Chaparral Pines at Golf Club at Chaparral Pines

Chaparral Pines sits in the high country of central Arizona near Payson, roughly ninety miles northeast of Phoenix at an elevation above 5,000 feet. The course was designed by David Graham, the Australian professional who won the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, working with architect Gary Panks. The collaboration brought together Graham's competitive insights with Panks's design experience across the Southwest. The layout opened in the late 1980s and takes advantage of the region's distinctive ponderosa pine forests and cooler mountain climate, offering a marked contrast to the desert courses that dominate the Phoenix metropolitan area.

The routing moves through rolling terrain covered with tall pines, native grasses, and occasional rock outcroppings characteristic of the Mogollon Rim country. The elevation provides natural movement in the land, and the design incorporates elevation changes and doglegs that require thoughtful club selection and course management. The tree-lined fairways demand accuracy from the tee, while the greens feature moderate contours that reward approach shots played to the correct quadrant.

Chaparral Pines serves as a semi-private facility and has become a destination for Phoenix-area golfers seeking relief from summer heat. The mountain setting and pine-scented air create a different golfing environment than the saguaro-studded desert layouts below, and the course remains playable during the warm months when lower-elevation courses see reduced traffic. The clubhouse and amenities reflect the mountain lodge aesthetic common to Arizona's high country retreats.