Where to stay in Scottsdale for golf: Old Town, north Scottsdale, Phoenix or the East Valley
Where to stay in Scottsdale for golf: Old Town, north Scottsdale, Phoenix and the East Valley compared by drive times, courses, hotels, fees and event weeks.
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Where to stay in Scottsdale for golf comes down to which courses you will play most. Old Town and the central Scottsdale Rd corridor are the best all-round base, 9 to 24 minutes from Papago, Talking Stick, TPC and Grayhawk with dinner on foot. North Scottsdale suits a TPC, Grayhawk and Troon North trip, Phoenix suits the city courses, and the East Valley suits snowbirds.
This guide compares the main areas by drive times, the courses closest to each, the hotels and resorts in the files, and the event weeks that move prices. Room rates were not captured for most hotels, so we quote the resort and destination fees from an October 2026 tracker instead; rates change.
Quick facts
- Best all-round base: Old Town and central Scottsdale, 18 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor.
- For TPC, Grayhawk and Troon North: north Scottsdale (Perimeter Center, Kierland, Troon North).
- For snowbirds: east Mesa, Apache Junction, Gold Canyon and Sun Lakes.
- Lowest resort fee on the tracker: Marriott Tempe at The Buttes, $17.11 a night.
- Avoid if you can: WM Phoenix Open week, February 8-14, 2027.
- Time zone: Mountain Standard Time all year, no daylight saving.
Where to stay in Scottsdale for golf: the areas compared
| Base | Closest golf | To TPC Scottsdale | To Troon North | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town / central Scottsdale | Papago 9 min, McCormick Ranch 9, Talking Stick 15 | 21 min | 35-36 min | first trips, groups who want nightlife |
| North Scottsdale | TPC, Grayhawk, Kierland, all under 10 min from Perimeter Center | 2-6 min | about 7 min from the Four Seasons | TPC and Troon North trips |
| Paradise Valley / Camelback | Mountain Shadows Short, Camelback, the Phoenician | not measured | not measured | couples, resort stays |
| Phoenix (Biltmore, Desert Ridge) | Biltmore, Wildfire, the city munis | 12 min from Desert Ridge | not measured | city courses, short trips |
| Tempe | Grass Clippings, Papago, Ken McDonald | not measured | not measured | value and walkable nightlife |
| East Valley (Mesa, Chandler, Wild Horse Pass) | Whirlwind, Superstition Springs, Las Sendas | not measured | not measured | snowbirds, south Valley golf |
Times are free-flow estimates; course-to-Old-Town times are measured from Scottsdale Rd at Indian School Rd. Rush hour on the Loop 101, Loop 202 and I-10 can add 15 to 30 minutes.
Old Town and central Scottsdale
Old Town is the middle of the board. Papago, the Valley's best-known muni, is 9 minutes away; McCormick Ranch Palm is 9; Talking Stick's O'odham is 15; TPC Scottsdale's Stadium is 21. You can walk to dinner at places like The Mission, Citizen Public House or Bandera.
| Stay | Type | Fee (Oct 2026 tracker) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town | hotel | not on tracker | plain, central, walk to bars |
| Scottsdale Marriott Suites Old Town | all-suite hotel | $28.51 destination fee | roomy, walkable |
| Hyatt Place Scottsdale/Old Town | hotel | not on tracker | in the bar district; noisy for early tee times |
| Hotel Adeline | design hotel, Scottsdale Rd | $28.51 destination fee | mid-price |
| Embassy Suites Scottsdale Resort | suites, Scottsdale Rd | $28.51 resort fee | suites with sofa beds for groups |
| The Phoenician | luxury resort | $56.54 | its own short 18, 1 min |
The trade-off: north Scottsdale courses are 21 to 36 minutes away, and Scottsdale Stadium in Old Town hosts the Giants in spring training, so March is busy. See the Papago course guide and the O'odham course guide.
