Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon Golf Resort
About
The Dinosaur Mountain course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort is consistently rated among Arizona's top public courses. It offers a one-of-a-kind round in the Sonora. Panoramas feature at tee boxes. There's a test of skills, traveling upwards, downwards and all around Dinosaur Mountain, with tee-green elevations changing dramatically and fairways loping long.
While playing a round on the Dinosaur Mountain course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort, note the back-to-back signature holes, the fourth and fifth.
A round on the Dinosaur Mountain course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort kicks off on the 316-yard, par-4 first, which is tougher than it appears: The fairway heads uphill, narrows and leads to a well-guarded sloping green. The par-5, 514-yard third is one of three long holes; look out for the leftward dogleg, and then, go uphill to a diminutive multilevel green. Finish on the 366-yard, par-4 18th, which features fairway bunkers left and right to keep golfers from trying to wrap up too quickly.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gold | 70 | 6653 yards | 71.3 | 143 |
Black | 70 | 6323 yards | 69.2 | 135 |
Blue | 70 | 5833 yards | 66.7 | 122 |
Blue (W) | 72 | 5833 yards | 73.7 | 138 |
White | 70 | 5368 yards | 64.7 | 117 |
White (W) | 72 | 5368 yards | 70.7 | 137 |
Red (W) | 72 | 4826 yards | 67.1 | 118 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gold M: 71.9/145 | 316 | 197 | 514 | 467 | 236 | 451 | 439 | 203 | 542 | 3365 | 170 | 543 | 448 | 454 | 226 | 378 | 535 | 168 | 366 | 3288 | 6653 |
Black M: 70.1/137 | 305 | 188 | 495 | 452 | 223 | 435 | 419 | 191 | 535 | 3243 | 152 | 517 | 427 | 420 | 201 | 365 | 510 | 148 | 339 | 3079 | 6322 |
Black/Blue M: 68.6/132 | 305 | 174 | 495 | 408 | 223 | 435 | 355 | 148 | 535 | 3078 | 152 | 463 | 381 | 384 | 179 | 365 | 464 | 148 | 339 | 2875 | 5953 |
Blue M: 67.5/125 W: 74.5/140 | 300 | 174 | 465 | 408 | 199 | 409 | 355 | 148 | 514 | 2972 | 142 | 463 | 381 | 384 | 179 | 354 | 464 | 138 | 319 | 2824 | 5796 |
Blue/White M: 66.3/122 | 300 | 150 | 418 | 372 | 199 | 378 | 355 | 148 | 490 | 2810 | 142 | 463 | 346 | 343 | 143 | 354 | 436 | 138 | 319 | 2684 | 5494 |
White M: 65.6/117 W: 71.6/129 | 271 | 150 | 418 | 372 | 170 | 378 | 335 | 130 | 490 | 2714 | 136 | 453 | 346 | 343 | 143 | 340 | 436 | 116 | 310 | 2623 | 5337 |
Silver M: 64.6/115 W: 70.2/125 | 259 | 143 | 418 | 330 | 165 | 372 | 341 | 130 | 459 | 2617 | 129 | 421 | 347 | 331 | 141 | 331 | 410 | 116 | 301 | 2527 | 5144 |
Cooper W: 67.6/120 | 231 | 115 | 402 | 321 | 111 | 345 | 274 | 113 | 441 | 2353 | 121 | 412 | 324 | 321 | 125 | 328 | 410 | 97 | 302 | 2440 | 4793 |
Handicap | 15 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 5 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 12 | |||
Par | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
Handicap (W) | 11 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 18 | 12 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Catering, RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, SpaAvailable Sports
FitnessReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by QuantumGolfx on 03/26/2023
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Photo submitted by QuantumGolfx on 03/26/2023
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Photo submitted by QuantumGolfx on 03/26/2023
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Photo submitted by QuantumGolfx on 03/26/2023
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Photo submitted by QuantumGolfx on 03/26/2023
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Photo submitted by QuantumGolfx on 03/26/2023
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Photo submitted by GolfLeo on 04/11/2022
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Photo submitted by cjw269 on 08/29/2020
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1st tee Photo submitted by hacksalot03 on 06/24/2020
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Photo submitted by polishpal on 10/13/2017
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Photo submitted by polishpal on 10/13/2017
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#5 Photo submitted by polishpal on 10/13/2017
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Photo submitted by polishpal on 10/13/2017
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Photo submitted by BloodyMaryGolfr on 06/21/2016
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Photo submitted by BloodyMaryGolfr on 06/21/2016
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Photo submitted by BloodyMaryGolfr on 06/21/2016
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Photo submitted by BloodyMaryGolfr on 06/21/2016
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Photo submitted by BloodyMaryGolfr on 06/21/2016
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Photo submitted by BloodyMaryGolfr on 06/21/2016
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Hole #5 downhill par 3 Photo submitted by Jhawkerman on 03/20/2016
