
Outlaw Course
Desert Mountain Golf Club




About this course
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.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Private column compares member-only and guest-restricted courses.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in AZ
Quick facts
- Location
- Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Access
- Private
- Year built
- 2003
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Jack Nicklaus
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,107 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.5/147
- Course Vaults score
- 8.0
Getting there
Desert Mountain Golf Club is most readily accessed via Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), situated roughly 45 minutes south of Scottsdale, with the final stretch climbing gently into the foothills where saguaro-studded ridgelines frame the approach. For those arriving by private aircraft, Scottsdale Airport (SDL) lies just 20 minutes away and offers the discretion and convenience befitting the club's ultra-exclusive membership. The drive north from either gateway traces the transition from the sprawling valley floor into the McDowell Mountains, where Desert Mountain's gated entrance materializes amid native desert landscape - a threshold that marks the shift from the bustle of greater Phoenix into one of the Southwest's most coveted and private golf sanctuaries.

FAQ
Common questions about Outlaw at Desert Mountain Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Outlaw at Desert Mountain Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 19 logged golfers.
Outlaw was designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Outlaw at Desert Mountain Golf Club is listed as private on Course Vaults; guest access is typically restricted.
Par at Outlaw is 72.
Outlaw plays 7,107 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Outlaw is 147.






