We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: Saguaro or Cholla, the 2026-27 rates and the casino resort
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club compared: Saguaro vs Cholla tees, published 2026-27 rate table, Arizona ID rates, 36-hole packages, 2026 overseed and the casino resort.
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We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is two public desert courses with no homes on them at Fort McDowell, east of Fountain Hills: the Coore and Crenshaw Saguaro and Scott Miller's Cholla. Both share one published rate table, $239 through January 7, 2027 and $329 in peak season, with cheaper Arizona ID rates. It is about 30 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale.
The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation owns the club and the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort nearby. This guide compares the two courses and sets out the full 2026-27 rate table, overseed dates and packages. Rates were read on wekopa.com on November 3, 2026 and exclude 9% tax.
Quick facts
- Courses: Saguaro (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, 2006, par 71) and Cholla (Scott Miller, 2001, par 72).
- Access: public; owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
- Rates: $239 to January 7, 2027; $329 January 8 to April 25; $359 in Phoenix Open week.
- Book: wekopa.com, 0 to 90 days ahead at resort rates; Arizona ID rate within 7 days.
- 2026 overseed: Cholla October 5-22, Saguaro October 12-29.
- Stay: We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, 4 to 5 minutes away.
We-Ko-Pa Saguaro vs Cholla
| Tee | Saguaro (par 71) | Cholla (par 72) |
|---|---|---|
| Back | 6,966 (72.0/137) | 7,225 (73.4/138) |
| Purple | 6,603 (70.2/132) | 6,740 (70.7/133) |
| White | 6,252 (68.8/125) | 6,114 (67.5/119) |
| Composite | 5,786 (66.9/120) | 6,436 (69.4/126) |
| Green, women | 5,061 (67.0/109) | 5,289 (69.3/124) |
Men's ratings except the Green tee. Other women's ratings: Saguaro Composite 72.0/128 and Cholla White 73.6/130. The gender split was inferred from GolfPass, and the Green tee figures look like women's ratings.
Both are desert courses with views of Four Peaks and Red Mountain and no houses anywhere. The choice is about style, not price.
The Saguaro Course
Saguaro is Coore and Crenshaw's 2006 course: minimalist, with wide fairways that play firm and fast. It is the one most visitors rank higher, and its width makes it the friendlier of the two off the tee.
Play it if you only have one We-Ko-Pa round. See the Saguaro course guide.
The Cholla Course
Cholla is Scott Miller's 2001 target-style course with more elevation change and mountain views. It is the longer of the two from the back at 7,225 yards, but its White tee, 6,114 yards at 67.5/119, is the lowest-slope men's tee at the club.
Play it if you like the classic desert target look, or as the partner round to Saguaro. See the Cholla course guide.
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club rates, 2026-27
| Dates | Resort rate | 36-hole package | Arizona ID rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23, 2026 - Jan 7, 2027 | $239 | $448 | $179 |
| Jan 8 - Feb 8, 2027 | $329 | $619 | $239 |
| Feb 9-14, 2027 (Phoenix Open week) | $359 | $679 | $359 |
| Feb 15 - Apr 25, 2027 | $329 | $619 | $239 |
| Apr 26 - May 16, 2027 | $239 | not listed | see note |
| May 17 - Jun 13, 2027 | $169 | not listed | see note |
| Jun 14 - Aug 26, 2027 | $109 | not listed | $74 |
| Aug 27 - Oct 10, 2027 | $169 | not listed | see note |
Same rates on both courses, before 9% tax, from wekopa.com read November 3, 2026. The page also lists a $139 Arizona ID shoulder rate without tying it to exact dates. Twilight rates are not published on the rates page.
Against the other headline public courses, these are fair. Troon North's Monument ran about $265 in peak 2026 on an unofficial tracker, and TPC Scottsdale's Stadium about $436 to $550 at 2026 peak. See Scottsdale golf rates and our guides to Troon North Golf Club and TPC Scottsdale.
The Arizona ID rate and booking
- Resort rates: bookable 0 to 90 days ahead on wekopa.com.
- Arizona ID rate: every player in the group must show an Arizona driver's licence or ID, and you book 7 days or less out. That saves up to $90 a round, so a snowbird with an Arizona licence can play the same course for $179 instead of $239 in December.
