PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Legacy Golf Resort

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix, AZ.

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Legacy Golf Resort golf course

Legacy Golf Resort

Phoenix, AZ
Copper tees · 6,768 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Legacy Golf Resort

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 1999, The Legacy Golf Club is an 18-hole resort layout built on the historic 7,500-acre ranch of Dwight B. Heard in South Phoenix. Set near the base of South Mountain with views of Camelback Mountain and the Phoenix skyline, the course combines generous Bermuda fairways with strategic desert bunkering, native desert margins, and select water features. Historic landmarks include two original 1902 grain silos along the 18th fairway and the Sierra Vista House near the first tee.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Legacy Golf Resort

Off the tee

Fairways are generally wide and welcoming, offering resort-style playability off the tee. However, deep fairway bunkers with steep lips and native desert waste areas flank landing zones on nearly every hole, requiring smart placement rather than brute force.

Elevation & terrain

The terrain features subtle rolling desert topography set against South Mountain. Gentle uphill and downhill slopes affect club selection on select holes, though dramatic elevation drops are minimal.

Approach play

Approach shots demand precise distance control to carry desert washes, deep front bunkers, and water hazards. Receptive green complexes often feature multi-tiered surfaces and subtle false fronts that punish under-clubbed shots.

Around the greens

TifEagle Bermuda greens are raised and contoured, surrounded by deep bunkers and collection areas. Recovery shots require clean contact out of steep sand lips or delicate chips to tight pin positions.

Best way to play it

Play conservatively off the tee to stay out of deep fairway bunkers and desert margins. Focus approach play on finding the correct tier of green complexes and playing to safe centers rather than tucked pins.

Key takeaways

  • Resort-friendly fairways allow room off the tee, but deep fairway bunkers are severe penalties.
  • Green complexes feature distinct tiers and false fronts that demand accurate approach distance control.
  • Historic 1902 grain silos on the 18th hole and the Sierra Vista House at the 1st tee highlight Arizona heritage.
  • Water comes into play on select key holes, notably the par-5 14th, par-3 17th, and par-5 18th.
  • Conveniently located in South Phoenix with memorable mountain backdrop views.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
394
10
Aim for the wide center-left portion of the fairway off the tee to clear or avoid the right fairway bunker, setting up a short approach into a receptive green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~154 yards remaining by raw distance.
2
4
439
6
Favor the left-center of the fairway off the tee to avoid out-of-bounds right. Take an extra club on the uphill approach and target the middle of the green, as the back half slopes away.
Your 240 yd driver · ~199 yards remaining by raw distance.
3
4
377
16
Select a club off the tee that ensures short grass away from fairway sand, setting up a wedge or short-iron approach into an approachable putting surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~137 yards remaining by raw distance.
4
3
194
12
Target the center of the green complex to avoid deep surrounding bunkers and ensure a simple two-putt par.
5
4
356
14
Tee off with a fairway wood or hybrid to stay on top of the fairway ridge and avoid desert right, leaving a clear view over the steep front bunker onto the putting surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~116 yards remaining by raw distance.
6
5
569
2
Drive into the wide fairway, lay up cleanly to a comfortable wedge distance, and attack the pin on an undulating green surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~329 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
7
3
148
18
Pay close attention to pin depth and wind; hitting to the flatter back portion of the green yields strong birdie opportunities.
8
5
563
8
Hit a strong drive to catch the downhill fairway slope. Avoid the deep left greenside bunker on the second shot to leave a straightforward chip onto a flat putting surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~323 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
9
4
439
4
Thread your drive between fairway bunkers to set up a mid-iron approach shot into a well-guarded green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~199 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
4
404
9
Drive into the short grass to avoid fairway sand, then play your approach to the correct green tier to minimize complex putting reads.
Your 240 yd driver · ~164 yards remaining by raw distance.
11
3
174
11
Take extra club to account for wind and carry the false front, aiming for the center of the putting surface to avoid spinning back down the front hill.
12
4
457
3
Consider laying up off the tee with a fairway wood or long iron to thread the narrow fairway landing zone between hazards, setting up a controlled approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~217 yards remaining by raw distance.
13
4
420
15
Place a fairway wood or hybrid in the wide fairway landing zone to ensure a full wedge shot into the designated green tier.
Your 240 yd driver · ~180 yards remaining by raw distance.
14
5
566
1
Favor the right side of the fairway off the tee. When deciding to go for the green in two, ensure sufficient distance to clear the water and deep bunker flanking the left side.
Your 240 yd driver · ~326 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
15
3
161
13
Choose enough club to clear the front desert depression completely, aiming for the middle of the green to account for unpredictable wind shifts.
16
4
386
17
Prioritize driving accuracy over distance to avoid out-of-bounds left and trees right, leaving a mid-to-long iron approach aimed conservatively at the center of the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~146 yards remaining by raw distance.
17
3
202
5
Commit to a precise iron shot over the pond; utilize the left-side bailout area if wind conditions or pin positions make a direct line risky.
18
5
519
7
Hit a controlled tee shot into the generous fairway past the historic silos, lay up short of the water hazard near the approach zone, and play a short wedge into the large closing green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~279 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.

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.