Only in Scottsdale can the wannabes compete against PGA Tour players on a public par-3 course—the only requisites for entry are a few bucks and an ability to run your mouth, preferably with a drink in hand.

The desert city is home to Masters champion Jon Rahm and U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark. In all, about two dozen players with PGA Tour cards populate the area alongside hundreds of golfers on developmental tours struggling to make it to the next level.

This didn’t happen overnight. Golf Digest Senior Writer Joel Beall has the full story on how Scottsdale became the underworld of professional golf.