WICKENBURG, Arizona — Giddy up, pardner, and bring your golf bag, soft spikes and sunscreen. You’re in for a Western-themed golf getaway.
The town of Wickenburg was founded not long after miners began prospecting the area in the 1860s. Henry Wickenburg struck gold in the Vulture Mine. For the longest time, the town was a pit stop on the two-lane highway for travelers from Phoenix headed to Las Vegas.
Now it has become a remote golf destination, with the most established golf resort in town at Rancho de los Caballeros, situated on Vulture Mine Road. The course attracts plenty of golfers from the northwest corner of the Phoenix area, a little more than an hour away. If you want to take in all this cowboy-themed resort has to offer, plan for a couple or three nights and enjoy the desert setting.
The resort was once a working ranch, and in some ways it still is. Every afternoon, as the workday draws to a close, dozens of horses go on their daily run. If you’re playing the 16th hole around that time, you’ll see — and hear — the animals rumble past.
A Challenging Course in the Desert
Horseback riding and spa treatments complement the golf course, which stretches to nearly 7,000 yards (6,962). Originally opened in 1980, it sits along the Bradshaw Mountains. There are plenty of elevation changes, including the uphill par-3 third hole with its two-tiered green. The seventh is a nearly 600-yard par 5, and a large lake is likely in range on a second shot.
The ninth hole also ascends toward the green, where hitting the correct part of the putting surface is key. The challenge continues on the back nine. The 11th green has a ridgeline extending across its width, so the pin can be set only in front or back.
The 13th is probably the most diabolical — and fun — hole on the layout. This par 5 measures 598 yards from the black tees. The fairway goes down, then up, then down again before one final incline to a green where you can’t see the pin. A par here is a win.
Stay, Dine and Unwind
After the round, the Wickenburg Suites offer two large main bedrooms on each side of a 1,200-square-foot living room. There’s a large patio with a natural gas-powered fire pit. If you’re traveling with a group, you can rent the smaller suites on each end to give everyone space to gather.
The resort is walkable, with trails connecting accommodations to the pro shop and restaurants. The main dining room has a dress code, and other options include the Club Grill, Restaurant 19 and the Saloon. The resort also has a pool with its own bar and kitchen.
For a second round, golfers can try a different set of tees for new club selections and approach shots. Late-day tee times bring cooler air as the sun sets.
Los Caballeros ranked 30th on Golfweek’s Best 2025 list of Arizona’s top public-access golf courses, in a state with more than 300 courses. The resort opened Jan. 15, 1980, and was designed by Greg Nash.
Whether you take advantage of the stay-and-play opportunities or add the course to a road trip from the Valley of the Sun to Sin City, Rancho de los Caballeros offers a Western-themed desert getaway.
Todd Kelly is the assistant managing editor of Golfweek.
Reporting by Todd Kelly, Golfweek. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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