If you are shopping West Valley golf communities, Sterling Grove and Old Litchfield will both land on your list, and they could not be more different. One is a brand-new, gated, resort-style master-plan built around its own country club. The other is an established, un-gated neighborhood wrapped around the historic Wigwam golf courses, with no HOA and no two homes alike. Choosing between them is less about which is better and more about which version of golf living fits you.

This guide compares the two the way we would with a client, so you can decide before you tour.

Among West Valley golf communities, Sterling Grove and Old Litchfield appeal to buyers who want golf nearby, but they serve very different lifestyles. Sterling Grove is a newer, gated, resort-style master-planned golf community in Surprise, built by Toll Brothers around a Nicklaus Design course managed by Troon. Old Litchfield, known locally as “Inside the Wall,” is an established, un-gated Litchfield Park neighborhood built around the Wigwam golf courses, with large grassy lots, a mix of mid-century and new modern homes, and no HOA on its single-family homes. Sterling Grove tends to fit buyers who want newer construction and programmed resort amenities; Old Litchfield tends to fit buyers who want character, space, and freedom from an HOA.

Here is the key point up front: these two may both show up in a search for West Valley golf communities, but they do not solve the same problem. Sterling Grove is about controlled community design, new construction, and resort-style amenities behind a gate. Old Litchfield is about established character, large lots, golf-cart living around the Wigwam courses, and the rare freedom of no HOA. Different buyers, different decisions.

That distinction matters for military and civilian buyers alike. If you are connected to Luke AFB, compare the daily commute separately from the golf lifestyle itself, more on that below. Either way, the questions that follow are the same.

Sterling Grove vs Old Litchfield at a glance

Both are West Valley golf communities, but they sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. The table gives you the shape of the decision. The sections below explain why each point matters.

Buyer question	Sterling Grove (Surprise)	Old Litchfield (Litchfield Park)
Community style	Newer gated master-plan	Established, un-gated neighborhood
Golf identity	Resort-style club community, Nicklaus/Troon	Homes wrapped around the Wigwam courses
Home feel	Newer floor plans, builder collections	Mid-century and new modern, no two alike
Lots & setting	Planned lots, managed landscaping	Large, grassy, mature lots
HOA	Yes, community-programmed	No HOA on single-family homes
Lifestyle	Amenity-heavy, programmed, behind a gate	Golf-cart living, character-driven, private
Best fit	Buyers wanting polished resort-style living	Buyers wanting space, character, and freedom

Sterling Grove overview (Surprise)

Sterling Grove is a staff-gated, resort-style master-planned golf community in Surprise, built by Toll Brothers in the foothills of the White Tank Mountains. Its centerpiece is an 18-hole Nicklaus Design golf course managed by Troon, paired with a resort clubhouse, restaurants, a full-service spa, fitness and movement studios, multiple pools, and tennis, bocce, and pickleball courts. The community includes both all-ages and 55-plus neighborhoods, with multiple new-home collections and a range of floor plans.

The appeal here is a polished, low-friction golf lifestyle: newer construction, managed amenities, and a country-club experience inside the gate. Golf access at Sterling Grove is membership-based through the Troon-managed club, so if playing regularly is central to your decision, verify the current membership structure, costs, and what is included before you buy. New-build details and home collections change, so confirm what is currently available for the specific home you are considering.

Sterling Grove sits west of Loop 303, in a West Valley micro-region seeing strong demand and a lot of new growth. Cities are a blunt way to compare the West Valley, micro-regions are a much sharper lens. Compare all of them and see what daily life is actually like in each area with our free guide: download the West Valley Neighborhood Guide.

Old Litchfield overview (Inside the Wall)

Old Litchfield is not a master-planned golf community, and that is exactly the point. Known locally as “Inside the Wall,” it is an established, un-gated neighborhood in the heart of Litchfield Park, built around the historic Wigwam and its golf courses, which meander right through the area. Its central spine is Old Litchfield Road, and the neighborhood sits roughly within Litchfield Road, Indian School, Camelback, and Dysart. The Wigwam itself opened in 1929 as guest housing for Goodyear Tire executives and grew into one of Arizona’s most storied golf destinations, with three championship courses, the only 54-hole resort in the state.

What makes Old Litchfield unique is the feel: large, grassy lots, mature landscaping, and a mix of preserved mid-century architecture alongside new modern homes built where older ones were torn down or golf-course lots rebuilt. You will not find rows of matching houses here, no two homes are quite alike. It is a true golf-cart neighborhood, and despite how green and well-kept everything looks, the single-family homes carry no HOA, unusual for a neighborhood of this caliber (the surrounding subdivisions do have them, so verify for any specific home).

That character comes at a price. Homes in Old Litchfield tend to carry a higher price per square foot than comparably sized newer homes in neighboring subdivisions. For a buyer comparing only square footage from out of the area, that premium can be puzzling. Once you understand the large lots, the mature setting, the no-HOA freedom, the golf-course surroundings, and the sheer scarcity of homes like these, it makes sense. You can explore the resort’s three championship courses to see the golf legacy the neighborhood is built around.

New master-plan vs established golf neighborhood

This is the heart of the comparison. Sterling Grove and Old Litchfield represent two different philosophies of golf living.

A newer master-plan like Sterling Grove offers predictability: consistent architecture, managed amenities, a gate, an HOA that programs the community, and the convenience of new construction. You trade some individuality and freedom for polish and low maintenance. Old Litchfield offers the opposite: character, large grassy lots, golf-cart living around the Wigwam courses, and no HOA telling you what you can build or park, in exchange for the variability that comes with older homes and the premium that scarcity commands.

