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Rating Index Rating
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3.8
628 Reviews (628)
5 Stars
168
4 Stars
269
3 Stars
99
2 Stars
61
1 Stars
31
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.6
Layout
4.2
Friendliness
4.5
Pace
3.5
Amenities
4.0
76.7%
Recommend this course
478 out of 628 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.2
13 Reviews (13)
5 Stars
6
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.5
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.8
84.6%
Recommend this course
11 out of 13 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
21 Reviews (21)
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
9
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.9
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.7
Amenities
4.1
StaffFriendliness
4.6
85.7%
Recommend this course
18 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

3.8
628 Reviews (628)

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 40
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser

super golf course

greens great...fairways great... would play again and highly recommend..Do need ranger for pace of play and helping keep carts from being taken in places they shouldnt be....

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Average Course, Exceptional People.

The golf staff as well as the food and beverage staff were exceptional. The fact that this is a municipal golf course and there is no clubhouse make this course very average. Course itself has a municipal feel. Some of the previous reviews which lead me to play the course were just a little misleading.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Papago review is..

... Great and challenging course. Wish we had some form of printed layout as we had to play blind the entire day. Our cart did not have any indicators whatsoever. Bummer. Then they had the nerve to try and charge $7.00 for a course guide.really? Will not go back because of this kind of indifference. Course is first rate however.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Fair value for the area.

A decent course for the money in the area. Pace of play was fine on a weekday. Greens were in good condition. I used it as a warm up to play other more expensive courses in the area while on vacation. I would probably play there again.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 36
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Great and challenging greens! We played Sunday pin placements

It's a shame the bunkers are so terrible when the rest of the course is of such good quality. When the traps are such an intregal part of the design feature, you would think that there would be enough pride to have sand in them.

Conditions Poor
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Course has tough greens.

Course was in good condition and the greens provided a great challenge.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

challenging with nice greens

papago had a good variety of holes which required some thought where strategy was concerned
par 3's are long
large greens that rolled true
I would definitely play this course again

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Nice course with very fast, challenging greens!

Nice area and course but spacing of groups was poor. To have to wait on EVERY shot at least 5 minutes really made it hard to get in a groove and shoot a good round.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser

I have played this course twice now. Excellent condition. Greens are really fast!

My manager from Indiana joined me for this course. We had an excellent time on a beautiful course. He especially loved the scenery.

Course flowed well and groups were scheduled where we didn't feel pressured on either side.

The drink cart came around very regular and the young lady was very pleasant.

A great day all around.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser

One of the best muni's around

Great course that we will go back to each time we are in Phoenix. One of the best municipal courses we have played and a test of your golf skills. Best on course washrooms we have ever seen and the only one with an ice/water machine. Basic club house/proshop but it is the course you will want to play.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Challenging course with excellent greens

The course was quite challenging with the blind dog legs and narrow approaches on some of the holes. Sand traps were plentiful but the sand itself was hard consistency.
The course has several concrete cart paths to get you started on the right path but after that there are no defined pathways. The scenery is beautiful. The greens were large and undulating and in perfect condition. Pin placements were challenging.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

One of the best muni's we have played

Great test of your golf game with many great holes very nice on. Course facilities

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Anonymous
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser

Fantastic value.

Can't go wrong with playing this course on a trip to Phoenix. Unbeatable value. Well maintained, challenging course especially from the tips. I like that it doesn't go in between houses or communities. Walkable.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Wide open course.

Break out the driver and have fun. Lots of room for error here. Its hard to lose a golf ball. Greens are undulating and well kept. Club house leaves a lot to be desired as it is essentially a trailer. Played on a weekday, so pace of play was not an issue.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
3.0
Verified Purchaser

too much waiting

The fairways were great as were the greens, but that is where it ended. The clubhouse is a trailer, and they stack the tee times too close. We waited on every hole, which is unacceptable. It is an easy solution but one that would affect revenue, so they just expect you to wait.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
2.0

Below average

Played early to catch an early flight. Our group of 12 selected the course to be close to the airport for a early flight. That is the only good thing about the course. The club house is a mobile home. The staff had torn pants, tee shirt and untied shoes. The course was OK if you were on the green, but the rough was just gravel. Pace of play was good (about 4 hours). Overall it does not compare to any Troon course.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0

Greens are Fantastic

Really enjoyed the round of golf at Papago. The course was in great shape and the greens rolled as nice as any i played in PHX.

Will be back next winter!

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Excellent public course.

Well maintained, beautiful setting, challenging course in excellent condition for a public course and an good value.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Good test of your golf game

Friendly staff,course in great condition. Use every club and wish you had some more. Superb scenery on every hole. Great value.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0

golf course was in good condition

was very disappointed in club house and food services. we played wigwam the day before way better for less money.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Moderate
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Golf Packages
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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 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.
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.
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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