Quick answer: Choose Desert Mountain for a guard-gated private club community with multiple golf courses and a full-service lifestyle, if you are comfortable with club fees. Choose Troon North for public desert golf, more flexibility on price and home type, and gated or non-gated neighborhoods with no required club membership.

Desert Mountain and Troon North are both golf communities in far North Scottsdale, and buyers who want desert golf and big views often compare the two. They share the same 85262 zip code, the same Sonoran Desert setting near Pinnacle Peak, and a reputation for luxury homes. But how they’re set up is very different, and that difference drives price, privacy, and how you’d actually use the place.

Desert Mountain is a large guard-gated, member-owned private club community spread across roughly 8,000 acres. It has seven golf courses, six designed by Jack Nicklaus plus a par-54 course called No. 7. Homes run from patio homes to large custom estates, and the club membership is a big part of the appeal. Troon North is built around the public Troon North Golf Club, with its Monument and Pinnacle courses that anyone can book. The homes here are a patchwork of gated and non-gated neighborhoods, from townhomes up to large custom estates.

The right choice comes down to budget, home style, how you want to golf, how much privacy you want behind a guard gate, and the lifestyle you’re after. Here’s the side-by-side.

Andrew Holm and The Holm Group have worked with Scottsdale and Phoenix-area buyers and sellers for more than 26 years, with over $250 million in closed transactions and a focus on luxury and golf-community real estate.

Desert Mountain vs. Troon North at a Glance

Feature	Desert Mountain	Troon North
Location	85262, far North Scottsdale, ~8,000 guard-gated acres	85262, North Scottsdale around Pinnacle Peak
Golf	Seven private courses (six Nicklaus + par-54 No. 7); members only	Troon North Golf Club (Monument & Pinnacle), public/daily-fee
Gated options	Entire community is guard-gated, with gated sub-neighborhoods	Mix of gated and non-gated neighborhoods
Home styles	Patio homes to large custom estates, desert contemporary and Southwest	Townhomes, single-family, and large custom estates
Price range	Roughly $1.3M to $5M+, with estates well beyond; median around $2.4M	Roughly $700K condos/townhomes to $8M estates; median around $1.34M
HOA	Community HOA plus a separate club membership with initiation and dues	Master HOA plus sub-association dues; golf membership optional
Amenities	Private clubhouses, dining, spa, fitness, tennis, hiking on-property	Public golf, trails, parks, nearby Pinnacle Peak dining and shopping
Best suited for	Buyers who want a private club, guard gate, and full-service lifestyle	Buyers who want desert golf without a club, and more price flexibility

Which Community Has Better Golf?

Your preferred style of play will shape the better choice. Desert Mountain offers seven private golf courses exclusively for club members. Buyers purchase club membership separately from their homes and pay additional initiation fees and dues.

Troon North offers public golf through its Monument and Pinnacle courses, where anyone can book a tee time. Tom Weiskopf designed both courses, and recent renovations have enhanced the playing experience.

Golfers who want a private club lifestyle with access to multiple courses will likely prefer Desert Mountain. Golfers who want highly rated desert golf without joining a club will find Troon North especially appealing.

Which Has Better Amenities?

Desert Mountain is a full-service private community. Members get multiple clubhouses, restaurants, a spa, fitness, tennis and pickleball, and miles of private hiking trails inside the gates. Troon North keeps it simpler: the draw is the public golf, the trail access near Pinnacle Peak and Brown’s Ranch, and the shops and restaurants a short drive away. Desert Mountain gives you more on-property, but you pay for it through the club. Troon North leans on public and nearby amenities, which keeps costs down.

Gated Options & Privacy

Desert Mountain provides guard-gated access at the community entrance and adds gated sub-neighborhoods throughout, giving residents a consistent level of privacy. Troon North offers a mix of gated and non-gated neighborhoods, allowing buyers to choose the level of privacy and price that best fits their needs.

