The Sonoran Desert offers a wealth of premier golfing destinations…so many, in fact, that you may be finding it hard to figure out where to play first. Information is your best ally as you plan your next weekend outing or your next extended vacation, so once you've learned more about the premier golf resorts and courses listed below, find out where they are using our extensive course directory, read a detailed review, and request printed information for free. Whether you are looking to play golf in Northern or Southern Arizona, in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe or anywhere else in the state, Arizona Golf Guides can help you find your ideal course.

Request More Information on Enjoying the Golf State from Arizona Golf Guides

Want to learn more about these gorgeous courses in full color? Request the print version of the Arizona Golf Guide along with free brochures from numerous golf courses in the Phoenix / Scottsdale area, Southern Arizona, and the rest of the state. All the information you need is just a few clicks away.

A Perfect Round: 10 reasons to hit the links in Arizona

For those who choose to stay and play golf in Arizona, the journey into the high Sonoran Desert and its spectacular natural surroundings offers the trip of a lifetime. Here are only some of the reasons why Arizona just might be the ultimate golf destination.

1. 375 golf courses & counting!
As unbelievable as it might seem, Arizona had fewer than 100 golf courses as late as 1982. But once Phoenix became host of the inaugural Skins Game in 1983, golf in Arizona skyrocketed to new heights. The growth in the past 25 years has been so explosive that the Metropolitan Phoenix area now boasts more than 200 layouts of its own. With the game still growing by leaps and bounds throughout the state, there seems to be no end in sight. Jack Nicklaus, who carved numerous courses throughout the state, is among those who are flabbergasted, and yet..."The desert is a very beautiful place, prettier than most people know," the Golden Bear points out. "And beauty is a key ingredient of all great golf courses."

2. Fun in the Sun
Unlike the East Coast or Midwest, Arizona seldom sees rain. Translation: How many ways can you enjoy the sunshine? While Florida and North Carolina deal with muggy and buggy, and Michigan and Missouri try to avoid getting wet or (brrr!) icy, Arizona averages an awesome 330 days of "rays" per year. "We get a lot of sun in Arizona, but for the true golfer, it’s never too hot to tee it up," says one local pro. (Can you say "dry" heat?)

3. Variety is the spice of life
Despite the popular belief that most desert golf plays between the saguaros and the boulders—as in "target golf’’—nothing could be further from the truth. Arizona offers a virtual smorgasbord of styles, from the tree-lined parkland variety to the rolling terrain of its mountain layouts to resort courses featuring wall-to-wall grass and lots of—believe it or not—water features.

4. Manicured to perfection
Combine ideal growing conditions with superior scientific know-how, and the results lead to the best greens and fairways on the planet. Such are the gorgeous putting surfaces and carpetlike fairways that define Arizona golf. Tom Weiskopf, whose resumé includes 13 courses within the state’s borders, may have put it best. "If there are better greens than the ones you’ll find here, then show me. And the fairways? They’re absolutely perfect." Taking it one step further, Weiskopf adds, "The tee boxes are so good you could cut a hole (a cup) and putt on them." Yes, be it Bermuda or bentgrass, or even a hybrid tiff somewhere in between—it’s hard to beat the conditioning of Arizona’s tip-top courses.

5. The 19th hole
What would a long day of golf be without a round of refreshments at the 19th hole? Pretty boring, huh? Fortunately, Arizona is blessed with some of the most fabulous clubhouses in the game, which translate into some wonderful bars, grills, and restaurants. It’s true that a brew never tasted quite so good as those enjoyed on the veranda at one of the many courses that offer breathtaking views of the mountains and cityscapes.

6. Playing & staying at the very best
Remember, a round of golf takes only 4 hours, which leaves a lot of time away from the golf course. In that regard, Arizona features some of the most outstanding Four- and Five-star resorts in the world. Many of them not only boast striking golf courses on-site, but also offer a wide variety of other amenities from spa treatments and activities for the kids to horseback riding, fine dining, and more.

7. Built by the best
The list of architects who designed Arizona’s golf courses reads like the Who’s Who of the game: Nicklaus, Weiskopf, Tom Fazio, Jay Morrish, Pete Dye, Hale Irwin, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Rees Jones, Tom Doak, Jim Engh, Arthur Hills, Keith Foster, Scott Miller, Robert Von Hagge, Gary Panks, Ken Kavanaugh, Ted Robinson, Desmond Muirhead, Dick Bailey, Brian Curley and Lee Schmidt, Tom Lehman and John Fought, Greg Nash and Billy Casper, and Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. All these golf greats have left their mark on the high Sonoran terrain. They followed in the footsteps of the state’s great pioneers: Robert Trent Jones Sr., Robert "Red" Lawrence, Dick Wilson, William Bell, Harry Collis, and Lawrence Hughes.

8. "Touring" Arizona
With two major professional golf tournaments calling Arizona home—the Waste Management Phoenix Open (Phoenix) and World Golf Championships–Accenture Match Play Championship (Tucson)—it’s easy for visitors to catch up with the touring pros in January and February. Some of the world’s best golfers hail from the state of Arizona, including Jim Furyk who attended The University of Arizona and Phil Mickelson who competed on the golf team at Arizona State University.

9. Getaway golf
Want to get away? Imagine getting on an airplane at 7 a.m. in New York or Chicago and teeing off in Phoenix or Tucson before noon the same day. It happens every day for savvy travelers who know how to book their flights both coming and going. With more than 120 nonstop flights to and from almost every major city in the country, flying and playing all in one day takes no more effort than the click of a mouse.

10. The good life
More and more, retirees seek out the serenity of a golf lifestyle when they finally decide they’ve had enough of the daily grind. Without question, Arizona is the destination where many active adults decide to hang their golf caps and clubs. Phoenix-based Del Webb was one of the first to realize this trend when it developed its Sun City communities back in the 1960s. The landscape now boasts many golf course-based communities (for retired and non-retired folks), where the sight of electric golf carts humming along the serene residential streets is common.