Neither is the stronger choice. One rewards buyers who want everything new and managed; the other rewards buyers who want space, roots, and freedom. Knowing which you are usually settles the decision faster than any listing.

Questions to ask before you choose

When you compare West Valley golf communities, the right fit comes down to how you answer a few honest questions:

• Do you want new construction, or established character you will evaluate home by home?
• Do you want a gated, amenity-managed lifestyle, or an un-gated neighborhood with no HOA?
• Is golf the main reason you are buying here, or is it one part of the lifestyle?
• How much do lot size, mature landscaping, and the freedom to add a casita, RV gate, or addition matter to you?
• Do you prefer newer floor plans and lower-maintenance finishes, or are you comfortable assessing older homes individually?
• How far do you want to be from Luke AFB, Loop 303, schools, shopping, and daily errands?

There are no wrong answers. They simply point you toward one community or the other.

What about the commute to Luke AFB?

For buyers connected to Luke AFB, compare commute and daily-route comfort separately from the golf lifestyle itself. Both areas sit in the West Valley, but Sterling Grove’s Surprise location and Old Litchfield in Litchfield Park are different drives to the base, and the right choice depends on your gate, schedule, and route.

We would not quote a single drive time for either. Map your actual commute from the specific neighborhood, at the time of day you would really drive it, before you decide. If base access is a top priority, weigh it alongside, not underneath, the golf-lifestyle decision.

Other West Valley golf communities and courses to know

Sterling Grove and Old Litchfield are not the only West Valley golf communities worth considering, and if you are not looking for a 55-plus community, there are plenty of all-ages choices where golf is part of the lifestyle rather than the whole point. Worth a look:

• Verrado (Buckeye) is a large all-ages master-planned community. It is not built around its golf the way Sterling Grove is, but the Verrado Golf Club (Victory and Founders courses) is a popular public draw, and there is even an indoor golf simulator venue within the community for year-round play.
• Palm Valley (Goodyear) is an established, family-friendly area anchored by the well-regarded 27-hole Palm Valley Golf Club, a public course that lets you build a different round every visit.
• Falcon Dunes (Waddell) is not a residential community, but a centrally located public course owned by the base and open to anyone. It is a convenient, affordable option for buyers nearby who want regular play without a country-club membership.
• Estrella Mountain Ranch (Goodyear) is a large all-ages master-planned community with the public Golf Club of Estrella, plus lakes, trails, and recreation (and the RV-friendly Montecito section).
• Sundance (Buckeye) is a value-oriented community with the public Sundance Golf Club, a practical choice for buyers who want golf access without a premium price tag.
• Arrowhead Lakes (Glendale) is an established lake-and-golf community set more centrally in the Northwest Valley, with golf and water features close by.

Course access, tee-time policies, and any membership options vary, so verify the current details for wherever you land. If you are 55-plus, active-adult golf communities like PebbleCreek and Sun City Grand are also worth a look, but the options above keep it all-ages. We can help you compare any of them head to head.

CalzaCo local guidance: We do not frame Sterling Grove vs Old Litchfield as better or worse. We frame it as new-and-managed versus established-and-independent. Decide whether you want polish and predictability behind a gate, or space, character, and no HOA around the Wigwam courses, then match golf access, lot, home age, and commute to your situation. That usually makes the community obvious.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sterling Grove a golf community?
Yes. Sterling Grove is a gated, resort-style master-planned community in Surprise built around an 18-hole Nicklaus Design course managed by Troon, with a clubhouse and resort amenities. Golf access is membership-based, so verify current membership options and costs before buying.

What is “Old Litchfield” or “Inside the Wall”?
Old Litchfield, known locally as “Inside the Wall,” is an established, un-gated neighborhood in Litchfield Park built around the Wigwam golf courses. It is known for large grassy lots, a mix of mid-century and new modern homes, golf-cart living, and single-family homes with no HOA.

Does Old Litchfield have an HOA?
Generally, the single-family homes in Old Litchfield do not have an HOA, which is unusual for a neighborhood this green and well-kept. Surrounding subdivisions often do, so always verify HOA status for the specific property before you make an offer.

Why do Old Litchfield homes cost more per square foot?
Old Litchfield homes often carry a higher price per square foot than comparably sized newer homes nearby because of large lots, mature landscaping, no-HOA freedom, proximity to the Wigwam golf courses, and the scarcity of homes like them. It reflects the setting and character, not just the square footage.

Does the Wigwam have golf?
Yes. The Wigwam in Litchfield Park is known for three championship courses, the only 54-hole resort in Arizona, with a golf heritage dating to 1930. Access runs on a resort and membership basis, so confirm current play and membership options directly with the resort.

Which is better, Sterling Grove or Old Litchfield?
Neither is automatically better. Sterling Grove fits buyers who want newer, gated, resort-style living; Old Litchfield fits buyers who want space, character, and no HOA around the Wigwam courses. The right answer depends on your priorities, not a ranking.

Comparing West Valley golf communities for your move

If you are weighing Sterling Grove, Old Litchfield, and other West Valley golf communities, we can help you compare golf access, HOA structure, lot and home age, and commute fit before you start touring. It is the same walkthrough we do with clients deciding where to plant for this chapter of life.

Want the full city-level picture too? Read our Is Litchfield Park a Good Place to Buy a Home and our Is Surprise a Good Place to Buy a Home for the broader context around each area. You can also see how two other communities compare in Verrado vs Marley Park , or explore the Peoria area near Trilogy at Vistancia in Is Peoria AZ a good place to buy a home.

We are happy to help you narrow down the best area for you to settle from a lifestyle and investment stand point. Book a strategy session and we will help you build a clear plan, click here or call/text 623-242-2900.