Phoenix golf courses: the city munis, resort courses and private clubs
Phoenix golf courses compared: Papago, Encanto, Aguila, Cave Creek, the Biltmore, Wildfire, Stonecreek and more, with 2026 city rates, overseed and access.
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Phoenix golf courses split into three groups: the city munis (Papago, Aguila, Cave Creek, Encanto and two short courses), the daily-fee and resort courses (the Biltmore, Wildfire, Stonecreek, Lookout Mountain), and a few private clubs. City rates seen for late 2026 were $60 to $74 walking for 18, and Papago, the best, is 9 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale.
This guide covers Phoenix proper, from Desert Ridge in the north to Laveen and Ahwatukee in the south. Rates come from the City of Phoenix sheets and course or booking sites read on November 3, 2026, and change by season. Drive times are free-flow from Old Town Scottsdale.
Quick facts
- Best public course: Papago, 7,333 yards, 74.7/129.
- City 18s: Aguila, Cave Creek and Encanto, $60 to $74 walking before 1 pm to December 25, 2026.
- Cheapest round: the Aguila 9, $18 including tax.
- Phoenix Golf Card: $60 first year for Maricopa County residents, $120 a year for non-residents.
- Booking: city courses open 9 days ahead; card holders 10-14 days for a fee.
- Temporarily closed: Paradise Valley Golf Course (county), since May 1, 2026.
The City of Phoenix golf courses
| Course | Back tees (yds, rating/slope) | Public, weekday / weekend | Phoenix card | Back from 2026 overseed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papago | 7,333 (74.7/129) | GolfNow from $109 | honoured, discount not captured | Oct 30 |
| Aguila | 7,007 (72.4/129) | $69 / $74 | $49 / $51 | Oct 20 |
| Cave Creek | 6,732 (71.8/124) | $60 / $65 | $46 / $48 | Oct 26 |
| Encanto 18 | not published | $61 / $66 | $47 / $49 | Nov 2 |
| Encanto 9 | executive nine | $25 / $27 | $19 / $21 | Nov 2 |
| Palo Verde | 3,504 as two loops (57.3/81) | $25 / $27 | $19 / $21 | Oct 19 |
| Aguila 9 | nine holes | $18 all day | $15 | Oct 20 |
City rates are walking, before 1 pm, from the post-overseed sheets that run to December 25, 2026; carts are $18 per 18 and $12 per 9. After 1 pm public rates drop to $54/$59 at Aguila, $45/$50 at Cave Creek and $46/$51 at Encanto. February to May 2026 rates were the same at Aguila and slightly lower at Encanto, so expect similar for spring 2027, but the next sheet was not yet out. Summer 2026 ran $29 to $38.
The Phoenix Golf Card is valid at all city courses plus the partnership courses, Papago and GCU, though the rewards program is not. Seniors 62 and over get a lower card rate again. For a snowbird playing city courses every week, it pays back fast. More in Phoenix municipal golf courses and Phoenix golf passes.
Papago: the pick of the Phoenix golf courses
Papago is a 1963 William F. Bell design in Papago Park, later reworked by Billy Fuller (2008) and Forrest Richardson with Phil Mickelson (2017). It is city-owned but run as a partnership facility, so it is not on the city rate sheets. It plays long, is well kept and is the default public round for anyone staying central. In winter it is among the busiest public courses in central Phoenix, so book mornings early. See the Papago course guide and our Papago golf course guide.
Aguila in Laveen is long and plain, a good-value 18 for a southwest base, with the Aguila 9 beside it. Cave Creek Golf Course is in north Phoenix, not the town of Cave Creek; it is a solid, unflashy 1983 course. Encanto is the old park course closest to downtown and Midtown hotels. See the Aguila course guide.
The daily-fee and resort Phoenix golf courses
| Course | Back tees (yds, rating/slope) | Fee seen | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Biltmore Links | 6,300 (69.7/124) | from $65.99 (GolfNow via GolfPass) | 15 min |
| Arizona Biltmore Estates | 6,669 (72.0/128) | from $89, cart included | 15 min |
| Stonecreek | 6,871 (72.8/131) | from $41 hot deals; reviewers cite $100+ in winter | 19 min |
| Arizona Grand | par 71 | not published | 23 min |
| The Raven | not published | not published | 24 min |
| The Legacy | 6,908 (72.0/127) | call first | 24 min |
| Ahwatukee | 6,713 (70.8/120) | call first | 25 min |
| Lookout Mountain | 6,515 (70.6/133) | not published | 27 min |
| Wildfire Palmer | 7,145 (72.5/140) | $200-$250 peak (undated estimate) | 29 min |
| Wildfire Faldo | 6,846 (71.6/127) | $200-$250 peak (undated estimate) | 29 min |
| Foothills | not published | call first | 31 min |
"Call first" means the course shows as active on Google Maps but no 2026 course source confirmed its status.