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Hole #4 Downhill dogleg left par 4 Photo submitted by Jhawkerman on 03/20/2016
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another birdie! Photo submitted by blusk13 on 07/20/2015
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deer at the #16 tee box Photo submitted by blusk13 on 07/20/2015
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Photo submitted by Andyglad1 on 05/04/2015
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Photo submitted by Andyglad1 on 05/04/2015
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Photo submitted by Andyglad1 on 05/04/2015
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Postcard time. Photo submitted by MuellerTime on 06/24/2014
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Photo submitted by Robert5611627 on 12/31/2013
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Putting green Photo submitted by DavesRocklinRockin on 10/26/2013
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Photo submitted by DavesRocklinRockin on 10/26/2013
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Photo submitted by DavesRocklinRockin on 10/26/2013
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Photo submitted by DavesRocklinRockin on 10/26/2013
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Photo submitted by DavesRocklinRockin on 10/26/2013
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Photo submitted by DavesRocklinRockin on 10/26/2013
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Photo submitted by BustoMundo on 10/23/2013
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Photo submitted by Richierich78 on 10/13/2013
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Photo submitted by internetelectrician on 10/12/2013
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Photo submitted by Timothy6440299 on 07/29/2013
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Photo submitted by Timothy6440299 on 07/29/2013
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Photo submitted by Timothy6440299 on 07/29/2013
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Photo submitted by Timothy6440299 on 07/29/2013
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Photo submitted by Timothy6440299 on 07/29/2013
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Photo submitted by Timothy6440299 on 07/29/2013
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14th hole Photo submitted by rfporvida on 07/10/2013
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View of Superstition Mountain Photo submitted by Edward5755346 on 12/30/2012
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Mule Deer grazing on the course Photo submitted by Edward5755346 on 12/30/2012
Gold Canyon: Golf's Version of Iron Maiden
Better stated? RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!
I first came upon the Gold Canyon Golf Resort when I played an event there as part of the the Western Skies Mini-Tour (a true "something out of a Dan Jenkins/David Feherty alcohol-induced phantasm" that passed as a tour AND a golf course) in the late 1980's. The original track at Gold Canyon opened in 1985 and then they added another nine soon after. Ken Kavanaugh had a hand in these, although I'm not sure if all 36 are his to own (his bio: great track at Oregon Golf Club, and terrific redos of Raveneaux in Houston and Randolph South - Del Urich - in Tucson show off his capabilities, well). When they put the Dinosaur Mountain and Sidewinder Courses together, they did some Frankenstein-esque gene splicing of the old into the new. Holes 1 through 4 and 14 through 18 on DM are from the original design, very tight and immediately forgettable, reminiscent of holes like you would hope not to see at Ancala or Tatum Ranch. Holes 5 through 13 certainly have more character and are, for the most part, quite good. Interestingly, once you get to the 13th and 14th holes, if you look just to the northwest, you can see holes 13 and 14 of the Lost Gold course at Superstition Mountain. You can take solace in the fact that real golf courses with proper staff and amenities DO exist, just over THERE>>> Back to the Asylum: The abject schizophrenia that attaches to how the courses were built has penetrated the rest of the facility. Let me, please, give you a rundown:
First, read the review dated 6/20/2017. This review could pass as my exact experience from a few years before. So, onto the the flyover tour of the course/experience! (Which, for both the DM and Sidewinder courses, you cannot get from their website because they are inoperative. Brilliant!!) Upon driving up, we are met by some of the worst Outside Service staff I have ever witnessed. Surly, unhelpful, uncaring and just downright miserable. Check-in was uneventful. Huge fee raise for Dasani water in 16 oz bottles = $ 3.50 per bottle. Driving range = off of mats with golf balls that haven't been thought about being round for many moons. One positive in this: Look for brands that haven't been manufactured in years. It's fun!! Hey look, there's a Maxfli DDH that is actually flat on one side. Wow, a Molitor that STILL hasn't lost any compression at all and still feels like a rock! A Strata?? A Strata?Really???
