9 Best Golf Courses in Scottsdale for an Unforgettable Golf Getaway
By: Adam Jerold Cansino | August 20, 2026
Golf is one of the defining experiences of a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona. Between dramatic Sonoran Desert scenery, championship layouts, resort-style facilities, and courses associated with professional tournaments, golfers can build an entire getaway around tee times. The best golf courses in Scottsdale range from famous PGA TOUR venues to scenic desert layouts where mountain views are part of nearly every round.
If golf is only one part of your itinerary, explore 10 Best Things To Do in Scottsdale, Arizona for an Unforgettable Desert Getaway for more ideas, including outdoor adventures, shopping, art, architecture, dining, and sightseeing.
Why Scottsdale Is Built for Golf Trips
The greater Scottsdale area is especially well-suited to an Arizona golf getaway because travelers can choose between traditional resort layouts and true desert golf amid saguaros, rocky foothills, and mountain scenery.
There is also plenty of public golf available. Visitors can play courses associated with major PGA TOUR events, schedule multiple rounds at properties with multiple layouts, or combine golf with restaurants, spas, hiking, shopping, and nightlife.
The variety makes the destination practical for serious golf groups as well as couples or families where only some travelers plan to play.
1. TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course
For sports fans, few rounds are as recognizable as the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale. Designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, the course is the home of the WM Phoenix Open and offers recreational golfers the opportunity to play the same layout used for the PGA TOUR event. Its most famous hole is the par-3 16th, which becomes the tournament’s stadium-like centerpiece during the event.
This is a strong choice for travelers who want their round to feel connected to the history of professional golf rather than simply playing another attractive resort course.
Best for: PGA fans, bucket-list rounds, sports-focused trips, and groups seeking a recognizable course.
2. Troon North Golf Club – Monument Course
Troon North is one of the signature names in north Scottsdale golf. The property has two 18-hole layouts, Monument and Pinnacle, routed through natural ravines and foothills beneath Pinnacle Peak. Granite formations and the surrounding Sonoran Desert create the dramatic scenery many visitors picture when imagining a golf trip to this part of the state.
The Monument Course is an excellent addition for travelers who prioritize scenery and a classic desert setting. Expect a round where strategy matters and where the surrounding landscape becomes part of the experience.
Best for: experienced golfers, desert scenery, golf weekends, and travelers staying in northern neighborhoods.
3. Grayhawk Golf Club – Raptor Course
Grayhawk Golf Club is another major name for visitors planning a dedicated golf itinerary in Scottsdale. Its Raptor and Talon layouts are open to everyone, making the property particularly useful for traveling groups that want high-quality daily-fee options without private-club restrictions.
Raptor offers a championship-style experience, complemented by mountain views, polished facilities, and multiple on-site dining options. Grayhawk has also hosted major collegiate golf championships, adding another layer of competitive history to the club.
Best for: group trips, competitive players, repeat visitors, and golfers staying in north Scottsdale.
4. We-Ko-Pa Golf Club – Saguaro Course
Located just outside the city, We-Ko-Pa offers two courses surrounded by largely undeveloped Sonoran Desert. Its Saguaro Course was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and features wider playing corridors and a routing that follows the land’s natural movement. It was also designed with walking in mind, which is relatively unusual for desert layouts in the area.
There are no homes or commercial developments lining the We-Ko-Pa layouts, helping create a more isolated desert experience. For golfers who value landscape and course architecture as much as amenities, Saguaro deserves serious consideration.
Best for: course-design enthusiasts, scenery, walking golfers, and dedicated golf trips.
5. McDowell Mountain Golf Club
McDowell Mountain Golf Club combines public golf with views of the surrounding McDowell Mountains. The par-72 layout stretches to 7,118 yards from its back tees and underwent substantial enhancements in 2011 intended to provide different playing options for golfers with varying ability levels.
The setting makes this a particularly convenient choice when travelers want a memorable round without leaving the northern part of the city. The property also has a restaurant and patio, so groups can stay for food and drinks after the final hole rather than immediately returning to their accommodations.
Best for: mixed-skill groups, public access, mountain scenery, and a relaxed post-round meal.
6. Camelback Golf Club: Ambiente Course
The Ambiente Course at Camelback Golf Club provides a different visual experience from some of the area’s more rugged target-golf layouts. Designed by Jason Straka on behalf of Hurdzan Fry Environmental Golf Design, the par-72 course features rolling fairways and noticeable elevation changes.
Camelback Golf Club has 36 holes across the Ambiente and Padre layouts, giving traveling golfers another option when planning multiple rounds in the same general area.
Best for: resort-style golf, couples, strategic players, and travelers looking to pair golf with other vacation activities.
