AZ Golf Guides

METROPOLITAN TUCSON

The Golf Club at Vistoso

TUCSON

Designed by Tom Weiskopf, The Golf Club at Vistoso (Spanish for "beautiful view") has won awards and accolades for offering players of all levels a variety of challenges in a seductive setting of natural beauty.

In keeping with the long-held belief that the opening hole should not be overly taxing, Weiskopf gives the player a very generous landing area and a green to match. As always, it's a good policy to choose the set of tees that fits your game. The course has been designed so that whether playing from the tips or the forward tees, golfers face the same set of challenges, including doglegs, fairway bunkers, and bunkered greens, along with prevailing winds from the west and northwest.

But the fun really kicks in at the par-5 Number 2, which has a sharp dogleg right off the tee and a second, more gentle bend to the left with a blind second shot. On this hole you can both see and feel the rolling terrain begin the slight ascent that characterizes the front nine. For the first-time player, the tee shot on Number 2 will let you know immediately if you've chosen the tee boxes that fit your game.

Numbers 2 through 6 offer stunning views of the Tortolita Mountains to the north as well as dramatic rock outcroppings. The tee of the par-3 Number 3 is a good place to take in the distant, craggy backdrop of the prominent Santa Catalina Mountains to the east. The 5th hole is named Desert Island (each hole has an appropriate name) because of the stateprotected Native American pottery in the "island" in the middle of the fairway. To the left, near the cart path about 250 yards from the tee, sit 1,100-year-old petroglyphs, or rock carvings, made by ancient Pueblo people. The images include a rattlesnake, Indians with bows and arrows, and a scorpion.

The 8th hole is an excellent example of how designer Weiskopf emphasizes smart club selection, beginning with a close look at what's ahead.

First, the 8th fairway slopes left toward the lake (this is the hole you see when entering the property), with bunkers left, while all along the right the desert waits patiently. The wise golfer will try for a layup short of the bunkers, ignoring the knee-jerk reaction of pulling the driver. A slight push or slice and you're in the desert. An overcooked draw or a pull sends the ball running right-to-left, either into the bunkers or the lake.

On the 8th tee, Weiskopf tempts the golfer to hit the macho long ball, whereas the layup shot gives you a straight line to the green and the opening in between the left and right bunkers. Virtually every hole has this "run-up" feature as an option into the green.

The terrain of the back nine at Vistoso slopes gently down to the south, with mesquite trees as the dominant landscape feature. Number 11, Saguaro, has two of the giant cactus standing like goal posts in the distance, which must be contended with on the approach. As for panoramic views, take in the surrounding mountains on the 12th green. The 14th hole, named Risky, offers more decision-making, but we'll leave that pleasure to the golfer. Don't relax, though, because the par-3 Number 17 is one of the more intimidating tee shots in desert golf.

Course management is the key to scoring well at Vistoso, and that means aiming for fairways and greens. The golf club proves challenging, fair, and beautiful. No wonder it's won "Best Public Course in Tucson" from Golf Digest, along with the respect of good players.

NILS NELSON