Golfing in the summer months (Phoenix, Scottsdale: how much, home, clubhouse)

[Rockies4]

For those of you that are avid golfers, I would like to know how golfing is during the summer months. With temps reaching over 100 degrees for several months is the heat tolerable and how are the course conditions? (hard greens and fairways??)

What are some of the better courses (non private) near Chandler and Gilbert?

[sh9730]

I can say this much - its a heck of a lot cheaper! Down here in Casa Grande and environs you can golf 18 WITH a cart for under 15 bucks!

Gotta go early though or it is just tooo hot.

Our courses down here are just average courses anyway, so I dont know how much different they really play. Never golf in the areas you asked about in the summer....

[observer53]

My nephew golfs in the summer, and tolerates it... I don't know enough about golf to give you info about how they play in the heat.

[scocar]

I was a native Arizonan until moving to STL 6 months ago. I golfed a few times a week every summer. It's hot. It's not whether IT is tolerable or not, it's whether YOU can tolerate it. Some can some can't. I loved it because it was cheap, and empty. Ironically in some ways the conditions are better because the rough becomes dormant in the winter when bermuda grass won't grow. In the summer bermuda grows fine, so the entire course is green. The problem in the summer is that not many people play so many of the courses don't put much money into maintaining the courses. You also have to watch overseeding and aerating of greens that happens at the beginning and ending of summer.

There are a ton of course in the East Valley. I would suggest checking out Golfnow.com. You can often get discount rates and they will give you a decent list of courses. Sometimes the nicer private and semi-private courses even allow player and put their tee times on golf now.

I've played over 100 courses in the Phoenix area so if you have any questions about specific courses PM me or post on here and I'll give you my take.

[JoeC]

I worked next to McCormick Ranch Golf Course for several years. During the summer, most golfers were on the course around sunrise, and the course was pretty much vacant by noon or so. Had a couple of guests (I worked at Scottsdale Conference Resort) come down with heat exhaustion after a summer afternoon round (bad enough for an ambulance response); the concierge would try to steer guests away from afternoon rounds.
If I were you, I'd try nine holes first, with a 5am tee time (if available), and see how comfortable you are at the end. Whether or not you're accustomed to the heat, I'd try to be in the clubhouse by 11am or so - the afternoon sun is fierce during the summer months.

[PoppySead]

Go early and pick a course that has a nice pool to dive into after the game!
Seville Golf & Country Club / Clubs / Home - ClubCorp
Chandler - Arizona Golf - Ocotillo Golf Resort

[azriverfan.]

I love to golf during the summer. It doesn't feel any different with the exception that you start earlier in the day. A typical tee off time is 7 AM and you are done by 11 AM so you avoid the heat. Some people start earlier. It's a fun experience. You are in a golf cart that is covered and has an ice chest with cold drinks. You have a drink cart that comes by every half hour.

And the great thing is the rates are half of what they are in the winter and the courses are less congested. You can play championship courses for amazing rates. I played TPC for $150 which is double that in the winter. Summer golf is something I look forward to each year. Take advantage of the summer and play all the famous courses.

It's true the day time temps are brutal and many stay indoors during that time but you don't have to start at 5 AM, that is a myth, hardly anyone starts at that time. Most start at 7 AM or much later around 5 PM.

What most of the respondents are forgetting is that it is COLD in Phoenix in the mornings in the winter months. Heck, it's cold in mid March during Phoenix mornings. If you try to play at 7 AM in the winter, you will need fleece and full covering; in the winter mornings you don't wear shorts and short sleeve shirts, it's too cold, it warms by the afternoon but from 7-10 it's cold. The mornings in the summer are nice. You don't really feel the heat until 10 AM or so but by that you are almost done. The Dry Heat concept works both ways. Yes, our summers feel better due to the dry nature but our winters feel colder so for example 50 degrees in the morning might feel nice where you are from but 50 degrees in Phoenix in the morning feels cold.

[locolobo13]

I've only one thing to add. Some of the municipal courses will charge you a flat low fee and you can play all day in the summer.

[mjd2k]

I have not golfed in summer yet but I will be this summer. Teeing off at 6 am normal for some of us so that would not bother me (if a course was open that time of day).

[Rockies4]

Thanks for all of the replies. Looking foward to giving up the snow sports in Colorado for year round golf in Arizona. Although there is World Class Skiing in Colorado, the traffic getting to the resorts and back to Denver is beyond rediculous and there are no near solutions to the problem. Up to 3+ hour drive from the resorts back to Denver on the weekend with stop and go traffic for 70+ miles. No thanks, I would rather play 18 holes of golf.