PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Phoenician

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Phoenician in Scottsdale, AZ.

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Phoenician golf course

Phoenician

Scottsdale, AZ
Players tees · 6,352 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Phoenician

Redesigned in 2018 by architect Phil Smith, The Phoenician Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, transitioned from a 27-hole target layout into a cohesive, 18-hole resort championship course. Set at the southern base of Camelback Mountain, the course features generous 419 Bermuda fairways, smooth TifEagle Bermuda greens, strategic bunkering, and picturesque Sonoran Desert backdrops without blind hazards.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Phoenician

Off the tee

Wide fairways offer generous landing areas on most holes, welcoming drives while using repositioned fairway bunkers and natural desert edges to penalize wayward tee shots.

Elevation & terrain

Significant tee-to-green elevation changes occur throughout the round, particularly on the back nine where elevated tees offer dramatic drops into valley fairways and panoramic city views.

Approach play

Approaches feature clean sightlines with all hazards clearly visible in front of the golfer, requiring precise distance control to reach TifEagle greens guarded by strategic sand bunkering and occasional water hazards.

Around the greens

Smooth TifEagle Bermuda greens feature subtle contouring and multiple pin zones, guarded by reshaped sand bunkers and smooth run-off areas that reward creative short-game shotmaking.

Best way to play it

Take advantage of wide fairways to establish ideal approach angles, play conservatively off elevated tee boxes to manage wind and elevation drops, and avoid chasing tight pin positions near green-guarding bunkers and water hazards.

Key takeaways

  • Redesigned by Phil Smith into a seamless 18-hole layout with wide fairways and pristine TifEagle Bermuda greens.
  • Framed by iconic views of Camelback Mountain, Papago Park, and the downtown Phoenix skyline.
  • Elevated tee boxes on the back nine demand careful club selection and distance adjustments.
  • Water hazards come into play late in the round, most notably on the iconic 17th par 3 and finishing 18th par 5.
  • Strategic bunkering and open green fronts cater to all skill levels while rewarding thoughtful approach angles.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
415
7
Target the center-right portion of the fairway off the tee to account for the terrain slope and gain a clear view into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~175 yards remaining by raw distance.
2
4
437
9
Favor the center of the fairway to secure a manageable approach distance while avoiding outer rough and perimeter desert hazards.
Your 240 yd driver · ~197 yards remaining by raw distance.
3
3
170
13
Choose enough club to safely cover the fronting sand hazards and aim for the center of the green to navigate the complex undulations.
4
4
420
3
Prioritize fairway positioning off the tee over maximum distance to ensure a controlled approach into a guarded putting surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~180 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
3
212
5
Select sufficient club to comfortably carry the desert waste short of the putting surface and favor the middle of the green.
6
4
349
15
A controlled drive or fairway metal off the tee leaves a short wedge approach to attack flagsticks safely.
Your 240 yd driver · ~109 yards remaining by raw distance.
7
4
379
11
Aim down the center-left side of the fairway to establish the cleanest angle into the green away from right-side bunkering.
Your 240 yd driver · ~139 yards remaining by raw distance.
8
5
491
17
Keep tee shots in the generous fairway and play a conservative second shot to setup a comfortable third-shot wedge approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~251 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
9
4
427
1
Favor the right-center portion of the fairway off the tee to leave an ideal approach angle into a well-bunkered green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~187 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
4
367
6
Drive toward the center of the fairway, trusting your distance control off the elevated tee box, and prepare for a short iron into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~127 yards remaining by raw distance.
11
3
172
12
Take one less club due to the significant elevation drop, taking aim at the middle of the green complex to safely avoid greenside bunkers.
12
4
358
2
Select a tee club that guarantees staying short of or clearing the desert wash, leaving a direct approach over the hazard into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~118 yards remaining by raw distance.
13
4
293
16
Lay up with a hybrid or long iron to the wide fairway landing area to set up a full, controlled wedge into the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~53 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot distance.
14
4
393
4
Aggressive players can challenge the green off the tee, but laying up to the left-center fairway provides a simple wedge into a well-bunkered target.
Your 240 yd driver · ~153 yards remaining by raw distance.
15
5
493
14
Lay up along the left fairway corridor if playing as a three-shot hole to open up a clear run-up angle into the two-tiered putting surface.
Your 240 yd driver · ~253 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
16
4
370
10
Play off the tee toward the wide fairway center and attack the pin with proper distance control to avoid multi-tiered green trouble.
Your 240 yd driver · ~130 yards remaining by raw distance.
17
3
125
18
Focus on proper distance control to clear the water hazard and front bunkers; taking enough club to reach the center or back of the green allows the back-to-front slope to feed the ball toward pin placements.
18
5
481
8
Favor the left side of the fairway on tee and lay-up shots to maintain a safe cushion away from the water hazard on the right before striking a precise third shot over bunkers to the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~241 yards remaining by raw distance. The green may be within range for your second shot depending on lie and conditions.

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.