The Best Time of Year for a Scottsdale Golf Trip

Scottsdale is a year-round golf town, but the trip you get in February is not the trip you get in July. The right month depends on what your group cares about most: weather, price, course conditions or how easy it is to get tee times for a dozen guys. Here is how the year breaks down.

January through April: peak season

This is the Scottsdale you see on TV. Days are sunny and mild, the courses are green wall to wall, and you can play in a quarter-zip in the morning and short sleeves by the turn. It is also when everyone else wants to be here. Green fees and house rates are at their highest of the year, and prime morning tee times for big groups go first.

Two events make it busier still. The WM Phoenix Open is played at TPC Scottsdale in early February, and spring training fills the valley with baseball fans through late February and March. Both are great reasons to come. Both mean you should book earlier than you think.

Best for: groups that want perfect weather and the full Scottsdale experience, and are willing to pay for it.

May: the shoulder month

May is warm, and the afternoons get hot, but mornings are still comfortable and prices start to come down. If your group is happy with early tee times and a pool afternoon, May gives you close to peak-season golf for less.

Best for: groups that want value without playing in real heat.

June through September: the value season

Summer in Scottsdale is hot. Afternoon highs regularly top 100 degrees. The trade is price: this is the cheapest time of year for both golf and houses, and the courses are wide open. Groups that do it right tee off at sunrise, finish before lunch, and spend the afternoon in the pool.

One thing to know: late summer brings monsoon season, with the occasional afternoon storm.

Best for: budget-first groups who can handle the heat and like an early start.

October and November: the second season

Fall is the locals' favorite. The heat breaks, the evenings are perfect, and prices sit below the winter peak. The catch is overseeding. Most Scottsdale courses close for a couple of weeks in early fall to plant winter grass, and some are cart-path-only for a stretch after they reopen. Dates vary by course, so the lineup matters more in October than in any other month. By November nearly everything is open and in great shape.

Best for: groups that want great weather at a better price, and a planner who knows which courses are ready.

December: the quiet month

Early December is one of the easier times to get the tee times you want. Mornings are cold, so rounds start a little later, and the days are short. The holidays themselves are busy and priced like it.

Best for: groups with flexible dates in the first half of the month.

How far ahead to book

For a group of ten or more, plan on locking dates 10 to 12 weeks out. Prime tee times for big groups book up about 90 days ahead, and the best large houses go even earlier for January through April. If you are looking at WM Phoenix Open week or a March weekend, start earlier still.

The short version

Best weather: February through April. Best value: June through September. Best balance of the two: November and early May. Hardest to book: February and March.

Boys Trip Golf plans guys golf trips in Scottsdale for groups of 10 to 16, with tee times, a house, transport, dinners and nightlife handled. Tell us your dates and group size and we will tell you what that week looks like. Call 323-391-4972 or email bookings@boystripgolf.com.