PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course in Scottsdale, AZ.

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Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course golf course

Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course

Scottsdale, AZ
Black tees · 7,225 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course

Redesigned by Jason Straka in 2013, the Ambiente Course at Camelback Golf Club transformed the old Indian Bend layout into an eco-friendly, links-inspired desert track. Built along the Indian Bend Wash, over 360,000 cubic yards of earth were moved to create 10-to-12-foot elevation changes, rolling fairways, and improved drainage. The course features just 90 acres of maintained turf framed by dense native grasses, wildflowers, and 74 strategic bunkers, providing a distinct challenge with firm, fast Champion Bermuda greens.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Camelback Golf Club — Ambiente Course

Off the tee

Fairways on Ambiente offer generous landing areas but are tightly framed by penal tall native grasses, desert washes, and directional bunkers. Players must favor positioning over raw distance to avoid losing balls in native growth or finding deep fairway traps.

Elevation & terrain

Engineered landforms create 10-to-12-foot drops and rolling terrain throughout the layout. While not a mountain course, these elevation changes produce uneven fairway lies and affect depth perception and club selection, especially in windy conditions.

Approach play

Firm and fast Champion Bermuda greens require exceptional distance control. Approach shots often need to be played short or landing on the front portion of the green to allow the ball to release toward middle and back pin positions.

Around the greens

Large green complexes feature distinct lobes, subtle tiers, and significant undulations. Misses into deep greenside bunkers or runoff areas leave tough recovery shots, making leave-side management crucial.

Best way to play it

Emphasize fairway positioning over distance off the tee to steer clear of native hazards and bunkers. Play approach shots conservatively to the front half of firm greens and aim for the center of green complexes to avoid big numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Native tall grass and wildflower borders make stray drives off the fairway highly penal.
  • Firm Champion Bermuda greens demand landing approaches on the front section to avoid running through.
  • Over 70 strategic bunkers and central fairway sand hazards dictate landing targets.
  • Elevation shifts created during the 2013 redesign produce frequent uneven lies.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
393
5
Favor the right-center landing area off the tee to navigate the dogleg left and avoid the elbow bunkers, setting up a clear approach into a well-bunkered green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~153 yards remaining by raw distance.
2
3
185
11
Select enough club to carry to the middle of the angled green, avoiding the bunker complex guarding the front and front-left surround.
3
5
556
17
Aim for the center-right off the tee where there is more room than it appears, avoiding the left fairway bunker and native turf. Favor the left side on the second shot to set up an uncomplicated approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~316 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
4
4
375
13
Position the tee shot to clear or bypass the right-side fairway bunkering to create a receptive angle into the expanded green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~135 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
4
328
15
Choose between playing conservatively short of the bunker network off the tee or aggressive placement down the fairway to earn a short wedge into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~88 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot distance.
6
4
448
1
Prioritize finding the fairway off the tee to leave a manageable long iron or hybrid approach into a large, well-defended green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~208 yards remaining by raw distance.
7
5
604
7
Target the center of the fairway off the tee to avoid bunkering set up along the right. Play the second shot conservatively to set up a full third shot into the large green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~364 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
8
3
241
9
Use a long club to aim for the center of the green, taking extra club if needed to clear fronting sand hazards and ensure a safe landing.
9
4
438
3
Aim near the left fairway bunker off the tee for the ideal line. On approach, favor the left side of the green away from the water hazard guarding the right.
Your 240 yd driver · ~198 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
4
361
18
Hit a straight tee shot down the fairway rather than trying to cut over the elbow bunkers, leaving a short pitch or wedge into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~121 yards remaining by raw distance.
11
3
194
12
Take dead aim at the pin location with a mid-to-short iron, taking care to clear front greenside bunkering.
12
4
454
2
Aim toward the left fairway bunker off the tee to safely avoid the central fairway bunker and open up a clean angle into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~214 yards remaining by raw distance.
13
4
393
14
Play down the fairway center off the tee to set up a clean approach over native wash edges into a well-guarded green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~153 yards remaining by raw distance.
14
5
580
6
Favor the left side off the tee and on the layup shot to avoid pinching fairway hazards. Play approach shots away from the deep front-left greenside bunker.
Your 240 yd driver · ~340 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
15
3
245
8
Miss short-right off the tee to take advantage of the green slope feeding balls toward back-right pins and to avoid the water hazard on the left.
16
5
523
16
Avoid fairway bunkers off the tee to keep reachable options open. Aim approaches to the short-right side, as the green slopes away from the left bunker.
Your 240 yd driver · ~283 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
17
4
445
4
Focus on hitting a solid drive into the fairway center to leave a manageable mid-to-long iron into a well-protected green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~205 yards remaining by raw distance.
18
4
462
10
Drive down the center of the fairway to navigate subtle contours and set up a precise approach over greenside sand into the home green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~222 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.