This story is adapted from a piece originally published by our friends at Kingdom written by Shaun Tolson.
There are golf destinations. And there are destinations that happen to have world-class golf. Arizona belongs in the second category.
Yes, some of the best desert golf in America lives there. But that’s only part of the story. Arizona is also spring training baseball, Sonoran hot dogs, luxury resorts, desert sunsets, mountain hikes, incredible Mexican food, and enough sunshine to make you forget you ever owned a winter coat.
It’s the rare trip where everyone gets what they want.
The golf guys get their golf.
The food guys get their food.
The adventure guys get their adventure.
Everybody ends up happy.
If we were planning the perfect Arizona golf getaway, here’s where we’d start.
Photo via Arizona Biltmore Golf Club
First Round? Make It Fun.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in Arizona is scheduling the hardest golf course they can find on day one. The desert has a way of humbling visitors. Instead, ease into the trip.
The Estates Course at Arizona Biltmore is one of the best opening rounds in the state. Tom Lehman’s redesign transformed the layout into something strategic without becoming punishing. There’s room to swing away, room to get creative, and fewer opportunities to donate golf balls to the desert.
For scenery alone, Sedona Golf Resort deserves a spot on the itinerary. The red rock backdrop feels almost unfair. It looks less like a golf course and more like someone dropped eighteen holes into a National Geographic photo spread.
Want something completely different? Head north to Elephant Rocks in Williams. Sitting roughly 7,000 feet above sea level and surrounded by towering Ponderosa pines, it feels more Montana than Arizona.
Tubac Golf Resort is another favorite. The golf is excellent, but the real appeal is the setting. Cottonwood trees line the fairways, the Santa Rita Mountains sit in the distance, and yes, this is where portions of Tin Cup were filmed.
If you’ve ever wanted to recreate the movie’s legendary seven-iron scene, this is your chance.
The Golf Nerd Detour
Every great guys trip needs one slightly ridiculous experience. And Arizona has a good one.
PXG’s ultra-exclusive Scottsdale fitting experience costs roughly the same as a decent used car. For around $30,000, participants receive custom fittings, new clubs, apparel, luxury accommodations, chef’s-table dinners, spa treatments, and unlimited golf at Scottsdale National. Is it excessive? Absolutely. Worth it? Maybe so.
Even if you’re not signing up, Scottsdale National remains one of the most fascinating golf properties in America. The entire experience feels less like a golf club and more like a billionaire’s country club fever dream.
Photo via We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
Play We-Ko-Pa Before Everyone Else Tells You To
Ask enough golfers about Arizona and eventually one name keeps appearing. We-Ko-Pa. Located roughly thirty minutes outside Scottsdale, the property delivers what many golfers consider the purest desert golf experience in the state. The biggest difference is what you don’t see. No houses. No condos. No backyard swimming pools. Just golf and desert.
The Cholla Course is Arizona golf at its most classic. Strategic, demanding, and framed by rugged desert terrain.
The Saguaro Course takes a different approach. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, it follows the natural contours of the land and is one of the rare Arizona courses that genuinely encourages walking.
Both are exceptional. If you’re only playing one facility during your trip, make a strong case for this one.
Photo via Tito & Pep
Spend a Day in Tucson
Tucson might be Arizona’s most underrated destination. Most visitors fly into Phoenix, stay in Scottsdale, and never venture farther south.
That’s a mistake. In 2015, Tucson became the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States. Which sounds impressive because it is. More importantly, it means the city punches far above its weight when it comes to food.
Start at Tito & Pep. Chef John Martinez built one of the state’s most beloved restaurants by combining Southern Arizona traditions with techniques and influences gathered throughout his career. Much of the menu revolves around a mesquite-fired grill, producing dishes that feel deeply connected to the region.
Then continue eating. Seriously.
Bata is worth seeking out.
Anello makes some of the best wood-fired pizza in the state.
El Taco Rustico has developed a cult following for good reason.
And if you’re looking for the definitive Sonoran hot dog experience, head to El Sinaloense. A bacon-wrapped hot dog covered in beans, onions, tomatoes, sauces, and enough toppings to require structural engineering should not work this well. Yet somehow it does.
Photo via Cactus League
Catch a Spring Training Game
Spring training may be Arizona’s greatest travel hack.
The weather is perfect. The tickets are affordable. The beer tastes better outside. And the entire experience feels wonderfully low stakes.
Nobody’s fighting for playoff positioning. Nobody’s screaming about wild-card implications. It’s baseball stripped down to its most enjoyable form.
Sunshine, hot dogs, and a few hours with your friends. Sometimes that’s enough.
The Real Reason Arizona Works
Golf trips can be for everyone. Even the non-golfers in your group. Because the best golf trips aren’t just about the golf. They’re about everything surrounding it. The coffee before the tee time. The long lunch after the round. The random taco joint someone found.
Arizona provides more opportunities for those moments than almost anywhere else. The golf gets people on the plane. Everything else is what makes them come back.
