Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course in Scottsdale closing for restoration project this summer
May 3, 2025, 12:00 PM
PHOENIX — Scottsdale private golf course Desert Highlands was closed on Monday due to a major restoration project, according to a Buffalo Groupe press release.
The Jack Nicklaus design, which first opened in 1983, will be closed for play until reopening in November.
Pieces of the $10 million project include the following: enhancing hole design, reworking surrounding desert landscaping, reconstructing tee boxes, redoing turf, bunkers and greens and updating the club’s putting course.
The par-41 putting course designed by Gary Panks will be re-laid with grass in July.
Details of golf course restoration
Holes
Highlighted hole redesign features include adding a forward tee box on the fifth hole (for easier access to the putting surface) and multiple boxes to the 10th (to move golfers further away from the back of the practice area).
Concerning the short par-4 13th, the ridge that currently obscures golfers’ view of its alternate fairway will be eliminated. This elimination will force golfers to hit their tee shots a bit farther to reach ideal positioning and make it more of a risk-reward hole.
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Additionally, a pair of saguaro cactuses sitting in front of the two tee boxes on 18 will be moved. A third box may be added, as well.
“This restoration is about more than golf – it’s about preserving our legacy while building an even brighter future,” Desert Highlands Golf Club General Manager Desi Speh said in the release.
“With the world-renowned Nicklaus Design team, our builder Heritage Links and the support of our members, we are committed to preserving the timeless character of our course while introducing thoughtful enhancements that will elevate the golf experience for years to come.”
Desert Area
Desert vegetation throughout the course will be reduced and overgrown areas will be completely removed to improve overall look and playability.
General maintenance will be done on about 55 acres of the land.
Tee Boxes and Turf
All existing tee boxes will be “leveled, lowered and enlarged” to more sustainably upkeep those areas.
In terms of turf, the current 419 Bermuda grass will be restored on all tee boxes, fairways and rough areas “without re-sodding.”
Bunkers
Every sand trap at Desert Highlands will be “refined and properly reset,” in their shapes and elevation levels. To help keep the bunkers properly maintained, each will be excavated and have new sub-surface drainage systems and contamination liners installed.
The current sand will also be replaced with a Caltega Pro Tour sand produced by Gillibrand Co. Inc.
Greens
All of the greens on the par-72 golf course will be replanted with 007XL Creeping Bentgrass and the draining system will be updated, too.
Some green contouring will also be adjusted so more pin locations can be made available for casual and tournament play. One of these affected greens will be on the par-4 eighth, with it to be “rotated more perpendicular” in line with the direction of the hole and nearby grass mounds to be brought closer to the back right portion of the green, according to the release.
Popular pro event set for return
Scottsdale’s Desert Highlands was the host of an unofficial PGA Tour event called “The Skins Game” for 26 years before being canceled in 2009 for losing its title sponsor. Early on, it featured the likes of Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. Even Tiger Woods made a few appearances.
The friendly professional tournament is making a return to the golfing calendar this upcoming Black Friday, thanks to upstart media and commerce company, Pro Shop.
