Golf

With roughly 200 courses in the Valley of the Sun, golf is just about the most popular sport in Phoenix and one of the main reasons people flock here in winter. Sunshine, spectacular views, and the company of coyotes, quails, and doves make playing a round of golf here a truly memorable experience.

However, despite the number of courses, it can be difficult to get a tee time on any of the more popular courses (especially during the months of Feb, Mar, and Apr). If you're staying at a resort with a course, be sure to make your tee-time reservations at the same time you make your room reservations. If you aren't staying at a resort, you might still be able to play a round on a resort course if you can get a last-minute tee time. Try one of the tee-time reservations services below.

The only thing harder than getting a winter or spring tee time in the Valley is facing the bill at the end of your 18 holes. Greens fees at most public and resort courses range from $90 to $170, with the top courses often charging $200 to $250 or more. Municipal courses, on the other hand, charge less than $50. You can save money on many courses by opting for twilight play, which usually begins between 1 and 3pm.

You can get more information on Valley of the Sun golf courses from the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, 50 N. Second St. (tel. 877/225-5749 or 602/452-6282; www.visitphoenix.com).

It's a good idea to make reservations well in advance. You can avoid the hassle of booking tee times yourself by contacting Golf Xpress (tel. 888/679-8246 or 602/404-GOLF; www.azgolfxpress.com), which can make reservations farther in advance than you could if you called the golf course directly, and can sometimes get you lower greens fees as well. This company also makes hotel reservations, rents golf clubs, and provides other assistance to golfers visiting the Valley. For last-minute reservations, call Stand-by Golf (tel. 800/655-5345; www.discountteetimes.com).

The many resort courses are the favored fairways of Valley visitors, and for spectacular scenery, the two Jay Morrish-designed 18-hole courses at The Boulders, 34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Carefree (tel. 480/488-9028; www.thebouldersclub.com), just can't be beat. Given the option, play the South Course, and watch out as you approach the tee box on the 7th hole -- it's a real heart-stopper. Tee times for nonresort guests are very limited in winter and spring (try making reservations a month in advance if you aren't staying at the resort). You'll pay $165 to $285 for a round in winter if you aren't staying at the resort.

Jumping over to Litchfield Park, on the far west side of the Valley, there's The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, 300 Wigwam Blvd. (tel. 800/909-4224 or 623/935-9414; www.wigwamresort.com), which has, count 'em, three championship 18-hole courses. The Gold Course is legendary, but even the Blue and Red courses are worth playing. These are traditional courses for purists who want vast expanses of green rather than cacti and boulders, and all three courses have been renovated in recent years. In high season, greens fees are $162 for any of the three courses. Reservations for nonguests can be made no more than 7 days in advance.

Way over on the east side of the Valley at the foot of the Superstition Mountains is the Gold Canyon Golf Resort, 6100 S. Kings Ranch Rd., Gold Canyon (tel. 480/982-9449; www.gcgr.com), which has been rated the best public course in the state and has three of the state's best holes -- the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on the visually breathtaking, desert-style Dinosaur Mountain course. Greens fees on this course range from $164 to $189 in winter. The Sidewinder course is more traditional and less dramatic, but much more economical. Greens fees are $89 to $104 in winter. You can make tee-time reservations 10 days in advance over the phone or 60 days in advance online. It's well worth the drive.

If you want a traditional course that has been played by presidents and celebrities alike, try to get a tee time at one of the two 18-hole courses at the Arizona Biltmore Golf & Country Club, 24th Street and Missouri Avenue (tel. 602/955-9655; www.arizonabiltmore.com). The courses here are more relaxing than challenging, good to play if you're not yet up to par. Greens fees are $105 to $175 in winter and spring. Reservations can be made one month in advance. There's also a championship 18-hole putting course.

Of the two courses at the Camelback Golf Club, 7847 N. Mockingbird Lane (tel. 480/596-7050; www.camelbackinn.com), the tree-shaded Padre Course is more challenging. The Indian Bend Course is a links-style course with great mountain views and lots of water hazards. Padre Course greens fees are $139 to $179 in winter; Indian Bend Course fees are $109 to $139 in winter. Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance.

Set at the base of Camelback Mountain, the Phoenician Golf Club, 6000 E. Camelback Rd. (tel. 800/888-8234 or 480/423-2450; www.thephoenician.com), at the Valley's most glamorous resort, has 27 holes that mix traditional and desert styles. Greens fees for those not staying at the resort are $139 to $199 in winter and spring and can be made up to 30 days in advance.

Of the Valley's many daily-fee courses, it's the two 18-hole courses at Troon North Golf Club, 10320 E. Dynamite Blvd., Scottsdale (tel. 480/585-7700; www.troonnorthgolf.com), seemingly carved out of raw desert, that garner the most local accolades. This is the finest example of a desert course that you'll find anywhere in the state, and with five tee boxes on each hole, golfers of all levels can enjoy this course. Greens fees are $195 to $295 in winter and spring.

