Golf in Phoenix: Public Courses That Punch Above Their Weight

Phoenix's golf culture is built primarily around the resort and private club market that serves the winter visitor and corporate event demographic. The public course options that cater to local residents and traveling golfers who can't or won't pay resort rates are less publicized but include some legitimate surprises. Papago Golf Course, owned by the City of Phoenix and operated within Papago Park, is the benchmark for municipal golf value in the Valley: 7,068 yards from the back tees, views of the distinctive Papago buttes, and greens fees that remain accessible relative to resort alternatives. The course has hosted U.S. Open qualifying and LPGA Tour events. Encanto Golf Course in central Phoenix is shorter and more forgiving than Papago, but its midtown location makes it the most accessible public golf option for residents of the urban core. The Legacy Golf Club in Gilbert operates as a public-access facility with conditions and amenities that rival resort properties at prices that don't. The Pete Dye-designed course uses water features and desert terrain with more imagination than most valley public courses. Quintero Golf Club in Peoria has been ranked among the top public golf courses in Arizona since its opening.