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Arizona residents pay $179 instead of $239 to play We-Ko-Pa Golf Club this fall, a $60 difference per round, and the club sits just east of Fountain Hills with two courses ranked among Arizona's best public tracks. For anyone who owns or is shopping for a home in Fountain Hills or Rio Verde, that combination of a top ranked public course and a resident rate is worth understanding.
What the data says
- Golfweek 2026 public access rankings, Arizona: Saguaro No. 1, Cholla No. 8 (as reported by We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, June 15, 2026)
- GolfPass Golfers' Choice 2026: both Saguaro and Cholla appear on the top 25 public courses in Arizona, built from 19,195 reviews of 215 Arizona courses in 2025 (GolfPass, 2026 edition)
- Green fees, Oct. 23, 2026 to Jan. 7, 2027: $239 resort rate, $179 Arizona ID rate, plus 9.0% sales tax (We-Ko-Pa rates page, checked Nov. 11, 2026)
- Fountain Hills golf course homes: 58 sales, median $1,290,000, $433 per square foot, 55 median days on market, 17 for sale (Fountain Hills golf course homes page, ARMLS via Flexmls, 12 months to Nov. 6, 2026)
- Fountain Hills overall: 672 sales, median $725,000, 5.1 months of supply (Fountain Hills homes page, ARMLS via Flexmls, 12 months to Nov. 6, 2026)
- Rio Verde 85263: 213 sales, median $826,810, about 7.6 months of supply (Rio Verde 85263 page, ARMLS via Flexmls, 12 months to Nov. 5, 2026)
The two courses
We-Ko-Pa has two 18 hole courses with very different personalities. The club says each architect was handed about 450 acres of undisturbed desert and that both courses are free of houses and roads.
Cholla, by Scott Miller
Scott Miller designed and built Cholla in 2000 and 2001. The club describes it as classic target style desert golf, routed up and down natural washes that start in the McDowell Mountains, with forced carries and clear landing areas. Views take in Red Mountain and Four Peaks. Golfweek's 2026 list, as reported by the club, ranks it No. 8 among Arizona public courses.
Saguaro, by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
Coore and Crenshaw designed Saguaro in 2005 and 2006, and it opened in 2006. The club says very little dirt was moved, fairways are wider than typical desert corridors, and greens sit close to the next tee so the course is built for walking, which is rare in the Scottsdale area. The club reports Golfweek has ranked it Arizona's top public course for 15 of the last 16 years, including No. 1 in 2026.
Why it matters if you live nearby
We-Ko-Pa has no homes on its fairways, so living near it means living in a neighboring community. The closest options are in Fountain Hills, where Fountain Hills homes for sale sold at a median of $725,000 over the past year, and in Rio Verde to the north. See where Fountain Hills and Rio Verde sit on our Northeast Valley map.
The resident rate is the practical link. During the current season the Arizona ID rate is $179 against a $239 resort rate, $60 or about 25% less. From January 8 to February 8, 2027 it is $239 against $329, a $90 gap, and in summer it is $74 against $109. One exception: from February 9 to 14, 2027 both rates are $359. A homeowner with an Arizona license gets the lower rate, but only when booking 7 days or less before the round.
If you want golf on your own street rather than a short drive away, Fountain Hills has its own course communities. Fountain Hills golf course homes for sale had a median sale price of $1,290,000 over the past year, about $565,000 above the town median. Within those, Eagle Mountain homes for sale sold at a median of $817,500, SunRidge Canyon homes for sale at $911,250, and Desert Canyon homes for sale at $1,222,500, with Desert Canyon at about 2.5 months of supply. ZIP level figures for homes for sale in 85268 show 676 sales at a median of $723,750 for the year ending October 31, 2026.
Farther north, homes for sale in Rio Verde 85263 sold at a median of $826,810 with about 7.6 months of supply, which leans toward buyers. Golf communities with Rio Verde addresses include the Rio Verde community homes for sale (median $637,500, 53 sales), Tonto Verde homes for sale (median $925,000, 41 sales), and Verde River homes for sale (median $936,950, 94 sales). You can compare these and other course communities on our golf course communities map.
Practical steps for golfers buying nearby
- Decide between on course and near course. A home on a Fountain Hills course lot carried a median about $565,000 above the town median this past year. Living near We-Ko-Pa instead gives you a top ranked public course without a golf lot premium.
- Get your Arizona license early. The resident rate requires a valid Arizona driver license or ID for every player. If you are relocating, check the Arizona MVD for current steps and timing.
- Plan around the calendar. Each course closes for overseeding in the fall and for aerification in summer. For 2026, Cholla reopened October 23 and Saguaro October 30.
- Compare supply by community. Desert Canyon had about 2.5 months of supply while Rio Verde 85263 had about 7.6. That gap affects how much room you have to negotiate.
- Avoid this mistake: assuming the 36 hole package is always the best deal. At $448 for two rounds it is $30 less than two resort rate rounds this season, but two Arizona ID rounds come to $358. Residents who can book within 7 days usually do better with the ID rate.
