Golf Club of Estrella

Golf Club of Estrella occupies desert terrain in Goodyear, a rapidly growing community west of Phoenix in the Estrella Mountain foothills. The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus II and opened in the mid-2000s as the centerpiece of a master-planned residential development. The routing takes advantage of the natural Sonoran Desert landscape, with fairways framed by saguaro cacti, palo verde, and native grasses against a backdrop of the Sierra Estrella range. The design reflects the modern Arizona desert style, incorporating strategic bunkering, elevation changes, and risk-reward options throughout the layout. Water features appear on several holes, contrasting with the arid surroundings. The course plays across varied terrain that includes both open desert stretches and more intimate corridors defined by natural washes and rock outcroppings. Golf Club of Estrella serves both residents of the surrounding community and outside daily-fee play. The facility includes practice areas and a clubhouse that caters to the area's year-round golf season, with peak conditions typically from late fall through spring when desert courses see their heaviest traffic. The course represents one of several Jack Nicklaus family designs in the Phoenix metropolitan area, contributing to the region's extensive golf infrastructure.