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3.1
579 Reviews (579)
5 Stars
154
4 Stars
248
3 Stars
95
2 Stars
54
1 Stars
28
Conditions
3.0
Value
2.7
Layout
3.5
Friendliness
4.0
Pace
3.1
Amenities
3.8
48.4%
Recommend this course
442 out of 579 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.5
12 Reviews (12)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.2
Layout
4.0
Pace
2.8
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.5
50.0%
Recommend this course
6 out of 12 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.1
22 Reviews (22)
5 Stars
6
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
9
1 Stars
2
Conditions
3.2
Value
2.8
Layout
3.6
Pace
2.8
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
3.9
45.5%
Recommend this course
10 out of 22 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Municipal
Style Traditional
Par 72
Length 7333 yards
Slope 130
Rating 75.0

Papago Golf Course is conveniently situated just a few minutes from downtown Phoenix though you would never be able to tell with the peace and seclusion provided by the course's location in Papago Park. The golf course sits at the base of Papago Buttes, past the rugged red rocks you can see Phoenix skyline. The course was designed by William Francis Bell, whom you may know for Torrey Pines in San Diego. The challenging layout features undulating greens framed with strategically placed bunkers and subtle but tricky mounding. Water hazards appear on a few holes as well. It's a tough but straightforward layout that is still playable for a range of skill levels. Since opening in 1963, Papago has hosted numerous events including the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and Phoenix Open Qualifying.

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Papago Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1963
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes
GPS No
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Caddies No
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 College Courses in the U.S. (2020 #23)

Reviews

3.1
579 Reviews (579)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 19
19th Hole Scenic Views 8
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 73
Undulating Greens 51
Plays Long 50
This course/club is great for:
Locals 67
Advanced Golfers 57
Walkers 56
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 85
Near the Airport 76
Near Local Attractions 37

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Tee time

Flew in town with clubs, just for them to tell me I didn’t have a tee time. I had a confirmation email and all. So basically flew with clubs for no reason!! Never again, thanks!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course

The facilities were awesome! The course was in good shape and the amenities were fabulous. Would definitely play it again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Overpriced

The course was in rough shape when we played. It appeared some greens had to be re-sodded. That happens, but at $200 this was way overpriced.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great layout, but jammed!

Positive: Great layout featuring hilly terrain, elevations, and tricky greens. Fairways and greens were in great condition. Green speeds were average to slow on the day we played, but they rolled well. Can’t say enough about the friendly and helpful staff. Dead wiry rough at this time of year makes controlling your shot more difficult.

Negative: Played on a Tuesday. Course was jammed and play was really slow. We started as a foursome at 2:00 and were not playing particularly fast, but we still waited on every tee and came in at 6:50. Never saw a ranger. Saw the refreshment cart twice.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fun!

Really pretty course. We got behind a really slow group. But overall, glad we played it. :)

Conditions Excellent
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 75
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Fun Layout

I love the layout of this course. Lots of winding fairways up and down the hills of Papago Park. There is a wide variety of holes that offer lots of different looks throughout the round. Plenty of good views of the valley too.

This course gets a lot of play and the conditions were not great. Greens are a pretty beat up in areas and lots of bare areas in the fairways. I understand the conditions being less than attractive, but pace of play was very bad. We were running about a 5.5 hour pace and had to quit due to darkness. I hope they can work on getting people moving faster out there. It really is a fun place to play.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 50
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Disorganized and over booked

I came to play Popago for the first time yesterday, and was completely disappointed. It took 15 minutes to find a place to hit golf balls on the driving range due to the excessive amount of play. When I did finally get to hit golf balls, I could not find a tuft of grass left to hit off of. The driving range is completely destroyed and is in need of extensive maintenance. There are driving range mats, but they are not being used and the grass is almost nonexistent. Due to a tournament that was on the golf course earlier in the day there were no carts available when I was ready for my tee time and it wasn’t until then that I was told that it would be at least another hour before I could go out. If I would’ve played at 2 o’clock I may have had a chance to finish 18 holes but not if I start out at three or 330. The Cart staff was super friendly, but they are clearly overworked and overwhelmed. The course itself from what I could see Was not very green which is surprising due to all the rain we’ve had in the area. Let’s hope that you don’t make the mistake that I did and book your tee time at this golf course. At least not for this year. Try Silverado golf course just down the road which is completely different by comparison.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Played On
Reviews 5
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Disappointing

