Arizona Courses in the Golf Digest 100 Greatest Courses

Arizona boasts several golf courses in Golf Digest's top 100 US courses list:

• Quintero Golf Club (ranked 86th)

• We-Ko-Pa Saguaro Golf Course (ranked 98th)

• Private courses: The Estancia Club, Forest Highlands Golf Club (Canyon), Whisper Rock Golf Club (Upper), The Rim Golf Club

These courses stand out due to:

Arizona's top courses boost golf tourism, bringing in over $1.1 billion yearly. Ongoing renovations, like at Desert Highlands, aim to further improve the state's golf offerings.

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Golf in Arizona

Arizona is a great place for golf. It has nice weather, pretty views, and many good courses. Here's why golf in Arizona is special:

Desert Landscape

Many Arizona golf courses are in the desert. This gives players a different kind of game. Courses like We-Ko-Pa and Troon North use the desert in their design. They have things like dry creek beds, cactus plants, and big rocks as part of the course.

Good Weather

Arizona has sunny days most of the year. This means people can play golf all year round. The warm winters bring many visitors who want to escape cold places.

Many Types of Courses

Arizona has courses for all kinds of players. Some are very hard, like TPC Scottsdale where pro golfers play. Others are easier and part of resorts. Here are some top courses:

Good for Business

Golf helps Arizona's money and jobs. In 2021, golf courses made over $6 billion. This helps other businesses too, like hotels and restaurants.

Arizona keeps making its golf courses better. This keeps people coming back to play. Whether you want a hard game or just nice views, Arizona has a golf course for you.

Arizona Courses in the Top 100

Several Arizona golf courses have made it onto Golf Digest's list of America's 100 Greatest Courses. Let's look at these top Arizona courses:

Quintero Golf Course

Ranked #86, Quintero Golf Club in Peoria is a public course designed by Rees Jones. It offers:

• Big changes in height

• Nice grass on the greens

• Pretty desert views

The 9th hole is special. It's a par-3 where you hit downhill to a green surrounded by desert plants.

We-Ko-Pa Saguaro Golf Course

At #98, We-Ko-Pa Saguaro in Fort McDowell is another public course. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed it to fit in with the desert. It has:

• No houses or buildings in sight

• Wide fairways and big greens

• Nice views of nearby mountains

The 18th hole is a par-4 that lets long hitters take risks for rewards.

Private Courses in the Top 100

Some private Arizona courses also made the list:

These top Arizona courses show the state's different golf settings, from desert to high mountains. Each course, public or private, gives players a special game that's known across the country.

Shared Features of Top Arizona Courses

Arizona's best golf courses have several things in common that make them stand out:

Desert Setting

These courses use Arizona's desert views in their design. Players see cacti and other desert plants along the fairways.

Up and Down Play

Many courses have big changes in height. This gives players nice views and makes the game more challenging.

Precise Shots Needed

The desert setting means players need to be very accurate. Fairways are often narrow, and there are many hazards to avoid.

Smart Design

Top designers have made these courses to fit well with the desert. They use the land's natural features to create interesting holes.

Play All Year

Thanks to Arizona's warm winters, these courses are open all year. They stay in good shape no matter the season.

These features make Arizona golf courses special. They mix the state's natural beauty with challenging play. Whether you're golfing in the Sonoran Desert or up in the pine forests, you'll get a true Arizona experience. The courses are hard to play but nice to look at, giving golfers a fun and pretty day out.

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Public vs. Private Courses

Arizona has many golf courses in Golf Digest's 100 Courses in the US. Most of these top courses are private, but there are also some great public courses.

Private Courses

Most of Arizona's top-ranked courses are private clubs. These include:

• The Estancia Club

• Forest Highlands Golf Club (Canyon Course)

• Whisper Rock Golf Club (Upper Course)

• The Rim Golf Club

Private clubs often have better conditions and more features, but you need to be a member to play.

Public Courses

Two public courses made the list:

1. Quintero Golf Club (ranked 86th)

2. We-Ko-Pa Golf Club - Saguaro Course (ranked 98th)

Anyone can play these courses, but they cost more per round than most public courses.

Comparing Public and Private Courses

Both types of courses offer good golf, but they're different in other ways. Public courses let anyone play a top course, but it costs more each time. Private clubs cost a lot to join, but they offer more than just golf.

For people thinking about buying a home near these courses:

• Houses near top private clubs often cost $1 million to over $30 million.

• Homes near good public courses can also be worth more, but they're usually cheaper than those near private clubs.

Effects on Arizona Golf Tourism

Having several courses in Golf Digest's Top 100 list has made Arizona a top golf spot. This has helped the state's tourism and local businesses.

Golf tourism brings in over $1.1 billion for Arizona each year. This is largely due to the state's good courses, including those in the Top 100. Golf trips in Arizona usually last 4 nights and 5 days. Golfers spend about $500 per day on golf, hotels, and other things.

These top courses help more than just golf. Ron Price, who leads Visit Phoenix, says:

"Tourism is big in Arizona. Our good golf courses help bring millions of people here each year. In 2021, Phoenix had over 16 million visitors who spent more than $3.2 billion. This helps many businesses in Phoenix and all over Arizona."

Here's how golf tourism helps Arizona:

These top courses also make Arizona a place to golf all year. The nice weather, especially in winter, brings golfers from cold places. This helps local businesses when tourism is usually slow.

Having courses in top lists has led to more money being put into golf in Arizona. This includes building fancy hotels, good restaurants, and other things for golf tourists. All this makes more people want to visit Arizona.

Looking Ahead

Arizona's golf scene keeps getting better. Here's what's coming up:

Desert Highlands Renovation

The Desert Highlands course in Scottsdale is getting a big update:

• When: Starts next year

• What's changing: New greens and bunkers

• Why it matters: This course has a lot of history

Desert Highlands is already a top course:

After the update, it might get even better. It could even make it into Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses in the US.

What This Means for Arizona Golf

These changes show that Arizona cares about its golf courses. As courses get better:

• More people might visit to play golf

• Local businesses could make more money

• Arizona could become an even better place for golf

Golf fans should watch what happens with Desert Highlands and other Arizona courses. In the next few years, we might see:

• More Arizona courses getting national attention

• More people coming to Arizona to play golf

• Arizona becoming known as one of the best places in the world for golf

These updates could make Arizona's golf even better than it is now.

Wrap-up

Arizona's golf courses are some of the best in the US. Several are in Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses list. Here's why they're so good:

• Desert views

• Mountain scenery

• Good weather all year

Top public courses include Quintero Golf Club and We-Ko-Pa's Saguaro Course. Private clubs like Estancia and Desert Forest are also very good.

What makes Arizona's courses special:

• Hard to play but nice to look at

• Use the desert in their design

• Big ups and downs on the course

Arizona keeps making its courses better. This helps bring in more golfers and money to the state.

These courses are good for Arizona because:

• They bring in tourists

• They create jobs

• They help local businesses

Arizona wants to stay a top place for golf. New updates to courses like Desert Highlands show this. These changes could make Arizona's golf even better in the future.

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