Arizona Biltmore. The Estates was rebuilt from the ground up and reopened in November 2023 (GolfPass credits the rebuild to Tom Lehman), and it was number 25 on GolfPass's 2025 most-improved list. The Links is shorter and cheaper, with more elevation; the club lists a fall overseed closure of September 23 to October 13 (year not stated). See the Arizona Biltmore Estates course guide and our Arizona Biltmore golf guide.
Wildfire at Desert Ridge. Two resort courses at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge, open to the public and wide enough for resort golfers. The official site blocked our fetch, so no 2026 rates or overseed dates were read. See the Wildfire Palmer course guide and the Wildfire Golf Club guide.
Lookout Mountain is a Troon-managed course at the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs, which sells stay-and-play packages. It is short but tight; the scorecard sends 0-9 handicaps to the Blue tees, bans coolers and outside alcohol, and keeps par-3s cart path only.
Stonecreek is a flat Arcis daily-fee near Paradise Valley. Its 166-acre property has been marketed for sale while operating (undated listing), so check before booking far ahead.
South Mountain and Ahwatukee. The Raven was renovated in 2024 and kept at 18 holes; Arcis's page was live with tee times. Arizona Grand, at the Arizona Grand Resort, was closed for overseed until November 13, 2026 and requires carts. The Legacy (Gary Panks, 1999), Ahwatukee and Foothills had only map listings to confirm them, so call first.
Private clubs and closed courses
- Phoenix Country Club and Moon Valley Country Club: private, members and accompanied guests; no stay unlocks them. Arizona Country Club, on the Arcadia edge, is also private.
- Paradise Valley Golf Course: a Maricopa County park course, temporarily closed since May 1, 2026, with no new operator announced.
- Club West (Ahwatukee): closed in 2019; KTAR reported the course was bought for $2.1 million on May 29, 2026 and is being relisted, with no reopening reported.
- Orange Tree: its website showed a domain-for-sale page on November 3, 2026, though Google Maps still lists it; status unclear, call first.
- GCU: the city's 2026 list includes the Grand Canyon University course and no longer lists Maryvale; GCU's course is reported to be the former Maryvale course.
More in closed golf courses in Phoenix.
When to play Phoenix golf courses
City courses overseeded in turns in 2026: Aguila October 5-19, Palo Verde October 5-18, Cave Creek October 12-25, Encanto October 19 to November 1, and Papago and GCU October 13-29. Each also closes for one or two days of aeration in June and August. See the Phoenix golf overseed guide.
For a central Phoenix stay, the Arizona Biltmore is 2 minutes from the Links but carries no guest golf perk. Driving on to Tucson? Read Phoenix to Tucson for golf. For the Scottsdale side of the Valley, see Scottsdale golf courses.
Plan it on the map
Open the Scottsdale golf map to see all the Phoenix golf courses with tees, city rates, overseed dates and the hotels nearby. The $30 plan can build a winter of weekly city rounds on the Phoenix Golf Card, or a short trip that mixes Papago with the resort courses.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
What is the best public golf course in Phoenix?
Papago, a long, well-kept city-owned course 9 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale. It plays 7,333 yards from the Black tees (74.7/129), showed GolfNow pricing from $109 when seen in November 2026, and accepts the Phoenix Golf Card. It reopened from overseed on October 30, 2026.
How much does it cost to play a City of Phoenix golf course?
On the post-overseed sheets running to December 25, 2026, Aguila is $69 weekday and $74 weekend walking before 1 pm, Cave Creek $60/$65 and Encanto $61/$66. An 18-hole cart is $18 extra. The December 26, 2026 to February 1, 2027 sheet had not been published when seen on November 3, 2026.
What is the Phoenix Golf Card and is it worth it?
It is the city's discount card: $60 the first year and $40 to renew for Maricopa County residents, or $120 a year for non-residents. It cuts Aguila's weekday walking rate from $69 to $49 and lets you book 10-14 days out online for a convenience fee. A non-resident playing Aguila weekly recovers the $120 in about six rounds.
Can visitors play the Arizona Biltmore golf courses?
Yes. Both the Estates and the Links are daily-fee courses that the public books online, by phone or app, and carts are included; walking is for members only. GolfPass showed the Estates from $89 and the Links from $65.99. Arizona Biltmore resort guests get no published golf perk.
When did Phoenix golf courses close for overseed in 2026?
The city's revised schedule had Aguila closed October 5-19, Palo Verde October 5-18, Cave Creek October 12-25, Encanto October 19 to November 1, and Papago and GCU October 13-29. Arizona Grand was closed October 19 to November 13, 2026.
Is Paradise Valley Golf Course open?
No. Maricopa County Parks said the course would temporarily close from May 1, 2026 when its operating agreement expired, and no new operator or reopening date had been posted as of November 3, 2026. It is a county course, not a City of Phoenix one.
Can I play Phoenix Country Club or Moon Valley?
Only with a member. Both are private member clubs for members and their accompanied guests, and reciprocal play goes through your own club pro (rules not verified). No hotel stay unlocks either.
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