Emerald Canyon Golf Course Parker AZ: the Parker Strip course south of Havasu
Emerald Canyon Golf Course Parker guide: the county-owned canyon course on the Parker Strip. Winter rates, the 7-day booking tip, tees, overseed, drive times.
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Emerald Canyon Golf Course near Parker is a county-owned 18-hole, par-72 desert canyon course on the Parker Strip, about 40 minutes south of Lake Havasu City. Winter 2025-26 rates were $80 with a cart if booked inside 7 days. It is closed for overseed from October 1 to November 1, 2026, so plan it for November onward.
This guide covers Emerald Canyon Golf Course near Parker: its rates and booking quirk, the tees, the overseed, and how to fit it into a Havasu or river golf trip.
Quick facts
- Where: 7351 Riverside Drive, Parker, AZ 85344, about 8 miles northwest of Parker off AZ-95.
- Owner: La Paz County; open to everyone.
- Phone: 928-667-3366. Website emeraldcanyongolf.com; also on GolfNow.
- Layout: 18 holes, par 72, 4,985 to 6,437 yards; slope 132 from the back.
- Designer and year: Bill Phillips, 1989.
- Winter 2025-26 rate: $80 for 18 with cart; $90 if booked more than 7 days ahead.
- Overseed: closed October 1 to November 1, 2026.
- Clock: Arizona time, one hour ahead of Laughlin from November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027.
- Drive: about 40 minutes from the London Bridge hotels; about 127 minutes from the Laughlin-Bullhead City Bridge.
The course
Emerald Canyon Golf Course is a desert canyon course with red-rock walls and elevation changes above the Colorado River. It sits on the Parker Strip, which fills with boaters on summer holiday weekends.
Bill Phillips designed it, and it opened in 1989. The research rates it a 4 out of 5 for difficulty, the highest of any course near Lake Havasu, because of tight canyon holes and a 132 slope from the back tees. The research calls it the best course south of Havasu.
| Tee | Yards | Par | Men's rating / slope | Women's rating / slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapphire | 6,437 | 72 | 71.3 / 132 | - |
| Diamond | 5,897 | 72 | 68.6 / 121 | 72.6 / 127 |
| Emerald | 5,129 | 72 | 64.7 / 108 | 69.0 / 113 |
| Amethyst | 4,985 | 72 | - | 67.2 / 117 |
At 6,437 yards the back tees are not long, but the 132 slope reflects the tight canyon holes. The Diamond tees play 5,897 yards.
Emerald Canyon Golf Course Parker rates
The course publishes its rates. These are for winter 2025-26 (November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026), from the official rates page as read in October 2026. Rates for 2026-27 were not yet posted.
| Rate (winter 2025-26) | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 18 holes, booked within 7 days | $80 | Cart included |
| 18 holes, booked more than 7 days ahead | $90 | Cart included |
| Twilight, from 1 PM | $59 | |
| 9 holes after 2 PM | $40 |
Summer rates, resident deals and punch cards were not found. The course defines winter as November 1 to April 30 and summer as June 1 to October 31.
The booking tip: in winter 2025-26, booking inside 7 days saved $10 a round. If your dates are flexible, book within the week. If you need a specific weekend morning in peak season, advance reservations are recommended, and the extra $10 may be worth it.
For context, Lake Havasu Golf Club posts $94 before noon on Desert West for 2026/2027, and its rates page does not say whether a cart is included. See Laughlin golf rates for fees across the map.
Overseed: closed October 1 to November 1, 2026
The course's rates page says it is closed October 1 to November 1, 2026 for overseeding. The Arizona Golf Association's 2026 overseeding schedule lists slightly different dates: closed October 5, reopening November 2. Either way, do not plan Emerald Canyon for October.
It should reopen around November 1-2, 2026, on new rye. The Laughlin golf overseed guide has every course's dates.
When to play Emerald Canyon
The course's winter season runs November 1 to April 30, which matches the river's golf season of October to April. No Parker weather station is in the research, but Lake Havasu City, about 40 minutes north, has NOAA normal highs of 74.9F in November, 65.2F in January and 78.1F in March, with lows of about 42F to 51F through the winter.
From May the heat builds fast: Lake Havasu City's normal high is 95.2F in May and 109.3F in July. Summer rates were not found. The Parker Strip also fills with boaters on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day weekends, when campgrounds and launch ramps fill.
