Courses, Travel & Tee Times

Phoenix-Scottsdale: Must play golf in the East Valley

You don't have to head to north Scottsdale to find great golf in the Valley of the Sun. The East Valley offers a collection of it's own courses worth sampling, and most are more affordable.

Urban escape: Arizona Grand Golf Resort shines near downtown Phoenix

Arizona Grand Golf Resort, a 18-hole golf course near downtown Phoenix, is a little slice of peace in a built-up area. The golf course, opened in 1989 and designed by Forest Richardson, presents one of the desert's most unique plays with three very different environments. Conditions and hole variety make this course standout amongst the crowded Phoenix golf scene.

New ownership and Jim McLean Academy gives new life to SunRidge Canyon Golf Club

SunRidge Canyon Golf Club opened back in 1995, but in the spring of 2012, it feels like the Scottsdale golf scene's shiny new kid again. New ownership, a fresh commitment and some star power are helping to put this golf course back into the mix in terms of the Valley of the Sun's top must-play courses. Any truly great hangout needs a golf course that locals and snowbirds alike will want to play again and again.

Spring Fling: Cactus League baseball and awesome golf in sunny Arizona

If it's March in Arizona, getting into the swing of things has two meanings: Baseball and golf. It's the perfect double-header for a sports fan. Play a round of golf at any of the Valley's great courses in the morning, and then hit a Cactus League game in the afternoon. The best part: There are so many terrific golf clubs in the Valley of the Sun that golfers can play just about anywhere and have no more than a 30-minute drive to the nearest Cactus League ballpark.

Corporate Golfer: Shoot birdies and machine guns in Phoenix-Scottsdale

Corporate business plays a big part in Scottsdale's tourism industry. The Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau reports that 60 percent of all resort and full-service hotel business results from meetings-related travel. It's not hard to understand why: There's great golf, trendy resorts, major sports venues and cool surprises that live and thrive under the Arizona sun. Here's a handful of reasons why you should consider Scottsdale for your next convention or corporate retreat.

Let's play two: Scottsdale is the king of 36-hole golf clubs

Phoenix/Scottsdale offers more spectacular 36-hole public facilities than any other golf destination in the world. Nobody -- not Orlando, not Myrtle Beach, not SoCal -- can compare. The best 36-hole properties hog the spotlight. Clubs with two courses are perfect for those two-rounds-a-day golf benders where players can swing from sun up to sun down.

The South Course at Boulders: A dazzling Scottsdale desert golf experience

Arizona's Sonoran Desert covers about 120,000 square miles, and few spots have the spectacular visual drama of what can be found at The Boulders, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, located just north of Scottsdale. By the time you arrive on the fifth green on the South Course, you can marvel at this mighty formation from its base. It makes you feel tiny and insignificant. McDowell Mountain backdrops on the horizon and a collection of boulder piles in various sizes right up close makes for one of the Southwest's most picturesque golf experiences.

Wide Open: Limitless golf options around Scottsdale during Waste Management Phoenix Open week

The Valley of the Sun is one of golf's great hotbeds - and that's especially true when the PGA Tour comes to town. Brandon Tucker took the opportunity to visit a handful of golf courses all over the valley during Open week.

Golfing Fiesta

The turn of the calendar in Arizona means three things to college football fans: The Fiesta Bowl, the Insight Bowl and great golf. Fans who flock to Arizona to see either of the bowl games should remember to pack their clubs, because there's no better time to hit the Valley's plethora of world-class golf courses than late December and early January, Scott Bordow writes.

Before or after football, find great golf courses in Phoenix after an Arizona Cardinals game

University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, may be located northwest of Phoenix-Scottsdale in Glendale. But this is the Valley of the Sun, where there are limitless options to swing the sticks. Here's where to tee it up after football.