GolfPass Icon
Rating Index Rating
Tooltip Information Icon
4.0
4018 Reviews (4018)
5 Stars
1244
4 Stars
1816
3 Stars
625
2 Stars
182
1 Stars
151
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.8
Amenities
3.9
86.5%
Recommend this course
3471 out of 4018 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
117 Reviews (117)
5 Stars
43
4 Stars
47
3 Stars
16
2 Stars
7
1 Stars
4
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.3
83.8%
Recommend this course
98 out of 117 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
154 Reviews (154)
5 Stars
59
4 Stars
58
3 Stars
22
2 Stars
8
1 Stars
7
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.3
84.4%
Recommend this course
130 out of 154 reviews
Read Reviews
frame.svg
AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
circle-star.svg
Course Highlights
San Tan Highlands delivers a highly rated layout with fantastic greens and well-kept fairways that consistently reward golfers seeking a strong challenge. Friendly staff and solid value for money make this course a compelling choice for repeat rounds.

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Desert
Par 72
Length 7162 yards
Slope 130
Rating 72.7

San Tan Highlands (formerly known as The Golf Club at Johnson Ranch) boasts a championship course with a front nine that winds through the Sonoran desert and a back nine that finishes at the base of the bordering San Tan Mountains. Naturally, the first half of the golf course is relatively flat and the latter half has a hilly terrain. In contrast to its categorization as a desert course, this course has grass from the tees to the greens but the cactus-filled landscape definitely implies desert. The greens are quite large and undulating and the fairways are fairly open with generous landing areas. Strategically placed sand bunkers and water hazards come into play throughout the San Tan Highlands.

Book a Tee Time at
San Tan Highlands
Powered by GolfNow.com

Course Details

Year Built 1997
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda/Annual Rye
Golf Season Year round
Architect Kenny Watkins

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
GPS Yes
Pull-carts No
Caddies No
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

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

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed No
Dress code Appropriate golf attire.

Food & Beverage

Restaurant, Beverage Carts

Available Facilities

Banquet Facilities
The Best Way To Book Is With GolfPass+ Annual
golf ball.svg
$120 in monthly tee time promo codes
waivedfees
12 rounds of waived fees
redeemtrophy
GolfPass Member Pricing
teetime protection.svg
Tee Time Protection

Reviews

4.0
4018 Reviews (4018)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 75
Patio Dining 60
Brunch 26
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 138
Bunkers 103
Undulating Greens 81
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 99
Locals 86
Advanced Golfers 67
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 97
In the 'Burbs 83
Convenient to the City 12

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 37
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Beautiful area but ridiculously slow.

We wait on almost every hole every time we golf here. No ranger to speed things up. Some tee boxes are in terrible shape and have been that way for over a year. It is a beautiful area and staff is friendly but allow at least 4.5 hours to do 18 holes.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Pace of play

The front nine was good. Under 2 hrs. Back nine

Really slow, 41/2 hrs.

I was paired with two people. They were high handicappers. They were also sharing one

Set of clubs. Is there a course poly? It was

Agonizing.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Nice course new favorite

I played Johnson Ranch once before and remembered how nice it is.

The practice area is great.

Staff was very friendly.

Course front is tame, back nice is tricky.

Really enjoyed the course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Blackledge

Great course. Second time playing it and did even better than last time even in the Wendy day that we had. Shot 83

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 30
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Mucho Dinero

Course is overpriced for its condition. Using GolfNow, I paid $100, plus taxes, plus range balls.

Lots of bare spots, a funky fake grass tee box on a par 3, greens were deceptively slow.

Too bad as this layout is great.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 37
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

No sand in this desert

The course is in impeccable condition, except for the sand traps. Awful. Hard as rock, Desert sand, not meant for golf courses.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Course But Not Worth The Price

Friendly staff great layout but not worth the price they’re asking. Pace of play is slow, bunkers lack sand and pitching/chipping needs some work. They need to put as much attention to these areas as they do the practice greens. Great area to work on all types of putting situations.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 37
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 37
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Old Johnson Ranch is in rough shape

I gave this course another chance since it changed to San Tan Highlands. I wasn't impressed. The front 9 cuts tightly through a housing community that leaves little to the imagination. The course conditions were very dry and lots of patches that easily could be manicured with effective results by a regular maintenance crew. Narrow rolling fairways and dry areas made it a long day, especially when you're backed up to a 5 hour round. No Marshall to speed up play. Then you make the turn and you get the mountain views up and down. It would be nice if it was well taken care of but its not well maintained. Some blind tee box shots that give you zero hope of finding fairway unless you have course knowledge. They got you out there in the blind. Good luck! It is a long drive from Phoenix or Scottsdale and definitely not worth it. The price wasn't great for the conditions. Tiny hard greens and fairways. Tee boxes uneven and chewed up. Where is the maintenance crew? This could be a prestigious course but you can tell nobody wants to spend any money for upkeep. I play a ton of golf and this was a disappointment.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Never again

Five hour round. Second time in a row. Didn't see ONE marshall all day. Terrible management.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Played On
Reviews 37
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played

I'll never go back

Second time it's taken over five hours to play eighteen holes. Didn't see ONE marshall all day. Worst course time management. There was an entire hole open behind us and, again, didn't see one course employee ask day other than the drink cart. I guess for money they'll put people on the course.

I'll never go back. I complained the first time...told me the same thing today. "That's unacceptable. I'll tell the boys. That shouldn't happen." Yeah, no kidding.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Nearby Courses
San Tan Valley, Arizona
Private
5.0
8
Florence, Arizona
Public
2.75
40
San Tan Valley, Arizona
Public
4.2199592668
982
Queen Creek, Arizona
Public
4.2512254902
1747
Queen Creek, Arizona
Public
3.0
1
Florence, Arizona
Public
4.3221624162
1552
Gilbert, Arizona
Private/Resort
3.5
4
Gilbert, Arizona
Public
4.1292496206
1835
Mesa, Arizona
Public
3.5160427221
1698
Florence, Arizona
Public
1.0
1
Chandler, Arizona
Semi-Private
4.2773882075
1892
Golf Packages

Robb Report Best of Scottsdale Experience with Colin Montgomerie

$69,750 (USD)
SCOTTSDALE, AZ | This exclusive golf experience includes a 3 nights's stay at Four Seasons Troon North, 2 rounds of golf at Troon North Golf Club and a day with Colin Montgomerie.

Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $157 (USD)
LAS VEGAS, NV | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of SouthShore Golf Course, Reflection Bay Golf Course, Chimera Golf Course, and Rio Secco Golf Course.

MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Stay & Play Package

FROM $157 (USD)
LAS VEGAS, NV | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Aliante Course, Snow Mountain Course, Lexington Course, Desert Pines Golf Course, TPC Las Vegas Course, Concord Course, and Sun Mountain Course.

Luxor Resort & Casino Stay & Play Package

FROM $137 (USD)
LAS VEGAS, NV | Enjoy up to 3 nights’ accommodations at the Luxor Resort & Casino and up to 3 rounds of golf at your choice of Legacy Golf Course, Las Vegas National Golf Course, and Desert Pines Golf Course.

Bellagio Hotel & Casino Stay & Play Package

FROM $237 (USD)
LAS VEGAS, NV | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Bali Hai Golf Course, Rio Secco Golf Course, Cascata Golf Course, Wolf Course, Snow Mountain Course, and Sun Mountain Course.
Now Reading
  • Home

  • Memberships

  • Library

  • Account