Desert Forest Golf Club
Carefree, AZ
Desert Forest Golf Club is a private 18-hole, par-72 golf course in Carefree, Arizona, playing 7,182 yards with a course rating of 75.5 and slope of 149. It is ranked #7 on Top 100 Golf Courses's Top Courses in Arizona (as of Oct 2026).
🏛 Designed by Robert "Red" Lawrence (1961)
Desert Forest Golf Club is a private course in Carefree, Arizona, designed by Robert "Red" Lawrence and opened in 1962. It is considered the first course in the region to route through the natural Sonoran Desert terrain rather than impose an eastern-style design on it.
Accolades
- Ranked #8, Best in Arizona (Golf Digest, 2025-26)
- Ranked #7, Top Courses in Arizona (Top 100 Golf Courses, as of Oct 2026)
📍 37207 North Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ 85377
Satellite view
The dashed square marks a 2 km area around the course pin. Hole-by-hole mapping isn't available for this course yet.
Scorecard, hole by hole
- Par 72 over 18 holes: 4 par 3s, 10 par 4s, 4 par 5s
- Longest hole: No. 11, 594 yards, par 5
- Shortest hole: No. 17, 169 yards, par 3
- Hardest hole by handicap: No. 7 (par 5, 530 yards)
| Hole | Par | Yards | Hcp |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 404 | 7 |
| 2 | 4 | 456 | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | 171 | 17 |
| 4 | 4 | 441 | 9 |
| 5 | 4 | 464 | 5 |
| 6 | 4 | 371 | 13 |
| 7 | 5 | 530 | 1 |
| 8 | 3 | 231 | 15 |
| 9 | 5 | 533 | 11 |
| Out | 36 | 3,601 | |
| 10 | 4 | 392 | 10 |
| 11 | 5 | 594 | 4 |
| 12 | 3 | 194 | 18 |
| 13 | 4 | 466 | 2 |
| 14 | 4 | 329 | 16 |
| 15 | 4 | 435 | 8 |
| 16 | 5 | 535 | 6 |
| 17 | 3 | 169 | 14 |
| 18 | 4 | 467 | 12 |
| In | 36 | 3,581 | |
| Total | 72 | 7,182 |
Scorecard from the Gold tees (7,182 yards).
Nearby golf courses
| Course | Miles | Holes | Par | Rating / slope | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Boulders Golf ClubCarefree | 1.6 | 18 | 72 | 73.1 / 142 | Public |
| Desert Mountain Renegade Golf CourseScottsdale | 1.7 | 18 | 72 | 77.8 / 150 | Private |
| Legend Trail Golf ClubScottsdale | 2.2 | 18 | 72 | 71.9 / 139 | Public |
| Mirabel Golf ClubScottsdale | 2.6 | 18 | 71 | 73.3 / 138 | Private |
| Desert Mountain Geronimo Golf CourseScottsdale | 2.9 | 18 | 72 | 74.3 / 145 | Private |
| Whisper Rock Golf Club - UpperScottsdale | 3.0 | 18 | 72 | 75.9 / 146 | Private |
| Terravita Golf ClubScottsdale | 3.1 | 18 | 72 | 73.4 / 142 | Private |
| Whisper Rock Golf Club - LowerScottsdale | 3.4 | 18 | 72 | 75.6 / 149 | Private |
| Desert Mountain Cochise Golf CourseScottsdale | 3.5 | 18 | 72 | 72.8 / 143 | Private |
| Rancho Mañana Golf ClubCave Creek | 3.5 | 18 | 70 | 67.8 / 125 | Public |
Straight-line distance from this course.
⛳ See all 39 public golf courses near Cave Creek, AZ · this course on the golf map
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