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Rating Index Rating
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4.4
1442 Reviews (1442)
5 Stars
980
4 Stars
337
3 Stars
79
2 Stars
33
1 Stars
13
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.3
Layout
4.6
Friendliness
4.7
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.4
88.0%
Recommend this course
1338 out of 1442 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
55 Reviews (55)
5 Stars
33
4 Stars
11
3 Stars
7
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.1
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.3
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.6
80.0%
Recommend this course
44 out of 55 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
90 Reviews (90)
5 Stars
52
4 Stars
23
3 Stars
10
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.2
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.7
84.4%
Recommend this course
76 out of 90 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Southern Dunes delivers a championship-caliber layout with challenging bunkers, stunning scenery, and conditions that consistently impress recent golfers. Exceptionally friendly staff, quality amenities, and outstanding value make this AGA and USGA qualifier venue worth the trip.

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Traditional/Links
Par 72
Length 7546 yards
Slope 142
Rating 76.5

Stretching over 320 acres in the southwest area, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club (previously known as Royal Dunes) transforms mostly flat terrain into a challenging course that uses practically twice the amount of land a standard course. The course incorporates superb landscaping featuring towering mounds and hollow valleys for an interesting and scenic game. This desert golf course has wide fairways and generous landing areas. The dunes-style layout requires precision from tee to green. The difficulty of the golf course lies within the deep, strategically placed sand bunkers, multi-tiered greens, and native grass roughs. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club provides adequate challenge for players of any skill level.

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Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 2002
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round. Closed on Mondays from June 1 - August 31st
Architect Brian Curley (2002) Fred Couples (2002) Lee E. Schmidt (2002)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Caddies Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code Appropriate golf attire.

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Spa, Locker Rooms

Available Sports

Fitness

Accolades

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Reviews

4.4
1442 Reviews (1442)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 59
Patio Dining 48
Brunch 25
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 121
Undulating Greens 56
Forced Carries 55
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 90
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 49
A Weekend Splurge 44
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 101
In the 'Burbs 16
Convenient to the City 7

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

There needs to be a better way to get people to stop being so slow, marshal needs to keep better pace of play.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 26
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

What a course!

I really enjoyed this course - fun layout and very challenging. Unfortunately cart path only given recent overseeding, which led to a slow round, but fun nonetheless.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 97
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing

OK Public Course

This is a public golf facility in fair shape after over seeding. Greens are puttable and fairways a bit long with hit and miss conditions. The course is vy flat and boring since most holes look the same. Most holes have a lot of room right and left for missed shots.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 25
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great course!

Amazing course and great facilities and staff! Challenging but fair! Practice those sand saves

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course was beautiful as always ! Great shape and staff. Plenty of cold water and towels provided !

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 24
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Southern Dunes

Good course, new sand in bunkers make bunker play better. Overall great conditions grees,& fairways.

Conditions Excellent
Layout Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Waiting n Waiting n Waiting

Course is really nice…a little too much bunker on most holes but challenging. Had a tee time at 10:10am on 10/3/24. It was a warm day and hoping to fishing course a little faster than normal. But that didn’t happen because the group in front of us had 7 people. Took forever waiting for them to hit. I didn’t know that was allowed. I thought the most is 4 per group.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Dunes equals sams traps!

The course was immaculate with exception of the traps, the over 100+ of them... and was empty and being refilled as we played. The problem with having that many strategically placed traps, is the poor quality of the sand. This is not soft and fine quality sand, but slightly rocky and course... like digging it fresh out of the desert.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Not for me

This course was recommended by friends who love it. They are more accurate off the tee. 🙂 A lot of the traps that I experienced were not great quality. It may have been the time of year, but I expected better sand. The price was very fair for the golf. A single shot Bloody Mary in the restaurant is $11. Overall, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Staff was wonderful, but the course is not for me. My friends do love it, though, so take my review with a grain of salt.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Layout

This is a great place to play. The layout is unique, spectacular, and a nice change-up from all the desert courses around Phoenix. It may not be as scenic as Boulders or Troon, but it's a better all around course. To me, it is the most difficult public course from the back tees in Phoenix. Even tougher than Quintero or any of the other Troon courses. There are 5 sets of tees, so it can accommodate all players though. The staff is great and super friendly as well, which is another reason this place is worth the drive.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Read the find print - Summer six pack

BUY AT YOUR OWN RISK: I purchased the Southern Dunes Summer Six Pack for $249, thinking it was a good deal. Unfortunately, I only used 3 of the 6 rounds. I assumed the pass expired at the "end of August," so I tried to book today the 31st, only to be told it expired on the 29th. Last I checked the end of August is the 31st, major bummer we couldn't get it in. Despite the course being available, they refused to honor the pass or offer a discount. The course condition was also disappointing, with waterlogged holes and partially dead fairways. Doug at the pro shop was unhelpful and dismissive as was the director of golf. Neither would do anything to help get my young son and I on the wide open course and make a happy customer. Be sure to read the fine print carefully.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Summer Six Pack - Pay close attention to the fine print

GOLF AT YOUR OWN RISK: I purchased the Southern Dunes Summer Six Pack for $249, thinking it was a good deal. Unfortunately, I only used 3 of the 6 rounds. I assumed the pass expired at the "end of August," so I tried to book today the 31st, only to be told it expired on the 29th. Last I checked the end of August is the 31st, major bummer we couldn't get it in. Despite the course being available, they refused to honor the pass or offer a discount. The course condition was also disappointing, with waterlogged holes and partially dead fairways. Doug at the pro shop was unhelpful and dismissive as was the director of golf. Neither would do anything to help get my young son and I on the wide open course and make a happy customer. Be sure to read the fine print carefully.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 26
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Course

Really good golf course. In great shape. Very friendly staff. There are other courses I like more in the Phoenix area such as Quintero and The Boulders but it is a really good layout.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Love - Hate Relationship, Please Speed Up Play!!!!

I really want to love this course. The layout is excellent, conditions were as expected for the summer, and the greens are close to being back but likely need a couple of weeks. My #1 problem with this course is the pace, and the lack of marshals willing to do anything about it. Oh, I’ve mentioned it each visit. They say the same thing, like today. “Oh, you’re only at 4:10 hours so you’re in right on pace”. Yes, but I skipped 4 holes to pass people and didn’t finish all my shots on the final hole. So no, it’s not “on pace” is it?!? If it was an afternoon and I had nothing to do and didn’t mind wasting 5-6 hours in 108 degree heat, then sure, this is likely the course for you. However, if you value your time and actually want course marshals to do their job and speed people along, then you must look elsewhere. They won’t address slow play here. Not at all. I was an 8:00am tee time and was waiting on every hole after the 1st. No excuse for this when you’re paying someone to drive around the course and ”monitor” play. Absolutely terrible management. PLEASE address this! Third round in a row that was trending for 5:30 hours or more, 2nd straight round where I called it quits with holes to play because I’d hit the 4:30 mark. Pitiful! Do they offer a credit, no. I waited in line at Starbucks and it took unusually long, yet they offered a free pastry to make up for it. Take notes Ak-Chin.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
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