Arizona Claims Three of America’s Top 10 Golf Getaways

Arizona Claims Three of America’s Top 10 Golf Getaways — More Than Any Other State

Arizona has a new bragging right: a 2026 national analysis of the best golf getaways in America puts three Arizona destinations in the Top 10 — more than any other state.

Sun City leads the Arizona contingent at No. 4 nationally with a Golf Getaway Score of 73.68 out of 100. Scottsdale lands at No. 6 (70.61), and Tucson rounds out the trio at No. 8 (70.20).

What the ranking actually measures

The analysis, from Canada Sports Betting, scored 153 U.S. destinations on golf access and green fees, lodging costs and availability, and fall weather. Importantly, it’s designed to measure accessible and affordable golf getaways — not course prestige, championship history, or private-club access.

That distinction matters. A value-and-accessibility ranking is arguably more useful for actual trip planning than a prestige list dominated by clubs most travelers can never play.

The Scottsdale case in numbers

Scottsdale’s Top 10 finish probably won’t shock anyone who’s been here, but the underlying numbers are striking:

– 41 public or municipal 18-hole courses within 20 miles of Scottsdale
– 1,890 lodging properties appearing in the study’s Booking.com searches — the largest median availability among Arizona’s three Top 10 destinations
– Fall weather built for golf: across September, October, and November, Scottsdale averages a daytime high of nearly 83 degrees and a nighttime low of about 61, with only 2.54 inches of rain

That’s the exact window when much of the country is putting the clubs away for winter — and the Valley’s courses are at their best.

Why this is the right time to come

Fall is peak planning season for winter golf trips. If you’ve been thinking about an Arizona golf getaway, the data backs up what locals already know: nowhere in the country packs more playable, affordable golf into easy reach — or pairs it with better fall weather.