Why Scottsdale is a golf town
Golf in Scottsdale is not a side activity. It is one of the reasons the city exists in its current form. Professional golfers spend their off weeks on these tees, the courses are kept immaculate, and nearly every fairway has a mountain behind it. Add sunshine on the better part of 300 days a year and you have a place where a foursome can plan months out and expect to play.
We host a lot of golf groups, so this guide to golf in Scottsdale is practical. Which courses guests come back talking about, which months to book, what to do with the people in the party who do not play, and how to handle the biggest week on the calendar.
Scottsdale golf courses guests ask about
There are dozens of courses in and around the city. These are the names that come up most at our houses.
TPC Scottsdale is the famous one, home of the Phoenix Open, and playing the Stadium Course the rest of the year is on many lists. Troon North, in North Scottsdale, is the desert-golf benchmark and one of the most sought-after tee times for visiting players. Grayhawk is a local favorite with a relaxed clubhouse. The Boulders Club plays through granite formations north of town. Silverado is the friendly, walkable choice, and McCormick Ranch Golf Club is central and easy to reach from almost anywhere you stay.
- TPC Scottsdale: Stadium Course, host of the Phoenix Open
- Troon North: North Scottsdale, the desert-golf standard
- Grayhawk Golf Club: local favorite
- The Boulders Club: dramatic rock formations north of the city
- Silverado Golf Course: relaxed and central
- McCormick Ranch Golf Club: convenient, well-kept, close to everything
The best time of year to golf in Scottsdale
Fall through spring is the season. Winter days sit in the 60s and 70s, so you can tee off at any hour and walk a full 18 without thinking about the heat. January is close to ideal, and many courses run winter specials. Fall is the locals' pick, when temperatures ease and the courses are less crowded than in peak winter. Spring is busy because it overlaps with spring training and spring break, so book earlier.
Summer is a different game. Temperatures reach triple digits, so tee times move to first light, the afternoon belongs to the pool and the evening to dinner. Rates soften and the courses are quiet, which suits some groups just fine.
TopGolf Scottsdale for mixed groups
Not everyone in the house wants 18 holes. TopGolf is the answer. It is a three-tier driving range with a full bar, a restaurant, giant screens and games built into every bay, so the non-golfers compete on points while the golfers work on their swing. It fits a late afternoon or a night out, and it is where more than one of our groups has ended up after the real round.
For a quieter fix, some of the homes we host have their own putting greens, and our concierge can arrange lessons or a tee time when the group decides at breakfast that today is the day.
The WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale
Every February the Phoenix Open turns TPC Scottsdale into the loudest venue in golf. It is one of the most popular events on the PGA Tour and has been played in the Valley for generations, with TPC Scottsdale as its home for decades. Hundreds of thousands of spectators come over the week, and the atmosphere is closer to a festival than a tournament. Locals call it the Greatest Show on Grass. Dress up, bring a drink and expect a party on the green.
It is technically an all-ages event, but it is best as an outing with adult friends. The finishing hole is where the hospitality boxes sit, and in past years we have paired tournament-week stays with access to an all-inclusive box on 18, with breakfast and lunch buffets and an open bar. Ask about current options when you inquire, and book the house early. Tournament week is the tightest calendar of the year for large estates in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.
Spring training and the rest of the winter calendar
The Phoenix Open kicks off a stretch of weeks when the whole valley is outdoors. Spring training follows in late February and March, with the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium and a ballpark meal of corn dogs and churro fries that nobody regrets. Old Town runs its weekly ArtWalk on Thursdays all year, and Celebrate Art fills the Arts District from January through March. Golfers who come for the Open often stay for a week and never run out of things to do between rounds.
Where to stay for a Scottsdale golf trip
Troon Ranch Casitas sit in North Scottsdale, the same corner of town as Troon North, in three separate casitas that give a group of couples or buddies their own doors. For a full tournament-week party, Valley Vista Estate in Paradise Valley sleeps 30 across eleven bedrooms, with room for the buffet breakfast before the shuttle to the course. Wild West Estate sleeps 16 near Old Town for the group that wants dinner and a bar within reach after the round.
Every house has a pool for the afternoon and a kitchen that handles the morning. Tell us your tee sheet and we will build the rest of the trip around it.
Questions we get asked
When is the Phoenix Open?
Every February at TPC Scottsdale. It draws hundreds of thousands of spectators over the week, so book your house well in advance.
What is the best month to golf in Scottsdale?
January and the winter months for mild days in the 60s and 70s and winter specials at many courses. Fall is the locals' favorite for lighter crowds and easy temperatures.
Can you golf in Scottsdale in summer?
Yes, with early tee times. Temperatures reach triple digits by afternoon, so play at first light, then spend the afternoon at the pool.
What can non-golfers do on a Scottsdale golf trip?
TopGolf turns the range into a game with food and drinks. Beyond that, Old Town, the spas, hiking and the museums fill a day while the foursome is out.
