Ken Kavanaugh

Gold Canyon, AZ

Dinosaur Mountain is an 18-hole public course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort in Gold Canyon, Arizona, at the base of the Superstition Mountains. It was designed by Ken Kavanaugh and opened in 1982. The course plays to a par of 70 at about 6,711 yards, with large elevation change across desert ground. The resort's second course, Sidewinder, is on the same property.

Mesa, AZ

East Valley desert golf at a great value

Aurora, IL

Orchard Valley Golf Course is a public course owned by the Fox Valley Park District in Aurora, Illinois, on the city's west side. It opened in 1993 and became known for bringing a private-club style layout to public golf in the Chicago area, highlighted by a two-tiered green fronted by a pond and waterfall near its opening holes. The course was designed by Ken Kavanaugh and has hosted the Illinois Open Championship. Large, undulating greens and ample fairways create risk-reward options on several of the shorter par fours, with a closing hole that requires a tee shot over water. Orchard Valley is open to public play and is undergoing a multi-year renovation of its bunkers, irrigation, greens and cart paths, funded through a park district capital project, with completion anticipated in 2026.

Gold Canyon, AZ

The Sidewinder Course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort is an 18-hole public layout in Gold Canyon, Arizona, east of Phoenix at the base of the Superstition Mountains. Opened in 1987, the course winds through desert arroyos and washes lined with cholla, prickly pear and palo verde, with views of the surrounding mountains including Dinosaur Mountain. It plays as part of the resort's original 36-hole layout and includes four par-5s over 500 yards along with several tight, wash-lined driving holes. The course is open to resort guests and the public and includes a full practice facility and clubhouse grill.

Tubac, AZ

Tubac Golf Resort is a resort course in Tubac, south of Tucson, with golf dating to 1959. The 18-hole layout plays over classic desert terrain in the Santa Cruz Valley, a historic resort that served as a filming location for the movie Tin Cup.