Key Takeaways
- TPC Scottsdale and Troon North are not the same experience. Understanding the difference before booking changes the decision entirely.
- TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course is tournament golf built for professional play. It is the bucket list name, not the default answer for every group.
- Troon North Monument is the round most Scottsdale visitors say they remember longest. Visual experience over scorecard prestige.
- Both facilities have a second course. TPC Champions and Troon North Pinnacle are the group-friendly versions that most visitors overlook.
- Most serious Scottsdale golf trips should include both facilities across two days. The logistics are simple.
- The right choice for a specific group comes down to handicap range and what the group is actually optimizing for on the trip.
In This Article
- At a Glance: TPC Scottsdale vs Troon North
- Two Different Golf Experiences
- TPC Scottsdale: What to Know Before You Book
- Troon North: What Makes It Right for Some Groups
- Head to Head: How They Compare Across Key Factors
- How to Choose the Right One for Your Group
- Can Your Group Play Both?
- Frequently Asked Questions
TPC Scottsdale and Troon North are the two names that come up in almost every conversation about booking a round in Scottsdale. Both deserve the reputation. Both deliver a genuinely strong golf experience. But they are not the same experience, and choosing between them, or deciding how to include both in a single trip, requires understanding what each one actually offers and what kind of group each one fits best.
At a Glance: TPC Scottsdale vs Troon North
| Factor | TPC Scottsdale | Troon North |
|---|---|---|
| Total holes | 36 (Stadium + Champions) | 36 (Monument + Pinnacle) |
| Course type | Championship | Championship |
| Golf style | Stadium golf. Tournament infrastructure. Wide and precise. | Desert target golf. Boulder terrain. Elevation changes. |
| Signature event | Waste Management Phoenix Open (Stadium Course) | No professional event. Pure course experience. |
| Location | Central Scottsdale | North Scottsdale |
| Drive between them | Under 30 minutes | |
| Best for | Groups that want the tournament name. Lower handicap focus. | Groups that want the visual experience. Mixed skill range. |
Two Different Golf Experiences
TPC Scottsdale is stadium golf. The layout was designed with professional tournament play and spectator viewing in mind. The Stadium Course is wide in some areas and demands precision in others. The result is a course that plays differently depending on how much game is in the group. Better players get a genuine test. Higher handicappers can complete the round but the scores will reflect the challenge.
Troon North is desert target golf at its most visually striking. The Monument Course is built around the natural landscape of North Scottsdale with boulder formations and significant elevation changes that create a series of holes unlike anything on the TPC property. The experience is more visually immersive. The golf demands course management and target accuracy rather than raw length or power.
“TPC gives you the name. Troon North gives you the memory. Most groups who have played both say they remember the Monument Course longer. That is not a knock on TPC. It is just a different kind of experience.”
TPC Scottsdale: What to Know Before You Book
The Stadium Course
| TPC Scottsdale — Stadium Course | |||
| Holes | 18 | Type | Championship |
| Known For | Host of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Most recognizable course in Arizona. | ||
| Best For Groups | Lower handicap groups. Groups where the tournament name is the priority. | ||
| Group Caution | Pace of play needs active management. Book earliest available tee time. | ||
| Peak Season Booking | 60 to 90 days in advance for groups. Books quickly. | ||
The Stadium Course is the one most golfers want on the scorecard. The course plays with the infrastructure of professional tournament golf built into every element. For groups with lower handicaps and a competitive priority, the Stadium Course delivers the test most serious golfers are looking for in Scottsdale.
The Champions Course
| TPC Scottsdale — Champions Course | |||
| Holes | 18 | Type | Championship |
| Best For Groups | Mixed handicap groups. Groups where TPC brand matters but Stadium is too difficult. | ||
| Price Point | Lower than Stadium Course. Better value for groups with wider skill range. | ||
Note: If the Stadium Course is on the bucket list but the group has a wide handicap range, pair the Stadium round with the Champions Course on the same trip. Every player gets a TPC round. Not every player has to grind through the Stadium Course at a skill level that makes it miserable.
Troon North: What Makes It Right for Some Groups
The Monument Course
| Troon North — Monument Course | |||
| Holes | 18 | Type | Championship |
| Known For | Boulder formations, dramatic elevation changes, and the most visually striking desert layout in North Scottsdale. | ||
| Best For Groups | Groups where the visual and experiential quality of the round matters. Any skill level. | ||
| Group Caution | Desert terrain penalizes errant shots. Higher handicappers should be prepared for the desert environment. | ||
The Monument Course is the round that most golfers who have played it describe as the best they have had in Scottsdale. The combination of the landscape, the shot demands, and the overall production of the course creates an experience that holds up in the memory longer than the scorecard does.
The Pinnacle Course
| Troon North — Pinnacle Course | |||
| Holes | 18 | Type | Championship |
| Best For Groups | Mixed skill groups. Plays shorter and more forgiving than Monument without losing the Troon North character. | ||
| Most Overlooked | Visitors skip it because Monument gets all the attention. It consistently delivers strong rounds for mixed groups. | ||
“The Pinnacle is the most overlooked course in North Scottsdale. Visitors skip it because it sits next to the Monument. Groups with a wider handicap range that play the Pinnacle consistently rate it as one of the better rounds of the trip.”
