Tucson in February

[vernon]

Looking for course selection help

Heading to Tucson Feb 17-22 for the first time and am looking for some help in choosing golf courses. There just to play golf so tee time preference is flexible. Would like to play more than 18 probably twice but other than that, afternoon times are OK daylight permitting. Looking to play one really good course but the rest prefer to not break the bank. Not overly concerned with elevation changes, scenery, big name, etc. but would like good greens and decent overall conditions. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated and might even allow me to impress my wife! Thanks!

[spanky99l]

do you know where you are staying?

[vernon]

Vistuoso in a condo. Thanks

[herbygolf21]

Here is a list of courses you need to play.

Del Lago - Usually about $35 on golfnow.com and is located 5 miles east of Tucson in Vail. Easily accesible of of I-10.

Tubac - A bit of a drive south down I-19 (accesible from Valencia or I-10) and the cost is about $40-65 on golfnow.com. This is the course they filmed Tin Cup at. The famous 18th from Tin Cup is actually the 15th hole at Tubac. There are 27 holes on this course now and the conditions are usually excellent.

Since you are stying at Vistoso, go play there. Usually about $50 from golfnow.com. Conditions are always great and it is a high end facility.

Arizona National - This is on the northeast side of town at Houghton and Snyder. This is the home of the University of Arizona men's golf team. Conditions are excellent and the course is a lot of fun. Very playable. Usually around $50-60 again at golfnow.com. In fact, for each course I list....check golfnow.com for prices.

Starr Pass - This is located on the west side of town just past A Mountain. Usually around $65-80 and there are 36 holes. Fun desert style golf course with very good greens.

For your very nice course you plan to play I would say to look into Ventana Canyon. Great 36 hole private facility that they are now allowing public play on. Go through golfnow to book. You are looking at about $80-110 to play.

Most courses down there are very nice, however, I wouold avoid the city run courses as the greens usually suck and they are packed. Another one you may want to skip is Quarry Pines. Very mickey mouse type design and price is higher than the quality of course.

I hope this list helps, and if you have any questions regarding a specific course I have not mentioned, please feel free to ask...I have played them all.

[vernon]

cmherrbach

Wow. Thanks! That is one comprehensive list! I can't get info even half that detailed from a damn golf travel agent! That's above and beyond what I was expecting and I can't thank you enough. I will definitely take your recommendations to heart and attempt to schedule accordingly. As for the Golf.now reference, I've been doing a little research on their site and am pretty amazed at the money you can save that way. We've got a two bedroom condo for $1185 for the week so this might be way more economical that I ever would have anticipated! Again, thank you for taking the time to provide me with so much helpful guidance. I'll post comments upon our return that will hopefully benefit others as well.

[secondary]

Just put three of my boys from Chicago on a plane back home yesterday. I live @ AZ National and we played here a few times, but our VERY NICE course was Dove Mountain home of the Match Play. I don't know if they will have more than 1 nine open during your trip or not, but it was in perfect shape and empty. Not as pricey as the listed amount either. They were VERY happy to see someone show up out there. In that neck of the woods you might want to check out Crooked Tree and or Silverbell. Both city of Tucson courses but reasonably priced and the greens are usually in pretty good shape.

[vernon]

Thanks secondary

I was wondering what sort of impact the Match Play might have on our trip. Guess it helps that it's not a "full field" type event and I don't recall the crowds ever being exceptionally large. Would probably make Dove Mountain relatively inaccessible though which is unfortunate. Not having been out there before, I guess I really don't have much of a concept about just how big that area is. Could probably have several events going on at the same time and never even notice. Hoping to check out the Ping factory one day as well. Wife and I play pretty much all Ping and would like to check out the fitting opportunities that they offer one day. Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my inquiry.

[Zooko23]

Silverbell is a monster from the tips for a muni!!! Like 7100. Its listed at 7k but I dont buy it. I agree Quarry Pines is narrow and right on the freakin freeway. I play AZ Nat alot and its a great course hole four and me have some history......Just stay out of the bunkers or its doubles bogey if your lucky. If your gonna check out the ping factory. Do your self a favor. Play a course like southern dunes or even the Karsten course at ASU. Check out Tucson National too, maybe up in price but it use to host a PGA event so the course is always in good shape and a challenge. BUT and I tell this to everyone. Turqoise Valley RV park and Golf course, yes RV Park, is about 2 hours south of Tucson on the border. Best greens of any public course in Southern Arizona and rates like $30 and a nice dinner in Bisbee, an old copper mining town is cool.

[herbygolf21]

[quote name='Zooko23' timestamp='1296024399' post='2925510']
Silverbell is a monster from the tips for a muni!!! Like 7100. Its listed at 7k but I dont buy it. I agree Quarry Pines is narrow and right on the freakin freeway. I play AZ Nat alot and its a great course hole four and me have some history......Just stay out of the bunkers or its doubles bogey if your lucky. If your gonna check out the ping factory. Do your self a favor. Play a course like southern dunes or even the Karsten course at ASU. Check out Tucson National too, maybe up in price but it use to host a PGA event so the course is always in good shape and a challenge. BUT and I tell this to everyone. Turqoise Valley RV park and Golf course, yes RV Park, is about 2 hours south of Tucson on the border. Best greens of any public course in Southern Arizona and rates like $30 and a nice dinner in Bisbee, an old copper mining town is cool.
[/quote]


Good Old Naco! Played some very fun rounds on that golf course. Very sad that they don't do the Turquoise Valley Pro Am anymore. That first green was pretty stupid, but other than that, a fun risk/reward golf course with 5 driveable par 4's. Plus, the 747 yard par 6 is always a fan favorite. If you have been there recently, have you seen or heard from Troy Mosher?