North Scottsdale: Perimeter Center, Kierland and Troon North
Base here if your trip is built around Grayhawk's Raptor, TPC and Troon North's Pinnacle. From the Fairmont Princess, TPC is 4 minutes and Grayhawk 8; from the Four Seasons, Troon North is about 7.
| Stay | Type | Fee (Oct 2026) | Closest golf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmont Scottsdale Princess | resort | $62.69 | TPC, 4 min |
| Four Seasons at Troon North | resort | not on tracker | Troon North, 7 min, with guest priority |
| Westin Kierland | resort | $56.44 | Kierland, 27 holes, 3 min |
| Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains | hotel | $34.21 | TPC Champions, 3 min |
| Hilton Vacation Club Scottsdale Links | villas | $29.65 | TPC Champions, 2 min |
| Residence Inn Scottsdale North | kitchens | not on tracker | TPC, 6 min |
| SpringHill Suites Scottsdale North | suites | not on tracker | Kierland, 6 min |
The catches: Barrett-Jackson at WestWorld (January 23-31, 2027) fills hotels near Pima Rd and the Loop 101, and Phoenix Open week brings heavy traffic around TPC on Scottsdale Rd and Bell Rd. Old Town is 35 minutes or more from the Four Seasons. See the Pinnacle course guide, the Raptor course guide and our north Scottsdale golf guide.
Paradise Valley and the Camelback corridor
Between Old Town and Phoenix sit the couples' resorts: Camelback Inn for Camelback Golf Club's Padre and Ambiente, Mountain Shadows with its par-3 Short Course on site, Omni Montelucia ($50.92, no golf), Sanctuary Camelback Mountain and the Kimpton Miralina, the old Scottsdale Plaza reopened in 2026 and still finishing its buildout ($50.93). Further up Scottsdale Rd, the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas ($34.21) and DoubleTree Paradise Valley ($33.95) are cheaper resort-style options, and The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch ($51.29) is next to McCormick Ranch's Pine course. In Gainey Ranch, the Grand Hyatt ($57) reportedly gives guests the private Gainey Ranch club, and Sonesta Suites ($34.21) and Homewood Suites suit longer stays.
Phoenix and Tempe
- Biltmore: the Arizona Biltmore ($59) borders the Biltmore Estates and Links courses, 15 minutes from Old Town; no guest golf perk was found.
- Desert Ridge: JW Marriott Desert Ridge ($61.91) has Wildfire's Palmer and Faldo courses on its grounds and is 12 minutes from TPC; the Residence Inn Desert View is the kitchen-equipped value option.
- North Phoenix: Hilton Tapatio Cliffs ($43.90) promotes Lookout Mountain; confirm it is open for your dates.
- South Mountain: Arizona Grand has a course on site but the highest fee on the tracker at $90.46.
- Tempe: Marriott Tempe at The Buttes has the lowest resort fee on the list ($17.11) and is close to Sky Harbor; Tempe Mission Palms ($34.22) is walkable to Mill Ave and 4 minutes from Grass Clippings.
Phoenix is the base for the city courses and the Phoenix Golf Card, and the shortest airport run.
The East Valley: Mesa, Chandler and Wild Horse Pass
| Stay | Area | Closest golf | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass | Gila River | Whirlwind Cattail, 4 min | $29 fee covers a Whirlwind shuttle |
| Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino | Gila River | Whirlwind Devil's Claw, 5 min | $32.77 fee; casino |
| Sheraton Mesa at Wrigleyville West | west Mesa | Dobson Ranch, 10 min | Cubs spring training hotel; pricey in March |
| Courtyard Mesa Gateway Airport | east Mesa | Toka Sticks, 4 min | for AZA arrivals |
| Residence Inn Mesa East | east Mesa | Augusta Ranch, 8 min | kitchens |
| Hilton Phoenix Chandler | Chandler | San Marcos, 7 min | full service |
| Hyatt Place Chandler | Chandler | San Marcos, 7 min | budget |
From Old Town, Superstition Springs and Whirlwind are each about 31 minutes, so an East Valley base makes sense when most rounds are out there. Sloan Park and Hohokam in Mesa host the Cubs and Athletics in March. For long stays, see Mesa RV resorts and Scottsdale golf vacation rentals.
