Scottsdale is the desert at its most refined: emerald fairways carved through saguaro cactus and sun-bleached rock, framed by the McDowell Mountains and a sky that stays clear for most of the year. This is target golf at its purest, where every hole is a study in contrast between manicured turf and raw Sonoran Desert. Add the resort town's easy glamour — spa mornings, long lunches, evenings under the stars — and you have one of the most complete golf destinations in the American Southwest, built for groups who want their course, their pace and their schedule.
We have arranged Arizona golf since 1981. Every itinerary is hand-built and hand-priced around your dates, your group and the courses you want to play.
Why play golf in Arizona & Scottsdale
Desert target golf at its finest — Scottsdale is the spiritual home of the genre, where fairways are framed by cactus, rock and mountain rather than rough.
Marquee names within easy reach — Troon North Golf Club, TPC Scottsdale and We Ko Pa Golf Club sit within a short drive of one another.
A genuine golf town — practice facilities, clubhouses and resort culture are built around the game, not bolted on.
Reliable, playable weather for most of the year, with crisp light and dramatic desert backdrops.
Easy logistics — courses, hotels and dining cluster together, so days are unhurried and travel between them is short.
The courses you’ll play
Troon North Golf Club is the benchmark for Scottsdale desert golf — two celebrated layouts threaded through boulder-strewn high desert, with the saguaro and the McDowells as a constant companion. TPC Scottsdale is the tournament stage, home to one of the most famous and theatrical holes in American golf, a course that rewards both nerve and course management. We Ko Pa Golf Club, set on tribal land with no houses in sight, offers a purer, more remote desert experience — uninterrupted views and unspoiled natural surrounds. We hand-pick the rotation and the order of play to suit your group's appetite and ability, and we build the tee times around your itinerary rather than the other way round.
Where you’ll stay
Scottsdale's accommodation is its own attraction — desert resorts with generous pools, full-service spas and dining that runs from casual to serious. We arrange stays to match the trip: a relaxed base for a roaming group, or a polished resort for those who want the round to be only part of the day. Proximity matters here, and we position you to keep drive times to Troon North, TPC Scottsdale and We Ko Pa short, so mornings are easy and afternoons are yours. Every stay is matched to your group, your budget and the way you like to travel; tell us the feel you want and we build around it.
Best time to play golf in Arizona & Scottsdale
Arizona is a shoulder-season destination, and spring and autumn are the sweet spot. From roughly March to May and again from October to November, daytime temperatures are warm and comfortable, the desert light is at its best and the courses are in prime condition — this is when we recommend most groups travel. Summers are hot, often very hot, so play is best confined to early mornings if you go in June, July or August. Winters are mild and pleasant for golf, though noticeably busier as the region's peak season; courses and resorts fill up, and this is not a winter-sun destination in the way the Canaries or Dubai are. For the ideal balance of weather, value and atmosphere, aim for spring or autumn.
A sense of Arizona & Scottsdale
History & heritage
Scottsdale grew up around the Sonoran Desert and the cultures that shaped it, and that heritage is still visible. The region's golf is built on tribal land partnerships, Western frontier history and a distinctly Southwestern sense of design — adobe tones, open horizons and architecture that defers to the landscape. The Old Town district keeps the cowboy past alive alongside galleries and modern dining, while the wider Sonoran setting is one of the most biodiverse deserts on earth. Playing here, particularly somewhere as untouched as We Ko Pa, you feel the desert as the locals understand it: not empty, but alive.
Food & wine
Scottsdale eats well. The dining scene runs from refined Southwestern cooking — mesquite-grilled meats, regional chilies and desert-influenced flavours — to polished steakhouses, contemporary fine dining and a lively casual scene built around its resort culture. Long lunches and unhurried dinners are part of the rhythm here, and the warm, dry evenings make outdoor dining a pleasure for much of the year. We can point your group towards the right tables for the occasion, whether that's a relaxed post-round meal near the course or somewhere to mark the trip in style.
Beyond the fairways
There is plenty to fill the non-golf hours. The wider Sonoran Desert invites Jeep tours, hot-air balloon flights at dawn and hiking among the saguaro and the McDowell Mountains. Scottsdale itself is known for its spas — among the best in the Southwest — for shopping and galleries in Old Town, and for an easy, sun-warmed pace. Spouses and non-golfers are well catered for, and a rest day here is no hardship. We can weave these into the itinerary so the trip works for the whole group, not only the players.
Getting around & exploring
Scottsdale is built for driving, and a hire car is the most practical way to get around — courses, resorts and restaurants are spread across the area, and distances between them are short and straightforward on wide, well-signed roads. For groups who would rather not drive, we can arrange private transfers between your hotel and the courses, and to and from the airport. Tell us how your group prefers to travel and we'll build the ground arrangements to suit; either way, the clustering of Troon North, TPC Scottsdale and We Ko Pa keeps daily journeys easy.
Getting there
Scottsdale is served by Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, a short drive from the resort area and well connected to the UK via one-stop routings with the major US carriers. Flights are not included in our packages — we are a ground-only operator — but we can arrange them for you as a separate ATOL-protected add-on, or you are welcome to book your own. Whichever you choose, we'll handle the transfer from the airport to your hotel so the trip begins smoothly the moment you land.
Good to know
Flights are not included. We are ground-only; flights can be added as a separate ATOL-protected arrangement, or you can book your own.
Travel documents: UK travellers need a valid passport and, currently, an approved ESTA for entry to the United States — check the latest requirements before you travel.
Time zone: Arizona does not observe daylight saving, so the time difference from the UK shifts across the year.
Best months for most groups: spring (March–May) and autumn (October–November); summers are very hot and winters mild but at peak season.
Sun and hydration: the desert sun is strong even in the cooler months — sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water are essential on course.
We are not ABTA members. Our trade credentials are ATOL (flights only), PTS and IATA.
Every itinerary is hand-built and hand-priced around your dates and your group — just tell us what you want to play.
Ready to play Arizona & Scottsdale?
Tell us your dates and group — we’ll build a tailored itinerary and hand-priced quote, usually within 15 minutes.
Golf holidays in Arizona & Scottsdale — answers to the questions our golfers ask most.
Are flights included?
Our golf holidays are arranged ground-only — hotel, golf and transfers. You can add flights through us, and those flights are ATOL protected as part of your booking.
How do golf holidays with Golf Planet Holidays work?
Every trip is tailor-made. Tell us your group, dates and the destinations you fancy, and we build a personal itinerary — hotel, golf and transfers — around them. There are no fixed packages to squeeze into; we shape the whole break to suit how your group likes to play.
How much does a golf holiday cost?
It depends on the destination, hotel, dates and how many rounds you want, so every quote is built individually. Many breaks start in the mid-hundreds per person; winter-sun and long-haul trips cost more. Get a free, no-obligation quote and we'll confirm your figure.
Are your golf holidays ATOL protected?
Our packages are arranged on a ground-only basis — hotel, golf and transfers. When you book flights through us, those flights are ATOL protected as part of your booking. Ground-only arrangements are not flight-inclusive, so are not sold under an ATOL.
When is the best time to go on a golf holiday?
It depends where you play: the Canaries, Mauritius and South Africa are winter-sun favourites, while Spain, Portugal and Turkey shine in spring and autumn. Tell us roughly when you want to travel and we'll match you to the destinations in best condition.
How do I get a tailored quote?
Use our enquiry form to send your group size, rough dates and any destinations or courses you have in mind. We'll reply with a free, no-obligation quote built around your trip. No call centre, no pressure — just a personal plan from our golf travel team.
