Tee Time: Tucson City Golf, Green Valley Courses, and More – Page 3

by Jack Rickard

The Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Arizona – Courtesy of Communication Links/Lonna Tucker

Private courses

Arizona National Golf Club is the home course for The University of Arizona men’s and women’s teams. In Tiger Woods’ final year at Stanford University, he lost by six shots to U of A’s Ted Purdy over 54 holes. Call it home-field advantage...something that hasn’t hurt Tiger since. The 18th hole provides one of the best views in the area, a panoramic look at the Tucson basin.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, La Paloma Country Club offers three nine-hole courses, a challenging trip through canyons and arroyos. From the back tees, La Paloma is too much golf for most mortals. The original Ridge/Canyon nines have a slope of 154 from the tips. As a teenager, Tiger Woods came here to compete in a national junior tournament and, of course, won.

Sun City Vistoso Golf Club is the centerpiece of a master-planned retirement community. The Greg Nash design offers numerous views of the Santa Catalina Mountains from its elevated tees.

The Gallery Golf Club has gone private in the past year. The South Course, a John Fought design, became famous overnight as the site of the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship for the past two years. The North Course is a Fought – Tom Lehman design and differs dramatically from the South with holes running through breathtaking canyons.

Architect Jay Morrish designed The Stone Canyon Club, the area’s most exclusive golf club, with complete freedom. He came up with a wonderful trip through the picturesque canyons, including one used by Native Americans centuries ago to ambush deer.

Sun City Vistoso Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona – Gill C. Kenny

Tucson Country Club, the oldest private club in the Tucson area, offers a scenic tree-lined course that hosted the USGA’s Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s championships. Dr. Ed Updegraff made the club famous nationally with his exploits, including captaincy of the United States Walker Cup team, several Masters appearances, and numerous state and local titles.

Quail Canyon Golf Course challenges golfers across 18 holes and 2,311 yards. This regulation par-3 course incorporates hazards at every hole including a lake on three holes.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain features the longest courses in PGA Tour history – 7,800 yards from the back tees. This natural desert course offers 27 holes, generous landing areas, and lots of movement in the greens. Though planned to be a private resort course, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club is currently open to outside play.

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