Phoenix area: Traveling with girlfriend beginning of January and looking for courses under $80

i realize that course rates get jacked up in the winter months, but I am looking for a couple courses under $80 for when I am out in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. My girlfriend and I will be there early January and would like to play a couple times.

We figure any golf in early January is better than no golf in the Midwest winter.

I was wondering about these courses: Starfire, Encanto, Talking Stick, McCormick Ranch, The Legacy, Rancho Manana, etc.

Thanks

$80 should be easily doable if you are willing to play in the afternoon or book a few days prior on Teeoff or Golfnow. You won’t get on the high end courses like Troon, Grayhawk, or We Ko Pa but still should have many options.

Of those you mention, I like Legacy or T.S. I would also check out Aguila or Grand Canyon.

I'm not concerned with playing the high end courses. I have played most of them. I just figured that I would rather not pay the $ especially when she would rather enjoy herself than have the course beat her up.

Southern dunes will be about 80 bucks in early Jan. IMO that is a pretty good value for a top line course during peak season. The cost is the drive.

Legacy and Talking Stick; but I would also consider Mountain Brook - your gf will enjoy the views and it is a friendly course always in good shape; then there is Mountain Shadows which is a good option.

What course would be better: Mountain Brook or Gold Canyon Sidewinder? Seem like similar type courses.

Sidewinder is a terrible 'course' - but you do get the views a little closer. But yes, they are similar.

I was just coming on this forum to ask the same question OP did. Lots of good feedback. Family is heading to Scottsdale for X-Mas but no one actually lives there so don't have local knowledge of the landscape. In-laws have just decided to park the camper there this year so why not invade them and enjoy some warm weather.

The other golfers aren't fanatics like me and won't likely enjoy/appreciate paying a premium price when a golf course is just a golf course to them. Just looking for one or two 'hidden' gems which I can enjoy and the others won't feel ripped off.

If I can sneak it into the schedule I'll likely try and get out to Troon North early one morning by myself. Haven't played that one yet.

I'm down in Phoenix for the winter, and like you, I've played the vast majority of the top courses. I'm currently focusing on the lower tier, i.e. "special", courses that won't set you back an arm and a leg. I'm played 13 rounds for under $80 at this point, and I'd say Aguila is the best of the bunch.

Of course if you can get a cheap deal at Southern Dunes you should definitely make the drive out to it.

Estrella Mountain Ranch was a fun one and reasonable rates

Play gcu. It’s tough to lose a ball

The. After playing GCU, go grab some food at POPOS FIESTA DEL SOL tell them Mr. Lawless sent you

That would be like being lost in East St Louis and asking the locals directions back to the expressway...