designed by William Francis Bell, whom you may know for Torrey Pines in San Diego. The challenging layout features undulating greens framed with strategically placed bunkers and subtle but tricky mounding. Water hazards appear on a few holes as well. It's a tough but straightforward layout that is still playable for a range of skill levels. Since opening in 1963, Papago has hosted numerous events including the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and Phoenix Open Qualifying.

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Papago Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1963
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
GPS No
Pull-carts Yes
Caddies No
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

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Reviews

3.7
618 Reviews (618)

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 72
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

"Better"ole Papago!

An afternoon round started by having Mike meet Me at bag drop and explained that another person also was booked for the tee-time. I was able to warm up, sounds silly when it's 111°, although I was tardy. The course is in outstanding condition ,even the bunkers played well as I could get a good "thump" gettin' out. Then Michael was cordial & helpful with some ice at the turn as there wasn't a beverage cart on duty. I really enjoy the now years old renovations that give a more complete look of the holes through the greens ! Good Time Folks !

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Papago

Great course and good value.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great City course

I have to start this review with the starter. He came out to the truck with cart and picked up clubs for us. To me its a great perk to get from a city course or any couse. I have played some high dollar courses and didn't get that type of service. He also had an awesome personality. Thank you!

The course was fun but at the same time a very challenging one. Rolling fairways at times would leave the ball below or above your feet to remind you to keep it in the middle of the fairway.

Green favored the Papago mountains to give you some tough reads of the greens. Greens were not fast due to lack of cutting them. By the looks of the greens that they just completed airiation.

Fun and challenging course. Enjoy!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 42
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

GOOD OL PAPAGO

The entire golf experience was great in the past when we all slept in the car to get out early. The New Papago is not bad but just doesn't hold the same appeal as it once did. Lay out is good. Less tree's. It has been cleaned up a bit. Greens were horrible when I played and club house is....well, just a box to except your green fees. Zero character now....maybe in the future it will get better. I hope the price does not increase to reflect the "changes" but it probably will.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Greens not what they usually are

The recently punched greens kind of ruined the fun. The putting was a guessing game with all of the bouncing. It's a great course, I just wish there was a warning on golfnow about the aerated greens.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Real Nice

Not for the beginner. I really enjoyed the advancement of the course layout!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 64
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

Great Course Bad Rates

Love playing this track, the greens and fairways are always in great condition and it is a good long course from the tips.

The course is set up as a very playable and very scenic track. Pretty darn good for a city course, BUT

The only beef I have is that their rates have gone sky high in the last two years. There are at least four courses that are all within 10 mins of Papago that have way better facilities and are far better designs.

No matter how nice you may be, your still a muny course! Your rates have to reflect that.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

A Rugged Beauty in the Desert

They say that, once upon a time, golfers would spend the night in the Papago parking lot in order to be first in line for the tee in the morning. This legacy is still being fulfilled under the watchful eyes of the Papago Buttes. The course conditions this day were wonderful with the greens rolling true. The Marshals on this course are excellent. It is a Muni and you are going to have a fair share of high handicappers and slow players, but that's golf and these guys know how to keep things moving without too much of a fuss. You can feel the influence of Arizona State on the course now, since they adopted it (and are probably paying for that honor) as their home course. A good thing that bodes well for the future. Play this course, one of the best in Phoenix at any price, and you will not be disappointed!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great course - good value

I played this for the first time. It was challenging but not overly difficult. The pace was good even though I played by myself.

I would recommend it if you haven't played here before. The views of the rocks and mountains are excellent.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Don't miss this muni- a must

Playing golf for 42 years. 6 handicap, played Papgo maybe 7 years ago, before the investment/improvements.

OK, yes the club house is weak. But it STOPS there.

Grass driving range with plenty of targets (try and find that at a muni anywhere else!)

Pro Shop staf, excellent, they know their function, polite, knowledgable, but they also know to get the people out and onto the course. I like that.

