Outlaw at Desert Mountain Golf Club

The Outlaw course at Desert Mountain Golf Club opened in 1987 as one of Jack Nicklaus's early contributions to this private community in north Scottsdale. Desert Mountain was developed as a multi-course facility in the high Sonoran Desert, and Outlaw was among the first layouts completed on the property. The course sits at elevations between 2,400 and 3,000 feet, offering views across the desert landscape toward the surrounding mountain ranges.

Nicklaus routed the course through natural desert terrain characterized by saguaro cacti, palo verde trees, and rocky outcroppings. The design incorporates elevation changes more dramatic than typical desert courses, with several holes playing significantly uphill or downhill. Fairways are defined corridors through the native vegetation, and the greens feature the contouring and strategic bunkering common to Nicklaus's work from this period. Water comes into play on a few holes, though the routing emphasizes desert carries and approach shots to elevated or protected green complexes.

Desert Mountain operates as a private club with multiple courses, and Outlaw remains one of the six Jack Nicklaus-designed layouts on the property. The club caters to a membership that includes both full-time Scottsdale residents and seasonal visitors. The course has been maintained and updated over the decades to preserve playing conditions in the demanding desert climate, where summer heat limits play but winter and spring offer ideal golf weather.