Desert Hills Golf Course, Yuma: Rates, Punch Cards and the Yuma Open

Desert Hills Golf Course in Yuma is the City of Yuma's municipal 18, par 72 and 6,824 yards, 11 minutes from downtown. It hosted the Yuma Open from 1990 to 1993. The posted January to March rate is $75 with a cart or $55 walking before 11 AM, and 10-play punch cards bring a walking round to $50.

Desert Hills Golf Course is Yuma's main public course and the default for winter visitors who play several days a week: walking is allowed at all times, the practice area is big, and there is a full restaurant and bar in the clubhouse.

Quick facts

• Where: 1245 W Desert Hills Drive, about 11 minutes (5.2 miles) from downtown. On the map: Desert Hills.
• Course: 18 holes, par 72, 4,926 to 6,824 yards. Opened 1973; run by Yuma Parks and Recreation.
• Jan-Mar rates (posted): $49 to $75 with a cart, $40 to $55 walking.
• Punch cards: $650 (cart) or $500 (walking) for 10 plays, Jan-Mar.
• Booking: 8 days ahead online at 12:00 AM; phone 928-373-5220, 6 AM to 6 PM.
• History: Yuma Open, Ben Hogan Tour 1990-92 and Nike Tour 1993.
• Reviews: Google 4.2 from 273 reviews.

The course

Desert Hills Golf Course is a desert parkland layout with rolling terrain, some elevation change, palms, open fairways and large undulating greens. Water comes into play on a few holes; the scorecard diagram shows ponds at #3, #7, #17 and #18. The greens and fairways are bermuda, overseeded with rye for winter.

The city replaced the irrigation system in 2025 with a state water-infrastructure grant, working nine holes at a time from June to September 2025 and swapping some turf for native landscaping. Who designed the course is disputed: it was built by the city, and a 2008 Golf Club Atlas thread says city engineers laid it out with consultant Dick Slavinski involved.

We rate it 3 of 5. It is open enough for higher handicaps, but the greens take some reading.

Desert Hills tees and slopes

These are USGA figures. The 2012 scorecard prints different tee names and yardages (Blue 6,800, White 6,300, Red 5,694).

Desert Hills Golf Course rates by season

The city changes its table several times a year. Only the January to March table was posted on October 23, 2026; the others are the most recent official tables we found, so treat them as a guide to the pattern, not current prices.

The nine-hole rate is only offered on the early back nine or after 2 PM. Walking nine holes after 4 PM costs $9. No senior or City of Yuma resident rate is published; earlier rate pages showed $5 off before 11 AM for military and free golf for juniors with a paying adult, but the current table does not repeat them. Rates change, and the Nov-Dec 2026 table had not been posted. For every course's seasons, see Yuma golf rates.

Punch cards, cart cards and the Beat the Heat card

The $500 walking card works out to $50 a round against $55 at the gate, and the $650 card to $65 a round with a cart against $75. The walking rate is not valid with a cart card. In 2024 the 10-play green fee card was $440, so prices have risen.

The Beat the Heat card is for golfers in town over the summer. Play 12 rounds between June 1 and September 30, pay the $20 processing fee, and every round drops one rate tier for the rest of the year, with 8-day booking for your own foursome. It is not valid for tournaments or promotions. No annual pass or winter membership is published, though men's and women's clubs exist. Compare the options at other courses in Yuma golf passes.

The Yuma Open at Desert Hills

The Yuma Open was played four times, each February from 1990 to 1993, at Desert Hills. It was a Ben Hogan Tour event from 1990 to 1992 and a Nike Tour event in 1993, the developmental tour now called the Korn Ferry Tour. It was not a PGA Tour stop.

Horgan's 196 in 1991 was then the tour's 54-hole scoring record. Purses ran $100,000 to $150,000. The course site also lists Sunbelt Senior Tour events. The full story is in our Yuma Open golf history.

The Hills GastroPub and the clubhouse

The clubhouse restaurant is listed on Google as The Hills GastroPub (4.4 from 254 reviews), and the city site calls it The Patio Restaurant and Bar. Google showed it open until 10 PM on the day we checked and taking reservations; its Facebook page says 6:30 AM to 9 PM daily. There is also a snack shack and, in peak season, a beverage cart, plus banquet space for 10 to 175 people. For more places to eat, see where to eat in Yuma.

The golf shop does club fitting and lessons, and rents Ping G410 sets for $40 for 18 or $25 for nine.

Practice facilities

Desert Hills Golf Course has one of the fullest practice setups in Yuma: a driving range ($6 for 30 balls, $10 for 60), four putting greens, three chipping greens and two warm-up bunkers, plus a 10-hole short-game course and a FootGolf course. The city's 18-hole par 3, Arroyo Dunes, is about a mile north; see our Arroyo Dunes par 3 guide.

When tee times are easiest to get

• Book at midnight, eight days out. Each date's online sheet opens at 12:00 AM eight days ahead. The phone line opens at 6 AM.
• The first tee time is sunrise or 6:00 AM, whichever is later. Yuma does not use daylight saving, so in winter that clock is one hour ahead of California.
• Afternoons are easier and cheaper. The after-1 PM rate ($49 ride, $40 walk in Jan-Mar) is the best value if you can finish before dark; winter sunset is around 5:30 PM.
• Go early for pace. Spring 2026 GolfPass reviews mention slow play, one a 5-hour-15 round in March, against a scorecard pace rating of 4 hours 18 minutes.
• Call in October. On Oct 23, 2026 there were no online times through Oct 31 and the engine said to call the pro shop to book. The reopening date after overseed was not published.

For the winter booking picture across town, read Yuma tee times in winter.

House rules

Walking is allowed at all times. Carts follow the 90-degree rule and stay on the paths near tees and greens. Fivesomes are allowed, personal coolers are not. A companion or replay cart costs $15 for 18 or $10 for nine. Proper golf attire is required; the GolfPass listing says collared shirts, no cut-offs, and denim allowed.

Where to stay near Desert Hills

Hotel rates are the lowest public rate before tax on hilton.com for one night; they change daily.

Desert Hills or Las Barrancas?

Desert Hills is closer to town, walkable and better for a weekly routine; Las Barrancas has the more dramatic Foothills layout. Our Desert Hills vs Las Barrancas comparison goes through price, location and layout. The Desert Hills course guide and the Arroyo Dunes course guide have the course data.

Plan it on the map

Desert Hills Golf Course and Arroyo Dunes are on the Yuma golf map with drive times to the 16th St and 32nd St hotels. The $30 plan can build a winter stay around a Desert Hills punch card with a weekly rotation to the Foothills courses.