Course conditions were passable for the summer. Greens were good, rolling at decent pace and held their lines well. Service? One of my buddies ordered a sandwich on number 4... and we never saw the beverage cart again until 15. AND there was absolutely NO WATER on the golf course, at all. No coolers, etc. This was a summer day where the temps were in the 105 range. By the time we saw the bev cart again, we were completely done. The girl driving was apologetic, stating that she never saw us on the back nine until then. The reason why was that she had bypassed a good chunk of the back side earlier because of the cart path routing (letting her skip multiple holes) and that she just wasn't paying attention to see if any players were on those holes she was about to skip. She did, however, offer my buddy the tuna sandwich he had ordered two hours earlier that had just spent time soaking in the late afternoon summer heat and sun of Apache Junction. He politely declined her offer.
But the pièce de résistance came after we finished and went into the clubhouse to complain about the experience. The guys I played with are all the type who just wanted to go and never come back. I understood that, but having worked in the game for a dozen years, professionally, I felt the staff should know that this was what they were offering up to the players unfortunate enough to expect something different. I found the First Assistant and began to describe the day. He stared at me blankly, like I was just wasting his time. I stopped. And then I asked him just that: "Am I boring you?" His response, verbatim: "Just what do you expect me to do about it?" I turned around, walked out, jumped in the car and have never been back since.
But what I have done is recount this story to HUNDREDS of people, golfers and non-golfers alike. It is the epitomization of every possible negative that can occur within the customer experience realm that exists in a hyper-competitive marketplace. And what is truly mind-blowing about this is the fact that the experience documented on 6-20-17 is the mirror image of one five years earlier. No bueno.
Great course to finish the trip
Loved everything about this course. Beautiful views great conditions challenging yet very fair. Big wide fairways and small greens. Only draw back was hitting off mats at range but really nothing to complain about. Played TPC Stadium 2 days before and quite frankly I liked this place so much better. Made my top 5-10 places to play.
Once Is Enough
Great views and several elevation changes make for a fun day on this course. I did not love the layout, there are some interesting holes, but also some gimmicks. A few of the greens are absolutely tiny, and it can be hard to keep the ball on them when putting.
The conditions were good and the pace of play was consistent throughout the day. Practice facility is not great, mats on the driving range.
I am glad I played this course once, but I would probably not return unless I got a significant discount. Greens fees are on par with the most expensive courses in the area and I think there are better options in Phoenix?Scottsdale overall.
Fun course with great views
This course is, with reason, often mentioned as a great option in the PHX area, with all the standard things you would expect: gorgeous mountains and scenery, saguaro cacti and elevated tee boxes.
Don't let the shorter yardage fool you, this is a par-70 (so 6 par 3s) with several target-style holes, and nothing is over until you putt it in, with the greens having very difficult curves to read.
The service is excellent and courteous, the food options are good as well, and carts are fully equipped with GPS and club+ball washers.
A few downsides, some fixable: the lightning fast and unspinnable greens; given the type of layout, they could be more receptive and a little bit slower. And several of the tee boxes that were not level. Some not-so-fixable: a few too many houses that can come into play on the sidelines of some holes.
But beyond that, it's all fun when you're out there. Go and enjoy!
Worth the drive
Dinosaur mountain is outstanding, good condition, fantastic views and lots of elevation - it is among the very best in the phoenix area and at a great price. In my opinion, if this course was located somewhere in Scottsdale the fee would be north of 350 this time of year, but can be played for 175 because of where it is situated.
PHX/MESA AREA MUST PLAY
- Great Track
Fun layout
Organized start with good starters and great cart staging area
* Driving Range is mats only and practice green has no cups cut
*Food and Beverage pricing is high, but quality product, must try the Breakfast Buffett on weekends
-Par 3's 2,5, and 15 are scenic mountain down hill with greens that require you to land on the correct tier
-Par 4's #1 is a nice easy up hill to start, but in the first four holes everything goes to the left - on #15 you must hit a straight drive as you must carry the desert and then ride side drop off
-Par 5's 3 and 16 are short -3 you have to make sure you stay right of the drop off on left and your approach has to be on the right level. 15 you have to hit a high approach to clear bunker in front and stop it on a shallow green.
THIS WILL BE AN ENJOYMENT OF A GOLF COURSE FOR YOU.
