Golf Near Mesa, AZ: Dobson Ranch, TPC Scottsdale & More

Updated October 2026. Overseeding dates and access change, so confirm with the course before you book.

Most golf trips to the Valley mean a resort room and a long drive to the course. At H2O Sanctuary, the first tee is 3 minutes away. Dobson Ranch Golf Club is a public 18-hole course in our own neighborhood, and more than a dozen other public courses are within about half an hour.

Your home course: Dobson Ranch Golf Club

It's been open to everyone since 1974, and it bills itself as Arizona's top municipal course. It's an 18-hole, par-72 championship layout, about 6,700 yards, about 1.5 miles from the house. Play the morning round, and be in the pool by lunch.

Public courses near H2O Sanctuary

Drive times from H2O Sanctuary are approximate
Course	Where	What it's like
Dobson Ranch Golf Club	Mesa, ~3 min	Public 18, par 72. Open to everyone since 1974, right in the neighborhood.
Kokopelli Golf Club	Gilbert, ~10 min	Public 18-hole course.
Ken McDonald Golf Course	Tempe, ~10 min	Municipal 18, par 72, with a lit driving range.
Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills	Tempe, ~15 min	Executive 18, fully lit. You can play at night.
Western Skies Golf Club	Gilbert, ~15 min	Public 18-hole course.
Arizona Grand Golf Course	Phoenix, ~15 min	Resort course, open to the public.
Papago Golf Course	Phoenix, ~20 min	City of Phoenix course, home of ASU golf, with views of the Papago Buttes.
Talking Stick Golf Club	Scottsdale, ~20 min	36 holes: the O'odham and Piipaash courses.
Longbow Golf Club	Mesa, ~25 min	Public 18, par 71, out by the Superstition foothills.
TPC Scottsdale	Scottsdale, ~30 min	36 holes, including the Stadium Course and its famous 16th.

The bucket-list rounds

TPC Scottsdale, Stadium Course: the course the pros play at the WM Phoenix Open, including the par-3 16th. It's public, so you can book it. The 2027 Open is February 8–14. More on our Scottsdale page.
Talking Stick: 36 holes on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land, about 20 minutes away.
Papago: a City of Phoenix course that's home to the ASU golf teams.

When to play

January through April: peak conditions and the busiest tee sheets. Book early. That window overlaps spring training, which makes for a great golf-and-baseball week.
October: many Valley courses close for two to three weeks to overseed for winter. The City of Phoenix's 2026 schedule runs from early October to early November. Check before you book.
Summer: it's hot. Tee off around 6 a.m. and you're done by 10, then it's pool time.

Why a lake house beats a golf resort

H2O Sanctuary sleeps 9, with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. That's a foursome plus partners, or two foursomes. After the round there's a pool, a spa, kayaks and paddleboards on Laguna Lake, and room for everyone at one table. Booking direct with us skips the Airbnb service fee.

H2O Sanctuary

4 bedrooms · 3.5 baths · sleeps 9 · pool, spa, kayaks and paddleboards on a Dobson Ranch lake. Book direct with us and skip the Airbnb service fee.

Check dates at H2O Sanctuary

Common questions

Is there a golf course near H2O Sanctuary?

Yes. Dobson Ranch Golf Club, a public 18-hole course, is about 1.5 miles from the house, roughly a 3-minute drive.

Can I play TPC Scottsdale?

Yes. TPC Scottsdale is public, with the Stadium Course that hosts the WM Phoenix Open and the Champions Course. It's about 30 minutes from H2O Sanctuary.

When is the best time to golf in Phoenix?

January through April has the best conditions. In October, many Valley courses close for two or three weeks to overseed their grass, so check before you book. Summer golf works if you tee off around 6 a.m.

Is there night golf near Mesa?

Yes. Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills in Tempe is a fully lit 18-hole executive course, about 15 minutes from the house.

More: Mesa · Scottsdale · Tempe · White Mountains golf near Grumpy Toads

Sources

Drive times are typical, measured from the town or neighborhood, and change with traffic and weather. Event dates are as published when we wrote this; confirm with the organizer before you plan around them.

Golf from the lake house