The other course we played in Arizona was Los Caballeros Golf Club. We were looking for another value course and the green fee here was about $145. Like Foothills the other day, Los Caballeros wasn’t exactly cheap, but the cost wasn’t too outrageous given the overall golf prices in Arizona during the winter.

Los Caballeros is out in Wickenburg, about an hour and fifteen minutes from the Phoenix airport. It can be a bit of a drive to get to the course, but that has never stopped me before. The course was designed by Greg Nash and Jeff Hardin. Los Caballeros is unique because it is part of a horse ranch. I don’t think I’ve ever played a course where you can stay, golf, and ride horses. Interesting!

The course is a par-73 and plays over 7,000 yards from the black tees. We played the silver tees which are 6,575 yards with a rating and slope of 71.6/134. There are four par-3’s, nine par-4’s, and five par-5’s. Two of the par-5’s could be reachable for an average hitter (the 5th and the 17th) while the other three par-5’s are 540+ yards and require some long shots. The 5th is 500 yards and plays from an elevated tee to a semi-blind fairway. I thought it was one of the signature holes at Los Caballeros. The par-5 13th is 560 yards with a narrow fairway and elevated green.

I think the biggest challenge here will be navigating the narrow fairways. Los Caballeros doesn’t have much true target golf, but the fairways aren’t exactly wide. There are a couple trees near the fairways (e.g.: the 2nd, 7th, and 14th) that need to be avoided. The 14th is a short par-4 with an elevated green that falls off steeply on all sides. Not a green to be missed. Accurate shots are important to scoring well.

Like many courses in the desert, Los Caballeros has a good look. We played on a cloudy day, but I’m sure the course would shine when it is sunny. Probably the coolest thing about my pictures today are the wave patterns in the clouds. Mountains rise up in the distance and a few holes have some minor elevation changes. There aren’t many homes that surround the course.

The course was in great shape. The fairways and tees were overseeded while the rough was dormant bermuda. The ball sat up in the fairways. The rough was a bit thin. The greens were smooth and quick. I ran many putts past the hole early on.

After playing here, I think Los Caballeros is worth the cash. The course isn’t flashy, but it has a mix of good elements. The driving range was nice and range balls were included. The maintenance was solid. The topography is interesting. The design has some character and a little quirk. I thought there were many above average holes. If you are looking to pay less than $200 for a round this time of year then Los Caballeros gets my vote.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):