Arizona Dreaming: Greater Phoenix and Northern Arizona Golf Courses

by David Hubbard

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Fort McDowell, Arizona – Courtesy of Communication Links/Lonna Tucker

Play through exotic and surprising terrain on Greater Phoenix and Northern Arizona courses

The tee is yours at more than 400 golf courses throughout Greater Phoenix and Northern Arizona. The astounding mix of experiences, filled with all the requisite challenges as well as wide-ranging beauty, makes this one of the most favored regions in the world of golf. Tourists, locals, and winter residents line up year-round for a taste of the Southwest’s play. The game here is as much a visual experience as a test of skill, and every course has its memorable point of interest.

Scattered and clustered throughout the Phoenix megalopolis and the communities in the northern areas of the state, new courses, public and private, welcome an early review, while the familiar landmarks continue to age gracefully.

The golfing venue stretches through Greater Phoenix, from Lake Pleasant in the northwest to the Santan Mountains in the southeast, and on to Arizona’s outer regions.

New development and ensuing population growth arguably contribute to the allure of year-round golf in the Southwest. More than a few courses tie into real estate sales—where the beauty and playability of the golf course often separate one community from another.

The classics are still in play

Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Litchfield Park, Arizona – Courtesy of Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa

Since tourists started coming to Greater Phoenix in the early 1920s, the promise of warm winter golf has always been a draw. This golden era of tourism inspired many top-notch courses that still shine today with the customary makeovers and periodic renovations.

The classic style of play is inviting and as stately as ever at Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, Arizona Biltmore Golf Club, Camelback Golf Club, and the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort in Chandler. Established by Alexander Chandler in 1912 and now a Crowne Plaza property, San Marcos Golf Resort stands as the first golf resort in Arizona, impressive as ever, but with all the contemporary trimmings.

The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Litchfield Park completed a major refurbishment that includes a new European-style spa and a complete renovation of the Blue golf course. In addition, there have been subtle touch-ups on the venerable Gold course, which still casts its grandfatherly spell from Litchfield Park.

Adjacent to the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club mirrors the resort’s storied tradition with the famed Adobe course and the more adventurous Links course, which surround the property.

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