.: Course Reviews :.
GREATER PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE & CENTRAL AZ
Sanctuary Golf Course
SCOTTSDALE
- 480-502-8200
10690 E. Sheena Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85259
www.sanctuarygolf.com 
- public
holes: 18
course par: 71
rating/slope:
- championship 71.8/140
- regular 68.8/131
- forward 66.7/120
range of yardages: 4,096-6,624
director of golf: John Patzwald
course pro: Don Gibson
cart & green fees:
phone for information
course designers: Randy Heckenkemper
shoe policy: alternative cleats required
Built on the western slope of the McDowell Mountains in the heart of North Scottsdale, Sanctuary is more than just a stunning, wellmaintained 18-hole golf course. In addition to low greens fees and immaculate playing conditions, Sanctuary also offers a bit of Arizona golf history. It was the first golf course in the state and the 17th course in the world to attain the coveted Audubon Signature Status.
Course architect Randy Heckenkemper, a protégé of the former Weiskopf-Morrish golf-course design team, transformed a storm-water retention area into a beautiful, 6,624-yard, par-71 layout that is just as friendly to plant-life as it is to golfers. Heckenkemper skillfully routed the course to ease through the rugged foothills of the McDowell Mountains. The result has garnered rave reviews.
Named a hidden gem by the 2007/2008 Zagat Survey of America’s Top Golf Courses, Sanctuary features a spirited mix of holes, including a number of intriguing short par 4s that require a decisive and perhaps restrained strategy from tee to green. Accuracy is paramount, with many holes narrowed by dense desert scrub and wildlife-rich sandy washes.
The one lake on the course comes into play at the lengthy par-3 Number 8, where the water cuts in front of the green and is deceptively hidden from view off the tees. The front side finishes with the 406-yard par-4 Number 9, sweeping gently uphill toward the clubhouse.
On the back nine, the short 15th hole serves as a terse reminder of the strategy on this short downhill dogleg-left par 4. From the tee, a risky, feel-good drive over the corner may merely yield the same result as a safe iron to the turn, thanks to the challenge of the well-bunkered, canted green complex.
The Sanctuary closes heroically with a dogleg-left par 5 that plays uphill to a narrow opening across an arroyo, setting up the thrilling finish at the elevated 18th green. Whatever the outcome, the round is easily celebrated or bemoaned from the clubhouse patio, with a spectacular view of the city.
