Silver Creek at Silver Creek Golf Club

Silver Creek Golf Club sits in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona near Show Low, a town at roughly 6,300 feet elevation where ponderosa pine forests meet high-desert terrain. Gary Panks designed the course in the mid-1990s, part of a residential community development that took advantage of the area's cooler summer climate and dramatic elevation changes. Panks, a Texas-based architect active across the Southwest during that era, routed the layout through rolling, forested land with natural arroyos and rock outcroppings characteristic of the region's volcanic geology.

The course plays through corridors of tall pines, with fairways that rise and fall along the natural contours. Elevation shifts create optical challenges and affect club selection, while the thin mountain air adds distance to well-struck shots. Water features appear on several holes, including a creek that gives the course its name and comes into play strategically. The layout balances risk-reward opportunities with more straightforward holes, suitable for the mix of resort visitors and local members who play here.

Silver Creek serves both the residential community and outside guests, functioning as a mountain golf destination within a few hours' drive of Phoenix. The setting offers a distinct contrast to the desert courses of the Valley, with pine-scented air and seasonal weather that limits play during winter months when snow can blanket the higher elevations. The course reflects the character of White Mountains golf: forested, moderately challenging, and appealing to those seeking cooler conditions during Arizona's summer heat.