Public practice facilities near North Scottsdale

[AverageGolfSam]

New to the Phoenix / N. Scottsdale area. Looking for best public course options, specifically practice facilities. Right now looking at the Arcis membership for driving range privileges at McDowell Mountain Golf Club nearby, any recommendations on other good options in the area?

[cbbaron]

Most are only for day of play

[AZBRONCFAN]

I practice at the goat ranch Paradise Valley Golf course. I live by Grayhawk and if I don't do that I do McDowell or Orangetree.

[goaliedad30]

McDowell Mountain has a reasonable practice range, and is a fun track to play. Lots of tee options, and in my experience, the pace of play isn't too bad. My dad is a member at DC Ranch, but he also likes playing McDowell with his buddies who have dropped their memberships as they've aged. My wife loves McDowell - she always seems to score well there.

[hackeraz]

McDowell has decent practice facilities as mentioned but it can get extremely crowded. Good putting green, nice greenside bunker area, small chipping green, etc. Have heard Orange Tree is decent but haven't ever used it. Starfire range is ok but it's just that and a putting range near the clubhouse. I've heard the other practice facilities there are only for those taking instruction. 

[Tru]

Go take a look at McDowell Mountain in person and make sure you ask questions first before you sign up as it’s a one year commitment. When I had it I’d signed up online because it was close to home, only cost $100/mo and they said it was a grass range. Turns out that’s only on the weekends, other days you’re hitting off mats. And yes, it gets pretty crowded. I canceled in January as they’d increased the price to $125/mo with zero communication to members, not even so much as an email to warn us in advance. I asked about it in the pro shop and the gentleman behind the counter seemed irritated (I’m guessing I wasn’t the first to bring it up). 

[SilverBullets]

On 5/14/2024 at 12:04 PM, Tru said:

Go take a look at McDowell Mountain in person and make sure you ask questions first before you sign up as it’s a one year commitment. When I had it I’d signed up online because it was close to home, only cost $100/mo and they said it was a grass range. Turns out that’s only on the weekends, other days you’re hitting off mats. And yes, it gets pretty crowded. I canceled in January as they’d increased the price to $125/mo with zero communication to members, not even so much as an email to warn us in advance. I asked about it in the pro shop and the gentleman behind the counter seemed irritated (I’m guessing I wasn’t the first to bring it up). 

LOL poor customer experience and overcharging are the Arcis way afterall..... 

 

Arcis is great about destroying things.  Looks what's happening to Grayhawk this year

[ferrispgm]

On 8/1/2024 at 9:03 AM, SilverBullets said:

LOL poor customer experience and overcharging are the Arcis way afterall..... 

 

Arcis is great about destroying things.  Looks what's happening to Grayhawk this year

and I have a feeling they will be raising rates again in the new year....Recently they started asking everyone to get a new receipt for each bag of balls so they can track how many people are using.......

[SilverBullets]

22 hours ago, ferrispgm said:

and I have a feeling they will be raising rates again in the new year....Recently they started asking everyone to get a new receipt for each bag of balls so they can track how many people are using.......

Sounds about right.  Arcis and Troon are 2 of the main companies which have led to the destruction of golf.  Their greed has grown exponentially since covid.  I despise their entire model.  

[cbbaron]

1 minute ago, SilverBullets said:

Sounds about right.  Arcis and Troon are 2 of the main companies which have led to the destruction of golf.  Their greed has grown exponentially since covid.  I despise their entire model.  

They’re cashing in while they can a market correction is on the way

[ferrispgm]

18 hours ago, SilverBullets said:

Sounds about right.  Arcis and Troon are 2 of the main companies which have led to the destruction of golf.  Their greed has grown exponentially since covid.  I despise their entire model.  

As do I......It's so frustrating that out here in a place with year-round golf that monthly range memberships are pretty much non-existent. 

[SilverBullets]

18 hours ago, cbbaron said:

They’re cashing in while they can a market correction is on the way

well if the market does correct, i hope it corrects in a way which puts them out of business but the courses live on

[Ironcovers]

Am considering a move to Scottsdale myself but seems like there arent many cheap options? is scottsdale really that expensive? im coming from dallas where there's nowhere to join

[azgolfer44]

12 hours ago, Ironcovers said:

Am considering a move to Scottsdale myself but seems like there arent many cheap options? is scottsdale really that expensive? im coming from dallas where there's nowhere to join

Yes, Scottsdale is very expensive.  Used to be able to get deals in summer and shoulder seasons but those are pretty much gone as well. 