Now the reason you NEED to go. Excellent design, great variety of holes, and the course has taken the extra step, besides many tees, I has also taken the steps to have "combo tees" which for me was perfect as 7200 yes was too much, but 7,000 gave me all I could handle and enjoy the test. But the forward tees are very strategically placed to "entertain" all players!

Conditions: Tees, fairways -- really good, GREENS - excellent with the exception just two holes (I know one of them was the 11 hole Par 3 and I think the other was 16, but not sure) that showed a fair amount of ball marks, but other than these two the greens where perfect. Great manageable speed. You needed to make sure to stay below the hole.

Bunkers had plenty of sand, do not expect Agusta white and the sand does crust, which I wish the course would use finer teeth spacing on their rakes when they condition the bunkers in the morning. No rocks and consistent in material and depth.

Easy to get to, plenty of parking, welcoming outside staff, awesome views throughout the round, a GREAT experience.

I highly reccomend all players of all skills to go to Papago and enjoy this treasure, you will not be disappointed

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Tried and True

Very friendly staff greet you and the rat is up to you. Profits is straightforward and a good test for golfers at any level. No frills, that's for sure, but a good track and well worth a visit.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 29
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Papago in the spring

Course was in good shape, pace of play good. Course design is one of the best in Arizona. Managed my ASU, they need to build a club house and restaurant to get it in line with other top courses in the valley.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice but not good for contacts

Beautiful views of mountains and desert but the holes are close together and the lack of cart paths makes it bad for your eyes especially if you wear contact lenses.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 49
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Solid conditions

Fairways and greens are in great shape.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice place

Course was in great shape. Freindly staff and a good pace of play.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Best Value and Greens in the Valley

Papago is the best value in AZ Golf. The tees, fairways and greens are in great shape. If you like fast true greens then this is a must play. The course is located within Papago Park and is very walkable with great views. The staff is excellent as well.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

dont go there hungry,food SUCKS

Of the six courses I played on my trip to phoenix ,This was the only course I felt I didn't feel I got my money's worth. The course itself was nice and staff friendly.But they WAY overbooked it.We had to wait at every tee box for 30 mins.We had to replay front nine in order to finish our round.It took 3 hours to play the front nine the first time. The only food selection was pulled pork or hot dogs. I had the pulled pork. I recommend the hot dog.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Excellent golf course

Course was in great shape staff very friendly will definitely play this course again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great experience, great views

Very fast greens did not detract from a great round completed in just over 4 hours. Course is interesting (not much water, though), and fairways and greens are in great shape. There is plenty of drinking water on the course, but you can buy a large Heineken for just $4.75 from the cart. Two large, red, eroded hills to the northeast form a scenic background for many of the holes.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Course has good features

Course layout was good. Was pretty open course but could get into trouble if your shot wasn't in fairway. Staff was friendly and considerate. Very helpful. Would play again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

The Phoenician Golf Around Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at the Phoenician Resort and golf at The Phoenician Golf Club, Westin Kierland Golf Club & Papago Golf Course.
the-phoenician-9.jpg

The Phoenician Golf Around Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at the Phoenician Resort and golf at The Phoenician Golf Club, Westin Kierland Golf Club & Papago Golf Course.
20-3208_0256.jpg

Arizona Golf Grind Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at the Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Old Town and golf at the Phoenician Golf Club, Longbow Golf Club, Papago Golf Club, and Eagle Mountain Golf Club.

Arizona Golf Grind Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at the Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Old Town and golf at the Phoenician Golf Club, Longbow Golf Club, Papago Golf Club, and Eagle Mountain Golf Club.

True Spec Fitting Experience Package

FROM $277 (USD)
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy 4 nights’ accommodations at Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, 2 rounds of golf at Westin Kierland Golf Club & Troon North - Monument Course, and a custom fitting session at the True Spec world headquarters.
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