Private Golf Communities in Arizona: Luxury Living with World-Class Courses
If you love golf, you’ve probably played on one of Arizona's many incredible courses. Isn’t it time you put one of those world-renowned courses in your backyard?
Whether you're seeking an intimate golf community or a sprawling amenity-rich enclave, Arizona offers a multitude of luxurious options. Here are our favorite top-rated golf communities in Arizona and tips on creating a custom luxury home that takes advantage of all their amenities.
1. Choose the Right Golf Community for You
The first step in building a custom home in the best state for luxury golf living is choosing the golf community that meets your goals and the lifestyle that suits you best.
Among the amazing gated golf communities with luxury homes in the Phoenix metro area, we're highlighting a few standout desert course communities: Desert Mountain, Desert Highlands, and Whisper Rock. They showcase beautiful views and have excellent potential for your luxury custom home. And they each have courses that rank on Golf Digest’s list of best courses in Arizona.
Desert Mountain: Where Luxury Living Meets Natural Splendor
Nestled in the pristine Sonoran Desert landscape, Desert Mountain is an example of thoughtful architectural integration with nature. This 8,300-acre community, masterfully conceived by Taliesin Associated Architects under the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright's enduring legacy, offers an exceptional canvas for creating your custom luxury residence. The community's commitment to excellence is evident in every detail, from its seven Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses to its meticulously maintained amenities.
Desert Mountain balances intimate neighborhood charm and comprehensive resort-style living. The community includes ten dining venues offering everything from refined Tuscan cuisine to contemporary Southwestern fare. For those who appreciate an active lifestyle, the property boasts 20 miles of private hiking trails, state-of-the-art tennis facilities featuring clay and hard courts, eight pickleball courts, and a spa.
Desert Highlands: A Legacy of Distinction in Desert Living
At the intersection of refined luxury and community connection lies Desert Highlands. This distinguished community integrates world-class amenities with an intentionally intimate atmosphere. The magnificent 18-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus holds the distinction of being the first course to challenge the legendary quartet of Nicklaus, Watson, Palmer, and Player, establishing a legacy of golfing excellence.
The course integrates with the Sonoran Desert's natural contours so each round of golf becomes a visual sonnet, with dramatic desert vistas serving as a stunning backdrop. Beyond the fairways, Desert Highlands includes 13 tennis courts—featuring clay, grass, and hard surfaces—alongside new pickleball facilities. The state-of-the-art fitness center provides personalized guidance for maintaining peak wellness. The community's four dining options are committed to sourcing local ingredients and creating gathering spaces for neighbors and friends.
Whisper Rock: Craft Your Desert Sanctuary
Whisper Rock is an established community that artfully balances its legacy with contemporary refinements. The architectural landscape offers an exceptional opportunity to create a customized residence that reflects modern luxury while honoring the community's elegant heritage.
Whisper Rock boasts two incredible golf courses: the Lower Course, Phil Mickelson's inaugural design collaboration with Gary Stephenson, and Tom Fazio's Upper Course, where dramatic granite formations create an incomparable backdrop for play. Unlike traditional golf communities, Whisper Rock offers the unique advantage of separate residential and golf club memberships, allowing homeowners to curate their lifestyle preferences. The exclusive golf club, limited to 580 members, creates an environment where accomplished players and enthusiasts can pursue their passion for the game.
2. Find the Perfect Lot
Once you’ve decided on the golf community, you need to find the right lot. In addition to the location and the size of the lot, there are several other considerations to talk through with your design team.
Strategic elevation plays a pivotal role in maximizing your property's visual impact. You’ll want a lot that sits above the course for unobstructed views and opportunities for architectural innovations that seamlessly integrate indoor and outdoor spaces.
The Desert Whisper property, for example, is elevated over the golf course, capturing both the shimmer of city lights and the majestic silhouette of Pinnacle Peak. Its innovative cantilevered metal roof creates shaded outdoor living areas that epitomize sophisticated desert living.
You don’t have to choose between privacy and the incredible views framed through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Specialized glazing treatments and smart glass technology offer elegant methods to be discreet without compromising visual access to the surrounding landscape.
Also, think about the orientation of the home on the lot. Work with your design team to carefully calibrate the home’s position to capture optimal morning light and evening sunset views while mitigating harsh direct sunlight through extended eaves and covered alcoves. If you are working on a Southwest home remodel, your design team can help you think past the current layout to make sure it’s situated so you get the full benefit of the exceptional views.
3. Create a Custom Design to Match the Environment–and Your Tastes
Designing your custom luxury home in Scottsdale's prestigious golf communities begins with understanding how you envision living in and using your space. You want to create a residence that not only complements its desert surroundings but also serves as a reflection of your lifestyle. By collaborating closely with your design team, you can honor the natural environment and your personal aesthetic.
The cornerstone of desert luxury living is the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Envision a great room with sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between interior comfort and desert beauty, opening to a covered patio with an outdoor kitchen.
Include natural elements like richly grained woods, textured natural stone, and traditional adobe to create a sophisticated palette that echoes the desert landscape. Contemporary touches like organic curved lines and carefully chosen color accents add modern sophistication.
Your home should be a canvas for personal expression, whether that means a dedicated space for your prized art collection, a climate-controlled garage worthy of vintage cars, or a professional-grade golf simulator for year-round practice. A private putting green offers the perfect spot to perfect your short game, while a sauna provides the ideal retreat after a challenging round.
Whether you plan to be in the home seasonally or live there year-round with frequent travel, make sure you have the security systems and home automation to ensure your sanctuary remains protected and maintained regardless of your schedule.
4. Plan for Guests
With a beautiful custom home in one of the best golf communities in Arizona, you will have no trouble getting friends and family to visit. And you’re likely to make new friends with similarly golf-minded neighbors. As you put the finishing touches on your design, make sure you have plenty of space for guests.
A well-conceived guest wing or separate casita offers visitors the perfect balance of privacy and inclusion, allowing them to enjoy their retreat while remaining connected to the main residence. Also incorporate versatile entertainment spaces, such as a well-stocked game room for spirited poker nights or a great room that transitions from intimate post-round gatherings to grand family celebrations.
Beyond the physical design elements, successful guest planning requires a thorough understanding of community guidelines regarding visitor access to amenities. Also, consider guests who may not share your passion for golf. Scottsdale's cultural attractions, spa facilities, and shopping destinations ensure every guest finds their own retreat.
Choose a Design Team That Knows Scottsdale
The key to building a custom luxury home that is perfect for you is a design team that works to understand your goals while also knowing the area. Especially with the world-class golf communities in Scottsdale, you want a team that adheres to the requirements for each community but also honors the natural surroundings, all while bringing your vision to life.
Are you ready to build your perfect custom home with a world-class golf course in your backyard? Call us today and tell us about your project.