Few golf destinations in the American Southwest carry the brand equity that Wildfire does. This is the home course of the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, one of Phoenix's signature luxury properties, and it has long served as a proving ground for resort golf done at a genuinely high level. The club operates 2 courses — the Faldo and the Palmer — both designed by the legends whose names they carry, giving golfers a rare chance to walk layouts conceived by 2 of the sport's most iconic figures within the same round trip from the clubhouse.
The Sonoran Desert sets the stage: saguaro cacti, rocky outcroppings, and the McDowell Mountains hovering at the edges of the property. Phoenix golf means firm, fast conditions for much of the year, brilliant winters, and summers that demand an early tee time and a lot of water in the bag.
As resort golf goes, Wildfire pitches itself toward the serious end of the spectrum — challenging enough to reward a real game, polished enough to impress a client.