- Phoenix Open week: the Arizona ID rate equals the resort rate, $359.
Out-of-state groups should book as soon as their dates are fixed for January to April. More in Scottsdale tee times.
We-Ko-Pa overseed, 2026
| Course | Prep from | Closed | Reopened | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cholla | Sep 28 | Oct 5-22 | Oct 23 | cart path only through Nov 24, per a reseller |
| Saguaro | Oct 5 | Oct 12-29 | Oct 30 | none listed |
The stagger kept one course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club open through October. Cholla also had a summer aerification closure from July 6-19, 2026, per a reseller listing. See Phoenix golf overseed.
We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort
We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort is the closest hotel: 4 minutes to Cholla and 5 to Saguaro. The club's green fees page lists a stay-and-play package of one night and one round, and a 36-hole package, without prices. A third-party listing offered a 3-night, 3-round package from $217 per person per night, and a 2025 summer promotion started at $129 a night Sunday to Thursday and $159 Friday and Saturday. Peak 2026-27 room rates were not captured, and the resort fee was not on the October 2026 tracker list, so confirm it.
The casino is on site. The catch is location: Old Town Scottsdale's restaurants are 30 to 40 minutes away. It suits buddies groups making We-Ko-Pa the centre of the trip. See Scottsdale golf resorts.
Other courses near We-Ko-Pa
From the casino resort, Desert Canyon is 8 minutes away and Eagle Mountain 11, both public courses in Fountain Hills that did not publish dollar rates in the files. FireRock, 9 minutes away, is private. See the Eagle Mountain course guide and Fountain Hills golf.
If Saguaro is your kind of golf, Coore and Crenshaw also built Talking Stick O'odham, a wide, walkable course 15 minutes from Old Town. Read our Talking Stick Golf Club guide.
When to play We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
- Best value in good conditions: November to January 7, at $239, once Cholla is off cart-path-only.
- Peak: January 8 to April 25 at $329; avoid Phoenix Open week unless you need it.
- Cheapest: June 14 to August 26 at $109, or $74 with Arizona ID, with dawn tee times in the heat. See Phoenix summer golf.
Plan it on the map
Open the Scottsdale golf map to see We-Ko-Pa Golf Club with every tee, the casino resort beside it and the Fountain Hills courses nearby. The $30 plan puts Saguaro and Cholla on days each is open and fits them into a full trip.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Is We-Ko-Pa Golf Club public?
Yes. Both courses are owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and open to the public. Resort rates can be booked 0 to 90 days ahead on wekopa.com, and We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort sells stay-and-play packages.
How much does We-Ko-Pa cost?
Both courses share one published rate table, before 9% tax: $239 from October 23, 2026 to January 7, 2027, $329 from January 8 to April 25, 2027, and $359 in WM Phoenix Open week, February 9-14. Summer 2027 drops to $109 from June 14 to August 26. Read November 3, 2026; rates change.
What is the We-Ko-Pa Arizona resident rate?
The Arizona ID rate applies when every player in the group shows an Arizona driver's licence or ID and books 7 days or less ahead. It is $179 through January 7, 2027, $239 for most of January to April, $359 in Phoenix Open week and $74 in summer.
Which is better, Saguaro or Cholla?
Saguaro, the 2006 Coore and Crenshaw course, is the one most visitors rank higher: minimalist, wide, firm and fast. Cholla, Scott Miller's 2001 course, is more target-style with more elevation change and is longer, at 7,225 yards from the back. Both cost the same.
Can I play both We-Ko-Pa courses in one day?
Yes. The 36-hole package covers both courses for $448 from October 23, 2026 to January 7, 2027, $619 in January to April peak and $679 in Phoenix Open week, before tax.
When is We-Ko-Pa closed for overseed?
In 2026 Cholla closed October 5-22 and reopened October 23, and Saguaro closed October 12-29 and reopened October 30. Cholla is cart path only through November 24, 2026, per a reseller listing.
How far is We-Ko-Pa from Scottsdale?
Cholla is 30 minutes and Saguaro 31 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale, about 20 to 21 miles. We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort is 4 to 5 minutes from the first tees.
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