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Rating Index Rating
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4.0
4007 Reviews (4007)
5 Stars
1240
4 Stars
1813
3 Stars
622
2 Stars
182
1 Stars
150
Conditions
3.9
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.8
Amenities
3.9
86.6%
Recommend this course
3462 out of 4007 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
114 Reviews (114)
5 Stars
45
4 Stars
46
3 Stars
13
2 Stars
7
1 Stars
3
Conditions
4.1
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.8
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.3
85.1%
Recommend this course
97 out of 114 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
171 Reviews (171)
5 Stars
60
4 Stars
67
3 Stars
25
2 Stars
11
1 Stars
8
Conditions
3.9
Value
3.8
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.3
83.6%
Recommend this course
143 out of 171 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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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.

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San Tan Highlands
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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
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Reviews

4.0
4007 Reviews (4007)

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 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

5 hr round.

Nice course. Front 9 is whatever but back 9 is very nice. Expect a 5hr round very slow pace..they need to spread tee times out about 5-8 minutes more.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 44
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 90
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Previously Played

Inconsistent ride along policy and forced cart sharing ruined experience

Booked a 9-hole round through GolfNow and had a really disappointing experience at San Tan Highlands Golf Course. I brought my fiancé along as a ride-along, which I’ve done many times before including at this same course without ever having an issue.

When I arrived this time, I was told ride-alongs weren’t allowed because they didn’t have enough carts, and I’d be paired with three other players and required to share a cart with a stranger. In 20 years of playing golf at many different courses, I’ve never been required to share a cart like that, especially while also being told I couldn’t have a ride-along for that reason.

If cart availability is an issue, that should be clearly communicated ahead of time, not at check-in. The inconsistency, especially compared to my past experiences at this course, made it even more frustrating.

This policy or at least how it was handled really took away from the experience.

Friendliness Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Pricing5

The course is not worth the 148.00 fee, we did the course under 5 hours in hot weather with a lot of time spent waiting.

Conditions Good
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 54
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Scenic Layout

The front nine was typical desert golf but the back nine meanders through the foothills with elevation changes and scenic holes. Conditions all around were great and pace of play was perfect.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

SLOW

Round took Over 5 hours, Ranger just keeps driving by and waving, but pace of play never improves.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful course with great desert mountain views.

Really awesome layout! Views are amazing! Course has many fun challenges including elevation change, tight fairways, and breaking greens. The wind was blowin so made it even more of a challenge. Overall, a very good price for a very fun course. Teed off at 2:24 and barely finished before it was too dark around 6:35 for $70. I’ve paid much more for a boring flat course with no views…. Definitely want to play here again!!!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

San tan highlands

Coarse was in great shape and was challenging with some fun elevated tees and the greens were true but very fast.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

New Name - Same Old Johnson Ranch

The course was OK but the greens were very inconsistent.

Staff must have been trained by the old volunteers. Terrible customer service.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Great course to play an close to home, love the layout of the sand traps an greens, fair- ways are perfect, would definitely recommend this course

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
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 Good
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 23
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Slipping

Course looks heavily played and surfaces have deteriorated on many holes. Played here and last fall many times, loved it. Re-thinking now.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
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The Triple Down Stay & Play Package

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