The honest caveats
We could not open Golfweek's 2026 list directly this run, so the Saguaro and Cholla ranks come from We-Ko-Pa's own June 15, 2026 announcement of those rankings. GolfPass's list is built from golfer reviews, not a rating panel, and the two methods measure different things. Green fees are the club's published rates and exclude tax; check the club before you book. Community figures are medians, and several are based on small samples, such as 24 sales in Desert Canyon and 28 in Eagle Mountain, so one or two large sales can move them. Prices vary widely by lot, view, and home size inside each community.
Frequently asked questions
Where is We-Ko-Pa Golf Club?
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is at 18200 E. WeKoPa Way in Fort McDowell, Arizona 85264, on land of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation east of Fountain Hills. The club is an enterprise of the Nation and sits next to the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort.
Is We-Ko-Pa Golf Club open to the public?
Yes. Both courses are open to public play and tee times can be booked online or through the golf shop at 480.836.9000.
Who designed the Saguaro and Cholla courses?
Scott Miller designed and built the Cholla course in 2000 and 2001. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed the Saguaro course in 2005 and 2006, and the club says Saguaro opened in 2006.
How is We-Ko-Pa ranked?
We-Ko-Pa reported on June 15, 2026 that Golfweek's 2026 public access rankings place the Saguaro course No. 1 in Arizona and the Cholla course No. 8. Both courses also appear on GolfPass's Golfers' Choice 2026 list of the top 25 public courses in Arizona, which is based on golfer reviews from 2025.
Are there homes on the We-Ko-Pa golf courses?
No. The club states that there are no homes, roads, businesses, or development of any kind on its courses. Buyers who want to live near We-Ko-Pa usually look in Fountain Hills or the Rio Verde area.
How much does it cost to play We-Ko-Pa?
For October 23, 2026 through January 7, 2027, the club lists a resort rate of $239 and an Arizona ID rate of $179, plus 9.0% sales tax. Rates rise to $329 and $239 from January 8 to February 8, 2027 and drop to $109 and $74 from June 14 to August 26, 2027. Check the club's rates page before booking, since rates can change.
What is the Arizona ID rate at We-Ko-Pa?
It is a lower green fee for golfers who show a valid Arizona driver license or Arizona identification card. It applies only to tee times booked 7 days or less before the date of play, and every player in the group must show a valid Arizona ID.
Is the Saguaro course walkable?
Yes. The club describes Saguaro as built for walking, with greens and tees placed close together, and it offers push carts for players who walk. Cholla is a more traditional desert target course with forced carries.
When is We-Ko-Pa closed for overseeding?
For fall 2026, the club lists Cholla closed October 5 to 22 and reopened October 23, and Saguaro closed October 12 to 29 and reopened October 30. The summer 2026 aerification closed each course for about two weeks in July and early August.
What do homes cost near We-Ko-Pa?
Over the 12 months ending November 6, 2026, Fountain Hills homes sold at a median of $725,000 and Fountain Hills golf course homes at a median of $1,290,000, based on ARMLS data on our site. Rio Verde ZIP 85263 had a median sale price of $826,810 over the 12 months ending November 5, 2026.
The bottom line
We-Ko-Pa gives Fountain Hills and Rio Verde homeowners access to two of Arizona's highest ranked public courses, with a resident rate that runs $60 below the resort rate this season. There are no homes on the courses, so the decision is where nearby you want to live and whether a golf course lot of your own is worth the premium. If you want help comparing the communities around it, we are glad to walk through the numbers with you.
Read more: Fountain Hills golf course communities compared: prices, supply, and the courses · Scottsdale’s top-ranked public golf courses: what Golfweek and Golf Digest say
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Sources
- We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Two We-Ko-Pa Courses Earn Top-10 Recognition in Golfweek's 2026 Public-Access Rankings, June 15, 2026. Link
- GolfPass, Best 25 Public Golf Courses in Arizona, Golfers' Choice 2026, accessed Nov. 11, 2026. Link
- We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Rates and Packages, overseeding and aerification schedule, accessed Nov. 11, 2026. Link
- We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Cholla vs. Saguaro, Saguaro Course, and Cholla Course pages, accessed Nov. 11, 2026. Link
- We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Home and Contact pages, accessed Nov. 11, 2026. Link
- Arizona Luxury Partners, Fountain Hills, Fountain Hills golf course homes, Eagle Mountain, SunRidge Canyon, Desert Canyon, and Fountain Hills 85268 pages, ARMLS via Flexmls, 12 months ending Oct. 31 to Nov. 11, 2026, accessed Nov. 11, 2026. Link
- Arizona Luxury Partners, Rio Verde 85263, Rio Verde, Tonto Verde, and Verde River pages, ARMLS via Flexmls, 12 months ending Nov. 4 to Nov. 6, 2026, accessed Nov. 11, 2026. Link
- Rate differences calculated by Arizona Luxury Partners: $239 minus $179 is $60 (about 25%), $329 minus $239 is $90, $109 minus $74 is $35, two resort rounds at $239 is $478 vs. the $448 package ($30), two Arizona ID rounds at $179 is $358.
- Golf course home premium calculated by Arizona Luxury Partners: $1,290,000 Fountain Hills golf course median minus $725,000 Fountain Hills median is $565,000.
All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This article is for general information only and is not financial, lending, legal, or tax advice. Arizona Luxury Partners | Real Estate Group at RE/MAX Fine Properties, 21020 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Brokerage License LC629808000. Equal Housing Opportunity.
