Cholla is a demanding, target-style desert course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Fort McDowell, AZ, and it's worth playing if you want a scenic, challenging round with no homes along the fairways.
It plays 7,225 yards from the back tees (par 72, 73.4 rating, 138 slope), ranks No. 8 among Arizona's public-access courses, and costs $239 per round from late October through early January, the best time to go.
Keep reading for a more detailed explanation of the layout, rates, booking, and strategy.
What Makes Cholla Worth Playing
Cholla opened in December 2001 as the first of two courses at We-Ko-Pa, a 36-hole daily-fee facility owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
Saguaro, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, followed in 2006. The name “We-Ko-Pa” means “Four Peaks” in Yavapai, while the course takes its name from the cholla cactus.
Scott Miller designed it after about ten years with Jack Nicklaus's design firm, where he worked on courses at Desert Highlands and Desert Mountain.
He picked a tract cut by natural desert washes, routed most holes up or down them, and moved more than 500,000 cubic yards of material to build it.
His philosophy is simple: clear landing areas, trouble you can see, and “saving bunkers” so a miss in the desert still leaves you a recovery shot.
The land can never be developed, so you won't find homes or roads along the fairways. Instead, you get views of Red Mountain, Four Peaks, the McDowell and Mazatzal ranges, and the Superstition Mountains.
How Cholla Differs From Saguaro
Saguaro is minimalist and walkable. Cholla is traditional desert golf, with forced carries, elevated tees, and split fairways, so it plays better from a cart.
The 2016 Renovation
A $1.8 million project closed the course for the summer and reopened it October 28, 2016. The work included:
- MiniVerde ultradwarf greens, replacing the TifDwarf
- New bunker sand and drainage
- New irrigation
- A redesigned par-5 8th
- Six to seven acres of turf replaced with native plants, which saves a reported 12 million gallons of water a year
Rankings in Context
Golfweek ranks Cholla No. 8 among Arizona's public-access courses for 2026. It tied for 9th in 2024, ranked No. 7 in 2021, and reached No. 3 in 2009 and 2011.
Golf Digest is less generous, placing it 33rd on its 2025-26 Arizona list, which includes private clubs. So Cholla is a top-10 public course, but clearly the second-best at its own facility.
Other recognition includes Sports Illustrated's “10 Best New Public Courses in the World” after its debut, Golf Inc.'s Development of the Year in 2002, and six appearances on GOLF Magazine's Top 100 You Can Play list.
Course Layout, Tees, and Signature Holes
Cholla plays to a par of 72 (36 out, 36 back), with four par 3s (holes 3, 5, 11, and 14) and four par 5s (holes 2, 8, 10, and 17). Yardages are measured to the center of the green, so factor that in when you pick a club.
Tee Options
| Tee | Yards | Men's Rating/Slope | Women's Rating/Slope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholla (back) | 7,225 | 73.4 / 138 | n/a |
| Purple | 6,740 | 70.7 / 133 | n/a |
| Composite | 6,436 | 69.4 / 126 | n/a |
| White | 6,114 | 67.5 / 119 | 73.6 / 130 |
| Green | 5,289 | 64.2 / 112 | 69.3 / 124 |
Some third-party sites still list older numbers, such as 73.0/136 or 72.5/130. Stick with the figures on the club's own scorecard.
Holes Worth Knowing
Hole 8 is the signature: a 605-yard par 5 and the No. 1 handicap hole. Your drive has to carry a vegetated arroyo to a fairway that drops from left to right. The 2016 changes widened the landing area and added turf across the arroyo, so long hitters can now go for the green in two.
Hole 14 is a 177-yard downhill par 3 from an elevated tee, and it's widely called the most scenic hole on the course. The two-tiered green is guarded by deep bunkers left and back.
Hole 18 is a 432-yard finisher with a split fairway. Your approach plays over water lined with waste bunkers, and it's the only hole on Cholla with water in play.
