McDowell Mountain Golf Club sits on Sheena Drive in the McDowell Mountain Ranch area of North Scottsdale, right against the foothills that give it its name. It is a daily-fee course with no membership needed and no resort attached, run by Arcis Golf alongside seven other Phoenix-area clubs. The draw is a long desert layout that was deliberately made kinder in 2011, so a mixed group can share it. Seven sets of tees mean a scratch player and a weekend golfer can both find a sensible length.
McDowell Mountain Golf Club green fees and tee times.
Public tee times are sold on the club’s ezLinks tee sheet, linked from the Arcis website, or by phone on 480-502-8200. No rate card is published, so the price only appears when you search a date. Arcis Players’ Card holders book on a separate member sheet. The 2026–27 card costs US$279 a year, takes 20 per cent off the daily rate at all eight Arcis courses and opens tee times eight days ahead. That suits a winter visitor planning several rounds across the group. Green fees and cart fees are paid at check-in, by card or cash, if you did not prepay online. Arrive 30 minutes early, leave your clubs at the bag drop by the clubhouse entrance and check in at the shop even if you have already paid.
The round, in perspective.
Randy Heckenkemper drew the original course and came back to oversee a full renovation in 2011. That work widened the playing corridors, added waste bunkers in strategic spots and built extra teeing ground, which is why the tee count now runs to seven. From the back it measures 7,118 yards, par 72. The holes climb and fall through native Sonoran scrub at the base of the McDowell range, with elevation changes the club rates against any view in the Valley. Heckenkemper’s waste areas are the main defence: they catch drives that drift rather than swallowing them in cactus. The club pitches the course as hard enough for low handicaps without punishing everyone else, and the 2011 widening is what makes that claim hold.
Know before you go.
Golf shop
480-502-8200
Dress
Collared golf shirts for men; no denim, cut-offs, tank tops or swimwear
Shoes
Soft spikes or athletic shoes
Range
US$10 small bucket, US$20 large; mats Mon–Wed, grass Thu–Sun
Make the trip work.
The practice ground has a 20-station grass range and a short-game area with three chipping greens, a bunker and a large putting green. Hitting is from mats on Mondays to Wednesdays and from grass on Thursdays to Sundays, and the range shuts at 3.30pm on Mondays. The club said in 2026 that the range was closed until October for renovation, so check that it has reopened if you want a full warm-up. Rossa Kitchen and Patio cooks American and Italian dishes in a wood-fired oven, which makes it an easy place to eat after an afternoon round.
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is roughly 25 miles south-west; allow 35 to 45 minutes via the Loop 101. Scottsdale Airport, used by private and charter flights, is closer. The club is at 10690 East Sheena Drive, Scottsdale. A hire car is the practical choice, as rides between courses in North Scottsdale add up.
There are no rooms on site. The Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, both off Scottsdale Road near TPC Scottsdale, are a short drive west. ADERO Scottsdale, an Autograph Collection hotel in the hills towards Fountain Hills, suits a quieter week. Groups wanting restaurants and bars usually base themselves in Old Town Scottsdale, around 25 minutes south.
Make a trip of it.
Grayhawk’s Raptor and Talon are a few minutes west along Thompson Peak Parkway, and TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course is about 15 minutes away. Head east instead and SunRidge Canyon, Eagle Mountain and We-Ko-Pa are all within half an hour. Away from golf, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve has trailheads close by, and WestWorld of Scottsdale, a short drive south-west, hosts equestrian shows and the Barrett-Jackson car auction in January.
Find your season.
Book furthest ahead for January to April, when visitors fill North Scottsdale. The Arcis card is not valid for bonus rounds over 25–29 November, 26 December to 1 January and 10–14 February 2027, a sign of when demand peaks. Summer rates fall with the heat, so take the earliest tee you can get.
Yes. It is a daily-fee club and the public tee sheet is open to anyone. Arcis says the public sheet and the member sheet are separate, so a visitor without a card simply books through the public link or calls 480-502-8200.
Is the Arcis Players’ Card worth it for a golf holiday?
It can be for a long stay. The card costs US$279, takes 20 per cent off the daily rate and includes a monthly guest pass for up to three people at the member rate. It works at McDowell Mountain, Raven, Ocotillo and Stonecreek among others.
How long is McDowell Mountain from the back tees?
It plays 7,118 yards at par 72 from the tips. With seven tee options, most visitors will play much shorter. Ask the shop which set fits your handicap before you tee off.
Last checked 11 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