Head to Head: How They Compare Across Key Factors
| Factor | TPC Scottsdale | Troon North | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name recognition | Highest in Arizona. Most recognizable golf name in the state. | Strong. Well known to serious golfers nationally. | TPC |
| Visual experience | Stadium layout. Green grass, gallery mounding, championship infrastructure. | Desert boulders, elevation changes, Sonoran landscape. Dramatic natural setting. | Troon North |
| Group friendliness | Stadium Course: lower handicap groups. Champions: wider range. | Monument: any skill level with desert experience. Pinnacle: best for mixed groups. | Troon North |
| Pace of play (groups) | Stadium Course needs active management on busy days. | Generally more forgiving on pace for group bookings. | Troon North |
| Scorecard story | TPC Scottsdale is the name people recognize when you show them the card. | Troon North Monument is the round people talk about when they describe the trip. | Depends on priority |
| Peak season booking | 60 to 90 days for groups. Stadium books faster. | 60 to 90 days for groups. Both courses in demand. | Equal |
How to Choose the Right One for Your Group
Two questions determine the answer before any other factor is considered. First: is the priority the name recognition and tournament pedigree of TPC, or the visual experience and desert immersion of Troon North? Second: what is the actual handicap range in the group and which facility fits the full range of players?
| If your group is… | The right answer is… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Low handicaps, competitive priority, want the toughest available test | TPC Stadium Course | Built for this group. The challenge holds up for low handicappers. |
| Mixed skill range, experience over score, memorable visual round | Troon North Monument | Every skill level can enjoy it. The landscape carries the round for everyone. |
| Wide handicap range (e.g. 4 to 26), need everyone to score reasonably | TPC Champions + Troon North Pinnacle | Both facility experiences without overexposing higher handicappers. |
| Want both. Three or more days in Scottsdale. | TPC day one, Troon North day two | Covers both experiences. Drive between them under 30 minutes. |
Can Your Group Play Both?
Yes, and most serious Scottsdale golf trips should include both. TPC Scottsdale on day one and Troon North on day two is a rotation that gives the group the tournament pedigree of TPC and the visual experience of Troon North in sequence. The drive between them is under thirty minutes. Sequencing them is part of the standard itinerary planning Scottsdale Golf Travel handles for every trip.
| Day | Course | Why This Order |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | TPC Scottsdale Stadium or Champions | Gets the tournament name out of the way first. Group arrives fresh. |
| Day 2 | Troon North Monument | Closes the trip on the round people remember longest. Strong finish. |
| Day 3 (optional) | Troon North Pinnacle or TPC Champions | Adds both facility second courses. Full picture of what each property offers. |
Tip: Playing TPC on day one and Troon North on day two gives the group a natural arc. The tournament infrastructure of TPC sets the expectation. The desert landscape of the Monument exceeds it. Most groups say the second day is the one they did not see coming.
Ready to plan your Scottsdale golf trip?
Matt Wolach builds fully custom golf itineraries for groups in Scottsdale, Arizona. Every trip is built from scratch around your group and your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TPC Scottsdale or Troon North harder?
The TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course plays as the more demanding test from a scoring perspective for most groups. Troon North Monument is challenging in a different way: desert terrain penalizes errant shots and the course management demands are high. For higher handicappers, both present real challenges. The Monument is generally more penalizing for the golfer who misses fairways into the desert.
Do you need to stay at a resort to play TPC Scottsdale or Troon North?
No. Both are public-access courses that do not require a resort stay to book a round. Peak season tee times at both courses book quickly for groups and advance reservations are strongly recommended. Scottsdale Golf Travel can secure tee times at both facilities as part of a full custom trip itinerary.
What is the difference between TPC Stadium Course and TPC Champions Course?
The Stadium Course is the tournament course that hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It is more challenging, carries more prestige, and requires more lead time to book. The Champions Course plays shorter, is more accessible for mixed skill groups, and comes at a lower green fee. For groups where TPC brand matters but the Stadium Course difficulty is too high for the full group, the Champions Course is the right answer.
What is the difference between the Monument and Pinnacle courses at Troon North?
The Monument is the signature Troon North experience. Boulder formations, dramatic elevation changes, and the full desert target layout that the facility is known for. The Pinnacle plays shorter and more forgiving without losing the desert character. For mixed skill groups, the Pinnacle is the better primary choice. For groups where everyone can handle the Monument, it is the stronger experience.
How far apart are TPC Scottsdale and Troon North?
The drive between TPC Scottsdale in central Scottsdale and Troon North in North Scottsdale is under thirty minutes. Sequencing both courses across two days on the same Scottsdale trip is straightforward from a logistics standpoint. Scottsdale Golf Travel maps the tee time schedule and hotel location to make both days work without unnecessary driving.