Hole 1 is a 351-yard dogleg left over a waste bunker. The landing area is tighter than it looks, which is why many players hit a hybrid or fairway wood.
Hole 17 is a 578-yard par 5 that bends left, so a draw is the preferred shot.
A few other holes deserve a note:
- Hole 3: A par 3 at the base of a hill, with a rock outcrop left of the green.
- Hole 4: At 469 yards, the fairway pinches about halfway to the green.
- Hole 11: The longest par 3, at 220 yards.
- Hole 15: A 327-yard par 4 that poses a risk/reward decision off the tee.
If you're a woman playing from the forward tees, keep in mind that handicap indexes differ on some back-nine holes. Hole 11 is rated 8 and hole 12 is rated 12 for women.
Conditions, Overseed, and the Best Time to Play
Tees and fairways are Bermudagrass, which the club scalps and overseeds with ryegrass each winter. The greens are MiniVerde ultradwarf Bermuda, even though many third-party listings still say TifDwarf.
Reviewers put green speeds at roughly 10.5 to 11 on the Stimpmeter, with noticeable tiers and ridges that make speed control matter.
2026 Closures
| Closure | Dates | Reopens |
|---|---|---|
| Cholla overseed | October 5-22 | October 23 |
| Saguaro overseed | October 12-29 | October 30 |
| Cholla aerification (July) | July 6-19 | July 20 |
The club staggers the two courses, so one is usually open. In mid-October, Saguaro stays available until October 12, and Cholla comes back on October 23. The practice facility also closed July 14-15 for aerification, so skip July if you want smooth greens and full facilities.
Cart Rules and Weather
Heavy watering after overseed can restrict carts. The club's notice still shows a cart-restriction date of November 24, 2025, which looks carried over from last year, so ask about cart-path rules before you play in November.
Winter mornings can bring frost delays, and cart-path-only days are common after rain. The club posts daily conditions on its X account, @WeKoPaCondition.
When to Go
The best value window runs from late October through early January, after the rye has grown in. If you play in summer, take the earliest tee time you can get and use the water stations around the course.
Green Fees, Booking, and Club Policies
Booking a Tee Time
Book directly through the club's website up to 90 days ahead. The club says it doesn't use dynamic pricing or sell tee times through third-party sites.
A credit card holds your time, and you can also reach the golf shop at 480.836.9000 or toll-free at 866.660.7700. The club switched booking systems, so its old app no longer shows We-Ko-Pa tee times.
You need to cancel or reduce your player count at least 48 hours ahead to avoid a charge. For groups of 12 or more, contact Eric Dettman at 480.789.8703 or edettman@wekopa.com.
Green Fees
Rates below are posted prices, plus 9.0% sales tax. They include the cart and practice balls. Resort rates apply when you book 0 to 90 days out, and Arizona I.D. rates apply within 7 days of play.
| Dates | Resort Rate | AZ I.D. Rate | 36-Hole Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 28 – Oct. 11, 2026 | $159 | $129 | $289 |
| Oct. 23, 2026 – Jan. 7, 2027 | $239 | $179 | $448 |
| Jan. 8 – Feb. 8, 2027 | $329 | $239 | $619 |
| Feb. 9 – 14, 2027 (WM Phoenix Open week) | $359 | $359 | $679 |
| Feb. 15 – Apr. 25, 2027 | $329 | $239 | $619 |
| May 17 – June 13, 2027 | $169 | $139 | $308 |
No rates are posted for April 26 to May 16, 2027, or for dates after June 13, 2027, so call the shop for those.
Discounts and Packages
- Arizona rate: Every player in your group must show a valid Arizona driver's license or state ID.
- Juniors: Players 16 and under get 50% off when playing with an adult.
- 36-hole package: It covers both courses within 72 hours and saves $30 to $39 in winter compared with two separate rounds.
- We-Ko-Pass: This local card cost $229 plus tax for 2026 and expired September 30, 2026, so check the 2027 terms.
