Summer golf in Phoenix-Scottsdale: Beat the heat and score great deals
July 21, 2026
By Mike Bailey
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Playing golf during the summer when temperatures reach triple digits might seem insane to most people, but it makes perfect sense for golfers on a budget who want to play some of the country’s best courses.
We’re talking about the Phoenix-Scottsdale area, which has several top-100 golf courses that cost way more than triple digits during peak season, but sometimes less than a quarter of that price during the summer months, when the snowbirds have returned home and vacationers aren’t exactly flocking to the Valley of the Sun. That means the golf courses are less crowded, which is great for pace of play — and they’re also priced less.
The downside, of course, is the heat. But if you play in the morning, you can beat it, sort of, or at least survive it pretty well and have the rest of the day to do other stuff like swimming. And since there’s no Daylight Saving Time in Arizona, tee times begin as early as 6 a.m. at many courses, which means you can be finished by 10 a.m., well before it hits 100 on the thermometer. You’ll also get firm and fast playing conditions, which means you’ll get more out of your driver.
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