MLG WAS CLRED TO HOLD AT THE PHX 054 DEG RADIAL 20 NM. CAPT THOUGHT HE WAS TO HOLD NE OF THE FIX AND FO THOUGHT SW OF THE FIX. THERE IS NO INDICATION WHETHER OR NOT ATC SPECIFIED A HOLDING DIRECTION. ATC INTERVENED SO FO'S IDEA WAS APPARENTLY WRONG.

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ON A DOWNWIND LEG OF AN APCH TO RWY 26 AT PHX; THERE WAS A LARGE CELL BTWN US AND THE ARPT. THE APCH CTLR ADVISED US THAT FIELD WAS RECEIVING MODERATE RAIN WITH WINDS OUT OF THE N GUSTING TO 39 KTS. WHAT WERE OUR INTENTIONS? WE STATED WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL THE SHOWER PASSED THE FIELD. WE WERE TOLD TO STAND BY AND MAINTAIN OUR EASTERLY COURSE WHILE HE ASKED THE INTENTIONS OF 2 OTHER APCHING AIRLINERS. GETTING BACK TO US HE INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L 10 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE PHX 054 DEG RADIAL; HOLD AT 20 DME FIX; L-HAND TURNS AND CLB AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT (WE WERE AT 4000 FT MSL). WE INTERCEPTED THE 054 DEG RADIAL A FEW SECONDS LATER AT THE 8 DME POINT. SINCE WE WERE NOT GIVEN A COMPASS QUADRANT TO HOLD IN; I ASKED THE COPLT IF HE AGREED IT WOULD BE A TEARDROP ENTRY AND IF HE WAS SURE IT WAS ONLY 5 DME LEGS. HE REPLIED; YES IT WAS 5 DME LEGS; BUT THAT HE FELT IT SHOULD BE A L TURN TO ENTER THE PATTERN. THINKING HE WAS CORRECT AND I WAS WRONG; I STARTED A L TURN; BUT AT ABOUT 30 DEGS OFF THE 054 DEG RADIAL; I REALIZED WE WERE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HOLDING PATTERN. I REVERSED COURSE AND STEEPENED THE BANK TO MAKE A MINIMUM INCURSION INTO THE NON HOLDING SIDE. APCH ASKED US IF WE KNEW IT WAS L TURN PATTERN; WERE WE VFR AND DID WE WANT TO SHOOT THE APCH INTO PHX SINCE THE WX HAD IMPROVED TO LIGHT RAIN AND 9 KTS OF WIND. I REPLIED WE KNEW IT WAS L TURNS; WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AND THAT WE WOULD COMMENCE AN APCH. APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. I FEEL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE HAVING LESS THAN 90 SECONDS TO ENTER A NON PUBLISHED HOLDING PATTERN. HAVING TO CLB FROM 4000 FT TO 8000 FT WHILE CHANGING FROM 170 KTS AND FLAPS 11 DEGS CONFIGN TO MERELY A SLAT EXTENDED SPD AND CONFIGN TO CONSERVE FUEL. AND LASTLY; THE CTLR DID NOT ISSUE A COMPASS QUADRANT FOR THE PATTERN LIKE HOLD NE; OR HOLD SW.