The 5-Year Battle For Club West: What’s Next For Ahwatukee’s Closed Golf Course Land
As of December 23, 2025, the land that once housed the picturesque Club West Golf Course in Ahwatukee remains a symbol of a fierce community battle against development. Closed since 2019, the 18-hole course has transformed from a sprawling green landscape into a barren stretch of weeds and dirt, mired in a complex legal fight over its future use.
This ongoing saga pits the dedicated residents of the Ahwatukee community, represented by the Club West Conservancy, against the current property owner, The Edge, and the original developer, Shea Homes. The core issue is a struggle to preserve open space in the Phoenix area, with the outcome determining whether the land will become a cherished community park or be rezoned for residential housing.
The Club West Golf Course: A Brief Biography of a Closed Classic
The Club West Golf Club was once a jewel of the Southeast Valley, offering a unique and challenging desert golf experience. Opened in 1993, the course was an 18-hole masterpiece designed by the acclaimed team of Brian Whitcomb and Ken Cavanaugh.
The course was strategically laid out across 90 acres of rolling desert terrain, with the back nine famously winding up and down the rugged landscape of South Mountain.
It was known for its distinct character: the front nine offered a more forgiving play, while the back nine tightened up, demanding precision from golfers.
However, like several other golf properties in the Phoenix metro area—including the nearby Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course—Club West faced economic challenges.
The course officially closed its doors for business in 2019, leaving a massive, arid gap in the heart of the Ahwatukee Foothills Village community.
The closure immediately sparked concerns among homeowners whose properties bordered the course, as the land’s future was suddenly thrown into question, threatening the open space and property values that the golf course once guaranteed.
The Legal Battle for Green Space: Conservancy vs. Developers
The most critical and current aspect of the Club West story is the ongoing litigation, which is shaping the fate of the property. The battle centers on the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) that governed the golf course land.
The Club West Conservancy, a group formed by dedicated local homeowners, filed a lawsuit to prevent the golf course land from being redeveloped into residential housing.
The Improper Annexation Dispute
A significant victory for the Conservancy came with a court ruling that the property’s annexation into the general homeowners association was "improper." This was because it was done without the required supermajority homeowner vote (75%).
The Conservancy argues that the original golf course CC&Rs should remain in effect, which would severely restrict the ability of the owner, The Edge, and the original developer, Shea Homes, to build new homes on the site.
The legal proceedings have been complex and drawn out, with court filings indicating the case, CLUB WEST v. SHEA HOMES/THE EDGE, is still active and has reached the Arizona Court of Appeals and even the Arizona Supreme Court, with a case index mentioned for 2025.
The Conservancy continues to fight for its right to enforce the original land-use agreements, which they believe were designed to preserve the open space for the community.
This high-stakes legal drama highlights a growing trend across the country where homeowners associations (HOAs) and conservancy groups are fighting to protect the integrity of their master-planned communities against golf course closures and subsequent development attempts.
The Park at Club West: A Vision for Ahwatukee’s Future
While the legal battle rages on, the community has rallied behind an alternative solution that would transform the desolate land into a valuable public amenity.
A Community-Led Revitalization Plan
The proposed plan, tentatively named The Park at Club West, represents a collaborative community effort. The vision is to redevelop the property with a focus on maximum park space and minimal residential development.
The revitalization plans include creating a new community park, enhanced trails, and a greenbelt. This approach aims to provide much-needed recreational and open spaces for the residents of Ahwatukee, particularly those living in subdivisions like Foothills Club West and Mountain Park Ranch.
The community’s goal is to turn what is currently a "barren piece of desert" into a successful model for golf course land redevelopment.
The successful implementation of The Park at Club West plan would be a major win for the Ahwatukee Foothills Village, ensuring that the former golf course remains a green lung for the neighborhood rather than a dense housing tract.
The outcome of the litigation will ultimately determine which path the land takes—the community-focused green space of The Park at Club West, or a developer-driven Planned Unit Development (PUD) focused on new housing inventory. The Ahwatukee community watches closely as the Arizona courts deliberate on a case that will set a precedent for golf course land rights across the state.
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