.: Course Reviews :.
SOUTHERN AZ
San Pedro Golf Course
BENSON
- 520-586-PUTT (7888)
926 N. Madison St.
Benson, AZ 85602
www.sanpedrogolf.com 
- public
holes: 18
course par: 72
rating/slope:
- black 73/130
- copper 70.4/125
- white 68.4/117
- jade 71.3/125
- silver 68.8/117
range of yardages: 5,262–7,313
course pro/director of golf: Dan Wickman
membership: annual and seasonal
memberships available from $750 including cart
cart & green fees: $25–$50
course designer: Mark Rathert
shoe policy: alternative cleats required
map code: 9
San Pedro Golf Course is a championship, 18-hole course just 30 minutes southeast of Tucson.
The front nine plays along the banks of the San Pedro River with generous, rolling fairways lined with mesquites. The back nine is more of a canyon-style layout, with dramatic elevation changes and spectacular views of the Dragoon Mountains.
Free from the restraints of any real estate development, Mark Rathert, the noted Denver-based course designer, masterminded this classic configuration with thoughtful innovations. A short four years after the opening of the course, all of the fairways have been replanted with native grasses to complement a year-round golf play. The location is higher and cooler than Tucson, and the summer climate in Benson is sometimes 10° cooler than the rest of the surrounding desert.
The other noticeable transformation, in contrast to closely mown fairways and perfect putting surfaces, is the move to create more expansive areas of tall native grasses through the rough as well as around a number of bunkers.
In classic fashion, San Pedro is both challenging and manageable. The championship and men’s regular markers play between 6,800 and 7,100 yards, and more than 7,300 yards for anyone hitting from the tips. It’s flowing and rhythmic from start to finish.
Doglegs and two split fairways contribute to San Pedro’s challenge and interest. The most daunting thrills come at the par-5 Number 5 hole, “Cliffhanger,” which plays along the river and makes a sharp turn to the green perched 20 feet above the river, creating trouble left, right, and behind. Lakes on Numbers 9 and 18 are testy but negotiable and add significantly to San Pedro’s good looks.
The presentation and year-round playing conditions create a unique golf experience and make the short drive to San Pedro from Tucson very worth the trip.
DAVID HUBBARD
