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Rating Index Rating
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3.7
623 Reviews (623)
5 Stars
165
4 Stars
267
3 Stars
99
2 Stars
61
1 Stars
31
Conditions
3.6
Value
3.4
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.8
72.9%
Recommend this course
473 out of 623 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
8 Reviews (8)
5 Stars
3
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.6
Layout
4.4
Pace
3.0
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.9
75.0%
Recommend this course
6 out of 8 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.8
21 Reviews (21)
5 Stars
6
4 Stars
9
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.6
Value
3.6
Layout
4.2
Pace
3.3
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.3
76.2%
Recommend this course
16 out of 21 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Papago's deceptively challenging layout rewards accurate play, with well-maintained fairways, greens, and tee boxes consistently impressing returning golfers. Friendly staff and strong value make this a course worth adding to your regular rotation.

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

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 College Courses in the U.S. (2020 #23)
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Reviews

3.7
623 Reviews (623)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 19
19th Hole Scenic Views 8
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 73
Undulating Greens 51
Plays Long 50
This course/club is great for:
Locals 67
Advanced Golfers 57
Walkers 56
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 85
Near the Airport 76
Near Local Attractions 37

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Challenging desert course

A deceptively challenging course, the straight-arrow layout of many of the holes punishes those who end up off of the fairways. Tee boxes, fairways and greens were in excellent shape. Will keep on the list to play again in the future.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Conditions and Value

Great conditions, most fairways and greens were in excellent shape. A deceptively challenging course, with long par 3’s. First time playing, but will definitely return in the future.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course.

Great course. Friendly staff. My only suggestion would be cold bottled water for purchase at the proshop.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Frustrating experience

I arrived at 2:30 for a 3:08 tee time. I was told the practice tees close at 2 on Mondays and I could not warm up there. That would have been nice to know before buying a round.

I was paired up with nice group of folks and we quickly learned we were behind a group of walkers. The walkers quickly fell behind on pace of play, never asked if we wanted to play through and there was never a ranger monitoring pace of play. Could have played 18 but for the pace of play.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Poor experience

Papago has some of the nicest staff but that can’t replace course conditions that are extremely weak from PHX area courses. Weak turf, poor soil and overall terrible layout for a course.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 21
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played

Good Remodel; but value is all gone

Hard to play this course with a decent starting time for under $200 in season. They’ve gone the Torrey route of giving a decent price to Phoenix residents & gouging everyone else. Otherwise it would have gotten at least a 4 rating from me.

That saiid, greens were in great shape & running fast, fairways were well kept. Some tee boxes were torn up & the rough is dormant & pretty much non-existent this time of year. But it was also a crowded 5+ hour round.

The new outdoor restaurant & bar area is great. Nice addition for the area, even non-golfers.

Overall, what you are paying for is location. Go 45 min to an hour away from the middle of town & similar Courses would be 40-60% less.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great track

The course was challending but fair.

Keep your ball in the fairway, wayward shots will be penalized.

Some of the fastest greens I have played, it took a few holes to get used to teh speed.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Marshall’s need to pull people over

We arrived and were told the other two in our foursome cancelled. We were advised we would be a twosome unless we wanted to wait until they could pair us up with another twosome. We opted to play as a twosome. We also realize a twosome behind a foursome would slow the pace down. After 4 hours and 50 minutes I jokingly asked if we were playing behind the OWNERS of the golf course. The group was repeatedly asked to keep up with the group in front of them by the Marshalls. By the way we never saw the group in front of the foursome holding up the entire golf course. They obviously knew no golf etiquette. They had at least 16 holes to allow us to play through. Golf staff was apologetic but in this situation they should have been more aggressive with the OWNERS group. It certainly put a damper in trying to enjoy our round and the day. I did not rate the golf and the experience very high because of this.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Solid experience all the way around, very well run golf facility with excellent and convenient amenities. Thank yoi

very well run golf facility with excellent and convenient amenities. Thank you!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Off road cart path

Over priced, make you drive on off road cart path. Play any course in the area but this one.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Course has nice amenities

To me for what I paid, you get what you get.

I think one thing they need to do is for sure have a Marshall out on the course and make the pace of play go faster. No reason the course should take more 4 hours to finish..

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

B rating

If not on grass it is dirt. Course is fair and in good shape for August. Staff if very good. Very bumpy as most cart paths are dirt

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Comically awful.

Truly, one of the most awful golf experiences of my life. I will preface this by saying unless you have a city card, stay the F away. $30 on city card makes sense. Anything more than this no way. Let alone, $90!!!!?!?. This place is notorious for overbooking. Pace was horrendous and mind numbing. Blue tees were moved back to tips on most holes. Greens were slower than Biden. Wanna know the worst part? I WAS PLAYING WELL AND I STILL QUIT AFTER 9! Overbooked to the max. One positive note, staff are the friendliest people on the planet. Nothing against those guys. Let’s just maybe work on TEE TIME SPACING!

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
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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.

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.
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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.
Sunridge Canyon Golf Club

The Fairways of Fountain Hills Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy accommodations at ADERO Scottsdale Resort, Autograph Collection or The Inn at Eagle Mountain and golf at Eagle Mountain Golf Club and SunRidge Canyon Golf Club
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