Desert MountainArizona's high-desert capital of private golf.
The only private club in the world with seven Jack Nicklaus Signature courses — and a rare Sonoran address where summer temperatures actually feel like spring.
$2.6M+
Median Price
7
Golf Courses
8,000
Acres
1986
Founded
Welcome to Desert Mountain.
8,000 acres of high-elevation Sonoran. Seven Jack Nicklaus Signature courses. The only private club in the world with this much pedigree under one membership.
Inside Desert Mountain.
Selected scenes from around Desert Mountain — the homes, the amenities, and the everyday details that define the neighborhood.
Living in Desert Mountain
Where the world's best private golf meets the cooler side of the Sonoran.
Desert Mountain sits on 8,000 acres of high-elevation Sonoran desert in far North Scottsdale (85262), straddling the border with Carefree. Founded in 1986 around a single Jack Nicklaus Signature course, it has grown into the only private club in the world with seven Jack Nicklaus Signature courses — including Seven, the first reversible 18-hole short course ever built.
But Desert Mountain is more than a golf community. At 2,800–3,800 feet of elevation, the property sits well above the central Phoenix basin — summer temperatures run 5 to 10°F cooler, and the vegetation shifts from low Sonoran into the high-desert ecosystem of juniper and oak. The result is a microclimate that makes year-round living genuinely comfortable.
For buyers exploring luxury Scottsdale homes, Desert Mountain offers a value proposition unique in Arizona: a turn-key amenity set most private clubs would take a century to build, paired with elevation, privacy, and access to Tonto National Forest steps from the gate.
The Portfolio
Seven courses. One designer.
Every course on the property is a Jack Nicklaus Signature design — a distinction shared by no other private club in the world.
Renegade
Jack Nicklaus
7,259
Yards
The original — opened 1987
Cochise
Jack Nicklaus
7,045
Yards
Host of the Charles Schwab Cup
Geronimo
Jack Nicklaus
7,437
Yards
The most challenging in the portfolio
Apache
Jack Nicklaus
7,191
Yards
Risk-reward shot values throughout
Chiricahua
Jack Nicklaus
6,910
Yards
Tournament caliber, member favorite
Outlaw
Jack Nicklaus
7,168
Yards
Wide fairways, dramatic elevation
Seven
Jack Nicklaus II
3,378
Yards
Reversible par-54 short course
Lifestyle & Amenities
More resort than club.
Even members who don't play golf find more than enough to fill their days. Six dining concepts, 20,000+ square feet of spa, a serious racquet program, and 20+ miles of private trails.
By the Numbers
55K
Sq Ft Clubhouse
20K
Sq Ft Spa
6
Dining Concepts
7
Racquet Courts
Seven Signature Courses
The only private club in the world with seven Jack Nicklaus Signature courses on one property — including Seven, the world's first reversible 18-hole short course.
Sonoran Spa
20,000+ square feet of treatment rooms, hydrotherapy, full salon, and member-only fitness center with private trainers and group classes.
Six Dining Concepts
From the formal Constellation dining room to the casual Saguaro Cantina and Sonoran Wine Bar — six distinct member dining experiences.
20+ Miles of Trails
Private hiking, biking, and equestrian trails inside the community — direct connection to Tonto National Forest and Cave Creek Regional Park.
Racquet & Aquatics
Seven lighted tennis and pickleball courts, junior tennis academy, and resort-style aquatics with lap pool, family pool, and poolside dining.
Cooler Microclimate
Sitting 1,500+ feet above central Scottsdale, Desert Mountain averages 5–10°F cooler than Phoenix — a meaningful summer-living advantage.
Why Buy in Desert Mountain
An asset that pays in lifestyle dividends.
Desert Mountain has consistently outperformed the broader North Scottsdale luxury market over the last decade — and uniquely, the value of ownership compounds the longer you hold a club membership.
+52%
5-Yr Median Apprec.
45–75
Days on Market
$2.6M
Median Sale Price
$735
Avg Price / Sq Ft
Inside Desert Mountain
Villages of Desert Mountain
Renegade
Custom estates around the original course
Apache Peak
Hillside lots, elevated views
Saguaro Forest
Lush desert custom homes
The Village
Patio homes and townhomes near the club
Sundown
West-facing sunset views
Lone Mountain
Boulder-strewn estates
"
We chose Desert Mountain because we wanted year-round comfort, world-class golf, and a community that actually has things to do every day. Pamela understood exactly how members live here — she found us a Saguaro Forest custom with the right membership transfer and we couldn't be more at home.
— R. & E. Donovan, Saguaro Forest members
Frequently Asked
Desert Mountain — Buyer & Member FAQs
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Course walk-throughs, member dining, off-market estate previews, and a confidential CMA — coordinated by Pamela and her team.