Best public golf in Arizona.

AZ · Scottsdale · Public · Par 72

Tom Fazio gave this one wide, forgiving fairways and crowned greens that have hosted NCAA Championships. A more playable, polished take on Scottsdale desert golf.

AZ · Scottsdale · Public · Par 72

Tighter and more dramatic than the Raptor, threading deep desert canyons. The signature 11th, nicknamed Heaven and Hell, will test your nerve and your short game.

AZ · Peoria · Public · Par 72

A Rees Jones layout tucked into the mountains northwest of the city, miles from anything. The elevation changes and total seclusion make it feel like a private retreat at public prices.

AZ · Scottsdale · Public · Par 71

This is the course with the famous stadium-enclosed par-3 16th where the Phoenix Open crowds roar. Even on a quiet Tuesday you can stand in that coliseum and feel the echo of 20,000 fans.

AZ · Scottsdale · Public · Par 72

Weiskopf carved this one straight through giant granite boulders at the foot of Pinnacle Peak. The signature par-5 monument hole bends around a house-sized rock that gives the course its name.

AZ · Scottsdale · Public · Par 71

The wilder sibling to the Monument, with steep desert washes and greens hidden behind rock outcrops. Bring extra balls and a camera for the Pinnacle Peak backdrop.

AZ · Tucson · Resort · Par 73

The Catalina course has hosted the pros since the 1960s and still plays as a stout par 73 beneath the Santa Catalinas. A proper championship layout you can simply book and tee up on.

AZ · Carefree · Resort · Par 72

Jay Morrish routed this through surreal piles of ancient granite at a Hilton Curio resort. The two courses rotate which is open to guests each day, so book ahead and savor whichever you draw.

AZ · Fort McDowell · Public · Par 72

Bolder and longer than its Saguaro sibling, with heroic carries and panoramas in every direction. Owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and fully open to all.

AZ · Fort McDowell · Public · Par 71

A Coore and Crenshaw walk through untouched Sonoran Desert with not a single home in sight. The minimalist routing feels like golf the way the land intended it.

AZ · Tucson · Resort · Par 72

A 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course carved into the foothills with forced carries and big elevation. Open to Westin resort guests who want a true desert-mountain test.

AZ · Maricopa · Public · Par 72

A Schmidt-Curley design owned by the Ak-Chin Community, full of rolling dunescape and sculpted bunkers. Long from the tips but generous enough to enjoy from the right tees.

AZ · Tucson · Public · Par 71

A Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout pressed right up against the Coronado National Forest in the Catalina foothills. Often called the best public course in Tucson, and home to the Wildcat teams.

AZ · Gold Canyon · Resort · Par 70

East of the city against the Superstition Mountains, this one climbs and tumbles through dramatic terrain. Several holes are literally cut into the mountainside for views you will not forget.

AZ · Sedona · Public · Par 72

A classic parkland course threading the junipers with red-rock views in every direction. Semi-private but happy to give visitors a tee time.

AZ · Sedona · Resort · Par 71

Gary Panks framed this one against Sedona's red-rock cathedrals, and the par-3 10th may be the most photographed hole in the Southwest. Bring a wide-angle lens and play slow.

AZ · Tucson · Resort · Par 72

Designed by Notah Begay at Casino Del Sol, with thousands of native flowers and cacti framing the fairways. The name means land where flowers grow, and it shows.

AZ · Surprise · Public · Par 72

A fresh Nicklaus design at the base of the White Tanks, Troon-managed and currently open for daily-fee play. Catch it while you can, as it is slated to go private as the community fills in.

AZ · Tubac · Resort · Par 71

Cottonwood-lined and lush in the high desert south of Tucson, this 27-hole resort starred in the movie Tin Cup. The Anza nine even has its own Sawgrass-style island green.

AZ · Buckeye · Public · Par 72

The bolder of Verrado's two courses, with big elevation swings against the White Tank Mountains. A Tom Lehman design the West Valley quietly considers its best public play.

AZ · Litchfield Park · Resort · Par 72

A long, stately Robert Trent Jones Sr. course at a resort that has welcomed golfers since 1929. Old-school parkland golf with grand trees and a sense of history rare in the desert.

AZ · Prescott · Public · Par 72

A tree-lined 1956 muni at mile-high elevation where the summers stay cool and the bentgrass greens roll true. Honest, affordable golf with real character.

AZ · Flagstaff · Public · Par 72

A pine-lined course at 7,000 feet with the San Francisco Peaks watching over you. One of Flagstaff's best public escapes when the valley is baking.

AZ · Williams · Public · Par 72

A cool, pine-shaded city course at nearly 6,800 feet, a perfect summer detour on the way to the Grand Canyon. The original nine dates to the 1920s and the mountain air is a tonic after the desert.

AZ · Phoenix · Public · Par 72

A classic 1963 Billy Bell muni, freshly renovated, sitting beneath red sandstone buttes near the Phoenix Zoo. Tour-quality conditioning at a fraction of resort green fees.