Out on their own: Carefree, Fountain Hills and beyond
- Boulders Resort in Carefree: the South Course 2 minutes away; 35 to 45 minutes from Old Town.
- We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort in Fort McDowell: We-Ko-Pa Saguaro and Cholla 4 to 5 minutes away; 30 to 40 minutes from Old Town.
- Talking Stick Resort: casino resort 5 minutes from Talking Stick Golf Club's Piipaash and O'odham courses, with a $28.51 fee; spring training at Salt River Fields lifts March rates.
- The Wigwam (West Valley) and Gold Canyon Golf Resort (far east): golf resorts that work as their own bases.
More on the resort choice in our Scottsdale golf resorts guide, and on budget picks in cheap hotels for Scottsdale golf.
Timing your stay
When you stay matters as much as where to stay in Scottsdale for golf. Room prices follow the golf and spring-training season, and January to April is peak. WM Phoenix Open week (February 8-14, 2027) is the most expensive, especially Thursday to Saturday in Scottsdale; spring training opens February 19, 2027; Barrett-Jackson is January 23-31, 2027. November is one of the best golf months at rates below the peak, and June to September is cheapest. See Phoenix Open golf trips, flights to Phoenix for golf and our Scottsdale golf trip guide. Comparing other desert towns? See where to stay in Palm Springs for golf and where to stay in Tucson for golf.
Plan it on the map
Open the Scottsdale golf map to see every hotel and resort with drive times to the courses beside it, and decide where to stay in Scottsdale for golf by the rounds you want. The $30 plan picks the base that keeps your drives short.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
What is the best area to stay in Scottsdale for golf?
For a first trip, Old Town or the Scottsdale Rd corridor just north of it. Papago is 9 minutes away, Talking Stick 15, TPC Scottsdale 21 and Grayhawk about 24, and you can walk to dinner. Base in north Scottsdale instead if most of your rounds are at TPC, Grayhawk and Troon North.
Is it better to stay in Old Town or north Scottsdale for golf?
North Scottsdale puts you minutes from TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk and Kierland, and the Four Seasons is about 7 minutes from Troon North. Old Town is 21 to 36 minutes from those courses but has the restaurants and bars on foot and is closer to Papago, Talking Stick and the central courses. Groups that want nightlife choose Old Town; groups that want early tee times in the north choose north Scottsdale.
How far is Phoenix Sky Harbor from Scottsdale?
About 18 minutes (10 miles) to Old Town Scottsdale, 23 minutes to central Mesa and 34 minutes to north Scottsdale at Pinnacle Peak Rd, free-flow. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA) is 42 minutes from Old Town but closer to the East Valley and Gold Canyon.
Should I stay in Mesa or Chandler for a golf trip?
If your rounds are in the East or south Valley, yes. The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is 3 to 4 minutes from Whirlwind, and east Mesa hotels sit near Superstition Springs, Las Sendas and the snowbird courses. From Old Town, Whirlwind and Superstition Springs are each about 31 minutes, so a Scottsdale base still works for one or two rounds out there.
Which Scottsdale hotels have no resort fee?
Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town, Hyatt Place Scottsdale/Old Town and the Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites in north Scottsdale were not on the October 2026 resort-fee tracker, though that does not prove they charge none. Old Town's Marriott Suites, Hotel Adeline and Embassy Suites listed $28.51 a night.
When are Scottsdale hotels most expensive?
WM Phoenix Open week (February 8-14, 2027) is the single most expensive week, especially Thursday to Saturday in Scottsdale. Spring training from February 19, 2027, and March spring breaks keep rates high, Barrett-Jackson (January 23-31, 2027) fills hotels near WestWorld, and June to September is cheapest.
Where should snowbirds stay for a winter of golf?
Most long-stay golfers base in the East Valley: the Mesa, Apache Junction and Gold Canyon RV resorts, or furnished condos in Sun Lakes at about $2,000 to $3,500 a month in listings seen. Furnished condos around Kierland in north Scottsdale ran about $3,000 to $7,000 or more a month.
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