I recommend adding Sedona, AZ to your golf bucket list. After playing 36 holes a couple weeks ago at the
Sedona Golf Resort I'm glad I checked this one off my list! The views alone make this worth it. Add a well maintained and challenging course to the equation and you have something special.
Designed by architect Gary Panks the 6,646-yard, par - 71
Sedona Golf Resort course on paper may not seem to be a long course. However, when you mix in the 623 yard, up hill, hole 5 and the 448 yard par 4 hole 8 this Golf Digest four star rated course all the sudden doesn't seem so short.
The elevation changes (ranging from 3,960 feet to as much as 4,260 feet), rolling hills, and forced carries require you to think your way around this course with correct strategy and yardage. The bent grass greens and winter rye fairways were excellent when I played the course in October. The greens were especially good, very soft (big divots), quick and lots of release.
Front Nine
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| Hole #1. View from green on 326 yard par 4 hole 1. This uphill par four has junipers and pines on the left and tight ob on the right. Pulling out the three wood is not a bad choice on the first tee. |
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| Hole #2. View from tee box on downhill 183 yard par three hole 2. Calculating the right club with the elevation change is key. I actually played this yardage about 5-10 yards less and it worked for me. |
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| Hole #3. View of from approach on 506 yard par 5 hole 3. The tee shot is the hardest part on this hole which has a downhill elevation change from the tee with trouble on the right and open fairway to aim at on the left. |
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| Hole #4. View from green on 404 yard par 4 hole 4. There are bunkers and trees on the left and trees on the right forcing you to take careful aim with the driver on this 404 yard slight uphill hole. |
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| Hole #4. View from tee box on 404 yard hole 4. |
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| Hole #5. View from tee box on 623 yard par 5 hole 5. As you can see this is a narrow fairway and you need to carry a small pond. Oh yeah, and if you want to get there in three you need to hit the driver. |
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| Hole #5. Green side view at 623 yard hole 5. This is also a double green shared by hole 8. |
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| Hole #6. View from green on uphill 397 yard hole 6. Tough tee shot with bunkers on right and tree trouble on both sides of fair way. The uphill approach to the green will force you to think twice about club selection.
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(Not pictured 176 yard hole 7)
Hole 7 is a downhill par three to a very small green with a bunker protecting the right front, a tree directly left of the front edge and trees on the right. So basically hit is straight and I mean within 10 yards leeway left or right or your target and that's the window you get to putting this tee shot on the green.
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| Hole #8. View from tee box on donw hill 448 yard par 4 hole 8. Right side of fairway is tight keeping tee shot to left side of fairway is recommended. |
(Not pictured 522 yard hole 9)
Hole 9 is a great par 5. The tee shot forces you to aim left to a widened side of the fairway. Right of the fairway is out of bounds and tight. Closer to the green is a stand of Cottonwoods that can lead to a lost ball or unplayable. Need to keep everything left on this hole to reach the green in regulation.
Back Nine
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| Hole #10. 210 yard par 3 hole 10. This downhill par three has serious trouble on the right and bunkers on both sides of a slight two-tier green. |
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Hole #11. View from tee box 380 yard par 4 hole 11. This downhill shot is fairly tight on both sides of the fairway. An errant tee shot left or right usually means a lost ball or unplayable shot.
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| Hole #12. View of approach shot on 559 yard par 5 hole 12. This downhill winding dog leg left forces you to keep your drive right off the tee to have any chance of hitting a fairway wood around the corner at the green.
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| Hole #13. View of pond protecting downhill 394 yard par 4 hole 13. From the tee best strategy is center or left side fairway. Right of fairway is tight with trees and out of bounds.
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| Hole #14. View from tee box of 171 yard par 3 hole 14. The wide, shallow green is protected by front and back bunkers. |
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| Hole #15. View from tee box on 439 yard par 4 hole 15. This long slight downhill par 4 is very tough. A raveen on the left and trees on the right protect the fairway. |
(Not pictured holes 16 and 17)
Hole 16 is a great par 4. The 417 yard hole 16 has a pond, that also protects the par 3 17th, on the right side of the fairway that should be avoided at all costs. There is no right rough from the tee box.
Hole 17 at 155 yard par 3 hole 17 forces golfers to carry over the same pond that guards the fairway on hole 16. This is a straight carry over the water with a big bunker in front to get your tee shot on the green.
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| Hole #18. View of approach shot on 336 yard par 4 hole 18. The tee shot on this hole is straight downhill. No need to hit driver because of sandtraps and pond guarding the green. An iron or fairway wood is a good choice off the tee. |
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| Hole #18. View from green on 336 yard par 4 hole 18. |
In summary, if you get a chance to get up to Sedona, AZ (about 1.5 hour drive from Phoenix) it is definitely worth the trip. The Sedona Golf Resort will not disappoint and you'll have a great outing worth remembering for quite some time.
More Info
http://www.sedonagolfresort.com/-course-overview-and-video
