PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Sedona Golf Resort

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

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Sedona Golf Resort golf course

Sedona Golf Resort

Sedona, AZ
Blue tees · 6,526 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Sedona Golf Resort

Sedona Golf Resort is a 6,646-yard Gary Panks design nestled in the Village of Oak Creek near Sedona, Arizona. Playing through high-desert terrain at elevations between 3,960 and 4,260 feet, the course features bentgrass greens, winter rye fairways, and striking views of red rock formations like Cathedral Rock.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Sedona Golf Resort

Off the tee

Fairways are generally wide and accommodating, but off-target drives can quickly find native high-desert vegetation or out-of-bounds stakes. Strategic placement on doglegs is essential to avoid fairway sand traps and secure clear angles past framing trees.

Elevation & terrain

Tee boxes sit up to 300 feet above fairways and greens, producing dramatic downhill drops and steep uphill approaches. Swirling mountain winds and major elevation shifts demand disciplined club selection and careful distance control.

Approach play

Approaches frequently feature semi-blind targets and elevated green complexes guarded by soft sand bunkers. Precision into the bentgrass greens is critical, especially on holes where natural water features or runoff slopes guard the target.

Around the greens

Greens are well-protected by strategically placed sand bunkers and natural desert terrain, requiring precise short-game control. The bentgrass putting surfaces feature subtle undulations and slope breaks toward the valley that demand careful green reading.

Best way to play it

Manage elevation changes by making aggressive adjustments for downhill drops and uphill targets. Play conservatively off the tee to hit generous fairways, aiming approach shots toward the middle of greens to avoid deep bunkers and subtle slope runoffs.

Key takeaways

  • Significant elevation drops require adjusting club selection on elevated tee boxes throughout the round.
  • The signature par-3 10th hole plays dramatically downhill toward Cathedral Rock, demanding careful wind assessment.
  • Bentgrass greens feature subtle undulations breaking toward the valley, requiring deliberate green reading.
  • Out-of-bounds stakes and native desert borders penalize severe misses on dogleg fairways.
  • A prominent water feature directly protects the edge of the par-3 17th green.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
321
13
Aim off the tee toward the left-center of the fairway to secure a clean angle for an uphill second shot to the raised green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~81 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot distance.
2
3
175
17
Select a shorter club to compensate for the steep downhill elevation drop, targeting the center of the green while clearing the frontal void.
3
5
496
15
Drive down the right-center of the fairway to avoid left sand traps, then position the second shot to set up an approach clear of the front-left greenside bunker.
Your 240 yd driver · ~256 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
4
4
396
9
Favor the right side of the fairway off the tee to create an open approach angle that bypasses the front-left greenside bunker.
Your 240 yd driver · ~156 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
5
612
1
Play this hole as a genuine three-shot par 5, favoring the right side of the fairway on drives and layups to keep clear of left-hand out-of-bounds.
Your 240 yd driver · ~372 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
6
4
383
7
Position your drive into the fairway between red rock outlines, leaving a medium iron approach to a well-guarded green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~143 yards remaining by raw distance.
7
3
165
11
Account for the downhill descent in club selection and aim toward the right side of the putting surface to allow the natural slope to move the ball toward the pin.
8
4
442
3
Hit the fairway between right-side out-of-bounds and left desert, then favor the right side of the green to carry sand traps.
Your 240 yd driver · ~202 yards remaining by raw distance.
9
5
517
5
Favor the left-center of the fairway off the tee to avoid right out-of-bounds, then play a controlled approach through the narrow tree gap onto the raised green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~277 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
10
3
200
10
Club down significantly for the downhill drop and factor in swirling canyon breezes, taking aim at the center-left of the green to bypass the long bunker on the right.
11
4
393
8
Target the center of the fairway on your tee shot to leave a straightforward approach into a well-bunkered green complex.
Your 240 yd driver · ~153 yards remaining by raw distance.
12
5
550
4
Focus on fairway accuracy off the tee and place your second shot into a comfortable layup zone to avoid sand and set up a clear wedge approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~310 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
13
4
390
12
Drive for the center of the fairway to establish a clean look at the elevated green complex while steering clear of greenside bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~150 yards remaining by raw distance.
14
3
162
16
Select club based on elevation drop and aim for the center of the green surface to avoid surrounding sand traps.
15
4
431
2
Hit a firm, controlled tee shot down the center to leave a manageable iron approach into a tightly bunkered green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~191 yards remaining by raw distance.
16
4
409
6
Position your tee shot in the wide part of the fairway to open up an approach clear of greenside sand traps.
Your 240 yd driver · ~169 yards remaining by raw distance.
17
3
151
18
Commit to your distance control on the tee shot to clear the water hazard and hit the safe center section of the green.
18
4
333
14
Find the fairway off the tee to leave an uncomplicated short iron into a green well-protected by bunkers in front of the clubhouse.
Your 240 yd driver · ~93 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot 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.