THE PLACE
TUCSON
Many folks who choose Tucson for a golf vacation do so
simply because it's not Phoenix, with the latter's sprawl
and crowds. That's a fair assessment, but others in the
know pick the state's second-largest city for its own
merits. Located 100 miles south of the Valley of the Sun,
Tucson is nestled among four mountain ranges. Chief among
its attractions for golfers are 320 days a year of sunshine
and a cluster of recently renovated, affordable municipal
courses.
STAYING*
The Lodge at Ventana Canyon
800-828-5701; thelodgeatventanacanyon.com;
$249–$329/night. There's no better way to start a day
in the desert than with breakfast at the Catalina Room in
the Lodge at Ventana Canyon, with the Santa Catalinas in
full glory through huge picture windows.
PLAYING
Arizona National
520-749-3636; arizonanationalgolfclub.com;
$135–$165
through April 12, then prices begin to fall for the summer.
At the University of Arizona home course, you'll relish the
off-the-edge-of-the-world tee shots at the par-three
fourth, the wild, semiblind par-five eleventh and the
par-five eighteenth, where the views extend for
seventy-five miles into Mexico.
Dell Urich
520-791-4161; tucsoncitygolf.com/urich; $41/$51 cart.
This
6,633-yard par-seventy Ken Kavanaugh course sports
undulating fairways and greens and a watery par-three
seventeenth hole that can make or break a round. The modest
greens fee is a huge bargain—albeit with muni
facilities—as Dell Urich and its sister course,
Randolph North, are the pulse of Tucson golf.
Omni Tucson National, Catalina Course
520-297-2271; omnihotels.com; $180 through April 30, then
prices fall. If you and your buddies need relief from one
too many shots sprayed into the cacti, check out this
parkland layout, home of the Chrysler Classic. The long,
watery par-four eighteenth ranks as one of the toughest
holes on Tour.
Vistoso
520-797-9900; vistosogolf.com; $169 through April 30, then
$99. Designer Tom Weiskopf brought a touch of Tillinghast
to the Sonoran Desert, with Winged Foot–style
fingering in the bunkers and squared-off tee boxes.
DINING
El Charro Café (Mexican): 520-622-1922. One of the
region's most historic yet affordable Mexican spots. Don't
miss the carne seca chimichanga.
Flying V Bar & Grill (Baja steak house): 520-299-2020.
Attractive flagstone, copper and leather decor adorns this
longtime local favorite situated within the Loews Ventana
Canyon Resort.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Desert Diamond Casino: 520-294-7777, desertdiamondcasino.com. Live blackjack, slots and poker are among the
offerings at a pair of casinos operated by the Tohono
O'odham Nation.
Pima Air & Space Museum: 520-618-4800, pimaair.org.
It's definitely a drag when it rains on a golf trip, but
here's a decent rainy-day diversion. Ride the Morphis
Simulator, climb aboard JFK's Air Force One and have a look
at the supersonic SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.
