The Phoenix Arizona metropolitan area, known as the Valley of the Sun, is home to almost 3 million people and includes the cities of Scottsdale, Tempe, and Mesa. The area's explosive growth over the last decade has made it one the largest metropolitan areas in the country.

Sunny days and comfortable temperatures in Phoenix Arizona are the rule November through April, making this time the most enjoyable and popular time of year to visit for golf. Vacation resorts are plentiful throughout the valley and the most popular outdoor activities are golfing, hiking, hot air balloons and scenic day trips in to the nearby desert or to one of the nearby mountain towns.

Downtown Scottsdale Arizona has always been a entertainment and shopping center with a focus on art and things trendy, but now downtown Phoenix and the Biltmore area continue to offer more and more top rate restaurants, theaters, museums, shopping and sports venues. All the major professional sports leagues have Phoenix teams and in March every year Major League Baseball's Cactus League spring training is a huge draw for visitors and locals alike.

The Salt River and Verde River reservoir system east and northeast of Phoenix provides scenic mountain lakes very popular for power boating, water skiing and fishing. Several Reservation casinos, golf courses, greyhound tracks and horse tracks are available both in town and on the outskirts of town.

Arizona is a sports lover's paradise, whether you are a spectator, participant or a little of both. With year-round sunny skies, you never have to lose a day or two of planning on your vacation due to inclement weather.

Phoenix Arizona Golf Courses and Packages

Numbering over 325 golf courses and counting, Arizona has a tee time and a skill level for everyone. Several of the state's courses are included in Golf Digest's list of America's greatest 100 Courses and 15 holes are on its list of the top 500 in the world. The PGA and LPGA each hold two tournaments in the state; the most popular, the Phoenix Open, draws over 400,000 spectators a year.

Fans flock to other professional sports. The Major League Baseball 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, NBA Phoenix Suns and NHL Coyotes play in Phoenix, and the NFL Arizona play in Tempe. MLB Spring Training brings teams from all over the country.

Phoenix is also home to the World Champion Arena Football League Arizona Rattlers. Avondale's Phoenix International Raceway hosts some of the largest crowds in the state for NASCAR and Indy races. The Old West would not seem the same without rodeos, held in almost every city in the state. And a sort of water rodeo, the Skat-Trak World Finals (the Super Bowl of jet powered ski racers) is held each year in Lake Havasu City.