Golf in Sedona, Arizona: A Local Guide
Sedona's courses are set among some of the most photographed scenery in the American West. A guide to golf in Red Rock Country: the courses, the milder mid-elevation climate and the best times to play.
Sedona is famous for its red sandstone buttes and spires, and its golf courses make the most of them. With its courses at about 4,000 to 4,600 feet, between the low desert of Phoenix and the pine forests of Flagstaff, Sedona has a milder climate than the Valley, with cooler summers and crisp winters. It has only a handful of courses, but they are among the most scenic in the state.
The Courses
Our database lists four courses in and around Sedona:
- Sedona Golf Resort, a Gary Panks design that opened in 1988, in the Village of Oak Creek south of town. Its best-known hole is the par-3 10th, played with Cathedral Rock as its backdrop.
- Oakcreek Country Club, Sedona's original championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1968. It plays up to about 6,800 yards, par 72.
- Seven Canyons, a private club in the canyons west of town.
- Canyon Mesa Country Club, a 9-hole course in the Village of Oak Creek.
See all four, with a playability forecast for each, on our Sedona golf weather page, including Sedona Golf Resort and Oakcreek Country Club.
The Climate
The National Weather Service's 1991–2020 normals for Sedona show an average high of about 58°F in January and about 97°F in July, roughly ten degrees cooler than Phoenix on a summer afternoon. Sedona is also much wetter than the low desert, with about 17 inches of precipitation a year, split between winter storms and the summer monsoon. Winter nights are cold, with average January lows around 34°F, and the occasional winter storm brings snow.
When to Play
- Spring (March to May): prime time, with highs in the 60s and 70s, and the red rocks at their most photogenic in the clear spring light.
- Summer (June to September): warm to hot, but more bearable than the Valley. From July, the monsoon brings dramatic afternoon thunderstorms, so a morning tee time is the safer choice.
- Autumn (October and November): another prime season, with warm days and cool nights.
- Winter (December to February): cool and often sunny, with frequent frost delays on cold mornings. Unlike most low-desert courses, none of Sedona's courses is listed as overseeding in the Arizona Golf Association's 2026 schedule, so expect firmer, partly dormant turf in winter rather than autumn closures.
How Far the Ball Flies
Sedona's elevation adds noticeable distance. Our carry model estimates that a drive that carries 230 yards at sea level on a 70°F day would carry about 243 yards on an average January afternoon in Sedona, and about 252 yards on an average July afternoon. That is a club or more longer than in Phoenix, so adjust your club choice rather than trusting your usual yardages.
Getting Started
Sedona is best combined with a wider Arizona trip: the Valley's courses in winter, and Sedona in spring and autumn. Book well ahead in peak season, when the town is busy with visitors, and check the forecast for your tee time on our Arizona golf weather pages. For the wider Arizona golf year, see Golf in Arizona: A Season-by-Season Guide.
Photo: "Golfing in Red Rock Country", on the Red Rock Scenic Byway near Sedona, Arizona, by Nancy Brown, from the U.S. National Archives (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons. Resized from the original.
