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5.0
2 Reviews (2)
5 Stars
2
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Conditions
4.5
Value
4.0
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
5.0
Pace
4.5
Amenities
3.5
100.0%
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About

Holes 18
Type Private
Style Desert/Traditional
Par 72
Length 7203 yards
Slope 149
Rating 75.5

Desert Forest Golf Club boasts a championship course that claims to be the first desert-style golf course ever built. During its construction in 1962, very little soil was moved or shaped in order to preserve the natural desert landscape. On this golf course there is grass all the way from the tees to the fast, sloped greens. Although there are no fairway bunkers, there is natural vegetation bordering the fairways to watch out for. No water hazards come into play but there are six dogleg fairways, four to the right and two to the left. Desert Forest Golf Club also has a chipping area and putting green for golfers to use.

Course Details

Year Built 1962
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Red Lawrence (1962) Bill Coore (2013) Phil Smith Jack Snyder (1978)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes
GPS No
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Caddies Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Collared shirt required

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Lockers, Locker Rooms

Reviews

5.0
2 Reviews (2)
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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Pleasant private club in Carefree, HIstorical significance

I've played Desert Forest a number of times over the years as a guest. It's a pleasant course. Tee to green, it is straight forward, with minimal elevation changes and very few awkward shots. Once you get to the greens, it gets tough. Depending on the time of year, they can be very fast, and are very sloped. The course layout always reminds me a bit of Terravita, where the greens are also the real challenge. The fairways and layout are a bit similar as well, though Terravita is usually in better condition and is more interesting tee to green.

As far as where the DF course stands among its neighbors, i would place it in the second tier, with the first tier containing Scottsdale National, Troon CC, Desert Highlands, Whisper Rock, and some of the Desert Mountain tracks. I'll leave it to others to rank those within that tier.

Any local golfer with the opportunity to play here should jump on it, mostly for the historical value of DF. When built in the 70s it was the first desert "target" course. Even though the layout is dated by modern standards, it's still very interesting to see this early monument in golf course design.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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