Arizona
Scottsdale in 4 Days
Estimate: per golfer, 4 nights sharing a room or rental, five rounds at peak-season rates (Jan–Apr), carts included, excluding flights, 2026 rates.
This is the easy winter trip. Phoenix Sky Harbor is a big, cheap-to-reach airport, every course here is open to the public, and the drives between them are short, so you spend your time playing rather than in the car. It works for groups with mixed handicaps because desert courses have wide landing areas off the tee even if the desert itself eats balls.
The mix matters. TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course is the one everyone wants to say they played, but We-Ko-Pa's Saguaro course is the best design on the list and costs less. Troon North and Grayhawk round it out with classic north Scottsdale target golf. Go in spring for the best conditions and pay up for it, or go in October and November for lower rates.
Day by day
- 1
Land and loosen up
Grayhawk Talon CourseMorning flight into PHX, then an early-afternoon tee time at Grayhawk. Talon is a forgiving start after a travel day. Dinner on site at Quill Creek or in Old Town.
- 2
The Stadium Course
TPC Scottsdale Stadium CourseBook the earliest tee time you can get. Prices drop after 2 p.m., but in spring the morning is the time to play. Leave an hour afterward for the range or a bar in Old Town.
- 3
36 at We-Ko-Pa
We-Ko-Pa Saguaro CourseWe-Ko-Pa Cholla CourseDrive east toward Fountain Hills. Play Saguaro in the morning and walk it if you can, then take Cholla in the afternoon on a 36-hole package rate. There is nothing around but desert, so eat at the clubhouse.
- 4
Troon North and home
Troon North Monument CourseMorning round on Monument, then about 40 minutes back to PHX for a late-afternoon flight. Ship clubs or leave a buffer, since the airport security lines can be long in spring.
The courses
TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course
Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish · 1986 · public, dynamic pricing
Home of the WM Phoenix Open and the stadium par-3 16th. 2026 high-season rates ran roughly $436–$550; summer drops to around $300.
We-Ko-Pa Saguaro Course
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw · 2006 · public
A walker-friendly layout on tribal land with no houses on it. We-Ko-Pa does not use dynamic pricing; peak resort rate is about $329.
We-Ko-Pa Cholla Course
Scott Miller · 2001 · public
Bigger and more dramatic than Saguaro, with a lot of elevation. Ideal as the second round of a 36-hole day.
Troon North Monument Course
Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish · 1990 · public
Boulders, washes and Pinnacle Peak in the background. Greens were restored to their original contours in 2018.
Grayhawk Talon Course
David Graham and Gary Panks · 1994 · public
A comfortable arrival-day round close to the airport side of north Scottsdale. Its sister course, Raptor (Tom Fazio), works as a swap.
Booking it
Every course here takes direct online bookings. We-Ko-Pa's resort rate opens up to 90 days out, and TPC and Troon prices go up as tee times fill, so book as soon as your dates are set, especially for February through April. TPC Scottsdale gets booked solid in the weeks after the Phoenix Open and closes to the public around the event in early February.
Worth knowing
- Avoid Phoenix Open week (early February) unless you're going to watch. The Stadium Course is closed, and hotel rates spike across the valley.
- Desert areas are usually played as penalty areas. Read each course's local rule and bring more balls than you think you need.
- October and November rates are well below spring rates, but some courses overseed in early fall. Check overseeding closure dates before you book.
- Drink more water than you think you need, even in March. The air is dry enough that you won't notice you're dehydrated.