They over seed everyone on this course for the majority and water regular so you don't have to hit off of hard pan or dry rough like most Arizona courses
One of the Best!
Played this a day before overseeding so the conditions were a little dry and firm. Unbelievable service and the layout on Dinosaur Mtn is one of the absolute best in the Phoenix valley. I highly recommend making this a must play if you are in the area!
One of my favorite courses in the Scottsdale area. Multiple elevation changes. Great scenery. Course is in good condition. Greens are firm. Only drawback to this course is it is a bit out of the way, but worth the drive.
Great Golf Course!
If anyone is traveling to the Phoenix / Scottsdale area I highly recommend making the drive to Gold Canyon to check out Dinosaur Mtn. The golf course is unbelievable and is a true desert style course with tons of elevation change. Each hole is different and will keep you guessing. I played it a few days after overseed and this course is going to be in amazing shape this year! Must play!
Picturesque/Poor Greens
So, the course is really beautiful. The layout is clever, fair, with lots of elevation changes and some dramatic viewpoints of the Superstition Mtns. Picturesque. The fairways and tee boxes are okay for this time of year. Brown in spots. Understandable, it’s been 110 seemingly every day this summer. The greens....yikes. Dead, bumpy, lumpy, and hard. I wouldn’t come back and play it this summer. I would give it another shot when it comes out of overseed. Hopefully, the transition out of Bermuda, with the cooler days help get this problem under control.
Dinosaur is Dinosaur, but the Greens? Come on now..
You cannot go wrong if you want a course with beautiful views and a challenging lay out. Greens were a disaster, they were aeriated couple weeks ago, and they bounced all over the place. This is a beautiful course, but play it now before they over seed it and raise the price 5 times what it is now. I'm sure this is a beautiful course during the winter and spring, but will never see me there at that time.
Hidden Gem
Dinosaur Mtn is one of the most underrated courses in the Phoenix valley. Some of the best views and elevation change you can get from any course out here. The staff is always exceptional and truly wants you to have a good time. I would highly recommend going to try for yourself!
Great Course +100 deg
Tee boxes great
Fairways great
Traps great
Out of bounds Get a new Ball
Greens “ heat burned “ but nice shape
Thanks to halfway shop attendant
Thumbs up
Expectations Met
I've heard a lot about this course from my buddies, when we played it last year they were reseeding and I was not impressed at all, but after yesterday I see why they loved this course so much. If you want to play a course the most amazing views this is the one for you. Paid $48, well worth it , will be back (before they reseed of course).
Spectacular Views
Course offers many spectacular views of the course and adjacent Superstition Mountains. The course itself is a fun layout with many elevation changes. Conditions for the most part were good, although some fairways were dry and was wondering if they were getting ready to do some maintenance. Overall a fun, moderately challenging track that I would play again.
Terrible
Have played Dinosaur for the last 7 years and always been awesome. This time it was terrible. Fairways are in awful shape.
Excellent Track!
Dinosaur Mtn course is probably one of the most underrated courses in the Phoenix Valley. Has everything you want to offer for a good desert style course- fun layout, elevation change through, scenic views, and is always in great shape. Would highly recommend to anyone coming to the area!
Cart path only
Cart oath only due to seeding of course. Still a great course to play. Greens were a slower but understandable. Still a favorite course to play in AZ. Gold card a great option for out of state players like me.
ALWAYS A FAVORITE
Dinosaur Mountain is always one of our favorites to play. Everything from the fairways to the greens were in great shape.
I'll be back!
Wife and I played this course for the first time. Her game was pretty good, mine was poor. Normally I would call this a lousy day of golf but it was far from it.
A. The customer service was exceptional from end to end. Friendly, helpful and welcoming, all staff. The Marshall spent a lot of time with us leading us up to the practice green, discussing the greens and downhill rolls (the kiss of death this day), and various holes. Wow, what personal service
B. Course conditions - exceptional, especially for this time of year
C. The course - We were alone so we had no one who knew the course with us. This would have been a boon as the ups and downs, and especially the sideways fairways, all need shots placed in the correct spots. I would play it very differently a second time, and no doubt score increasingly better all of the first 5 or 6 rounds. Challenging but very fair, every hole unique. Plenty of elevated tee to green shots, as well as some uphill fairways that will fool you (hit at least one more club).
All in all, an excellent golf course with a PRIMO staff with scenery that makes your eyes pop