[AZ_JHWK]

12 hours ago, Ironcovers said:

Am considering a move to Scottsdale myself but seems like there arent many cheap options? is scottsdale really that expensive? im coming from dallas where there's nowhere to join

 

PHX metro is a huge area. We stayed in Scottsdale while looking for a place to buy in 2019. It was clear to us that there was way more value in other areas of the valley. You just pay more for the Scottsdale zip code. Don't rush into anything and you'll find better options...unless you're loaded, then go for it. 🤣

[Ironcovers]

11 minutes ago, AZ_JHWK said:

 

PHX metro is a huge area. We stayed in Scottsdale while looking for a place to buy in 2019. It was clear to us that there was way more value in other areas of the valley. You just pay more for the Scottsdale zip code. Don't rush into anything and you'll find better options...unless you're loaded, then go for it. 🤣

 

45 minutes ago, azgolfer44 said:

Yes, Scottsdale is very expensive.  Used to be able to get deals in summer and shoulder seasons but those are pretty much gone as well. 

Any other neighborhood / city suggestions in the area for a young remote worker who needs somewhere affordable to play and practice? Scottsdale seems best for safety and social but need golf lol

[SilverBullets]

13 hours ago, Ironcovers said:

Am considering a move to Scottsdale myself but seems like there arent many cheap options? is scottsdale really that expensive? im coming from dallas where there's nowhere to join

In word, Yes.  Scottsdale, well phoenix in general, is that expensive.  Golf here is crazy expensvie.

 

Put it this way, I recently had a buddy move from Scottsdale to Dallas and he immediately joined a club in Dallas because 'it was easy and so much cheaper than Scottsdale'.... I think he paid an initiation of $65k in Dallas and considered that cheap compared to Scottsdale.  

 

So yeah. Golf here is a bit of a wakeup call compared to virtually any other city in the country.  It's gross. 

[Ironcovers]

8 minutes ago, SilverBullets said:

In word, Yes.  Scottsdale, well phoenix in general, is that expensive.  Golf here is crazy expensvie.

 

Put it this way, I recently had a buddy move from Scottsdale to Dallas and he immediately joined a club in Dallas because 'it was easy and so much cheaper than Scottsdale'.... I think he paid an initiation of $65k in Dallas and considered that cheap compared to Scottsdale.  

 

So yeah. Golf here is a bit of a wakeup call compared to virtually any other city in the country.  It's gross. 

Wow yeah thanks for sharing, looks like the same for public golf too

[azgolfer44]

1 hour ago, Ironcovers said:

 

Any other neighborhood / city suggestions in the area for a young remote worker who needs somewhere affordable to play and practice? Scottsdale seems best for safety and social but need golf lol

 

what is affordable to you? 

[Bonneville85308]

Putting work commute/location aside, in my opinion anyone who is looking to move here as an avid golfer and play a serious amount of golf needs to first figure out what "affordable" is to them in the context of local public courses and private clubs, figure out which of those facilities have greens fee/annual pass/membership plans that work for them, and THEN figure out where to live that is convenient to that facility. You also need to figure out what caliber of course you find acceptable to play on a regular basis based on your financial means; knowing that some people would rather watch paint dry than play a flat boring retirement community course every time and have the resources to play top courses regularly, while others have no financial choice but to play courses like the Sun City courses.

 

When I moved here in the 2010s before house prices went really bonkers, I could have afforded a fairly nice (to me) house in Scottsdale, but I passed on it because the golf options (either public or private) nearby made zero sense and I ended up in the far west valley instead.

Edited October 16, 2024 by Bonneville85308

[Golf Pig]

It’s not north Scottsdale, but if I were moving to Phoenix right now I’d seriously consider living and playing at Sterling Grove.

[Ironcovers]

1 hour ago, azgolfer44 said:

what is affordable to you? 

Im in 20s with decent paying job my budget is like $500 per month. Not really in a place to drop an initiation fee

Edited October 16, 2024 by Ironcovers

[SilverBullets]

1 hour ago, Golf Pig said:

It’s not north Scottsdale, but if I were moving to Phoenix right now I’d seriously consider living and playing at Sterling Grove.

I love Sterling Grove and really enjoy that community as a whole....

