Golf Digest Getaways: Scottsdale, AZ

Golf Digest Getaways: Scottsdale, Arizona

11 years ago
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by Ricky L. Potts, Jr., CCAM, CML, CMP

We have only been living in Arizona for a few months, but every day I am reminded as to why I wanted to live here. The sun is ALWAYS shining! I was coming out here on golf vacations almost every year, and wanted to make the move permanent. We didn’t eat outside on Christmas day, but we could have! The lowest I have seen during the day has been around 60°. Basically, the weather is perfect. I have seen rain four times, yes… only four times since we moved. Oh, and the golf is incredible. There are courses everywhere, and while I would love to play them all, there just isn’t enough time!


Speaking of golf, I subscribe to a lot of golf magazines. Golf Digest is my favorite. In the January issue of Golf Digest, there is an article about golf trips. Written by Peter Finch, the article talks about trips here in the United States, as well as trips to Great Britain, Ireland, and beyond. On the second and third page of the article, he breaks down states with the best courses, the best value, the best weather, the best food and beverage, the beset lodging, the best nightlight, and the best places for couples. Can you guess one location that is on these lists?

Best Courses

  1. Carmel/Monterey
  2. Oregon (southern coast)
  3. Pinehurst
  4. Charleston/Kiawah, South Carolina
  5. Scottsdale
  6. Kohler, Wisconsin
  7. Palm Springs
  8. Hilton Head/Savannah
  9. Las Vegas
  10. Myrtle Beach (south)

Best Value

  1. Myrtle Beach (central)
  2. Myrtle Beach (north)
  3. Orlando
  4. Pinehurst
  5. Montgomery, Alabama
  6. Myrtle Beach (south)
  7. Palm Springs
  8. Hilton Head/Savannah
  9. Scottsdale
  10. Birmingham, Alabama

Best Weather

  1. Scottsdale
  2. Palm Springs
  3. San Diego/Carlsbad
  4. Maui
  5. Carmel/Monterey
  6. Big Island, Hawaii
  7. Naples, Florida
  8. Phoenix
  9. Hilton Head/Savannah
  10. Orlando

Best Food & Drink

  1. Carmel/Monterey
  2. Scottsdale
  3. Las Vegas
  4. San Francisco
  5. Palm Springs
  6. Charleston/Kiawah, South Carolina
  7. Pinehurst
  8. Napa Valley
  9. Oregon (southern coast)
  10. Hilton Head/Savannah

Best Lodging

  1. Carmel/Monterey
  2. Oregon (southern coast)
  3. Charleston/Kiawah, South Carolina
  4. Scottsdale
  5. Pinehurst
  6. Kohler, Wisconsin
  7. Las Vegas
  8. Palm Springs
  9. St. Simons Isle./Sea Isle., Georgia
  10. Hilton Head/Savannah

Best Nightlife

  1. Las Vegas
  2. Scottsdale
  3. Miami
  4. Los Angeles
  5. Myrtle Beach (central)
  6. San Francisco
  7. Charleston/Kiawah, South Carolina
  8. Orlando
  9. Palm Springs
  10. New Orleans

Best For Couples

  1. Carmel/Monterey
  2. Maui
  3. Scottsdale
  4. Palm Springs
  5. Napa Valley
  6. San Francisco
  7. Hilton Head/Savannah
  8. Kohler, Wisconsin
  9. Charleston/Kiawah, South Carolina
  10. Pinehust

As I was reading this, I knew I made the right decision to move west. I picked Scottsdale for the weather, the golf, and the culture. Like Indianapolis, there are a lot of small towns around. In Indy, there was Carmel, Fishers, Irvington, Greenwood, and Plainfield. There was always something to do. Here in the Valley there is Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Glendale, and Queen Creek. It is bigger, but it feels similar when we are looking for something to do. Regarding golf, it comes as no surprise that Scottsdale is listed on all of these lists. I also wasn’t surprised to see Carmel/Monterey listed on them all. Pebble Beach is in that area… and that is one of the best golf courses on the planet. Oh, don’t forget about Spyglass Hill.


If you get your hands on a copy of Golf Digest, read the article. You might be planning your next vacation before you know it! I guess our next move is to either Palm Springs or Maui. We will be visiting Maui later this year. I will let you know what we think. I mean, it’s Hawaii after all! At the end of the day, I am happy with our decision to move to Arizona. This list just helps solidify the decision!

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