PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course in Scottsdale, AZ.

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Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course golf course

Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course

Scottsdale, AZ
Black tees · 7,009 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course

Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the Pinnacle Course at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, is an iconic Sonoran Desert layout framed by massive granite boulders, saguaro cacti, and dramatic mountain backdrops. Featuring split fairways, natural desert washes bisecting landing zones, deep bunkering, and contoured bentgrass greens, Pinnacle demands disciplined target selection and precise distance control over raw power.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Troon North Golf Course — Pinnacle Course

Off the tee

Tee shots require navigating optical desert corridors, forced carries over native terrain, and strategically positioned fairway bunkers. Several par 4s and par 5s feature split fairways or desert trenches that end landing zones short of the green, making positioning and club selection far more critical than raw distance.

Elevation & terrain

Tumbling desert foothills and elevated tees create noticeable elevation changes throughout the round. Uphill approaches into elevated green complexes require extra club, while downhill par 3s demand precise distance control to clear fronting desert ravines and deep bunkers.

Approach play

Approach shots regularly require forced carries over arroyos, desert washes, or sand traps. Greens are well-protected by deep bunkers, false fronts, and steep collection zones, making approach angles and proper club selection central to scoring.

Around the greens

Bentgrass greens feature subtle undulations, ridges, and false fronts that penalize shots landed on the wrong tier. Green complexes incorporate steep drop-offs into desert ravines, deep sand traps, and subtle grass collection trenches that test chipping and pitching skills.

Best way to play it

Success at Troon North Pinnacle stems from conservative strategic planning and smart target selection. Identify fairway run-out points off the tee, respect forced desert carries, and play to wide landing sectors or bailout areas rather than firing at tucked pins.

Key takeaways

  • Identify fairway run-out points and desert wash locations before selecting a driver, as several holes terminate landing zones short of the green.
  • Respect elevation changes on approach shots into elevated green complexes, as fronting bunkers heavily penalize short hits.
  • Bentgrass greens feature subtle tiers and false fronts—pay close attention to pin positioning to avoid long, tricky multi-tier putts.
  • Take advantage of generous bailout areas designed into the wide sides of greens on long or hazardous approach shots.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
392
9
Favor the left side of the fairway past the desert hazard to create a shorter approach angle over desert terrain into a slightly raised green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~152 yards remaining by raw distance.
2
4
405
7
Align tee shots directly over the prominent fairway boulder; approach shots require a clean strike over a desert wash to reach the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~165 yards remaining by raw distance.
3
4
468
3
Favor the center-left side off the tee to avoid desert outcroppings jutting from the right, then hit approach shots to a deep green guarded by two large bunkers on the right.
Your 240 yd driver · ~228 yards remaining by raw distance.
4
4
416
11
Position tee shots down the left-center to clear the desert carry while staying left of the right fairway bunker, then carry the cross-desert trench and front bunkers on approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~176 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
5
525
5
Choose between laying up down the primary right fairway or playing across the central desert hazard to the upper fairway section; avoid the large bunker short-left on approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~285 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
6
3
206
17
Prioritize exact distance control to clear the desert wash while utilizing the generous bailout area to the right side of the green.
7
4
456
1
Tee off toward the left side where the fairway opens up past the visible rocks, then play an approach over a small desert wash to a green flanked by large front-right bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~216 yards remaining by raw distance.
8
3
190
15
Take an extra club for the uphill elevation and carry the deep front bunker, aiming slightly left as shots naturally slope and funnel toward the right.
9
4
404
13
Lay up short of the cross-desert trench off the tee using a fairway wood or hybrid, then fire an approach shot to the angled green using the right bailout area if needed.
Your 240 yd driver · ~164 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
4
407
10
Aim left-center off the tee away from the wall of bunkers along the right, then club up on the uphill approach to an elevated green guarded by front sand traps.
Your 240 yd driver · ~167 yards remaining by raw distance.
11
5
539
8
Aim down the right side of the fairway to cut the dogleg corner while avoiding the corner bunker; lay up or play across the diagonal wash on approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~299 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
12
4
416
12
Lay up short of the cross-fairway desert trench off the tee with a fairway wood or long iron, leaving a clean approach shot over the hazard to a green guarded right.
Your 240 yd driver · ~176 yards remaining by raw distance.
13
3
177
16
Target the center of the expansive circular green to clear the front-center and left bunkers, paying little attention to surrounding desert terrain.
14
5
609
2
Drive left of the inside dogleg bunker off the tee; on the second shot, favor the right-center fairway to avoid the large bunker on the left before pitching into a kidney-shaped green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~369 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
15
4
371
14
Drive aggressively into the wide fairway off the tee; ensure sufficient club on approach to carry two bunkers protecting the front-left of the triangular green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~131 yards remaining by raw distance.
16
3
140
18
Select club carefully for the downhill drop, clearing the short water hazard and central pot bunker while ensuring enough distance to hold the false front.
17
4
441
4
Tee off between the two fairway bunkers, leaning left so contours feed the ball toward center; hit approach to a bunkerless green surrounded by a deep grass collection trench.
Your 240 yd driver · ~201 yards remaining by raw distance.
18
4
447
6
Favor left-center on the drive to avoid two large fairway bunkers on the right, then carry the desert trench short of the green to an approach flanked by two bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~207 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.