San Tan Highlands

Overview: Below the San Tan Mountains, San Tan Highlands gives San Tan Valley an 18-hole public course just south of Queen Creek. Current course records credit Kenny Watkins and list a 1997 par-72 layout measuring 7,141 yards from the longest tees. The course has two distinct personalities: the Lowlands nine uses rolling ground and broader fairways, while the Highlands nine climbs through foothills with elevated approaches and mountain views. That change in terrain gives the course more variety than its suburban setting initially suggests.

History: The course was originally known as The Golf Club at Johnson Ranch and has operated as a community golf facility since the late 1990s. Its current name reflects the San Tan setting, while the older Johnson Ranch identity remains important for finding historical records and local references. The course continues to serve the East Valley as a public 18-hole option, with the dramatic back-nine terrain giving it a profile beyond a standard neighbourhood layout.

Did You Know? San Tan Highlands is effectively split into a Lowlands nine and a Highlands nine. The back nine climbs into the foothills, so the views and shot angles change noticeably after the turn.