Longbow Golf Club

Overview: At the eastern edge of Mesa, Longbow Golf Club offers an 18-hole public round, on the eastern side of the Phoenix golf corridor. Ken Kavanaugh designed the original layout, which opened in 1997, and later led the 2003 redesign. The current scorecard lists a par-71 course measuring 7,050 yards from the back tees. Its desert character is more playable than punitive, with broad landing areas, carefully placed bunkers, native planting and a limited number of water features. The course is close to the Salt River and the Superstition Mountain region, making it a useful addition to an itinerary that moves beyond central Scottsdale.

History: Longbow’s name has a local industrial connection. The adjacent area was associated with the Longbow attack helicopter, and the manufacturing plant across the road later became a small airport. The course’s second chapter came with the 2003 redesign, which expanded the layout to its present tournament scale while retaining Kavanaugh’s original identity. Longbow has also built a strong junior and amateur competition profile, including the Heather Farr Classic, helping establish it as more than a convenient daily-play course.

Did You Know? Longbow is unusually walkable for a desert course. Its name also recalls the Apache Longbow helicopter, once linked to the plant and airport across the road.