Desert Highlands Golf Club
Scottsdale, AZ
Desert Highlands Golf Club is a private 18-hole, par-72 golf course in Scottsdale, Arizona, playing 7,105 yards with a course rating of 73.7 and slope of 149. It is ranked #5 on Top 100 Golf Courses's Top Courses in Arizona (as of Oct 2026).
🏛 Designed by Jack Nicklaus (1984); Jay Morrish (1984); Tom Weiskopf (1984)
Desert Highlands opened in 1983, developed by Lyle Anderson with a Jack Nicklaus design, and immediately hosted the first ever PGA Skins Game that year. The inaugural event featured Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Nicklaus and Tom Watson, broadcast on NBC; Player won 170,000 dollars, including 150,000 from a single 4-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, while Palmer earned 100,000 for a 40-foot birdie putt on the 12th. The Skins Game continued at Desert Highlands annually over Thanksgiving weekend through 2008.
Accolades
- Ranked #9, Best in Arizona (Golf Digest, 2025-26)
- Ranked #5, Top Courses in Arizona (Top 100 Golf Courses, as of Oct 2026)
📍 10040 East Happy Valley Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Course layout
Hole lines and layout © OpenStreetMap contributors. Tap a hole line for par and yardage.
Scorecard, hole by hole
- Par 72 over 18 holes: 5 par 3s, 8 par 4s, 5 par 5s
- Longest hole: No. 2, 580 yards, par 5
- Shortest hole: No. 15, 144 yards, par 3
- Hardest hole by handicap: No. 3 (par 4, 450 yards)
- Biggest elevation change: No. 1, about 115 ft downhill from tee to green
- Doglegs: 3 left, 4 right
| Hole | Par | Yards | Hcp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 350 | 13 | plays about 115 ft downhill |
| 2 | 5 | 580 | 9 | 2 bunkers, plays about 110 ft downhill |
| 3 | 4 | 450 | 1 | dogleg right, 4 bunkers |
| 4 | 3 | 205 | 17 | 1 bunker, plays about 15 ft downhill |
| 5 | 4 | 419 | 5 | plays about 40 ft downhill |
| 6 | 4 | 428 | 11 | dogleg right |
| 7 | 3 | 188 | 15 | |
| 8 | 4 | 444 | 3 | plays about 45 ft uphill |
| 9 | 5 | 564 | 7 | dogleg left, plays about 75 ft uphill |
| Out | 36 | 3,628 | ||
| 10 | 4 | 406 | 8 | dogleg left, plays about 20 ft downhill |
| 11 | 5 | 563 | 4 | dogleg right, plays about 45 ft uphill |
| 12 | 3 | 173 | 16 | |
| 13 | 4 | 394 | 10 | dogleg right, plays about 25 ft uphill |
| 14 | 4 | 418 | 2 | plays about 25 ft uphill |
| 15 | 3 | 144 | 18 | |
| 16 | 3 | 242 | 12 | plays about 60 ft downhill |
| 17 | 5 | 574 | 6 | plays about 50 ft downhill |
| 18 | 5 | 563 | 14 | dogleg left, plays about 10 ft uphill |
| In | 36 | 3,477 | ||
| Total | 72 | 7,105 |
Scorecard from the Nicklaus tees (7,105 yards). Doglegs, water and bunkers are read from the OpenStreetMap hole lines and mapped hazards © OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: Open-Meteo / Copernicus DEM, approximate.
Nearby golf courses
| Course | Miles | Holes | Par | Rating / slope | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Estancia ClubScottsdale | 1.0 | 18 | 72 | 74 / 147 | Private |
| Troon Country ClubScottsdale | 1.4 | 18 | 72 | 73.8 / 146 | Semi-private |
| Troon North Golf ClubScottsdale | 1.9 | 18 | 71 | 73.2 / 147 | Public |
| Troon North Golf Club - Pinnacle CourseScottsdale | 2.2 | 18 | Public | ||
| Pinnacle Peak Country ClubScottsdale | 2.4 | 18 | 72 | 74 / 132 | Private |
| The Country Club at DC RanchScottsdale | 2.9 | 18 | 71 | 73.1 / 138 | Public |
| Grayhawk Golf Club - Raptor CourseScottsdale | 3.3 | 18 | 72 | 74.2 / 140 | Public |
| Scottsdale National Golf ClubScottsdale | 3.6 | 9 | Private | ||
| Scottsdale National Golf Club - The Other CourseScottsdale | 3.9 | 18 | Private | ||
| Grayhawk Golf Club - Talon CourseScottsdale | 3.9 | 18 | 72 | 73.3 / 146 | 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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