The WM Phoenix Open, golf’s biggest party, unfolds every year on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. This article goes beyond just giving you the name of the course, we’ll break down what makes this desert layout so iconic, walk through the rowdy finishing stretch hole-by-hole, and give you some expert tips on how you can tackle it yourself.
Long before the first beer is cracked at the 16th hole, the story of the WM Phoenix Open's home begins with its design. Nestled in the Sonoran Desert, TPC Scottsdale isn’t just one course but a 36-hole facility. The main attraction, and the one the PGA TOUR’s best visit each winter, is the Stadium Course, which has hosted the event every year since 1987. The sister course is the equally beautiful but slightly more traditional Champions Course.
The "TPC" in the name stands for Tournament Players Club. This is a network of courses owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, specifically designed to host tour-level events while also being open to the public. The design philosophy behind them is simple: create a layout that tests the world's best players but remains playable and enjoyable for the average golfer. Architects Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish were tasked with bringing this vision to life in the desert, and they succeeded by crafting a course that is both beautiful and strategically clever.
The landscape itself is a key character. Towering Saguaro cacti stand as stoic guardians along the fairways, and the McDowell Mountains provide a stunning panoramic backdrop. It's a classic target-style desert course, where lush green ribbons of fairway cut through the sandy, rocky waste areas. Hitting the fairway is important, but the real challenge often lies in navigating the cleverly placed bunkers and large, undulating green complexes.
At 7,261 yards and a par of 71, the Stadium Course is not the longest or most difficult track the pros face all year. What makes it a masterful tournament venue is the element of risk and reward that Weiskopf and Morrish brilliantly wove into its fabric, particularly on the back nine. Time and again, players are faced with decisions: lay up or go for the green? Take on a dangerous pin placement or play to the fat part of the green? These choices create suspense and are a huge reason why the tournament often sees such dramatic lead changes on Sunday afternoon.
The fairways are generally generous, which gives players confidence with the driver. However, stray shots are punished severely. Hitting into the desert waste areas often means a difficult lie, potentially blocked by a cactus, and an almost certain bogey. The greens are where the course truly shows its teeth. They are large, firm, and feature multiple tiers and subtle breaks that can fool even the most experienced players. Success here isn't just about good shots, it's about smart shots - leaving yourself on the correct tier of the green to give your putt a chance.
Even though it hosts the pros, the course is built for fun. From the forward tees, it's a very manageable challenge for amateurs. The experience allows you to appreciate the skill of the professionals, as you will inevitably find yourself facing the same shots you've seen them hit on TV. Seeing it in person gives you a new respect for how precisely they manage their game.
Ask any golf fan about the WM Phoenix Open, and their mind immediately goes to the closing stretch. This trio of holes is arguably the most exciting finish in all of golf, providing a perfect blend of scoring opportunities and potential disaster.
The Layout: A 553-yard par 5 that bends slightly left. This is a classic risk/reward hole. The layup area is wide and generous, but for those who want to reach the green in two, they must hit a long and accurate second shot over water to a narrow green with an island-style peninsula on the left.
The Pro Strategy: The decision here is everything. A good drive leaves most pros with a long iron or hybrid for their second shot. If they are in contention on Sunday, they are almost certainly going for the green. The rewards are huge - an eagle can change the entire tournament. But a slight mishit can easily find a watery grave, leading to a bogey or worse. The smart miss is long and right, but that leaves a very slick, downhill chip back toward the water.
A Coach’s Tip for Amateurs: For 99% of amateur golfers, this hole is a three-shot par 5. Don't let your ego talk you into going for the green. The smart play is to hit your second shot to your favorite wedge distance. Aim for the center of the fairway at around 100-110 yards out. This leaves you with a full, comfortable swing into the heart of the green, taking the water completely out of play and giving you a great look at par or even birdie.
The Layout: Officially named "The Coliseum," this is without a doubt the most famous par 3 in golf. At just 163 yards, the shot itself is a simple short-to-mid iron. What makes it extraordinary is the environment. The hole is completely surrounded by a three-story stadium that seats over 15,000 boisterous fans. It’s a sensory overload - loud music, chanting, and a roaring crowd that celebrates great shots and mercilessly boos poor ones.
The Pro Strategy: The primary challenge is mental. A player has to block out the noise, calm their adrenaline, and execute a routine shot under immense pressure. Club selection is vital, as the enclosed stadium can swirl the wind. The goal is simple: find the center of the green, make your par, and run to the 17th tee. This hole will be forever remembered for Tiger Woods' hole-in-one in 1997, a moment that ignited the crowd and cemented a legend.
A Coach’s Tip for Amateurs: If you ever get the chance to play this hole, you'll feel that nervous energy. My advice is to commit fully to your shot. Pick your club, pick your target, and make an aggressive, confident swing. The biggest mistake players make here is getting tentative, leading to a de-celerated swing that often comes up short in the front bunker. Breathe, trust your process, and enjoy the moment - there’s nothing else like it in golf.
The Layout: Immediately following the stadium madness, players are faced with another tantalizing decision on this 332-yard par 4. It’s straight, short, and perfectly reachable from the tee for long hitters. The danger is a formidable pond that guards the entire left side of the putting surface. Four bunkers protect the right side, so there is truly no safe place to miss.
The Pro Strategy: This is a "got to go for it" hole. Trailing on Sunday, a player knows that an eagle here could catapult them up the leaderboard. You often see players walk away with anything from a 2 to a 6. The strategic play isn't trying to land it softly on the green, but rather to use the fairway slope to run the ball up onto the putting surface.
A Coach’s Tip for Amateurs: Be honest with yourself about your driving ability. Can you consistently hit your driver long and straight? If not, hitting driver here brings a world of trouble into play. A much smarter approach is to take an iron or hybrid and leave yourself a full wedge shot from the fairway. A 100-yard approach shot from a perfect lie is far easier than a delicate pitch from a bunker or, worse, a drop after dunking it into the pond.
The Layout: A demanding 442-yard par 4 to finish. A string of deep bunkers pinching the fairway off the tee puts a premium on accuracy. The approach shot is to an elevated, multi-tiered green protected by more bunkers. It's a hole where par feels like a great score.
The Pro Strategy: The entire hole is about positioning. Pros will often club down off the tee to ensure they find the short grass, even if it means a longer approach shot. From the fairway, hitting the correct portion of the green is everything. A shot on the wrong tier can lead to an impossible-looking putt.
A Coach’s Tip for Amateurs: Don't even look at the pin. Your target on the approach shot should always be the middle of the green. Ignore whether the flag is tucked front left or back right. Hitting the center of this green will guarantee you a reasonable two-putt par opportunity and keeps you away from all the surrounding trouble. Taking a bogey here is far from a disaster.
Yes, absolutely! As a public TPC facility, anyone can book a tee time and walk the same fairways as the game's best. It's a true bucket-list experience for any golf fan. Rates are dynamic and vary depending on the time of year, with the peak season being right after the WM Phoenix Open when the course is in immaculate tournament condition.
One of the coolest opportunities is to play in the weeks leading up to the tournament. TPC Scottsdale keeps the course open while the massive grandstands are being constructed. Teeing off on the 16th and seeing the stadium scaffolding rise around you is an unforgettable experience that gives you a small taste of what the pros feel. Just be prepared to book your time well in advance, as it’s a popular destination for golfers from all over the world.
The WM Phoenix Open finds its home at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course, a venue celebrated for its electrifying atmosphere and brilliant risk-reward design. It's the iconic finishing stretch - the epic par-5 15th, the chaotic par-3 16th, and the drivable par-4 17th - that consistently provides a stage for incredible drama year after year.
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