Planning a Scottsdale golf trip: areas, season, overseed and where to stay
Plan a Scottsdale golf trip: which area to base in, the best months, the fall overseed, Phoenix Open week, and resorts vs rentals vs RV, with 2026 numbers.
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A Scottsdale golf trip works best from November to April, based in Old Town, north Scottsdale or the East Valley depending on which courses you want. Skip the fall overseed weeks, book early around WM Phoenix Open week (February 8-14, 2027) and spring training, and fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor, 18 minutes from Old Town.
This guide shows how the pieces fit: the areas and their drive times, the season, the overseed closures, the events that move prices, and the choice between resorts, hotels, rentals and RV resorts. Prices were seen in 2026 (dates given) and change.
Quick facts
- Best months: November (fresh rye, shoulder rates) and March-April (best weather, top prices).
- Avoid for golf: early and mid-October, when most courses overseed.
- Peak of the peak: Barrett-Jackson (January 23-31, 2027), Phoenix Open week, spring training from February 19, 2027.
- Airport: PHX, 18 minutes to Old Town and 34 minutes to north Scottsdale.
- Time zone: MST all year, one hour ahead of Pacific time in winter.
- Biggest spread in fees: the same We-Ko-Pa round runs $109 in summer and $359 in Phoenix Open week.
How a Scottsdale golf trip fits together
The Valley is big. Old Town to Troon North is 36 minutes, to We-Ko-Pa 31, to Whirlwind 31 and to The Wigwam 42, all free-flow. Rush hour on Loop 101, Loop 202 and I-10 can add 15-30 minutes. Pick a base near the courses you care about most.
| Base | Courses and drive from Old Town | Stays | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town and central Scottsdale | Papago 9 min, Talking Stick O'odham 15 min | Hilton Garden Inn Old Town, Hotel Adeline | groups who want dinner and bars on foot |
| North Scottsdale | TPC Stadium 21 min, Grayhawk Raptor 24 min, Troon North Monument 36 min | Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Four Seasons Troon North, Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains | marquee-course trips |
| Carefree | Boulders South 38 min | Boulders Resort | couples, a quiet resort stay |
| Fort McDowell | We-Ko-Pa Saguaro 31 min | We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort | the best public 36 in the Valley |
| North Phoenix | Wildfire Palmer 29 min | JW Marriott Desert Ridge | two resort courses on site |
| East Valley | Whirlwind Cattail 31 min, Longbow 27 min | Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, Mesa RV resorts | value rounds and long winter stays |
The full course list is in Scottsdale golf courses; the base-by-base detail is in where to stay in Scottsdale for golf.
When to go: the Scottsdale golf season
| Months | High / low (Sky Harbor) | Season | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67.6F / 46.0F | peak | cold dawns, top fees, Barrett-Jackson late in the month |
| February | 70.8F / 49.0F | peak of the peak | Phoenix Open week, spring training from Feb 19 |
| March | 78.1F / 54.5F | peak of the peak | best weather, most crowded, spring break |
| April | 85.5F / 60.8F | peak, easing | rates step down during the month |
| May | 94.5F / 69.5F | shoulder | about 9 days over 100F; play mornings |
| June-September | 100.4-106.5F highs | summer | cheapest rates, dawn tee times, monsoon from July |
| October | 89.2F / 65.6F | overseed | most courses close in turns |
| November | 76.5F / 53.7F | shoulder | fresh rye, rates below peak |
| December | 66.2F / 45.3F | shoulder | short days, busy holiday weeks |
NOAA 1991-2020 normals at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Outlying courses in north Scottsdale, Carefree and Rio Verde run colder at dawn than the airport, so January first tee times can wait on frost.
We-Ko-Pa's published card shows how the season moves price on one course: $239 from October 23, 2026 to January 7, 2027, $329 for January 8 to February 8, $359 in Phoenix Open week, $329 again to April 25 and $109 in mid-summer 2027. More in the best time to golf in Scottsdale.
Plan around the fall overseed
Nearly every course is bermuda overseeded with rye and closes for about two to three weeks between late September and early November, then plays cart path only or on slow greens for a while. Two-course clubs stagger their dates. In 2026:
- Grayhawk: Talon closed September 28 to October 11, Raptor October 12-29.
- We-Ko-Pa: Cholla closed October 5-22, Saguaro October 12-29.
- City of Phoenix: Aguila October 5-19, Cave Creek October 12-25, Encanto October 19 to November 1, and Papago October 13-29.
- Arizona Grand: closed October 19 to November 13.
A trip in the first half of November is fine if you check each course's reopening and cart-path dates. Course-by-course dates are in the Phoenix golf overseed guide.
Events that move prices
- Barrett-Jackson: January 23-31, 2027 at WestWorld; fills north Scottsdale hotels.
- WM Phoenix Open: tournament week February 8-14, 2027 at TPC Scottsdale; the highest room rates of the year and heavy traffic around the course.
