Sedona delivers on its premise: the red rock views are genuine and the golf is better than a backdrop gimmick. Sedona Golf Resort plays through some of the more dramatic terrain in Arizona, and Oak Creek Country Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr. collaboration that has been hosting golfers since 1968. Two rounds and done is the right formula. Push for spring or fall dates and combine with a Sedona hiking day. Trying to make this a 4-round golf-only trip forces you to replay courses and pad the schedule.
Courses included
The trip experience
Sedona golf is a two-course destination with a specific case for its existence: the red rock formations surrounding both courses are unlike anything else in American golf, and the setting makes layouts that would be routine in Phoenix feel like something worth the two-hour drive north on I-17 and AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon. Sedona Golf Resort and Oak Creek Country Club share the same backdrop, both play year-round within reason, and both charge rates that reflect the real estate more than the difficulty of the routing.
Sedona Golf Resort is the stronger of the two. Gary Parks designed it on a mesa setting at 4,300 feet with red rock views from virtually every tee box -- Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte -- all visible simultaneously from multiple holes on the back nine. The 10th tee sits on the mesa's edge overlooking the entire Verde Valley; the hole itself is a reasonable par-4, but the view is the point. At $135 to $179 depending on season, it is the premium round on the trip and the one to prioritize.
"Sedona Golf Resort's 10th tee sits on the mesa's edge overlooking the entire Verde Valley -- red rock landmarks in every direction, and it comes standard with the $139 green fee."
Oak Creek Country Club plays a different character on the canyon floor near the creek, more tree-lined and protected from the wind that circulates at mesa elevation. At $99 to $125, it provides genuine contrast to Sedona Golf Resort's exposure: narrower corridors through riparian vegetation, shorter carrying distances off the tee, and the same red rock backdrop from a ground-level angle rather than above. Not a national-caliber test, but a legitimate complement for groups who want two days on distinct courses without driving to Scottsdale.
"Oak Creek Country Club plays on the Sedona canyon floor -- more tree-lined and sheltered than Sedona Golf Resort, with the same red rock backdrop at eye level rather than from the mesa above."
The Phoenix connection is the operative detail for trip planning. Sedona works as either a standalone 2-3 day visit or as a satellite of a Scottsdale-based trip. Groups flying into Sky Harbor can drive up Monday, play both Sedona courses Tuesday and Wednesday, and return to Phoenix Thursday for the TPC Scottsdale or Troon North corridor. The combined Phoenix-Sedona itinerary is one of the most scenically complete desert golf trips available in the Southwest.
Spring is the right season for Sedona: March through May provides 55 to 75-degree temperatures, wildflower color on the hillsides, and full course availability on both layouts. Fall from September through November is the second window. Summer is a genuine problem -- temperatures in Sedona regularly exceed 100 degrees by June, and the valley geography amplifies heat on the canyon floor in ways that make afternoon rounds at Oak Creek particularly difficult. The 4,300-foot elevation at Sedona Golf Resort provides some relief but not enough.
Beaver Creek Golf Resort in the Verde Valley is the practical add-on for groups who want one more round in the region, 20 to 30 minutes from Sedona at well below Sedona-premium pricing. Canyon Mesa Country Club is a shorter nine-hole layout best as a warm-up or practice option rather than a primary round.
Sedona as a town delivers enough for the evenings. The Tlaquepaque arts village, the Uptown restaurant corridor, and the sunset views from Airport Mesa function as genuine destination activities rather than tourist filler. Jeep tours into the red rock back country are available from multiple operators and cover terrain not accessible by car. Fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) -- the drive on I-17 and AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon is one of the better scenic approaches to any golf destination in the country. A rental car is required.
Side trips & bonus golf
The obvious extension from Sedona is Scottsdale, 2 hours south. Scottsdale has 10-15 courses worth playing and a full resort infrastructure that Sedona cannot match in volume. Most Sedona-focused trips make more sense as part of a broader Arizona trip: 2 nights in Sedona for the scenery, then 3-4 nights in Scottsdale to anchor the golf rotation at Troon North, Grayhawk, or We-Ko-Pa.
Flagstaff sits 45 minutes northeast and is worth understanding as a contrast. The ponderosa pine forest at elevation makes it look nothing like Sedona or Scottsdale. Elden Hills and Flagstaff Ranch are the courses there. Neither is must-play but if the group wants a day trip with altitude and a completely different visual experience, it is a 45-minute drive on AZ-89A.
Hiking in Sedona is not filler activity. The Cathedral Rock and Devil's Bridge trails are legitimately good hikes at 3-5 miles with views that rival anything in the Southwest. Plan one non-golf day around hiking and the trip schedule becomes easier to defend to non-golfers in the group.
Jeep tours are the other non-golf option the town is built around. Pink Jeep Tours has been running since 1960 and the Broken Arrow trail covers terrain you cannot access on foot. Worth booking a half-day morning tour if the group has one afternoon round already scheduled.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓Book this trip if you want desert golf with a setting that is genuinely different from Scottsdale.
- ✓Book this trip if two strong rounds plus serious hiking, jeep tours, or spa time fills a 3-day trip.
