PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Dove Valley Ranch Gc

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Dove Valley Ranch Gc in Cave Creek, AZ.

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Dove Valley Ranch Gc golf course

Dove Valley Ranch Gc

Cave Creek, AZ
Black tees · 7,095 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Dove Valley Ranch Gc

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in Cave Creek, Arizona, Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club is an 18-hole championship layout that presents a clear contrast between its two nines. Set in the high Sonoran Desert near Black Mountain and Willow Wash, the front nine offers wide, forgiving fairways with visible hazards, while the back nine demands precise course management through tight, tree-lined desert corridors, dry washes, split fairways, and water hazards.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Dove Valley Ranch Gc

Off the tee

Tee shots on the front nine feature wide landing zones with manicured transition areas that allow for easy recovery. The back nine narrows significantly along Willow Wash, where ironwood and acacia trees, severe doglegs, and split fairways reward controlled wood or hybrid tee shots over raw distance.

Elevation & terrain

Terrain across the course is predominantly flat to gently rolling set against Black Mountain, meaning dramatic elevation changes are rare and distance adjustments are minimal.

Approach play

Front nine approaches land on large, receptive green complexes with wide open entries, whereas back nine approaches require precise distance control to carry natural desert washes and navigate narrow greens framed by water hazards on holes 2, 9, and 18.

Around the greens

Greens are subtly contoured and roll fast, though several feature steep drops off the back edge or deep sand traps, making distance control on chips and pitch shots critical.

Best way to play it

Take advantage of the forgiving front nine by driving aggressively to build momentum, then adopt a disciplined target-golf approach on the technical back nine by laying up short of crossing washes and avoiding forced risks near water.

Key takeaways

  • The course presents a distinct 'tale of two nines'—a wide, forgiving front nine followed by a tight, strategic back nine along Willow Wash.
  • Water hazards come into play on three specific holes—2, 9, and 18—where big risk-reward decisions dictate scoring.
  • The back nine features narrow playing corridors, split fairways, and dry desert washes requiring precise club selection off the tee.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
5
533
9
Drive toward the middle-right of the generous fairway to set up a clean layup and a manageable wedge into the large opening green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~293 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
2
4
462
3
Play safe down the left side for a longer approach, or cut over the water to shorten the shot; aim carefully as an abrupt drop off the back of the green punishes long approaches.
Your 240 yd driver · ~222 yards remaining by raw distance.
3
3
178
17
Target the center of the green complex to clear front bunkers and take advantage of the wide-open front approach.
4
4
396
11
Position your drive down the fairway center to set up an easy short-iron or wedge approach into a large putting green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~156 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
4
366
13
Favor the left-center side of the fairway off the tee to create a clear angle into the green away from greenside bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~126 yards remaining by raw distance.
6
3
199
15
Select enough club to reach the middle of the putting surface, taking care to avoid sand guarding the sides of the complex.
7
4
428
5
Hit a driver or 3-wood down the middle, then favor the open side of the green complex on your approach shot.
Your 240 yd driver · ~188 yards remaining by raw distance.
8
5
572
1
Focus on placing your tee shot and layup into the broad fairway landing areas to set up a clean short-iron approach into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~332 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
9
4
417
7
Favor the left-center of the fairway off the tee to keep away from the lake, then carry your approach securely over greenside bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~177 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
4
430
6
Use a fairway wood or hybrid off the tee to locate the narrow fairway and avoid dense native desert lining the landing zone.
Your 240 yd driver · ~190 yards remaining by raw distance.
11
4
450
2
Hit a precise drive down the tight fairway, then play a controlled approach to a long, thin green protected in front and right by tributaries to Willow Wash.
Your 240 yd driver · ~210 yards remaining by raw distance.
12
4
380
12
Play safe to the wider right fairway option, or challenge the narrower left fairway to earn a shorter, clearer angle into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~140 yards remaining by raw distance.
13
3
173
18
Take extra club to ensure you carry the desert wash short of the green, aiming for the center of the putting surface.
14
4
356
14
Lay up short of the wash to the right fairway for a full wedge in; only attempt driving the green if you can comfortably clear the short-left desert wash.
Your 240 yd driver · ~116 yards remaining by raw distance.
15
5
623
4
Prioritize position over distance off the tee to avoid running through the dogleg, laying up short of crossing wash tributaries before approaching.
Your 240 yd driver · ~383 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
16
3
205
16
Select enough club to carry the native desert short, aiming toward the open center of the green to avoid surrounding sand traps.
17
5
543
10
Play as a standard three-shot par 5 for safety; if attempting to go for the green in two, utilize the bailout area over the desert brush short-right of the putting surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~303 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
18
4
384
8
Keep your tee shot down the left-center of the fairway away from the lake, then execute a precise approach to clear greenside bunkers while avoiding the water hazard right.
Your 240 yd driver · ~144 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.