Dress Code and Rentals
Wear a collared or mock-collared golf shirt. Soft spikes only, and no denim. If you need clubs, Callaway sets cost $75 for 18 holes or $98 for 36, and they come with six SuperSoft balls and a valuables pouch.
Carts and Walking
A GPS-equipped cart comes with every green fee. The club announced another cart upgrade on August 27, 2026, but the details couldn't be confirmed.
Some sites list walking as an option, but Cholla's elevated tees, forced carries, and long green-to-tee transfers make a cart the practical choice. If you want to walk, Saguaro is the course built for it.
Strategy to Score Better and Stay Out of Trouble
Pick the Right Tees
The 138 slope from the back tees is tough. Most mid-handicappers will have a better day from the Composite tees (6,436 yards) or the White tees (6,114 yards).
Off the Tee
Many tee shots are blind or partly hidden, so clubbing down is often the smart play. Take the club that finds the landing area rather than reaching for driver every time. The cart GPS gives you carry numbers over washes and bunkers, so check it before you swing.
Play the Saving Bunkers
Scott Miller built the bunkers so you have somewhere to miss other than the desert. Use them as your safety net instead of challenging the desert directly. On hole 8, go for the green in two only if your drive finds the downhill fairway.
When You Land in the Desert
Stay out of it if you can, since rattlesnakes and jumping cholla are real concerns. If you can't find your ball, the local desert rule lets you take a one-stroke drop within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the turf line, so you don't have to search through cactus.
Pace of Play
Budget about five hours in peak season. Several 2026 reviews mentioned waits on nearly every shot and little ranger presence, so book one of the earliest tee times to stay ahead of the crowds.
Practice, Dining, Getting There, and Where to Stay
Practice Facilities and Lessons
The natural-grass range has two hitting areas and multiple target greens, and the premium range balls are stacked in pyramids for unlimited use. You also get four putting greens (one sits at the Cholla first tee) and a chipping green with a practice bunker.
Instructors use Bushnell launch monitors. Current lesson pricing:
- Nick Jevas (PGA): $100 per hour or $60 per 30 minutes
- Landon Huff: $100 per hour
- Tyler Jennings (PGA): $100 per hour or $275 for three lessons
- Cole Chase's “Couples Who Golf”: $150 per hour for a private session or $250 per couple in a group
Pro Shop
The golf shop has been named one of America's 100 Best Golf Shops. It stocks We-Ko-Pa logo gear and jewelry handcrafted by artisans from the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, and it has sold online since June 2026.
Dining
We-Ko-Pa Grille serves breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The patio has a firepit and views of Red Mountain, and the club has also promoted a Sunday brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
On the course, you'll find a snack bar at the turn and water stations. For dinner, Ember at the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort earned AAA Four Diamond status in 2026 and serves steaks and seafood Tuesday through Saturday starting at 4 p.m.
Getting There
The address is 18200 E. WeKoPa Way, Fort McDowell, AZ 85264. From Sky Harbor, take Loop 202 east to exit 13, then head north on AZ-87 for about 13 to 14 miles and turn left at Fort McDowell Road.
The trip covers about 24 miles and takes roughly 26 minutes without traffic. If you're coming from Shea Boulevard, drive east to AZ-87, go north about 2 miles, and turn left at Fort McDowell Road.
Where to Stay
We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort sits on the same property, with 246 rooms and suites and the Amethyst Spa. Book stay-and-play packages through concierge James Kinzer at 480.789.5307.
Package pricing excludes resort fees and tax. Eagle View RV Resort is also on the property if you're traveling with an RV.
Conclusion
Cholla rewards players who plan ahead. Aim for late October through early January, when the fresh rye is in and rates are lower.
Book directly with the club, where you get the best rate, and pick tees that match your game, since the back tees are a lot to handle.
Rates and policies can change, so confirm with the golf shop before you travel.
