Desert Forest Golf Club

Carefree, AZ • Private

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Overview

Widely considered to be the first desert course ever built, Desert Forest was designed by Robert “Red” Lawrence—a founding member and president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects—and opened in 1962. Revered for its minimalist design and effective use of the natural contours of the land, the course has been previously ranked on our 100 Greatest and Second 100 Greatest lists. In 2013, the course underwent a $3 million renovation led by David Zinkland—a longtime associate of the Coore and Crenshaw design firm—which improved sightlines from tee boxes, added strategic bunkering and refined the greens. Referred to by our own Mike Stachura as “an American golf course design landmark,” Desert Forest is deceptively simple, with few fairway bunkers or doglegs, but requires thoughtful strategy to manage the undulating layout.

About

Holes 18

Length 7201

Slope 149

Facility Type Private

Designer Red Lawrence, ASGCA

Awards

Ranking history:

100 Greatest: Ranked for 36 years, from 1969-2004. Highest ranking: No. 57, 1997-'98.

Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 191st, 2013-'14. Ranked 197th, 2017-'18.

Best in State: Ranked first, 1985, 2001. Ranked inside the top 5, 1977-2005. Ranked seventh, 2021-'22. Ranked eighth, 2023-'24. Ranked ninth, 2011-'12, 2017-'18, 2019-'20. Ranked inside the top 10, 2007-'10. Ranked 12th, 2013-'14, 2015-'16.
2023-'24 ranking: 8th.

Panelists

Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

4.3

100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot Options

7.1693

Character

7.3401

Challenge

7.4374

Layout Variety

7.141

Fun

6.9952

Aesthetics

7.2248

Conditioning

7.4376

Reviews

1 / 14

Review

“Challenging, old style desert course with no fairway bunkers and tricky greens."

2022

2 / 14

Review

“The hardest golf course in the state of Arizona but very fair in its presentation and layout. The course does not accept mediocrity. There is no OB or fairway bunkers yet has a 149 back tee slope rating. It requires all of your game no matter the tees you decide to play."

2021

3 / 14

Review

“The original desert golf design has had a few improvements in the last decade. A welcoming, understated environment leads to a really strong course. Walkable in the right temperature. The landing areas at Desert Forest aren't as wide as some other desert courses: keep it straight off the tee."

2021

4 / 14

Review

“Best golf course in the Phoenix area. It may not have tour pros crawling all around it giving it a more mystique but is the most architectural sound course in the area. Course is unique with no fairway bunkers. The rolling fairways and desert provide enough challenge from a tee and approach perspective."

2018

5 / 14

Review

“An old style golf course even though it has been updated recently. The fairways are not overly generous, but fair enough for the average golfer. The greens are somewhat challenging so be sure you pay attention to the breaks and undulations. A quality golf course that used to be in the top 100. I enjoy this golf course."

2018

6 / 14

Review

“Overrated layout, known as the first desert course."

2018

7 / 14

Review

“Such a demanding course that completely embraces the desert landscape and strives to maintain its own identity. Play conservative off the tee or make sure to bring extra golf balls, this is a true test of golf."

2018

8 / 14

Review

“very tight course with severe penalties for both you and your clubs if you miss the fairway as cactus and rocks are everywhere."

2018

9 / 14

Review

“The original desert course in the area is unique with its linksy design in a desert setting. Challenging and fun to play; positioning and a deft short game is a must if you want to score although a little length in the right areas is always appreciated."

2018

10 / 14

Review

“The original desert course. Very understated."

2018

11 / 14

Review

“Beautiful course in a lovely setting. One of the original desert courses and it’s a gem. Great layout that is in exceptional condition and a ton of fun."

2018

12 / 14