- Cactus League spring training: from February 19, 2027 to about March 20-23 at ten ballparks, including Scottsdale Stadium and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
- Easter: March 28, 2027, on top of US and Canadian spring breaks.
Resorts, hotels, rentals or an RV resort
Resorts make sense when they come with golf. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is 4 minutes from the TPC courses, the Four Seasons gives booking help and priority at Troon North, the Boulders gets you the South Course, and the JW Marriott Desert Ridge has the two Wildfire courses. The Westin Kierland gives guests 10% off Kierland green fees by phone. Budget for resort fees: one published group rate at the Westin was $359 plus a $35 daily resort fee.
Hotels in Old Town and north Scottsdale are the value play for buddies trips; no current rates were captured, and all of them rise for February and March.
Rentals suit groups and longer stays. Furnished north Scottsdale and Kierland condos ran about $3,000 to $7,000+ a month in the listings seen, and Sun Lakes golf-course homes about $2,000 to $3,500.
RV resorts in east Mesa and Apache Junction are where many snowbirds spend the winter. The 2026-27 cards price January to March from $3,445 at Apache Wells RV Resort to $5,045 at Mesa Regal, plus utilities, and most require one occupant aged 55 or older. See Phoenix winter golf for snowbirds.
Booking a Scottsdale golf trip
Windows differ by course, and the best January-April times go early:
- 90 days: We-Ko-Pa resort rates, Kierland, Dove Valley Ranch, Eagle Mountain, Gold Canyon.
- Under four weeks: Grayhawk's public sheet (on November 3, 2026 it had November 10 times but none for December 1).
- 9 days: City of Phoenix courses; Phoenix Golf Card holders can book 10-14 days out for a fee.
- TPC Scottsdale: not published; a third-party guide says peak times book 30-60 days ahead.
Arizona-ID and resident rates at We-Ko-Pa, Talking Stick and Quintero do not help visitors with out-of-state licences. More in Scottsdale tee times. See the TPC Scottsdale Stadium course guide, the We-Ko-Pa Saguaro course guide and the Papago course guide.
Getting there
Phoenix Sky Harbor is 18 minutes from Old Town, 23 from central Mesa and 34 from north Scottsdale. WestJet flies year-round from Calgary and Edmonton and seasonally from Kelowna, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg; Air Canada flies year-round from Vancouver; Delta and Sun Country fly from Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Alaska and Delta from Seattle. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA) has Allegiant and seasonal Sun Country service and no Canadian flights. Driving, Calgary is about 1,552 miles from Old Town. See flights to Phoenix for golf.
For a day-by-day version, read the Scottsdale golf trip itinerary. Weighing a different desert town? Compare with a Palm Springs golf trip.
Plan it on the map
Open the Scottsdale golf map to see every course, its drive time and overseed dates, and the resorts, rentals and RV resorts around them. The $30 plan builds your Scottsdale golf trip day by day, or a whole winter stay with a weekly course rotation.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
When is the best time for a Scottsdale golf trip?
November and March-April for weather and condition, with November cheaper. NOAA normals at Sky Harbor give a 76.5F November high and 78.1F in March. January to April is peak, with the highest green fees, and WM Phoenix Open week (February 8-14, 2027) plus spring training from February 19, 2027 are the peak of the peak.
Should I avoid Scottsdale in October?
For golf, avoid early and mid-October if you can. Most courses close for two to three weeks between late September and early November to overseed with rye, then run cart path only for a while. In 2026 the City of Phoenix courses closed in turns between October 5 and November 1, and Troon North Monument was closed October 4-24.
Where should I stay for a Scottsdale golf trip?
Old Town for nightlife and a central position (Papago is 9 minutes away, Talking Stick 15), north Scottsdale to be near TPC, Grayhawk and Troon North, or the East Valley for value and long stays. Resorts such as the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and Four Seasons Troon North sit by their courses.
How far ahead should I book Scottsdale tee times?
As far as each course allows for January to April. We-Ko-Pa and Kierland open public times 90 days out, Grayhawk's sheet was under four weeks out on November 3, 2026, and City of Phoenix courses open 9 days ahead. A third-party guide says TPC Scottsdale's peak times book out 30-60 days ahead.
Which airport is best for a Scottsdale golf trip?
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), 18 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale free-flow, with most Canadian nonstops. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA) is 42 minutes from Old Town but closer to the Mesa and Gold Canyon RV resorts, and serves Allegiant and Sun Country.
Do I need to change my watch in Arizona?
Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year. From November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027, Phoenix is one hour ahead of Pacific time; in summer it matches Pacific daylight time. Calgary and Edmonton are one hour ahead of Phoenix all year.
Is a Scottsdale golf trip cheaper in summer?
Much cheaper. We-Ko-Pa's published rate falls from $329 in peak to $109 from June 14 to August 26, 2027, and Troon North's summer estimates are about $90-$105. Highs average 104-107F from June to August, so golf is a dawn activity.
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