The course
CHALLENGING AND ENGAGING
ONE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST GOLF COURSE DESIGNS
ideal for all ages and abilities
Consistently ranked as one of America’s greatest golf course designs by national and local publications, the genius of Desert Forest is the natural minimalist design that makes it playable and challenging to players of all skill levels. Greens are fast, true and fair. Considered to be one of the most distinctive and engaging courses in the United States, the variety of rated tee combinations makes the course ideal for all ages and abilities.
Since 1962, Desert Forest has hosted multiple national and local championships, including the Annual Quail Cup Pro-Am, the Dunlop Masters, Arizona Open, Arizona State Amateur, Pacific Coast Amateur, the Goldwater Cup, Trans Mississippi Four-Ball Championship, US Women’s Mid Amateur Championship, USGA Senior Amateur and more.
Meticulous greens and fairways.
Desert Forest greens are bentgrass. Tees, fairways, roughs, and green surrounds are hybrid bermuda grass. Starting in late September each year, the entire course (except for the bentgrass greens) is overseeded with rye grass.
the genius of Desert Forest is the natural minimalist design THAT MAKES IT PLAYABLE AND CHALLENGING TO GOLFERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS
Everything is in play.
Much like the links courses in the United Kingdom, everything is in play. No out of bounds markers, no water hazards, and no fairway bunkers.
The practice facilities consist of a double sided driving range, a chipping green, a practice putting green, and a two-acre short game practice area. The short game practice area consists of two greens and four sand bunkers.
Desert Forest is Ranked #2 in Golfweek’s list of Arizona's Best Private Courses
In 2013, the golf course underwent a $3 million renovation
Led by architect David Zinkand, a longtime associate of the Coore/Crenshaw design firm. The renovation added tee boxes, improved sightlines from tee boxes, brought Desert Forest’s greens up to modern standards and updated bunkering to provide additional strategic challenge and visual tie-ins to the surrounding desert.
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"Desert Forest is an American golf course design landmark. Working with the natural rolls in the desert landscape, Lawrence gracefully set out a demonically simple design, meticulously fitting holes in between the harsher elements."