Stonecreek GC’s summer deal made it my favorite course of the year

At GOLF.com, the travel—and the game of golf—is part of the gig. Here, as we count down the final days of 2024, is a look at some of the favorite courses our staff have played over the past 12 months.

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Phoenix, Ariz., is known as one of the country’s golf mecca – and for good reason. With nearly 200 courses in the region—and mild winter temperatures in the 60s and 70s—there there is no shortage of places to play throughout the year. However, the fact that the area is a coveted destination for vacationers escaping the winter cold creates a bit of a problem for locals like me. As soon as the weather turns nice, the price of golf goes up dramatically – sometimes up to several hundred dollars per round. (Check out the amazing green fees I found around town during last year’s Super Bowl weekend – yes!)

Unless you are a member of a private club, you should be prepared to spend a lot to play a round during prime season. But unless it’s a special occasion with friends and family in town, I’m generally not inclined to spend top dollar on golf. This year, however, I learned why it pays to play most of my rounds in the off-peak summer months when I discovered a smoking end-of-summer deal at a local course.

Stonecreek GC is a public course located just minutes from my home in Phoenix. The par-71, 6,871-yard course was originally designed by Gary Grandstaff and Roy Dye, and later redesigned by Arthur Hills & Associates. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, and the links-style layout offers beautiful views of the Squaw Peak Mountains.

Before the start of the summer, my mother, who also lives in the country, expressed interest in resetting her long sleep disability index. We decided to play a series of rounds together, and while I was researching a good place for us, I happened upon a summer deal from Stonecreek that sounded too good to be true. The Stonecreek “6-pack” offered six rounds of golf for $159 – that came out to just $26.50 per round, and included the cart. The only catch? All rounds had to be completed by the end of September, and the earliest you could book was 72 hours in advance. Even though we would have to brave the 110 degree temperatures, we were instantly sold.

Signing up for the 6-pack was the first time I had several days of golf in my schedule—one round a week—since my college days. It’s remarkable how much better each round feels when you get into the flow of regular play. I hadn’t experienced this in a long time! And besides spending quality time with my mom, who I loved, it was also fun to get to know a nearby course as our “local.” Stonecreek is tricky, with several swings required from the tee, multiple penalty areas with inconvenient placement, and lots of bunkers. Water comes into play many times. In our first round, I lost two sleeves of balls. (!) But each week, during our six rounds, my mom and I figured out how to play each hole strategically. Until the end of September, I suffered no such loss. We knew we were going to lose and how to soften the blow.

It felt good to call a new course my home. I felt like a regular, so much so that when a friend came to town last week, Stonecreek was the place I wanted to take him to play. Our high season green fee? 105 dollars. While the price took a bit of a hit, considering what I had paid to play less than three months earlier, the cost was still a relative bargain, considering the cost of other courses in the area.

More than anything, the Stonecreek 6-Pack reminded me of the essential joys of golf: playing with the people you love and enjoying the outdoors—even when it’s sweltering. The fact that it was also ultra affordable was the icing on the cake.

While Phoenix temperatures are positively ideal right now, suffice it to say that my mom and I are already looking forward to summer — and another Stonecreek 6-pack.