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Rating Index Rating
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4.4
1426 Reviews (1426)
5 Stars
970
4 Stars
334
3 Stars
77
2 Stars
33
1 Stars
12
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.2
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.7
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.5
88.9%
Recommend this course
1325 out of 1426 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
45 Reviews (45)
5 Stars
26
4 Stars
10
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.0
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.6
80.0%
Recommend this course
36 out of 45 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
94 Reviews (94)
5 Stars
54
4 Stars
26
3 Stars
10
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.2
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.5
StaffFriendliness
4.7
87.2%
Recommend this course
82 out of 94 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
1426 Reviews (1426)

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 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Fun experience and good value

The only negative is the lack of sand in some of the traps. If it was not for the sand traps I would give this course 4.5* but with the traps it drops to 4.2*.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Walking is a great option

It's cart path only for a few weeks and just a reminder that this course is totally walkable and may play even faster that way. Everything is terrific except the mosquitos. There has to be a way to spray for them like other courses do...they were really bad.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
First Time Playing

Horrible mosquito problems

Absolutely insane that they would allow golfers to book tee times while even their staff gets swarmed by mosquitos.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Phx in november

Cart path only due to overseeding , that time of year,, greens were slow, and mosquitoes were intense,, and I’m from Winnipeg!

Terrific staff, great layout will play again,, just on Feb or March next time

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

Our favorite course

We play here a few years ago and try to play again this time. The course is still a very beautify and challenging. It is a bit dry but still play well. We play later tee time. The bug came out at night and it bites you hard. So bring bug spay if you play late.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Slow play given overbooked/practice for qualifier

Course was overbook plus had qualifier practice given this week tournament. Was only able to play 9 holes given pace. Management should not allow groups of 6 people that went out in front of us plus individuals practicing for a tournament/qualifier. If this was suppose to be a practice day for a qualifier then the course should have been closed to the public while this occurred.

Management should give a 9 hole rain check given issue like this and pace of play!

Joshua

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
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
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Ak-chin Southern Dunes a gem

Great layout, fantastic conditions, friendly staff. The course is a must play if you are coming to Phoenix for golf. 5 sets of tee boxes for all abilities, there are deep bunkers to challenge those who do hit the ball a little off line so bring your A game when playing this track. Well worth the extra drive.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Love this course

I love playing Southern Dunes before the prices skyrocket. It’s such a great tack with first class facilities!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 16
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Southern Dunes Always a Choice Pick

Southern Dunes is one of the best layouts in the Phoenix Valley. It is both challenging and rippable.

The variable is always course condition. The greens were a little slow but overall the course was in good shape.

It is a must play if you are visiting Phoenix for golf.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Always a treat

The course was in great summer shape bunkers are a bit hard but with the weather we have had that is understandable. Fairways are solid and greens rolled good!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

A morning golf outing

Ak-Chin is always a fun course,,challanging with all the well placed bunker - it makes for a more strategic round of golf. Crews where busy cleaning up the course after it was hit the night before by a strong wind storm - but play was not impeded - great track

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Everything was perfect… Except

The course was in great shape the and the greens were in excellent shape for this time of year… except the bunkers were the only thing that were inconsistent. There wasn’t a lot of sand in most of the bunkers, even the green side ones.

So the moral of this review is to hit the ball better and stay out of the bunkers

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 37
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Better than ever

Course is in fantastic shape and is one of the best in Arizona

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

No Shade At All

Very, very nice course. Challenging but fair. My only issue was the expensive price ($90) with very little shade at tee boxes and greens.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 26
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Extremely hard course.

Great course in very nice shape. Incredibly hard golf course.....especially of tees. Have to play it a few times to know where to hit it. Course is great though. Just look at scorecard and know the tips are over 7300 yards....it's a long course so choose tees appropriately.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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Golf Packages

The Triple Down Stay & Play Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Gila River Resorts & Casino - Wild Horse Pass or Harrah's Ak-Chin Hotel & Casino and golf at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes and Whirlwind Golf Club - Cattail & Devil's Claw courses.

Whirlwind Golf Getaway Package

CLICK BELOW
CHANDLER | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Gila River Resorts & Casino - Wild Horse Pass and golf at Whirlwind Golf Club - Cattail & Devil's Claw courses.
Sunridge Canyon Golf Club

The Fairways of Fountain Hills Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy accommodations at ADERO Scottsdale Resort, Autograph Collection or The Inn at Eagle Mountain and golf at Eagle Mountain Golf Club and SunRidge Canyon Golf Club

The Fairways of Fountain Hills Package

CLICK BELOW
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE | Enjoy accommodations at ADERO Scottsdale Resort, Autograph Collection or The Inn at Eagle Mountain and golf at Eagle Mountain Golf Club & SunRidge Canyon Golf Club

Mesa Golf Around Package

CLICK BELOW
MESA | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Home2 Suites by Hilton - Mesa Longbow and golf at Las Sendas Golf Club, Longbow Golf Club & Ocotillo Golf Club.
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