Buyers who consider a guard gate and controlled access essential will likely prefer Desert Mountain. Buyers who want a wider range of options can explore the variety of neighborhoods available in Troon North.

Who Each Community Is Best For

Desert Mountain is best for buyers who want a guard-gated private club, seven courses, full amenities, and a full-service lifestyle, and who are comfortable with club fees.

Troon North is best for buyers who want great public desert golf, more flexibility on price and home type, and the option of a gated or non-gated neighborhood without a required club membership.

Already own in Desert Mountain or Troon North and thinking about selling? Our Scottsdale home-selling guide covers pricing, preparation and timing.

Learn More

See what’s available on The Holm Group’s Troon North page, or book a round and learn about the courses at the official Troon North Golf Club site.

Want help weighing a private club against public golf? Andrew Holm and The Holm Group can talk you through both.

Silverleaf vs. Desert Mountain at a Glance

Feature

Silverleaf

Desert Mountain

Location

Inside DC Ranch, McDowell Mountains, Scottsdale 85255

Far North Scottsdale, high Sonoran Desert, 85262 (~8,000 acres)

Golf

One private course, Silverleaf Club (Tom Weiskopf, par 72)

Seven courses, six Jack Nicklaus Signature plus the par-54 No. 7 short course

Gated options

Guard-gated throughout, with gated sub-enclaves like Upper Canyon

Guard-gated community with multiple gated villages inside

Home styles

Large custom estates, plus some villas and condos

Wide mix: patio homes, condos, semi-custom and large custom estates across 35+ villages

Price range

Roughly $2M to $30M+

Roughly $1M to $10M+

HOA

DC Ranch/Silverleaf HOA dues; club membership is separate and expensive

Community HOA dues; club membership is separate

Amenities

50,000 sq ft clubhouse, spa, pools, dining, trails to the Sonoran Preserve

42,000 sq ft wellness center, tennis, pickleball, ~25 miles of trails, multiple clubhouses, 10 dining venues

Best suited for

Buyers who want a top-tier custom estate close to central Scottsdale

Buyers who want serious golf, elevation, and more home choices at more price points

Which Community Has Better Golf?

It depends on how you play. Silverleaf has one course, the Silverleaf Club, a par-72 Tom Weiskopf design that runs through the canyons. It’s private and known for being exclusive, with a long waitlist for golf membership. Desert Mountain has seven courses, including six Jack Nicklaus Signature courses and the par-54 No. 7 short course, so it’s hard to beat for sheer variety and playing options. Both are private clubs, and at both places membership is separate from owning a home, so you buy the house and then apply for the club. Private club, one course, tight-knit: Silverleaf. Private club, most golf variety in Scottsdale: Desert Mountain.

Which Has Better Amenities?

Both are strong, just at different scales. Silverleaf centers on a roughly 50,000-square-foot clubhouse with a spa, pools, dining, and family spaces, plus quick trail access into the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Desert Mountain spreads its amenities across the community: a 42,000-square-foot wellness center, nine tennis courts, eight pickleball courts, around 25 miles of private hiking trails, seven clubhouses, ten dining venues, and dozens of member social clubs. If you want everything polished and in one place, Silverleaf fits. If you want more of everything and don’t mind driving between it, Desert Mountain wins on volume.

Gated Options & Privacy

Both communities offer staffed, guard-gated entrances. Silverleaf adds another layer of privacy with gated sub-enclaves like Upper Canyon. Desert Mountain secures its main entrances and many individual villages with separate gates, offering strong privacy across a much larger and more spread-out community.

Who Each Community Is Best For

Silverleaf is best for buyers who want a large custom estate at the top of the Scottsdale market, value being closer to central Scottsdale and DC Ranch’s shops and dining, and want a tight, high-end enclave feel.

Desert Mountain is best for buyers who care most about golf and the outdoors, want cooler elevation and long desert views, and like having more home styles and price points to choose from.