Getting there from Lake Havasu City
Emerald Canyon Golf Course is off the map's main board, near Parker and south of Lake Havasu City on AZ-95. The Havasu hotels are about 40 minutes away:
| Stay | Drive to Emerald Canyon |
|---|---|
| Home2 Suites Lake Havasu City | 38 min, 29.9 mi |
| London Bridge Resort | 40 min, 30.8 mi |
| Hampton Inn Lake Havasu City | 40 min, 31.2 mi |
| The Nautical Beachfront Resort | 44 min, 32.3 mi |
| Avi Resort & Casino, Laughlin | 110 min, 87.6 mi |
No stay in Parker is on the map, so Lake Havasu City is the practical base. From the Laughlin casinos it is about two hours each way, which makes it a long day trip.
Getting there from Phoenix
If you fly into Phoenix, Parker can be on your route. The research gives Phoenix Sky Harbor to Lake Havasu City as about 230 minutes and 205.4 miles by free-flow estimate, either west on I-10 and north on AZ-95 through Parker, or via US-93 and I-40. Taking the Parker route puts Emerald Canyon on the way in or out. See flights to Laughlin for the airport choices.
The Arizona clock
Parker is in Arizona, with no daylight saving, on the same clock as Lake Havasu City and Bullhead City. From November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027 it is one hour ahead of Laughlin. From a Laughlin casino it is about two hours of driving, and a 10:00 AM tee time at Emerald Canyon is 9:00 AM on the hotel clock. The Laughlin time zone guide explains it.
Emerald Canyon in a Havasu golf trip
A three-day Havasu trip could pair Emerald Canyon Golf Course with the two Lake Havasu Golf Club courses, Desert West and Desert East, or with Iron Wolf, the former Refuge, on the north side of town. Emerald Canyon is the scenic, tougher round; Desert East is the easy one.
Havasu Springs Resort near Parker Dam also has a par-3 nine, but its status is unclear, so call 928-667-3361 first. Bridgewater Links at London Bridge Resort is also unclear. The Island Golf Club at the Nautical closed around 2018.
Read the Lake Havasu golf overview, the Lake Havasu golf trip itinerary and the Colorado River golf guide. Course pages: the Emerald Canyon course guide and the Iron Wolf course guide.
Plan it on the map
Open the Laughlin golf map to see Emerald Canyon with every course and stay from Laughlin to Lake Havasu and Parker, with drive times and overseed closures marked. The $30 plan builds a day-by-day trip around closures, or a whole winter stay with a weekly rotation.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Where is Emerald Canyon Golf Course?
At 7351 Riverside Drive, Parker, AZ 85344, in the canyons off AZ-95 on the Parker Strip, about 8 miles northwest of Parker. It is about 40 minutes south of the Lake Havasu City hotels and about 127 minutes from the Laughlin-Bullhead City Bridge.
How much does Emerald Canyon cost?
In winter 2025-26 (November 1 to April 30) it was $80 for 18 holes with a cart, or $90 if booked more than 7 days ahead. Twilight was $59 from 1 PM and 9 holes after 2 PM were $40. Rates for 2026-27 had not been posted when checked in October 2026.
When is Emerald Canyon closed for overseed?
The course's rates page said it was closed October 1 to November 1, 2026 for overseeding. The Arizona Golf Association's 2026 schedule listed October 5 to a November 2 reopening. Do not plan it for October.
Is Emerald Canyon open to the public?
Yes. It is a municipal course owned by La Paz County and open to everyone. Book on the course website, by phone at 928-667-3366, or through GolfNow.
Is Emerald Canyon a hard course?
It is one of the tougher courses on the map. From the Sapphire tees it plays 6,437 yards with a 71.3 rating and a 132 slope, with tight holes and elevation changes between canyon walls.
Should I book Emerald Canyon more than a week ahead?
Only if you need a specific time. In winter 2025-26 booking more than 7 days out cost $90 against $80 inside 7 days. Advance reservations are still recommended in peak season.
Is Parker on Arizona time?
Yes. Emerald Canyon runs on Arizona time with no daylight saving, the same as Lake Havasu City. From November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027 it is one hour ahead of Laughlin.
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