Since I’m new to the area, figured this historic course would be worthwhile playing. Unfortunately not…paid almost $200/man via GolfNow. Went to bag drop, unloaded my own clubs, nobody welcomed us. Sat there looking like a dummy. Nobody very friendly. Course layout was good, not great. Historic or not, I felt ripped off, as did my guests.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 5
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Won’t play here again

Will not play this course ever again. Bad management of tee times. Staff not greeting you as you walk up. POOR all around golf course for a Twilght rate that was way too high

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Redesign was perfect!

The course always keeps their greens in good shape. The bunkers were a little fluffy at first but now playing them after the rain they are just right. The redesign really changed the holes for the better. Really a shame that people would put bad reviews about temporary changes or construction about the course. They don't get removed when the course repairs you're complaining about are completed... the course has it's own reputation and paired with the PHX card it's one of the best deals out there and a great walk.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Glad to have them back

As most of you will notice by looking at reviews, Papago has recently undergone a major renovation and their rating took a significant hit because they remained open and continued to charge full freight for what had essentially become an executive course with all the temporary greens. However, they're back open now and the results are pretty stellar.

The course had gotten a bit shaggy around the edges prior to the renovation but they redid every bunker on the property and changed up the routing a bit to make it a more modern test (while freeing up some room near the clubhouse for new properties). These bunkers are deep and extremely penal, which is what William Bell originally had in mind for the course, and they force you to map your way around the course strategically.

The greens were in very good shape and they should only get better in the coming months. Tee boxes were also in good condition despite some continuing landscaping work around the tee areas.

Ultimately, to me this was a really successful renovation that has taken a golf course that was meant to be a challenge and restored it to its former glory. And the pricing for locals has been made much more affordable. Pace of play, like with most city courses, is still a serious issue but there's incredible value to be had here now.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Rustic

Cart paths are poorly marked, if at all. Most are dirt paths, hard to tell which way to go. Carts are set to lock up if you go off the wrong way, but since you don't know which way is the right way...it becomes distracting and takes away from the game.

Until this is solved, I wouldn't play here again.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Worst Ever

The worst experience I have ever had on a golf course. No cart paths, just dirt everywhere- in your mouth, bags, clothes. Cannot drive on course -Cart Path Only lol, 5 hour round. Torture.
5 hours of filth. Cannot breath on course. Makes u sick

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice when finished with renovations

Course will be lovely when they are done. You have to stay on the cart paths and most are dirt. With wide greens we walked a tremendous amount. It slowed down play. They also allow walkers which slowed down play more. Everything was filthy when we were done. Took 4.45 for 18 holes and we were right behind the group in front.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
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Golf Packages

The Phoenician Golf Around Package

FROM $237 (USD)
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at the Scottsdale Marriott Old Town and 3 rounds of golf at The Phoenician Golf Club, Westin Kierland Golf Club & Papago Golf Course.

Grass Clippings Golf Getaway Package

FROM $247 (USD)
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at the Scottsdale Marriott Old Town and 3 rounds of golf at Papago Golf Club, Phoenician Golf Club, and Grass Clippings Rolling Hills.

Camelback Golf Getaway Package

FROM $237 (USD)
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa and 2 rounds of golf at Camelback Golf Club – Ambiente & Padre courses.

Arizona Golf Grind Package

FROM $257 (USD)
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at the Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Old Town and 4 rounds of golf at the Phoenician Golf Club, Longbow Golf Club, Papago Golf Club, and Eagle Mountain Golf Club.

True Spec Fitting Experience Package

FROM $277 (USD)
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy 4 nights’ accommodations at Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, 2 rounds of golf at Westin Kierland Golf Club & Troon North - Monument Course, and a custom fitting session at the True Spec world headquarters.
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