PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Phoenix Country Club

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix, AZ.

Personalize your game plan

Choose the tees you're playing and add your driver carry for distance-aware course strategy.

TeesDriver carry

Phoenix Country Club

Phoenix, AZ

Black tees · 6,848 yards

COURSE OVERVIEW

About Phoenix Country Club

Phoenix Country Club is a historic private parkland golf course located in central Phoenix, Arizona. Originally designed by Harry Collis in 1919 and redesigned by Tom Lehman and John Fought in 2002, the course offers a traditional tree-lined oasis setting amidst the desert landscape. Host to the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open for over 50 years and current host of the PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Cup Championship, it features lush fairways framed by tall pines and palms, strategically placed water hazards on five holes, and quick, heavily-sloped green complexes.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Phoenix Country Club

Off the tee

Fairways are tree-lined with mature pines and palms, requiring precise shot-shaping and placement rather than pure distance. Key hazards include fairway bunkers and prominent overhanging trees positioned on doglegs and landing zones.

Elevation & terrain

The course sits on predominantly flat terrain with minimal elevation change across the layout. Elevation shifts are subtle, primarily present around slightly raised green complexes and gentle teeing platforms.

Approach play

Approach shots demand strict distance control to small-to-medium greens that slope steeply, typically back-to-front. Water comes into play on five holes, and missed approaches often catch deep greenside bunkers or runoff collection areas.

Around the greens

Greens feature traditional Golden Age characteristics with firm Bermuda turf and sharp back-to-front contouring. Missing short-sided or landing above the hole creates severe downhill putts and challenging recovery chips.

Best way to play it

Prioritize tee-shot positioning to clear overhanging tree limbs and navigate fairway bunkers, leaving clean angles into the greens. Play approach shots below the cup to avoid defensive downhill putting on the steeply sloped green surfaces.

Key takeaways

Parkland oasis layout contrasts with traditional Arizona desert courses, featuring mature pine and palm trees lining fairways.
Strategic trees—such as overhanging pines and the famous Goldwater Tree—directly dictate ideal lines of play off the tee.
Water hazards come into play on five holes, including significant carries and lateral threats on key par 3s and risk-reward holes.
Greens slope steeply from back to front, making staying below the pin the primary key to scoring.
Hole 13 is unique as the only hole on the course without any sand bunkers, though water guards the right side.

YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole

Par

Yards

HCP

Strategy

511

Drive accurately to thread between the left fairway bunker and right tree to set up a choice to go for the green in two. Keep approach shots below the hole and avoid the water behind the green and short-side bunkers.

Your 240 yd driver · ~271 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.

173

Account for wind conditions and play for the center of the spacious green. Avoid missing short or left into the lake, and keep the tee shot below the cup to prevent a treacherous downhill putt.

457

Hit a straight tee shot between the left bunker and right out of bounds. Aim approaches to the center or left section of the green, especially when the pin is positioned back right near the boundary.

Your 240 yd driver · ~217 yards remaining by raw distance.

405

Decide off the tee whether to challenge the left fairway bunker for a shorter approach or lay back short of the right pot bunker. Target the correct section of the narrow green to avoid putting across its central ridge.

Your 240 yd driver · ~165 yards remaining by raw distance.

306

Aggressive players can target the green area off the tee, but approach and pitch shots must be played carefully to an elevated green that slopes away from front to back.

Your 240 yd driver · ~66 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot distance.

457

Shape a tee shot right-to-left off the right-side fairway bunkers without over-correcting into the left tree line. Aim approach shots precisely to the correct tier of the small green.

Your 240 yd driver · ~217 yards remaining by raw distance.

571

Prioritize fairway accuracy off the tee between left trees and the right fairway bunker. Only a drive in the narrow fairway allows golfers to attempt reaching in two or laying up close.

Your 240 yd driver · ~331 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.

203

Focus on distance control on this expansive green. Target the left side aggressively when pins are located near the bunker, but play conservatively to the center for right-side pin placements.

401

Shape a drive left-to-right past the right pine tree while avoiding the left bunker. Approach an elevated green below the pin location to leave an uphill putt on the sharp back-right to front-left green slope.

Your 240 yd driver · ~161 yards remaining by raw distance.

460

Position the drive between the right fairway bunker and left trees to set up a long approach. Ensure approach shots stay short of the pin to manage the severe back-to-front green slope.

Your 240 yd driver · ~220 yards remaining by raw distance.

444

Shape the tee shot left-to-right off the left bunker while clearing the Goldwater Tree on the right. Hit approach shots below the hole onto a green considered by many to be the most severely sloped on the course.

Your 240 yd driver · ~204 yards remaining by raw distance.

339

If laying up off the tee, thread the ball between the left bunker and right water hazard. If taking an aggressive line, favor the left side of the fairway to avoid being blocked by an overhanging pine tree guarding the green.

Your 240 yd driver · ~99 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot distance.

194

Target the left-center of the green off the tee to safely clear the water hazard on the right, accepting a longer putt or chip back across the severe back-to-front slope.

438

Navigate tee shots past the central pine tree while avoiding the right fairway bunker and boundary stakes on both sides. Precision is essential on the approach to a shallow two-tiered green.

Your 240 yd driver · ~198 yards remaining by raw distance.

180

Aim for the middle of the small green to carry the lake and clear surrounding sand traps. Avoid missing short or right where shots carry into the water.

354

Shape a tee shot right-to-left into the fairway to get around the bend. Approach shots must stay short of the pin to avoid steep back-to-front putting lines and the deepest bunkers on the course.

Your 240 yd driver · ~114 yards remaining by raw distance.

428

Target the right-center of the fairway off the tee to clear the overhanging pine on the left. Approach with a short-to-mid iron toward the left side of the green away from water on the right.

Your 240 yd driver · ~188 yards remaining by raw distance.

527

Shape a tee shot left-to-right between the left tree line and right fairway bunker. Decide whether to challenge the small green over water on the second shot or lay up to wedge distance.

Your 240 yd driver · ~287 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.