A short, scenic par-71 at Arizona Grand Resort with lush semitropical landscaping and South Mountain Park as a backdrop.
Arizona Grand Golf Course is the shortest layout in this guide at 6,331 yards, and the course leans into that identity rather than apologizing for it. The design, by Jack Snyder Sr. in 1980, pairs lush semitropical landscaping with water features on the front nine and elevation changes on the back nine near South Mountain Park. The effect is verdant and welcoming, a deliberate contrast to the high-intensity desert courses that dominate the Scottsdale market.
The course serves a specific audience well: resort guests at the Arizona Grand who want a round that is enjoyable rather than exhausting, couples where one partner is newer to the game, and golfers looking for a relaxed pace between more demanding rounds. The slope of 124 and the rating of 68.8 confirm what the yardage suggests. This is not a course that punishes mistakes severely, and that is part of its appeal.
The back nine's proximity to South Mountain Park introduces elevation changes and mountain views that elevate the visual experience beyond what the front nine's flat, water-heavy character might suggest. The transition between the two halves gives the round a sense of progression that courses twice this length sometimes lack.
Green fees of $155 to $225 in peak season are higher than the yardage might justify in isolation, reflecting the resort positioning and the landscaping investment. Off-peak rates of $75 to $100 bring the value equation into better alignment. For golfers using Arizona Grand as their accommodation base, the on-site course eliminates the morning drive entirely, and the resort's pools and family amenities make it a practical choice for mixed groups where not everyone plays golf.
Links-style golf on 320 acres of Ak-Chin Indian Reservation in Maricopa. An annual U.S. Open qualifying site that plays nothing like the desert courses nearby.
Jay Morrish's desert design among iconic granite boulder formations. No other course in the area looks anything like it.
Tom Fazio's Arizona contribution and former NCAA Division I Championship host. Consistently ranked among the top daily-fee courses in the state.
Golf Magazine ranked it among the Top 10 You Can Play in the U.S. Bent grass greens and a slope of 149 provide a test that does not suffer by comparison with the Raptor.
Golf Digest Four Star Award for nine consecutive years. A hillside design at Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs with elevation changes that earn the name.
Twenty-seven holes of Ted Robinson design in Chandler with water features on most holes, a Golf Digest 4.5-star rating, and complimentary replay and range balls.
A City of Phoenix municipal course that plays 7,380 yards with Papago Buttes as a backdrop. Renovated in 2008 at a cost of $5.8 million.
Dramatic elevation changes on 7,249 yards of Rees Jones desert design, 45 minutes northwest of Scottsdale in Peoria.
A Carolina-style layout with 6,000+ imported Georgia pines, five miles from Sky Harbor Airport. Scottsdale desert golf, this is not.
Flat, links-style Coore-Crenshaw design with views of the McDowell Mountains and Pinnacle Peak. Consistently top-5 in Arizona by Golfweek.
The more traditional counterpart to the O'odham. Tree-lined fairways, raised greens, and a Coore-Crenshaw design that rewards accuracy.
The quieter sibling at TPC Scottsdale. Same facility standards, less than half the green fee, and a par-71 layout that measures 7,235 yards.
Home of the loudest tournament in professional golf and a par-3 16th that seats 20,000. The rest of the course rewards strategy over power.
British links principles transplanted to the Sonoran Desert. Firm greens, bump-and-run approaches, and four par 5s exceeding 500 yards.
Desert target golf through steep arroyos and saguaro forests. The signature par-5 16th measures 609 yards through a natural wash.
Named one of the ten best new public courses in the world upon opening. Scott Miller's bolder, longer counterpart to the Saguaro.
Ranked number one in Arizona by Golfweek for 15 of the past 16 years. Coore-Crenshaw minimalism on Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation land.