Whirlwind is a 36-hole public club at Wild Horse Pass, on Gila River Indian Community land just south of Phoenix. Both courses, Cattail and Devil’s Claw, are by Arizona architect Gary Panks. He drew them to reflect the Gila River landscape, and the club says the design set out to preserve the community’s cultural heritage. It is one of the easiest big-name venues to reach from Sky Harbor, and the two resort hotels at Wild Horse Pass make a golf week possible without moving base.
Whirlwind Golf Club (Cattail and Devil’s Claw) green fees and tee times.
Book online through Whirlwind’s EZLinks tee sheet, linked from the club website, or call the golf shop on 480-940-1500. Cattail times are also listed on the letsgo.golf platform. Rates are not published; they appear only when you search a date on the tee sheet. Single players can take any open slot on the day they want to play. They can also book up to 60 days ahead, but only where there is a twosome or threesome to join. Groups should ask about the club’s 36-hole group special for 2026, which is advertised without published terms.
The courses at Whirlwind Golf Club (Cattail and Devil’s Claw).
Cattail (2002)
Par 72, 5,282 to 7,334 yards, and the longer of the two. The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass sits on its 16th hole. In 2026 it closed for overseeding from 5 to 22 October, with cart-path-only play to 6 November.
Devil’s Claw (2000)
Par 72, 5,540 to 7,029 yards. The original Whirlwind course is shorter from the back, but it has the same desert edges and native planting. Its 2026 overseed ran from 14 September to 1 October, with carts on paths until 16 October.
The round, in perspective.
The site covers 500 acres, and only about half of it is turf; the rest is left as desert. Devil’s Claw opened first, in 2000, and Cattail followed in 2002. Both are par 72. Cattail is the longer, running from 5,282 to 7,334 yards. Devil’s Claw measures 5,540 to 7,029 yards. Panks routed the holes past cottonwood, mesquite, saguaro and palo verde, with native grasses and open views of South Mountain and the Sierra Estrella. For five years the club hosted the Gila River Golf Classic on the Nationwide Tour, now the Korn Ferry Tour; its five winners were Ben Crane, David Branshaw, Lucas Glover, Chris Nallen and David McKenzie. The Sheraton Grand sits beside the 16th hole on Cattail.
Know before you go.
Golf shop
480-940-1500
Single golfers
Same day, or up to 60 days ahead when joining a twosome or threesome
Rental clubs
TaylorMade sets, US$85 plus tax
2026 overseed
Devil’s Claw 14 Sep–1 Oct; Cattail 5–22 Oct
Make the trip work.
Rental sets are TaylorMade woods and irons at US$85 plus tax. They come in men’s right- and left-handed and women’s right-handed, with stiff, regular and ladies’ flex. Reserve them through the golf shop. During the October overseed the south practice facility also closes, and Devil’s Claw players warm up on the north range instead. The Sivlik Grill is open seven days a week, with breakfast from 6.30am to 11am and lunch from 11am to 5pm. If part of the group wants instruction rather than another round, the club’s two-day golf school costs US$1,095 per person and includes time on the course with the instructor.
Whirlwind is at 5692 West North Loop Road, Chandler, next to Interstate 10 at Wild Horse Pass. Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is roughly 15 miles north, about 20 minutes by car outside rush hour. That makes an arrival-day or departure-day round realistic. A hire car is the simplest option, though hotel guests can stay on the property.
Two hotels sit on the Wild Horse Pass property. The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass has 446 rooms and a AAA Four Diamond rating, and it borders Cattail’s 16th hole. Its restaurants serve Native American, Southwestern and American food. Wild Horse Pass Resort & Casino, also a Four Diamond hotel, is the second choice, with a pool, restaurants, lounges, a casino, a Topgolf suite and an MGM sportsbook.
Make a trip of it.
Cattail and Devil’s Claw fill two days on their own. For a change of scene, Talking Stick, on Salt River Pima-Maricopa land east of Scottsdale, is another tribal-owned 36 about 30 miles north-east. Verrado’s Lehman courses are across the valley to the west. Away from golf, the casino and Topgolf suite at Wild Horse Pass are on site, and Phoenix’s museums are 20 minutes up the interstate.
Find your season.
November to April is the main season and the busiest time on the tee sheet. Overseeding runs from mid-September to late October, with the two courses closed in turn, so one is always open. In summer the heat pushes most play into the early-morning tee times.
The club is at Wild Horse Pass on Gila River Indian Community land, south of Phoenix. Gary Panks shaped both courses around the river landscape and the community’s cultural heritage. It is open to the public for daily tee times.
Which is harder, Cattail or Devil’s Claw?
Both are par 72. Cattail is longer from the back tees at 7,334 yards, against 7,029 on Devil’s Claw. The Gila River Golf Classic on the second-tier professional tour was played here for five years, won by players including Ben Crane and Lucas Glover.
How close is Whirlwind to Phoenix airport?
Sky Harbor is about 15 miles north via Interstate 10, roughly 20 minutes by car. An arrival-afternoon or pre-flight round is easy to fit in from here.
Can single golfers book Whirlwind in advance?
Yes, up to 60 days ahead, as long as there is an existing twosome or threesome to pair you with. Otherwise singles can book any open slot on the day of play.
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.