[secondary]

Vernon,
If you are heading up North to go to Ping then the world is yours. Not my area of expertise at all once you get up there, too many to list. On the way up though you could hit Poston Butte (sp?) which always looks to be in good shape and runs a lot deals. In Casa Grande there are a few courses that are on the "to do" list but haven't actually played yet. One is right off the 10 and "looks' to be in real good shape, but again I haven't played it yet. [url="http://www.gvrgolfclub.com/index.html"]http://www.gvrgolfclub.com/index.html[/url] Might be this one? Only warning is that it seems like the wind is always howling when I drive by it. Good luck, I am sure you will be pleased either way, the weather has been just about perfect this week

[GoHawks]

I take a trip to Tucson to golf every winter and the groups favorite course is always the Sonoran Course at Tucson National.

[Geohans]

Ventana Mountain
Ventana Canyon
AZ Natl
Dove Mountain
Starr Pass
Omni Tucson National Orange/Gold (Home of the Tucson Open for decades)

Private: Stone Canyon, but requires invitation

Vistoso is an excellent course; play there first.

Steaks at Fleming's. Start with happy hour around 6pm while it's rocking--then dinner, then over to North for a nightcap and scenery.

[teejaywhy]

I played the Canyon course at Ventana for the first time last year. Any course where they give you a map to find your way from the 9th green to the 10th tee cannot be mentioned on my list of recommendations. The most absurd round of cartball golf ever.

[Geohans]

Yes, it's especially hard after your third beer, right?

Interesting topography, fantastic conditioning, spectacular views. . . . . . . and you don't like the 4 minutes it takes to go from 9 to 10??

I would make Ventana my 36 hole day-- Play Mountain, have a great lunch, play Canyon.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='Geohans' timestamp='1297082668' post='2957438']
Yes, it's especially hard after your third beer, right?

Interesting topography, fantastic conditioning, spectacular views. . . . . . . and you don't like the 4 minutes it takes to go from 9 to 10??

I would make Ventana my 36 hole day-- Play Mountain, have a great lunch, play Canyon.
[/quote]

Maybe it would be better after 3 beers. That's probably not advisable however as I recall several long treks between holes that take you along residential streets which could put one at risk of getting pulled over and getting a DUI !

[spanky99l]

crooked tree is not a city course.

I agree with all the choices listed above. Az National and vistoso are owned by the same company and VERY nice. I have yet to be up to the ritz/dove mountain yet so i cannot divulge on that. Starr pass is nice. I played vantana caynon (the mountain course i believe, the once with the par 3 in the mountain) over the summer and it was BEAUTIFUL!

If you want an amazing view of nature i recommend The preserve. The view on the last 3 holes is AMAZING! Since you are staying in oro valley it is not very far away.

WIll

[GoHawks]

[quote name='Geohans' timestamp='1296957384' post='2954604']
Ventana Mountain
Ventana Canyon
AZ Natl
Dove Mountain
Starr Pass
Omni Tucson National Orange/Gold (Home of the Tucson Open for decades)

Private: Stone Canyon, but requires invitation

Vistoso is an excellent course; play there first.

Steaks at Fleming's. Start with happy hour around 6pm while it's rocking--then dinner, then over to North for a nightcap and scenery.
[/quote]


Do you have any other night spot advice for a vistor? Is the North place you mentioned close to Flemings?

[phil.b89]

Hey guys- some great info here. I was looking into playing Quarry Pines at the weekend but after reading this I may not! It looked quite a cool quirky course!

Do green fees in Tucson get cheaper in the summer the same way they do in Phoenix/Scottsdale? Can't wait to check some of these bad boys out!!

[itsadryhot]

Phil.b89,
Yes the rates drop significantly once the winter tourist season ends. No free lunch though, the temps in the summer can be brutal (unless you are from the Valley then it'll be a DROP in temps!) and getting the coveted early morning tee times is still a challenge via GolfNow.com (etc). Everyone here has mentioned most all the courses that should be played, but one I'd add is the Randolph Golf Complex on Broadway and Alvernon. Both Randolph North and Dell Urich (south course) are usually in good/great shape and are very popular with visitors. Good practice facilities too.

[phil.b89]

[quote name='itsadryhot' timestamp='1298001236' post='2988785']
Phil.b89,
Yes the rates drop significantly once the winter tourist season ends. No free lunch though, the temps in the summer can be brutal (unless you are from the Valley then it'll be a DROP in temps!) and getting the coveted early morning tee times is still a challenge via GolfNow.com (etc). Everyone here has mentioned most all the courses that should be played, but one I'd add is the Randolph Golf Complex on Broadway and Alvernon. Both Randolph North and Dell Urich (south course) are usually in good/great shape and are very popular with visitors. Good practice facilities too.
[/quote]

Not originally from the Valley- I'm from the other side of the Pond! But I've been out here since July 2010 so experienced the summer heat and the awesome cheap golf. I can't wait for the summer again....Too little common sense and too much of a golf nut not to play when it is 115 out...