- ✓Book this trip if spring or fall dates work and you want 70-degree golf without the Scottsdale crowd.
- ✓Book this trip if a couple is looking for golf and spa combined, with the L'Auberge de Sedona or Amara Resort as the anchor.
- ✓Book this trip if you are already going to Phoenix or Scottsdale and Sedona is a 2-hour drive that adds a distinct night.
- ✓Book this trip if the visual experience of playing through red rock formations is something you want to check off.
- ✗Skip this trip if you need five or six distinct courses to fill a 4-day schedule.
- ✗Skip this trip if traveling in June, July, or August and heat management is not how you want to spend a golf day.
- ✗Skip this trip if you want a resort golf property with cart service, bag attendants, and on-site dining after every round.
- ✗Skip this trip if budget is tight: Sedona hotel rates run $300-600 per night in peak spring season and the courses are not cheap relative to what you get.
When to go
- March through May is the busiest and best season: 70-80 degree temps, all courses fully operational, and full town activity.
- Hotel rates peak in April during spring break and Easter; book these weeks 2-3 months out.
- Oak Creek CC spring and fall rack rate is $164, cart and range included.
- Sedona Golf Resort spring rates range from $100-192 depending on time and day.
- Morning tee times at 7-8 AM are 10-15 degrees cooler than noon and the light on the red rocks is better.
- December through February offers the lowest hotel rates and mild but cooler golf: 55-65 degree midday highs.
- Winter rounds see occasional frost delays at early morning tee times.
- Oak Creek CC winter rack rate drops to $134.
- The village is quieter in January and February, which helps with restaurant reservations at the popular spots.
- June through September heat makes golf impractical after 9 AM on most days.
- Summer occupancy drops but rates do not always follow; the shoulder discount is usually better in winter than summer.
- If going in summer, limit golf to one 6 AM round and plan the rest of the day around hiking in early morning or evening.
- The red rocks are not going anywhere but the experience of standing on the 10th tee at Sedona Golf Resort changes when it is 103 degrees.
What a Sedona trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee fees (2 rounds) | $234-$304 | $180-$250 | $150-$200 |
| Lodging (2 nights) | $400-$900 | $300-$700 | $200-$500 |
| Food & drink | $200-$320 | $150-$260 | $120-$210 |
| Rental car (3 days) | $150-$260 | $120-$210 | $100-$170 |
| Total (est.) | $984–$1,784 | $750–$1,420 | $570–$1,080 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (2 rounds) | $234-$304 |
| Lodging (2 nights) | $400-$900 |
| Food & drink | $200-$320 |
| Rental car (3 days) | $150-$260 |
| Total (est.) | $984–$1,784 |
Per-person estimates for a 2-round, 2-night trip at Sedona Golf Resort and Oak Creek Country Club. Excludes flights. 2-hour drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor included in rental car costs. All-in: $980-1,800 peak (Mar-May), $750-1,400 shoulder.
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1Advance booking at Oak Creek CCTee times are accepted 30 days out online, or 31-90 days out with a $20 per player advance booking fee. Spring peak weeks book out quickly and the advance fee is worth it to lock in preferred times.
- 2Sedona Golf Resort dynamicsRates are dynamic and range from $45 to $192 for 18 holes depending on day and time. The Play All Day package ($259 per person) covers unlimited rounds and is worth it if the plan is to play 27 holes on a single spring day.
- 3Cart is standardBoth courses include cart in their standard rack rates. Walking is not available at Sedona Golf Resort. Oak Creek CC includes cart with most packages.
- 4Morning tee times in summerIf you must go in June or July, book the earliest available time (6:00-6:30 AM) to finish before the heat exceeds 95 degrees by late morning.
- 5Spring holiday weeksSpring break in March and Easter week see the highest demand. Book 60-90 days out for those specific windows.
Common mistakes
- !Going in summerJune through September heat averages 95-105 degrees in Sedona by midday. The red rocks do not look different in summer but the golf experience degrades significantly. March through May or October through November are the right windows.
- !Underestimating the hotel costSedona is an expensive resort town and spring peak rates run $350-700 per night at mid-tier and luxury properties. Budget the lodging before the flights.
- !Treating it as a stand-alone tripTwo courses is a small rotation for a dedicated trip. Sedona works best as part of a larger Arizona itinerary with Scottsdale anchoring the golf volume.
- !Missing the Hilton packageThe Hilton at Bell Rock has a bundled stay-and-play package with Sedona Golf Resort. Booking separately at rack rate usually costs more than the package rate.
- !Skipping hikingSedona has some of the best maintained trails in Arizona. A group that golfs both days and spends evenings in restaurants misses the primary reason people come to this town.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive + Sedona Golf ResortArrive PHX, 2-hour drive through Oak Creek Canyon. Afternoon Sedona Golf Resort -- book the mesa-top 10th hole before the light fades.
- Day 2Oak Creek CC + DepartMorning Oak Creek Country Club on the canyon floor. Afternoon drive back to Phoenix on AZ-89A. Evening flight or overnight in Scottsdale.
Where to stay & eat
Know before you book.
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