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
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Photo submitted by Mark6710631 on 10/19/2022
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Photo submitted by Mark6710631 on 10/19/2022
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This is the landing zone on a par 4. Brutal “fairway” lie. Photo submitted by dubjac on 09/05/2022
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Photo submitted by dubjac on 08/29/2022
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Photo submitted by WGAgolf on 05/24/2022
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Photo submitted by ja24martino on 12/09/2021
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Back nine Photo submitted by u314161204123 on 03/11/2021
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Photo submitted by Dansgolf on 03/03/2015
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Photo submitted by Dansgolf on 03/03/2015
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#5 approach shot. Cool shot with the mountain in the background. Photo submitted by ryantjeerdsma on 09/24/2013
Nice course
Great course!! Nice layout combining desert and green course.
Very challenging but fair.
The employees were very helpful and courteous.
I will play it again and highly recommended!!
Great layout & scenery
Course was fun, beautiful, and very green. Loved the scenery around the course and driving through the terrain to get to next holes. Greens were a little bumpy but other than that extremely fun time.
Fantastic even after the monsoon that delayed us…
Great course! No drainage issues even after the deluge of the storm that hit right before our tee time. Can’t wait to get back!
Over priced for cart path only
The course was in great shape. The staff was alright the pro shop staff kinda snotty especially the Gail at the desk she thought she was high and mighty. The starter was nice. Way over priced for cart path only. The rates should be $25.00 lower due to cart path only which is BS. Should be 90 degree rule. Not cart path only. Come on folks get with being user friendly you’re screwing the customer. We’re not playing the PGA here.
POOR VALUE
If you are going to let the course go in the summer, you can’t charge nearly this much to play it. If you’re going to charge this much, you can’t have 50% or more bare patches in the fairways. Took over 5 hours to play as well. Really odd layout, as hitting a 6 iron off the tee on a par 5 and then hitting a 5 wood into the front bunker on the second shot is an odd way to build a course. Felt like they shoe horned it into this location.
Not a good value
Arizona in the summer is always tough to keep a golf course in top shape. But if you are going to charge a very high premium rate like $90, you have to at least make an effort. Fairways were 50% dirt, bunkers had large rocks in them, greens were spotty at best. There are many courses in the valley in much better shape and charging half of what this course did. The layout is odd as well, as I've never had to tee off with a 6 iron on a par 5 and then be able to hit a 3 wood into the front bunker? It's like they had to pigeon hole the course into not enough land.
McDowell mountain
Greens were above average. Multiple bare spots on parts of the course, mostly around the mounds, overall condition slightly above average
Terrible
This course has potential, but is terrible. Actually terrible is an understatement, more like horrific. Teed off at 7am, still took 5 hours to play. No Marshall. They use 7/8 minute tee times which just destroys any chance of getting around in a decent time. Oh and the course is in terrible, excuse me I mean horrific shape. Fairways extremely spotty, but mostly just bare dirt. Greens look like they never healed properly from aeration. Absolutely fraudulent for them to ask anything over $20 to play. Mark it down as another course ruined by Arcis.
