 Why
it’s always
tee time in Tucson
By Rebecca Larsen,
Associate Editor
Imagine playing golf in a place where there is sunshine more than 300 days a year and the average winter temperature is 70 degrees. And if it should happen to rain -- there are only 12 inches a year -- it’s generally over in a hurry.
We’re talking about Tucson, in southern Arizona, a spectacular desert location surrounded by Santa Catalina, Santa Rita, Huachuca and Chiricahua mountain ranges.
Clearly, golf just doesn’t get any better than in Tucson, with its great weather and scenery.
And on top of all that, golfers in Tucson have a diverse array of courses
to choose from, including award-winning public courses and world-class
destination resorts created by Robert Cupp and Craig Stadler, Tom Fazio,
Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. You’ll find
the best of Arizona course design: traditional-style courses with wide
open fairways, “target” courses designed to preserve the lay of the land
and the environment; and courses that blend the best of both worlds.
Some of the city’s courses are rated among the top resort spots by Golf Digest and are ranked in the top 10 of international golf resorts by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Many offer excellent rates and golf packages all year round.
The PGA stars know all about how great Tucson is for golf. Every February, as part of the West Coast Swing, the Chrysler Classic of Tucson attracts top golfers from around the world to play in a tournament at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort. The event raises money for the Tucson Conquistadors, a group that promotes athletics among young people. Each year it contributes more than half a million dollars to such ventures.
An LPGA tournament, the Welch’s/Fry’s Championship, is held in March at the Randolph North Golf Course and raises funds for the Tucson Parks Foundation.
And when it does get a bit toasty in the summer, you’ll find great golf values in Tucson as resort and municipal courses offer special “beat the heat” promotions.
Some resort courses offer greens fees at half off the high season rate. Although Tucson is on the warm side in summertime, it’s also at a higher elevation than many locations in Arizona; so some of the courses here can be from five to 10 degrees cooler.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
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