PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Aguila Golf Course

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Aguila Golf Course in Laveen, AZ.

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Aguila Golf Course golf course

Aguila Golf Course

Laveen, AZ
Tournament tees · 7,098 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Aguila Golf Course

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 1999, Aguila Golf Course is a premier 18-hole municipal championship venue owned by the City of Phoenix and located at the base of South Mountain in Laveen, AZ. Built with a links-inspired feel over gently rolling terrain, the course features wide 419 Bermuda fairways, extensive transition areas filled with native desert grasses and wildflowers, deep penal bunkering, and large TifEagle greens. Three lakes bring water into play across five holes, complementing scenic vistas of South Mountain and the downtown Phoenix skyline.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Aguila Golf Course

Off the tee

Fairways are generally broad and forgiving, offering generous landing areas off the tee. However, errant drives can easily find deep sand bunkers, native desert transition areas, or water hazards on select holes.

Elevation & terrain

The terrain is gently rolling across flat desert valley ground at the base of South Mountain. Elevation changes are subtle, though occasional downhill tee shots and uphill holes slightly influence club selection and roll.

Approach play

Large, receptive TifEagle greens accept well-struck approaches, but deep greenside bunkers guard many green complexes. Water hazards protect approach paths on five holes, requiring precise distance control.

Around the greens

Greens feature multiple tiers, ridges, and false fronts that reward placing approach shots on the correct section. Deep greenside bunkers and surrounding native rough demand controlled short-game execution.

Best way to play it

Capitalize on generous fairways off the tee while prioritizing smart positioning to create optimal approach angles into the large, undulating greens while avoiding deep bunkers and water.

Key takeaways

  • Gary Panks links-inspired design featuring generous fairways framed by South Mountain scenery.
  • Deep, strategically placed sand bunkers penalize off-target drives and missed greens.
  • Three lakes bring water into play across five holes, creating key risk-reward decisions.
  • Large TifEagle greens contain subtle ridges, tiers, and false fronts that heavily influence putting difficulty.
  • Strong finishing stretch highlighted by the risk-reward 17th over water and a demanding par-4 18th.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
433
5
Target the middle of the generous fairway off the tee to set up a straightforward approach into a large green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~193 yards remaining by raw distance.
2
5
544
7
Favor the fairway off the tee to set up a choice to go for the green in two or lay up safely short of greenside bunkering.
Your 240 yd driver · ~304 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
3
3
175
9
Target the center of the green regardless of pin location, as missing long introduces severe trouble while short provides the safest miss.
4
4
462
1
Focus on finding the fairway off the tee to avoid surrounding hazards before playing a long approach into a well-guarded green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~222 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
5
519
11
Drive down the fairway to set up a manageable layup or approach while avoiding greenside sand hazards.
Your 240 yd driver · ~279 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
6
4
377
15
Favor the center of the fairway off the tee to ensure a clear view and favorable approach angle into a firm green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~137 yards remaining by raw distance.
7
3
222
13
Select one club less to account for the downhill drop and land the ball near the center of the green.
8
4
381
17
Aim toward the green off the tee if attempting to drive it, missing left where mounding can kick shots toward the green while avoiding the penalty area to the right.
Your 240 yd driver · ~141 yards remaining by raw distance.
9
4
441
3
Tee off between fairway bunkers while respecting water on the right, then play for the middle of the narrow-fronted green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~201 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
5
531
10
Take advantage of the downhill fairway roll off the tee, then target the right-center of the green on approaches while steering clear of tucked left pin locations.
Your 240 yd driver · ~291 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
11
4
411
8
Position your tee shot near the corner of the dogleg to set up a short approach into a receptive green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~171 yards remaining by raw distance.
12
4
460
4
Aim down the center-right of the fairway to stay clear of thick desert brush left, then target the center of the deep green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~220 yards remaining by raw distance.
13
3
150
18
Choose your club carefully to ensure the tee shot carries cleanly onto the green, as short or left misses lead to difficult recovery shots.
14
4
392
16
Lay back with a hybrid or fairway wood to the wide landing zone to leave a clean approach angle into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~152 yards remaining by raw distance.
15
5
565
6
Find the fairway off the tee, then lay up short of the left fairway bunker to leave a full wedge into a green that slopes front-to-back.
Your 240 yd driver · ~325 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
16
3
197
12
Take an extra club to combat the wind and target the middle of the green to clear front bunker hazards.
17
4
389
14
Place a conservative drive right of the water hazard and short of desert vegetation, then hit a precise wedge onto the multi-tiered green past the false front.
Your 240 yd driver · ~149 yards remaining by raw distance.
18
4
449
2
Drive down the center-left of the broad fairway to avoid fairway sand and set up a clean approach over greenside bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~209 yards remaining by raw distance.

Course information and strategy are provided for planning purposes. Yardages, course setup, hazards and playing conditions can change. Always confirm current course information before your round.