If you want to swing where the pros do, beg, borrow, or steal a tee time on the Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish-designed Stadium Course at the Tournament Players Club (TPC) of Scottsdale, 17020 N. Hayden Rd. (tel. 888/400-4001 or 480/585-4334; www.playatpc.com), which hosts the Phoenix Open. The 18th hole has standing room for 40,000 spectators, but hopefully there won't be that many around the day you double-bogey on this hole. The TPC's second 18, the Desert Course, is actually a municipal course, thanks to an agreement with the landowner, the Bureau of Land Management, and was completely renovated in 2007. Stadium course fees top out at $249 in winter and spring, while Desert Course fees are a reasonable $63 in winter and spring.

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, 18200 E. Toh Vee Circle, Fort McDowell (tel. 480/836-9000; www.wekopa.com), is located off the Beeline Highway (Ariz. 87) on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation in the northeast corner of the Valley, and gets rave reviews. The course name is Yavapai for "Four Peaks," which is the mountain range you'll be marveling at as you play. Unlike at other area courses, fairways at the two 18-hole courses here are bounded by desert, not luxury homes, so make sure you keep your ball on the grass. The Saguaro Course here opened in late 2006 and was immediately voted one of the best new courses in the country. Greens fees are $170 to $195 in winter. Reservations are taken up to 90 days in advance.

The Kierland Golf Club, 15636 Clubgate Dr., Scottsdale (tel. 480/922-9283; www.kierlandgolf.com), which was designed by Scott Miller and consists of three 9-hole courses that can be played in combination, is another much-talked-about local daily-fee course. It's affiliated with the Westin Kierland Resort and is conveniently located adjacent to the Kierland Commons shopping center. Greens fees are $169 to $199 in winter.

The Pete Dye-designed ASU Karsten Golf Course, 1125 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe (tel. 480/921-8070; www.asukarsten.com), part of Arizona State University, is also highly praised and a very challenging training ground for top collegiate golfers. Greens fees are $92 to $105 in winter. Phone reservations are taken up to 14 days in advance; online reservations are taken up to 30 days in advance.

If you're looking for good value in traditional or links-style courses, try the Legacy Golf Resort, Stonecreek Golf Club, or Ocotillo Golf Resort. The Legacy Golf Resort, 6808 S. 32nd St. (tel. 888/828-FORE or 602/305-5555; www.legacygolfresort.com), is a fairly forgiving course on the south side of the Valley. Greens fees are $89 to $149 in winter. Stonecreek Golf Club, 4435 E. Paradise Village Pkwy. (tel. 602/953-9111; www.americangolf.com), conveniently located in Paradise Valley close to downtown Scottsdale, is named for the artificial stream that meanders through the course. Greens fees are $125 in winter. Ocotillo Golf Club, 3751 S. Clubhouse Dr., Chandler (tel. 888/624-8899 or 480/917-6660; www.ocotillogolf.com), in the southeast part of the Valley, has three 9-hole courses centered on 95 acres of man-made lakes, and that means a lot of challenge. Greens fees are $130 to $175 in winter.

If you want to take a crack at a desert-style course or two but don't want to take out a second mortgage, try Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club or Rancho Mañana Golf Club. Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club, 33750 N. Dove Lakes Dr., Cave Creek (tel. 480/488-0009; www.dovevalleyranch.com), designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., was voted Arizona's best new public course when it opened back in 1998. It's something of a merger of desert and traditional styles. Greens fees are $120 to $140 in winter.

Rancho Mañana Golf Club, 5734 E. Rancho Mañana Blvd., Cave Creek (tel. 480/488-0398; www.ranchomanana.com), on the north side of the Valley near The Boulders Resort, makes a good introduction to desert-style courses, as it's not as challenging as some other options in the area. Greens fees are $89 to $139 in winter.

Of the municipal courses in Phoenix, Papago Golf Course, 5595 E. Moreland St. (tel. 602/275-8428), at the foot of the red sandstone Papago Buttes, offers fine views and a killer 17th hole. This is such a great course that it's used for Phoenix Open qualifying. Encanto Golf Course, 2775 N. 15th Ave. (tel. 602/253-3963), is the third-oldest course in Arizona and, with its wide fairways and lack of hazards, is very forgiving. Cave Creek Golf Course, 15202 N. 19th Ave. (tel. 602/866-8076), in north Phoenix, is another good, economical choice. In winter, greens fees at these three municipal courses are $18 to $38 to walk ($12 extra for a golf cart). For details on these courses, go to www.ci.phoenix.az.us/SPORTS/golf.html.

Tempe's Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 N. Mill Ave., Tempe (tel. 480/350-5275; www.tempe.gov/pkrec/golf), on the south side of Papago Park, is another good little municipal course with economical rates. There are two executive 9-hole courses here, and greens fees are a very reasonable $24 for 18 holes. A golf cart will cost you another $21. Reservations can be made a week in advance.