McDowell Mountain Golf Club
Rating Snapshot
About
McDowell Mountain Golf Club (formerly known as Sanctuary Golf Course) provides an eco-friendly option in Scottsdale - a pretty setting, too, on the McDowell Mountains' western slope. The golf course was designed by the architect Randy Heckenkemper, who turned what had been the Bureau of Reclamation's storm-water-retention area into a top Scottsdale golf course, with 6,624-yards of par-71 golf laid out over what truly tries to be a sanctuary for the indigenous flora and fauna.
McDowell Mountain Golf Club's signature hole is the 18th, a 516-yard par 5 that allows you finish your round of golf in risk-reward style, with an eagle or birdie practically begging to be attempted - though it might be just as easy to double-bogey. A bunker on the right guards a skinny landing area, while a wicked wash awaits on the left, but, hit that drive right, and you might just make the green in two.
After your round of golf on the golf course, head back to the restaurant, where you can take your breakfast or lunch daily in the dining room or on the patio - and take in vistas of the golf course and Camelback Mountain.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 71 | 7072 yards | 73.3 | 137 |
| Gold | 71 | 6407 yards | 70.2 | 131 |
| White (W) | 71 | 5724 yards | 71.6 | 129 |
| White | 71 | 5724 yards | 67.0 | 118 |
| Red (W) | 71 | 4880 yards | 68.1 | 109 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 73.1/133 | 429 | 366 | 225 | 575 | 402 | 394 | 432 | 191 | 542 | 3556 | 440 | 448 | 380 | 532 | 161 | 520 | 339 | 234 | 508 | 3562 | 7118 |
| Black/Gold M: 71.4/131 | 397 | 366 | 196 | 541 | 402 | 394 | 404 | 163 | 542 | 3405 | 422 | 421 | 380 | 532 | 161 | 503 | 339 | 201 | 382 | 3341 | 6746 |
| Gold M: 70.3/128 | 397 | 331 | 196 | 541 | 374 | 337 | 404 | 163 | 524 | 3267 | 422 | 421 | 353 | 498 | 132 | 503 | 310 | 201 | 382 | 3222 | 6489 |
| Gold/White M: 68.4/123 | 368 | 331 | 147 | 541 | 374 | 337 | 360 | 163 | 510 | 3131 | 404 | 390 | 353 | 498 | 132 | 494 | 310 | 156 | 347 | 3084 | 6215 |
| White M: 66.7/115 W: 72.2/126 | 368 | 303 | 147 | 503 | 332 | 271 | 360 | 153 | 510 | 2947 | 404 | 390 | 310 | 466 | 99 | 494 | 266 | 156 | 347 | 2932 | 5879 |
| White/Red M: 64.8/110 W: 69.5/121 | 336 | 303 | 147 | 461 | 332 | 271 | 308 | 153 | 471 | 2782 | 316 | 309 | 310 | 435 | 99 | 455 | 266 | 156 | 327 | 2673 | 5455 |
| Red M: 62.7/107 W: 67.5/113 | 336 | 250 | 109 | 461 | 298 | 240 | 308 | 94 | 471 | 2567 | 316 | 309 | 266 | 435 | 69 | 455 | 239 | 102 | 327 | 2518 | 5085 |
| Junior M: 60.0/103 W: 62.6/104 | 265 | 190 | 71 | 368 | 250 | 156 | 304 | 76 | 350 | 2030 | 307 | 229 | 209 | 363 | 63 | 281 | 138 | 102 | 302 | 1994 | 4024 |
| Handicap | 3 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 6 | 2 | |||
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Conference Facilities, Banquet FacilitiesReviews
Reviewer Photos
Course itself was good
Like I said the golf course itself was good but the total experience was not great. There was no communication about where do go to find the starter, we were at the driving range waiting for someone to call our name and it never happened, on that note the driving range was basically a sand pit, no grass whatsoever. Not to mention you had to pay for range balls, when paying 130+ for a round you would at least expect free range balls like most of the courses in the valley.
Great Course
The fairways and greens were perfect. Great course. I was a little rusty from Chicago cold weather but still managed an 81. Highly recommend. Perfect
Terrific layout
Absolutely terrific course for what money. Conditions were spectacular staff was friendly. Greens were a tad slow but nothing to complain about. Overall great time.
Pace of play was terrible, ranger tells us on the first tee we are shooting for 4 hours total, front nine takes 2 hours and 45 mins. Teed off at 1:00 PM and weren’t going to finish, left after hole 12. Took 45 minutes to play 2 holes on the back 9, ranger kept saying they were telling people to pick it up but nothing changed.
Nice and challenging
I really enjoyed the course and the layout. Greens were fast and challenging. The only downside was the ranger was polite but asked us to play faster even though we were going to finish in under 4 hours. He did not take into account the speed demons ahead of us. I will definitely play the course again.
Top Tier
McDowell Mountain is a great golfing experience. It’s a friendly, well designed tract, challenging at times but always fun. The management is very organized, keep it friendly, and made me feel welcome, which is not always what one encounters at an upscale club. Keep up the good work. .
McDowell golf
Should not have to pay for range balls at that price.
Our bartender had an attitude.
Electric golf carts were great and super comfortable.
