Rio Salado Golf Course

The desert target golf here demands precision over power, with elevated tees firing down to postage-stamp greens guarded by unforgiving Sonoran wasteland. Water comes into play on half the holes—a rarity in Arizona's Valley of the Sun—including a memorable island green that separates pretenders from players. This former PGA Tour venue still bares its teeth with lightning-fast bermuda greens and strategic bunkering that rewards course management over heroics.