April 2022
There’s no two ways about it: Desert Highlands is home to great golf—and that’s been true since day one.
Golf has been part of our DNA since the very beginning. And in this month’s blog, we’re taking a closer look at all things golf here at Desert Highlands.
An Unforgettable Landscape
Carved out of the Sonoran Desert, the Signature Jack Nicklaus Course is naturalistic desert golf at its finest. The unrivaled beauty of the Sonoran Desert—accented by the thoughtful, complementary arrangement of the course itself—are the first two things golfers notice when they tee up for the first time.
Turf is used sparingly throughout the 18 holes, emphasizing the starkly beautiful desert landscape. The impressive sight of Pinnacle Peak looms overhead as golfers traverse the fairway. Once they’ve teed up at the elevated boxes overlooking the links, golfers are put right into the heart of the Sonoran Desert in a harmonious balance of world-class golf and unparalleled natural beauty.
After playing a round at Desert Highlands, you’ll surely agree that the golfing experience offered by the Signature Jack Nicklaus course is unequaled anywhere else.
Putting at the Foot of Pinnacle Peak
In addition to the Signature Jack Nicklaus Course, Desert Highlands offers golfers a way to work on their short game. The Gary Panks-designed 18 hole putting course was the very first of its kind in the nation when it debuted in the 1980s.
In fact, Desert Highlands made golf industry headlines as only the second golf course in the world to offer a fully realized 18-hole putting course. Practice makes perfect as golfers hone their short game in the picturesque landscape amongst some of the finest scenery in the American Southwest.
The Skinny on the Skins Game
You can’t talk about Desert Highlands' place in golf history without mentioning the inaugural PGA Skins Game.
Way back in 1983, on the day after Thanksgiving, the Signature Jack Nicklaus Course at Desert Highlands hosted the first of what would become an eagerly anticipated annual tradition over the next 25 years: The PGA Skins Game. On display were some of golf’s most striking personalities—Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Tom Watson—and enough prize money on the line to draw eyeballs from all across the US and Canada.
Skins, for the uninitiated, is a scoring variant where a round of golf is won one hole (or ‘skin’) at a time, with ties on a given hole carrying over to the next. For the PGA showmatch, each skin awarded its own individual prize money. And given the stiff competition between the four players, it wasn’t long before purses larger than an entire year’s winnings hinged on a single putt.
With huge cash prizes on the line each hole, the foursome competed in an unforgettable high-stakes, post-season golf spectacle, broadcasting the Signature Jack Nicklaus Course into living rooms across the US and Canada. The televised invitation-only event was instrumental in introducing North American golf fans to the course we know and love.
Swing into Desert Highlands
Golf remains a central part of the Desert Highlands experience today. The fairway continues to draw players to its serene, breathtaking landscape, and the timeless challenge of the course feels as fresh as it did four decades ago.
If you’re interested in walking the footsteps of golf greats, or even if you’re just after a unique, memorable golf experience, playing a round at the Signature Jack Nicklaus Course at Desert Highlands is a must.
Want to live next door to a piece of golf history? Check out our North Scottsdale, Arizona real estate listings for all the latest properties in our beautiful desert community.
Return to Blog