 

But idk that you could pay me to live that far west valley, especially with a job in Tempe

[Bonneville85308]

2 hours ago, Golf Pig said:

It’s not north Scottsdale, but if I were moving to Phoenix right now I’d seriously consider living and playing at Sterling Grove.

 

I just can't come to grips with how expensive those SG houses are relative to the location, values of houses immediately outside the community, and how small the lots are. 

[toypor]

Annual pass at a lower to mid tier public facility is your ceiling at that budget. 
 

Example:

https://the500club.com/membership-and-annual-pass-2023/

 

Not Scottsdale but a good/safe area. 

 

 

[hackeraz]

On 10/16/2024 at 7:52 AM, Ironcovers said:

 

Any other neighborhood / city suggestions in the area for a young remote worker who needs somewhere affordable to play and practice? Scottsdale seems best for safety and social but need golf lol

That's going to be a bit of a conundrum and you're most likely going to have to decide what is most important to you, easy access to "affordable" golf or an area that's not terrible for a young person. The further out you go from Scottsdale/Arcadia/Midtown Phoenix the more family/retiree centric everything is going to become. When I was a bit younger there was no way I was living in this valley and not calling Scottsdale or Biltmore area home. I'm in North Scottsdale now and wouldn't have it any other way but the affordable golf options are nowhere close so I simply don't play nearly as much anymore. That's a trade off I am ok with. I can still hit balls at Starfire or McDowell Mountain whenever I want and that satisfies enough of the itch anymore. 

[Ironcovers]

7 hours ago, hackeraz said:

That's going to be a bit of a conundrum and you're most likely going to have to decide what is most important to you, easy access to "affordable" golf or an area that's not terrible for a young person. The further out you go from Scottsdale/Arcadia/Midtown Phoenix the more family/retiree centric everything is going to become. When I was a bit younger there was no way I was living in this valley and not calling Scottsdale or Biltmore area home. I'm in North Scottsdale now and wouldn't have it any other way but the affordable golf options are nowhere close so I simply don't play nearly as much anymore. That's a trade off I am ok with. I can still hit balls at Starfire or McDowell Mountain whenever I want and that satisfies enough of the itch anymore. 

thanks for your answer. it is the conundrum indeed.. former college golfer and i need somewhere to play since im still trying to be competitive, but i cant find an area thats good for young singles and golf. do you know any areas? even outside of arizona, im open to anywhere

[300_yard_drives]

On 10/16/2024 at 10:44 AM, Golf Pig said:

It’s not north Scottsdale, but if I were moving to Phoenix right now I’d seriously consider living and playing at Sterling Grove.

I’ve played there probably close to 100 times. I am weary that it is going to go a bit downhill once houses/memberships are sold and I don’t ever see them having great greens.

[SilverBullets]

On 10/18/2024 at 10:46 PM, Ironcovers said:

thanks for your answer. it is the conundrum indeed.. former college golfer and i need somewhere to play since im still trying to be competitive, but i cant find an area thats good for young singles and golf. do you know any areas? even outside of arizona, im open to anywhere

Arcadia, Arcadia Lite, Biltmore, uptown, South Scottsdale kind of fit the bill if you pair it up with Papago for golf. Papago is obviously a muni but it's a good course with a thriving men's league. 

 

Being in central phoenix, every course is close enough but nothing is really next door. 

 

I chose Arcadia as I simply love the area. The concessions are the price per square foot is gross, I have a 1 car garage, and golf isn't as convienent as some other places. However, it's got a great neighborhood feel, lot of younger people and families, great restaurants, and you really dont have to deal with the traffic on the freeways that everyone bitches about. 

 

 

[hackeraz]

4 hours ago, SilverBullets said:

Arcadia, Arcadia Lite, Biltmore, uptown, South Scottsdale kind of fit the bill if you pair it up with Papago for golf. Papago is obviously a muni but it's a good course with a thriving men's league. 

 

Being in central phoenix, every course is close enough but nothing is really next door. 

 

I chose Arcadia as I simply love the area. The concessions are the price per square foot is gross, I have a 1 car garage, and golf isn't as convienent as some other places. However, it's got a great neighborhood feel, lot of younger people and families, great restaurants, and you really dont have to deal with the traffic on the freeways that everyone bitches about. 

 

 

Agreed. There's a reason I lived in those areas all through my 20s and 30s. As far as outside AZ, really not much of a clue there, especially if looking for four season access.