PLAYROUND COURSE GUIDE

How to Play Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course

Course strategy, tee-specific yardages and a hole-by-hole game plan for Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course in Chandler, AZ.

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Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course golf course

Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course

Chandler, AZ
Black tees · 7,128 yards
COURSE OVERVIEW

About Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course

Designed by Gary Panks and opened in 2002, the Cattail Course at Whirlwind Golf Club is a 7,334-yard championship layout situated on the Gila River Indian Community near Chandler, Arizona. Framed by native mesquite, palo verde, and saguaro desert vegetation with vistas of the Sierra Estrella and South Mountains, Cattail features generous turfed fairways, multi-tiered greens, deep bunkering, water hazards, and desert canyon washes.

COURSE STRATEGY

How to play Whirlwind Golf Club — Cattail Course

Off the tee

Fairways on Cattail are wide and forgiving, but tee shots must be placed strategically to avoid deep fairway bunkers and avoid water hazards on holes like 5, 12, 14, and 18.

Elevation & terrain

Set on the desert floor, elevation changes across the course are subtle, featuring gradual upslope approach shots and an elevated tee shot over a desert canyon on hole 15.

Approach play

Approaches demand accurate distance control to land on large, multi-tiered green complexes guarded by deep bunkers, water features, and slope runoffs.

Around the greens

Greens are large, smooth, and multi-tiered with steep slopes around the fringes that funnel missed shots into sculpted sand traps or collection areas.

Best way to play it

Take advantage of forgiving driving zones to find fairways off the tee, then play conservatively to safe green sectors away from flanking water hazards and deep bunkers.

Key takeaways

  • Wide, generous fairways give golfers room off the tee, but fairway bunkers punish misdirected drives.
  • Water is in play on several key holes (3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14), making distance control and target placement critical.
  • Multi-tiered green complexes reward correct pin placement selection to avoid long, tricky multi-level putts.
  • Hole 15 features an elevated tee with a forced carry over a deep desert canyon wash.
YOUR GAME PLAN

Hole-by-hole game plan

Hole
Par
Yards
HCP
Strategy
1
4
409
9
Aim for the wide landing zone short or clear of the fairway bunker to set up a clean, slightly uphill second shot.
Your 240 yd driver · ~169 yards remaining by raw distance.
2
5
510
17
Drive into the wide fairway and lay up safely short of desert native areas to leave a short, controlled approach to an undulating green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~270 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
3
3
160
15
Target the center or right side of the green complex to stay away from the water hazard on the left, especially with left pin locations.
4
4
453
1
Hit a strong tee shot into the broad fairway and play enough club on the approach to clear fronting green hazards.
Your 240 yd driver · ~213 yards remaining by raw distance.
5
4
329
7
Favor the right-center side of the fairway off the tee to avoid the lake and sand traps on the left.
Your 240 yd driver · ~89 yards remaining by raw distance. Favor position and approach angle over extra tee-shot distance.
6
3
174
11
Focus on club selection to clear front bunkering and find the safe middle portion of the green.
7
5
595
3
Drive into the fairway, lay up short of the water and sand, and take an extra club to hit the upper tier on two-tiered greens.
Your 240 yd driver · ~355 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
8
4
397
13
Lay up short of the fairway sand traps for an easy wedge shot or attempt a long drive near the green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~157 yards remaining by raw distance.
9
4
421
5
Aim for the center-right of the fairway off the tee to establish a clear approach shot into a multi-tiered green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~181 yards remaining by raw distance.
10
3
243
8
Play toward the left or short-center of the green to avoid the unseen water hazard guarding the right and back of the green.
11
4
458
4
Position your tee shot in the broad fairway away from sand traps to leave a manageable mid-iron approach shot.
Your 240 yd driver · ~218 yards remaining by raw distance.
12
5
570
2
Stay down the left side off the tee, execute a clean layup, and use a short wedge to attack a narrow, well-guarded green.
Your 240 yd driver · ~330 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
13
4
433
10
Hit a controlled tee shot to the center of the fairway to setup an unimpeded approach to a green fronted by sand.
Your 240 yd driver · ~193 yards remaining by raw distance.
14
4
380
12
Favor the right-center portion of the fairway off the tee to clear the water hazard without running into the right-side bunkers.
Your 240 yd driver · ~140 yards remaining by raw distance.
15
3
173
18
Trust your club selection to carry the deep desert canyon wash; hit the center of the green complex.
16
4
421
14
Play your drive to the left-center of the fairway to secure a clear angle around the dogleg right.
Your 240 yd driver · ~181 yards remaining by raw distance.
17
5
555
16
Take advantage of the wide landing area off the tee, lay up cleanly, and club up slightly for the uphill approach.
Your 240 yd driver · ~315 yards remaining by raw distance. Plan this primarily as a three-shot hole.
18
4
447
6
Aim down the middle of the fairway between the left and right bunkers, then add an extra club for the uphill approach to clear front greenside sand.
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.