7. Talking Stick Golf Club – O’odham Course
Talking Stick Golf Club sits on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land and offers two 18-hole layouts, O’odham and Piipaash. The club describes O’odham as a wide, links-style layout, while Piipaash provides a more traditional parkland-style experience.
That contrast makes Talking Stick particularly appealing for groups planning more than one round. Golfers can experience two different styles without having to move between separate facilities.
Best for: multi-round trips, groups with different playing preferences, and golfers seeking variety.
8. TPC Scottsdale Champions Course
The Stadium Course receives most of the attention, but the Champions Course gives visitors another way to experience TPC Scottsdale. Randy Heckenkemper designed the current layout, which traverses rugged terrain, ravines, and foothills while emphasizing multiple strategic approaches for individual holes.
Because both TPC layouts are open to public play, golfers can even build two rounds around the same property while experiencing noticeably different courses.
Best for: golfers who want a TPC experience, repeat visitors, mixed handicaps, and two-round itineraries.
9. Boulders South Course
For dramatic desert scenery, the South Course at Boulders Golf Club is difficult to overlook. Jay Morrish designed the layout through terrain filled with enormous granite formations, native vegetation, and elevated desert landscapes. The South Course is currently the Boulders layout available to the public and resort play, while the North Course is designated for members.
Several holes run particularly close to the property’s distinctive rock formations, giving golfers a view that feels very different from that of a conventional parkland course.
Best for: scenery, photography, couples’ getaways, resort stays, and golfers looking for a distinctly southwestern round.
How to Choose the Right Course for Your Group
Start by deciding what matters most to the people traveling with you.
For a connection to professional golf, TPC Scottsdale is an obvious starting point. Travelers focused on classic desert scenery may lean toward Troon North, We-Ko-Pa, or Boulders South. Grayhawk and McDowell Mountain work particularly well when staying farther north, while Camelback and Talking Stick can fit conveniently into trips that mix golf with dining, shopping, and other attractions.
Ability level matters as well. A demanding desert layout can be great for experienced players but frustrating for someone playing only a few rounds each year. Review tees, yardages, course layouts, and current playing conditions before deciding.
Groups should also compare driving distances. Scheduling an early tee time far from your home base can add unnecessary travel to an otherwise relaxing vacation.
Planning a Scottsdale Golf Getaway
Book important tee times before arriving, particularly if there is one course your group considers essential. Availability, rates, maintenance schedules, and course access can change, so confirm current details directly with each club when making plans.
If you want several rounds, avoid automatically choosing the most famous property every day. Pairing different styles can create a better trip—for example, a tournament-oriented round at TPC Scottsdale followed by a more isolated Sonoran Desert experience at We-Ko-Pa.
Remember to leave room between rounds for the rest of the destination. An early tee time can still leave the afternoon open for a pool day, a spa appointment, a meal, a shopping trip, or a sunset activity. Golfers traveling with non-golfers can also plan separate daytime activities and meet again for dinner.
Where to Stay for a Golf-Focused Trip
Your home base can make a significant difference when several tee times are involved. Before booking accommodations, map the courses your group plans to play and look for a location that minimizes unnecessary driving.
Families and groups who want multiple bedrooms, shared gathering spaces, kitchens, and private amenities can browse Scottsdale vacation rentals from Paradiso. A larger home can be especially useful for golf trips because the group can stay together, prepare an early breakfast before a morning round, relax between outings, and gather in one place after the final hole.
Also consider what the non-golfers in your group want to do. Staying within easy reach of restaurants, shopping, wellness experiences, and attractions makes it easier for everyone to build their own itinerary rather than structuring the entire vacation around tee times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most famous golf course in Scottsdale?
TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course is probably the most recognizable because it hosts the WM Phoenix Open on the PGA TOUR. Its par-3 16th hole is especially famous for the stadium atmosphere created during tournament week.
Can visitors play TPC Scottsdale?
Yes. TPC Scottsdale states that both the Stadium Course and Champions Course are open to public play, although tee-time availability and pricing vary.
Where should I play for a classic desert golf experience?
Troon North, We-Ko-Pa, Boulders South, and McDowell Mountain are strong options for golfers who want desert terrain and mountain scenery. Each provides a different interpretation of playing through the Sonoran landscape.
Are there public courses suitable for a Scottsdale golf trip?
Yes. TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk Golf Club, McDowell Mountain, We-Ko-Pa, Talking Stick, and the Boulders South Course all currently provide public, visitor, resort, or daily-fee playing opportunities. Access policies can change, so check directly before booking.
Is Scottsdale worth visiting if only part of the group plays golf?
Absolutely. Golfers can schedule morning rounds while other travelers build their day around hiking, shopping, art, wellness experiences, restaurants, and sightseeing. That flexibility makes the area especially convenient for couples, families, and friend groups with different interests.