Courses, Travel & Tee Times

TPC Scottsdale: More than just the host of the Waste Management Phoenix Open

The TPC Scottsdale gets recognized on par with other top TPC facilities across the country for its Stadium Course, home to the Phoenix Waste Management Open. But it's the 7,115-yard Champions Course that just might be right for your foursome. The Champions will always play second fiddle to the Stadium in stature, but here's why this layout might be a better choice: price, playability and walkability.

Tiny but tough: Don't be fooled by the scorecard at Rancho Manana Golf Club in Cave Creek

Any self-respecting golfer will take one look at the scorecard for Rancho Manana Golf Club and dismiss it immediately. But the numbers are a flat-out lie. Simply put, Rancho Manana is the toughest 6,000 yards you'll ever encounter. It's is one of the funkier and more enjoyable tracks in the Scottsdale area, because it's so different: The scenery is beautiful, the price is right, the bunkers don't require a step-ladder to get out of and the atmosphere is low-key.

Legend Trail Golf Club: A hidden gem in north Scottsdale

Although Legend Trail Golf Club has won numerous awards, it still gets lost with so many world-class golf courses in the Scottsdale, Arizona area. While Legend Trail may not be a photographic wonder or a course everyone talks about, it can be proud of what it is -- a friendly desert layout, Scott Bordow writes.

The Phoenician Twenty seven holes of scenic resort golf in Scottsdale Arizona

The 27-hole layout at The Phoenician, located in Scottsdale, Ariz., hardly feels like desert golf at times. The three nine-hole courses also feature many ponds, manicured fairways and mountain views, depending on which layout you're playing. Jason Scott Deegan has more on The Phoenician.

The Phoenician resort A palace in the shadow of Scottsdale s Camelback Mountain

There's plenty of competition when it comes to golf resorts in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, but The Phoenician always aims to be a step ahead. The whole place sparkles with modern luxury. From the high-end shops, inviting bars, flowing fountains and acres of imported marble, The Phoenician is a true work of art, Jason Scott Deegan writes.

The Phoenician resort A palace in the shadow of Scottsdale s Camelback Mountain

There's plenty of competition when it comes to golf resorts in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, but The Phoenician always aims to be a step ahead. The whole place sparkles with modern luxury. From the high-end shops, inviting bars, flowing fountains and acres of imported marble, The Phoenician is a true work of art, Jason Scott Deegan writes.

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona is a Southwestern golf resort treasure

PGA Tour pros live a pretty pampered life, following the sun from one fabulous resort destination to the next. If the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess can impress them, it can certainly do the same for any guest. The staff will make sure of it.

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.

In Scottsdale Arizona McCormick Ranch Golf Club s charming old fashioned courses deliver plenty of bang for the buck

Playing McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., is a little like stepping back in time. The Palm Course and Pine Course were built in 1972, and little has been done to change their look since then. The result: Two old-fashioned courses that don't try too hard yet still deliver plenty of bang for the buck.

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.