12 Best Golf Courses in Arizona

There’s nothing fairly like taking part in golf within the coronary heart of the Arizona desert, the place the sun-soaked fairways and pink rock canyons set the stage for some unbelievable golf. From the enduring TPC Scottsdale, the place you may tee off on the identical holes the professionals play through the Waste Administration Phoenix Open, to the serene oasis of Troon North, which winds by Saguaro-studded terrain, every spherical is a journey by the rugged fantastic thing about the Southwest. Learn extra about the perfect golf programs in Arizona.

Greatest Golf Programs in Arizona

1. The Estancia Membership

Scottsdale

Arizona is residence to greater than 370 golf programs, with nearly all of them positioned within the Phoenix/Scottsdale space – which is exactly the place you’ll discover the most effective golf programs within the state: The Estancia Membership. This personal course, designed by Tom Fazio, exemplifies fashionable golf course structure. Count on dramatic elevation adjustments, sprawling rock formations, and immaculate fairways and greens.

2. Forest Highlands Golf Membership: Canyon

Flagstaff

There are two award-winning designs at Forest Highlands Golf Membership – the Canyon Course and the Meadow Course (extra on this one later). The Canyon Course, created in 1986 by the legendary duo of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, is hailed as one of many best within the nation and definitely among the many greatest in Arizona. Now, don’t let the yardages, together with a 636-yard par 5, intimidate you. Due to its 7,000-foot elevation, seven units of tees for all ability ranges, and par 3s scattered all through, the Canyon Course guarantees an accessible spherical of golf for everybody.

3. Whisper Rock Golf Membership: Higher Course & Decrease

Scottsdale

Membership at Whisper Rock Golf Membership is restricted to ask solely. So, your odds of taking part in the membership’s two stellar programs are slim. However, that doesn’t imply we will’t admire from afar. The Decrease Course was not solely the primary to open but in addition Phil Mickelson’s inaugural design. The Higher Course got here a number of years later. It was crafted by Tom Fazio and is sometimes called “the Pine Valley of the Southwest.” In case you’re a golf aficionado, you’ll acknowledge that as excessive reward certainly. That is desert golf at its best, however hold your wits about you – the prickly cacti lining the fairways are there to remind you to remain sharp on each swing!

4. The Boulders Membership: South

Carefree

It’s no shock that one of many standout options of The South Course at The Boulders Membership is, nicely, its boulders! Designed by Jay Morrish, this course weaves by pure boulder formations and desert wildlife, making each spherical really feel such as you’re starring in your individual nature documentary. The course’s geological marvels really shine on the par-3 seventh gap, the place you’ll tee off subsequent to the enduring “Rosie’s Rock,” a colossal boulder majestically balanced atop a smaller stone. And let’s not neglect the aptly named “Boulder Pile” on No. 5, which is strictly as spectacular because it sounds.

5. Scottsdale Nationwide Golf Membership: The Different Course

Scottsdale

At Scottsdale Nationwide Golf Membership, Bob Parsons, founding father of Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), wasn’t simply including one other course; he was crafting a singular expertise. The Different Course, designed by Jackson Kahn and unveiled in 2016, defies conference with its revolutionary structure, that includes six every of par 3s, par 4s, and par 5s, none of them consecutive. With sweeping vistas of 4 Peaks and Pinnacle Peak, the course’s 1.5 million cubic yards of reshaped land provide huge fairways that invite large pictures however demand strategic play. From the par 3 eleventh, “Satan Canine,” honoring Parsons’ army roots, to the placing par 3 sixteenth with its infinity-edge inexperienced, each gap tells a narrative.

6. TPC Scottsdale: Stadium

Scottsdale

The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale isn’t simply the most effective golf programs in Arizona, but in addition one of the vital iconic. Showcased yearly through the PGA TOUR’s Waste Administration Phoenix Open, most golfers will acknowledge this course. The spotlight of the golf course is the par-3, sixteenth gap that transforms into “The Coliseum” throughout match week. Surrounded by towering grandstands and stuffed with the roars of enthusiastic followers, it’s one of the vital thrilling and unforgettable settings in all of golf.

7. The Stone Canyon Membership

Oro Valley

Subsequent on our listing of the perfect golf programs in Arizona is The Stone Canyon Membership, a real hidden gem nestled between Catalina State Park and Tortolita Mountain Park. Notably, it’s the one golf course within the larger Tucson space to be ranked amongst Golf Digests’s High 100 programs. Right here’s why: each gap is fascinating, with lush inexperienced fairways winding by rocky outcroppings and towering Saguaro cacti. Designed by Jay Morrish, Stone Canyon is extensively considered certainly one of his best creations, showcasing his distinctive means to mix difficult play with the pure fantastic thing about the desert.

8. Troon North Golf Membership: Monument

Scottsdale

Troon North boasts two unbelievable award-winning programs, however Monument holds a slight edge over its sister course, Pinnacle. The Monument course is a real feast for the senses, winding by pure ravines and foothills within the shadow of Pinnacle Peak. Large granite boulders are scattered throughout Arizona’s rugged Sonoran Desert, the place Troon North Golf Membership combines iconic golf with the beautiful visuals of the desert panorama.

9. Pine Canyon

Flagstaff

Jay Morrish’s portfolio of Arizona golf programs is nothing in need of legendary, and Pine Canyon is one other instance of his brilliance. This one is a pleasant twist on the same old desert scene. Overlook the barren panorama and prickly cacti; right here you’ll be greeted with sweeping views of the San Francisco Peaks, majestic Ponderosa pines, and thrilling elevation adjustments. Morrish has additionally woven in some implausible water options, from charming ponds to trout-stocked lakes, making Pine Canyon a refreshing and visually fascinating golf expertise.

10. Desert Forest Golf Membership

Carefree

Desert Forest Golf Membership epitomizes simplicity, however don’t mistake that for a scarcity of substance. This course is designed to attenuate distractions and maximize your reference to the sport. Right here, strolling the course is not only inspired – it’s important. Every little thing is in play: there aren’t any out-of-bounds, no water hazards, and no fairway bunkers. It’s simply you and the unspoiled terrain. The course is famend for its minimalist strategy, with its design flowing over the land fairly than altering it. Remarkably, virtually no earth was moved in its creation, permitting you to expertise golf in its purest type.

11. Forest Highlands Golf Membership: Meadow

Flagstaff

Tom Weiskopf’s design of the Meadow Course at Forest Highlands leverages the distinctive terrain and sumptuous mountain views, creating a conventional golf expertise that echoes the good programs from the flip of the century. With ten holes meandering by the central meadow, surrounded by wildflower areas and pristine wetlands, the Meadow Course affords a park-like setting largely free from residential encroachments, enhancing its serene and timeless enchantment.

12. Desert Highlands Golf Membership

Scottsdale

Desert Highlands is perhaps only a stone’s throw from Scottsdale, however this personal membership feels a world away from the busy metropolis. Whereas the membership affords a variety of top-notch facilities, its crown jewel is undeniably the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Nestled within the shadow of Pinnacle Peak, Desert Highlands stands out as the most effective golf programs in Arizona, providing an accessible design that caters to golfers of all ability ranges. 

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