Heading to Phoenix or Scottsdale? Pack your golf clubs before you head to the Valley of the Sun, which offers plenty of great public-access golf courses. For most of the year, we recommend you start with these top 10 in the area.
Golfweek’s Best ranks courses around the world, utilizing a pool of more than 800 course raters. The most popular rankings list in the program is the Best Courses You Can Play list for public-access layouts in each state. To analyze the top 10 public-access courses around the Phoenix and Scottsdale area, we started with those rankings for all of Arizona. Then we included only those courses within a 90-minute drive of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which sits about halfway between TPC Scottsdale and State Farm Stadium.
But don’t consider these your only options. Check out even more great courses in Arizona on the state-by-state public-access list. But be ready to pay a premium for a tee time the week of the Super Bowl and PGA Tour event, as many courses in the valley utilize fluctuating on-demand pricing all year, and all the courses will see a spike in demand on what will be the busiest week of the year.
10. Grayhawk (Talon)
The Talon Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona (Courtesy of Communication Links)
Ranking in state: No. 12 public-access in Arizona
Where: Scottsdale
The drive: 25 miles north of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designers: David Graham, Gary Panks
Opened: 1994
More: Golfweek’s Best public-access courses in Arizona
9. Grayhawk (Raptor)
The Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona (Courtesy of Communication Links)
Ranking in state: No. 11 public-access in Arizona
Where: Scottsdale
The drive: 25 miles north of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designer: Tom Fazio
Opened: 1995
More: Raptor Course a true test for NCAA Championships
8. Troon North (Pinnacle)
Troon North’s Pinnacle Course in Arizona (Courtesy of Troon)
Ranking in state: No. 10 public-access in Arizona
Where: Scottsdale
The drive: 31 miles north of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designer: Tom Weiskopf
Opened: 1996
More: Golfweek’s Best Top 200 Residential Courses
7. Troon North (Monument)
Troon North’s Monument Course in Arizona (Courtesy of Troon)
Ranking in state: No. 9 public-access in Arizona
Where: Scottsdale
The drive: 31 miles north of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designers: Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf
Opened: 1990
More: Golfweek’s Best Top 200 Resort Courses
6. We-Ko-Pa (Cholla)
We-Ko-Pa’s Cholla Course in Arizona (Courtesy of We-Ko-Pa/Lonna Tucker)
Ranking in state: No. 8 public-access in Arizona
Where: Fort McDowell
The drive: 24 miles northeast of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designer: Scott Miller
Opened: 2001
More: We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort reinvents itself
5. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes in Arizona (Courtesy of Troon/Allan Henry)
Ranking in state: No. 7 public-access in Arizona
Where: Maricopa (m)
The drive: 32 miles south of of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designers: Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley, Fred Couples
Opened: 2002
More: Golfweek’s Best Top 50 Casino Courses
4. TPC Scottsdale (Stadium)
TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course in Arizona (Courtesy of TPC Scottsdale)
Ranking in state: No. 4 public-access in Arizona
Where: Scottsdale (m)
The drive: 23 miles north of of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designers: Tom Weiskopf, Jay Morrish
Opened: 1986
More: Check the yardage book for TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course
3. Quintero
Quintero Golf Club in Arizona (Courtesy of Troon)
Ranking in state: No. 3 public-access in Arizona
Where: Peoria
The drive: 50 miles northwest of of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designer: Rees Jones
Opened: 2000
More: Golfweek’s Best Top 100 Courses You Can Play
2. Wickenburg Ranch (Big Wick)
Wickenburg Ranch’s Big Wick in Arizona (Courtesy of Troon)
Ranking in state: No. 2 public-access in Arizona
Where: Wickenburg
The drive: 72 miles northwest of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designers: Wendell Pickett, Bill Brownlee
Opened: 2015
More: Golfweek’s Best Top 200 Residential Courses
1. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro)
We-Ko-Pa’s Saguaro (Courtesy of We-Ko-Pa Golf Club/Lonna Tucker)
Ranking in state: No. 1 on Golfweek’s Best list of public-access courses in Arizona
Where: Fort McDowell
The drive: 24 miles northeast of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Designers: Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw
Opened: 2006
More: Casino courses around Phoenix/Scottsdale expand amenities
