Arizona Golf Guide

Arizona's weather - including some of the best winters in the world - help make it one of the top golf vacation getaways in America. Golf in Arizona, which includes world-known hot spots Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson, can provide desert escapes, big city life and five-star luxury golf resorts in the same trip.

Golfers and non-golfers alike know that Scottsdale boasts hip nightclubs, unique shopping and top-rated restaurants, spurred by a recent influx of celebrity chefs at hotels like Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Scottsdale's golf features some of the top-rated golf courses in the country, including Troon North Golf Club's Monument and Pinnacle, Grayhawk and Boulders. There are also some new additions creating plenty of buzz, including Saguaro Course at We-Ko-Pa and the redesigned Champions Course at TPC Scottsdale.

Phoenix, home to the international Sky Harbor airport that most Scottsdale golfers fly into and only a short drive away, can give you golf in the middle of a cosmopolitan city that has a major convention center and sports teams like the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona Biltmore's Adobe Course is one of the oldest courses in the state. Raven at South Mountain features more than 5,000 pine trees in an anything-but-desert feel. And both, as well as other top Phoenix golf courses like the Nick Faldo-designed Wildfire Golf Club, let you swing within the city limits while still providing a vacation retreat feel.

Only two hours from the Phoenix-Scottsdale resort corridor, Tucson is known for providing even more natural desert golf while being home to some of the best spas - including its world-famous medical and health spas - in the world. You can take on Tom Fazio's design work at Ventana Canyon, Arnold Palmer's at Starr Pass or Jack Nicklaus' at La Paloma. Then, there's time for hikes in natural scenery or just kicking back under the stars.

Arizona Golf Destinations

  • Tucson

    With 350 days of sunshine each year, Arizona's second largest city, Tucson, is especially ideal for visitors who prefer outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, sightseeing, and, of course, golf. Rich with natural and geographical treasures, the name Tucson is derived from the Indian word for "spring at the foot of black mountain," and you'll find that spring is just southwest of downtown.

    Canoa Ranch Golf Club
    The 18-hole Canoa Ranch Golf Club in Green Valley, Arizona is a public golf course that opened in 2003. Canoa Ranch Golf Club was designed by Brian Curley and Lee E. Schmidt.
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    Catalina Course at Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa
    As one of two 18-hole layouts at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa, the Catalina Course continues to play host to high profile events such as the University of Arizona Invitational. The parkland-style layout -- which is fairly flat and easy to walk -- features eight lakes and 80 bunkers.
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    Rattler/Coyote at Starr Pass Golf Club
    Star Pass Tucson Golf Club offers 27 holes of championship golf that have been host to legends such as Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson. The holes are divided into three nines that are played in three different 18-hole combinations. Coyote is the club's signature course and while the Roadrunner nine might be the shortest, it has plenty of elevation changes.
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  • Phoenix/Scottsdale

    The sun always seems to shine on the world-class golf destination that is Phoenix/Scottsdale. A wonderful climate keeps the golf business humming in Arizona year-round. The average high in the winter months of December and January of 68 degrees caters to snowbirds. Golfers on a budget tend to play during summer when the 100-degree heat knocks rates down 50 percent or more.

    Faldo Course at Wildfire Golf Club
    Wildfire Golf Club boasts two championship courses, one designed by Arnold Palmer and the other by Nick Faldo. The Faldo Course is characterized by the abundance of sand but it offers an interesting variation on your typical desert course.
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    Camelback Golf Club - Indian Bend Course
    Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale boasts 36 holes of championship golf. The two 18-hole courses, Padre and Indian Bend, offer distinctly different layouts but they are equally challenging. The Indian Bend Course has a traditional American links design that blends seamlessly into the mountain setting. Despite the stunning cliffs in the backdrop, the golf course is mostly flat, making it enjoyable to walk.
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    The Legacy Golf Resort
    The Legacy features an 18-hole golf course designed by the renowned architect Gary Panks. Lush green fairways, forgiving rough, well placed hazards, and manicured greens offer a challenge for golfers of all skill levels.
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Arizona Golf Courses By City