Scottsdale buddies golf trip: big-group tee times, where to sleep and what it costs

A Scottsdale buddies golf trip works best with a central base, three or four public and resort courses that suit mixed handicaps, and tee times booked the day each window opens. For 8 to 16 golfers, the hard parts are group booking rules, finding beds that do not split the group across town, and keeping the per-player cost honest.

This guide covers courses that suit a group, booking windows and cancellation rules, group lodging, a per-player budget and the nights out. Rates were seen on November 3, 2026 and change.

Quick facts

• Group-friendly courses: Grayhawk Raptor, Talking Stick, Dove Valley Ranch, The Boulders South.
• Best 36-hole day: We-Ko-Pa, one package for both courses.
• Book early: We-Ko-Pa and Dove Valley Ranch 90 days out; Grayhawk under four weeks.
• Cancellation: Talking Stick 48 hours; Dove Valley Ranch 24 hours by phone.
• Group beds: villas, all-suite hotels or Old Town rooms within walking distance.
• Avoid: WM Phoenix Open week (February 8-14, 2027) unless you are going.

Courses for a Scottsdale buddies golf trip

The group's anchor courses

Grayhawk Raptor is Fazio's wide, playable course, the course notes' pick for groups because it is fair for mixed handicaps. It sells 27-hole ($515) and 36-hole ($654) rates as well as 18 ($343), all from its November 10, 2026 tee sheet, plus a 5% water fee. Talon is the tighter test at similar prices for the low handicappers. See the Raptor course guide.

Talking Stick O'odham and Piipaash are 15 minutes from Old Town, with walking allowed and complimentary push carts while they last. Dress code: collared shirts, Bermuda-length shorts, no denim, soft spikes only.

We-Ko-Pa Saguaro and Cholla make the best 36-hole day: $448 for the package through January 7, 2027, $619 from January 8 (rates exclude 9% tax). Arizona residents in the group only get the Arizona ID rate if every player has an Arizona ID. See the Saguaro course guide.

The splurge and the easy day

Troon North Pinnacle is the round most buddies trips want once; it is usually about $30 cheaper than Monument with similar scenery. The Boulders South in Carefree is gentler and better for mixed groups, and Dove Valley Ranch in Cave Creek is friendly and mid-priced.

Booking a big group

On a Scottsdale buddies golf trip, book consecutive tee times as soon as the window opens; a group of 12 needs three slots in a row and 16 needs four. On the city courses, such as Aguila, the posted rates apply to groups of up to 12, so larger groups should call. Kierland gives Westin Kierland guests 10% off green fees when booked by phone. More in Scottsdale tee times.

Where a group can sleep

• Villas: the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas on Scottsdale Road (resort fee about $34.21 a night), the Kimpton Miralina with villas and six pools (still finishing its buildout), and the Scottsdale Links Resort next to TPC, a timeshare property where you can cook in.
• Suites: Embassy Suites Scottsdale has separate living rooms with sofa beds and, by brand standard, breakfast; resort fee about $28.51.
• Old Town rooms: the Hyatt Place Old Town is in the bar district, easy for nights out but not for quiet early tee times.
• Rental condos: Kierland and north Scottsdale furnished condos ran about $3,000-$7,000 or more a month in listings seen, with at least one 1-month minimum.

Nightly room rates were not captured in our research, and Arizona and city short-term rental rules were not verified, so ask any house owner for the licence and house rules. See Scottsdale golf vacation rentals and cheap hotels for Scottsdale golf.

A per-player budget

Green fees for four rounds in November-December 2026, before tax:

Papago showed GolfNow pricing from $109. TPC's October-November figure is a third-party estimate. From January to April, expect We-Ko-Pa's package at $619 and higher dynamic rates elsewhere; a February 2026 report put TPC Scottsdale Stadium as high as $550 at peak. TPC Champions is the cheaper TPC round. Full numbers are in the Scottsdale golf trip cost guide.

Picking dates for a group

• November and December: fresh rye and shoulder rates, though December sunsets come about 5:21 PM, so 36-hole days need a first-light start.
• January to April: peak weather and peak prices; March is the best weather month and the most crowded.
• WM Phoenix Open week (February 8-14, 2027): only if the tournament is the point; see the Phoenix Open golf trip guide.
• October: most courses close two to three weeks for overseed, so a Scottsdale buddies golf trip that month needs every course checked.
• June to September: the cheapest rates, with highs of about 104F to 107F from June to August; dawn tee times only.

Nights out

Old Town is the group's evening: the bar district around Saddlebag Trail, Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row for late nights, the Rusty Spur Saloon for live country, and Diego Pops for tacos and margaritas with a big group. Topgolf Scottsdale at Talking Stick prices bays per hour for up to six players. For after-dark golf, Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills in Papago Park is lit for night play, 10 minutes from Old Town. In March, add a Cactus League game. See where to eat in Scottsdale.

Sample four-day group plan

1. Arrive: afternoon at Talking Stick; dinner in Old Town.
2. Day two: 36 at We-Ko-Pa.
3. Day three: Troon North Pinnacle for the strong players, The Boulders South for the rest, or everyone at Grayhawk Raptor.
4. Depart: a morning round close to Old Town, then the airport.

The full version is in the Scottsdale golf trip itinerary. Comparing towns for the group? See the Palm Springs buddies golf trip and Tucson buddies golf trip guides.

Plan it on the map

Open the Scottsdale golf map to see every course and group stay with drive times from Old Town. The $30 plan lays out a Scottsdale buddies golf trip for your group size and dates, around overseed and the Phoenix Open.