Why go
Scottsdale is the desert golf capital of North America: saguaro-lined fairways, immaculate conditioning and a resort scene built entirely around the game. Target golf here rewards precision over power, and the Sonoran backdrop makes every hole photogenic.
Best time to visit
November to April
Weather
Winter highs of 70-75F with almost no rain; summers exceed 105F.
Getting there
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), 20 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale.
Getting around
Rental car strongly recommended; courses are spread across the valley.
Where to eat
Old Town Scottsdale for steakhouses and cantinas; FnB and Citizen Public House are locals' picks.
Courses
Play in Scottsdale
Grayhawk Raptor
Fazio at his most muscular: deep bunkering, generous landing areas and a demanding closing stretch.
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,135
- Green fee
- $110+
The Boulders South
Threaded between twelve-million-year-old boulder piles in Carefree, the most scenic round in the valley.
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,726
- Green fee
- $140+
TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course
Home of the WM Phoenix Open and the loudest hole in golf, the par-3 16th. Wide desert fairways and a stadium finish built for spectacle.
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 7,261
- Green fee
- $225+
Troon North Monument
Named for the granite monolith splitting the par-5 3rd. Boulder-strewn corridors and pure Sonoran target golf.
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,028
- Green fee
- $150+
Troon North Pinnacle
The sportier sibling to Monument, with more elevation change and long views back over the valley.
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,044
- Green fee
- $150+
We-Ko-Pa Saguaro
A walkable Coore & Crenshaw desert course with no houses in sight and superb ground-game options.
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,966
- Green fee
- $120+
Stay
Where to base yourself
Four Seasons Troon North
Casitas in the Sonoran foothills, steps from two of the valley's best courses.
$500 – $1,100 per night
Adjacent to Troon North
The Phoenician
A Camelback Mountain landmark with a nine-hole course and a serious spa.
$450 – $900 per night
15 min to Troon North
The Westin Kierland
Golf-first resort with its own course, caddie-carts and a bagpiper at sunset.
$260 – $450 per night
20 min to most courses
Hotel Valley Ho
Restored mid-century icon in the middle of Old Town nightlife.
$200 – $380 per night
Old Town, 25 min to courses
Events
Amateur events nearby
Old Town Winter Invitational
Jan 17, 2026 Two-man better ball
Partners format over two desert courses in peak-season conditions.
$360
Handicap 18 or better
Desert Scramble Shootout
Feb 21, 2026 4-person scramble
A relaxed Saturday scramble at Grayhawk with a tailgate finish.
$280
Open to all
Sonoran Amateur Classic
Nov 14, 2026 54-hole stroke play
Three days across Troon North and We-Ko-Pa with gross and net divisions.
$450
Handicap 12 or better
From the travel desk
Stories from Scottsdale
Ready to play Scottsdale?
Read the course reviews