markdechant

This was our second time playing the Phoenician's new layout and, as always, this is one of the most enjoyable courses in town. We teed off behind the first group, which were regulars and kept a whole in front of us throughout. We finished in just under 4 hours.

The Phoenician is a regular in our rotation because we've never been disappointed in the conditions, especially the greens. Even though this course gets plenty of play, there is rarely any variance in the greens. Always true lines, medium-fast speeds (maybe a 9 on the stimp), and we never seem to see a bad beat. You can roll in a flat or uphill 12-footer with confidence.

We mix in courses across the spectrum from a challenge standpoint, and this one of the 2 or 3 easiest courses in the rotation. It's short (6,000 Whites, 6,400 Blues/Back), many fairways are generous, and the sand is usually close to perfect (hard to find that in Phoenix). I usually improve my handicap trend here.

Some fun, challenging holes for sure: long, uphill par-3s, severe doglegs, blind tee shots, a reachable par-5 (16) and a number of water holes.

19th Hole was glorious. Any time you can play this course for under $80, it's a tremendous value.