Longbow Golf Club

Longbow Golf Club sits in the eastern reaches of Mesa, Arizona, designed by Ken Kavanaugh and opened in 1997. The course occupies relatively flat desert terrain characteristic of the Salt River Valley, with the layout incorporating native Sonoran Desert vegetation including saguaro cacti, palo verde, and mesquite alongside the playing corridors. The design reflects the target-style desert golf that became popular in Arizona during the 1990s, with defined fairways and greens set against natural desert areas that serve as both hazard and landscape feature. The routing makes use of the site's gentle elevation changes and desert washes to create visual interest across the property. Water features appear on several holes, adding strategic elements to what is otherwise a desert-environment course. The layout provides a range of hole lengths and configurations, with particular attention to sight lines and approach angles that reward accurate iron play. The greens feature modest undulation appropriate to the desert setting, and bunkering follows conventional strategic placement around landing zones and green complexes. Longbow operates as a public facility and has served Mesa's golf community for more than two decades. The course sits near the Superstition Mountains to the east, providing a distinctive backdrop on clear days. The property includes practice facilities and a clubhouse that serves daily-fee players and regular visitors. The course represents an accessible example of Arizona desert golf design from the era when the Phoenix metropolitan area was expanding its public golf inventory.