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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 34
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 113
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Wow! Sooo good

Course was spectacular! The customer service was incredible!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 26
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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 23
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 9
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
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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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