Karsten Golf Course @ Asu

Few university golf facilities carry the kind of weight that Karsten Creek's collegiate counterpart does here in Tempe — this is Arizona State University's home course, built with serious golf in mind. Named after Karsten Solheim, the PING founder whose company has deep roots in the Phoenix area, the course serves as the competitive home for one of college golf's most decorated programs. ASU's Sun Devils have produced a remarkable number of PGA and LPGA Tour professionals, and this is where many of them developed their games.

Tempe sits in the heart of the Valley of the Sun, where the Sonoran Desert sets a dramatic stage — expect saguaro cactus, rock formations, and wide desert skies framing almost every hole. Summer heat is genuinely extreme, making early morning tee times essential from June through September, while the fall-through-spring season offers some of the finest playing conditions in the country.

For visiting golfers, the university setting adds an extra dimension: this is a course with competitive purpose, designed to test players rather than simply accommodate them.