Category: Tucson

The Buzz: It hits you before you ever reach the course. The drive to the Preserve Golf Club might leave you wondering why you bothered until you come over the crest of a hill and the site of the Santa Catalina Mountains and neighboring Coronado National Forest makes your eyes jealous of each other. In an area that has become known for quality golf facilities north of Tucson, this one is as visually appealing as any of its impressive neighbors.

Designed by Dick Bailey, whose work is well known in Arizona, The Preserve is part of SaddleBrooke, a Robson Community that has been voted one of the top 100 best master-planned communities in the country by Where To Retire magazine. A second course, Mountain View Country Club, designed by Gary Panks, also is part of the SaddleBrooke development.

The Preserve, located in its northeastern corner, is set in Sonoran desert terrain with panoramic mountain vistas, rolling fairways that often result in uneven lies and undulating greens that claim their fair share of three-putts. Desert ridges and deep arroyos accent the layout that places a demand on strategy. This is one of those courses where the mid-handicapper will hit hybrids as often as any club in the bag. There are four sets of tees at 7,006, 6,418, 5,495 and 4,920 yards and the course is rated at 72.5 with a slope of 139 from the back tees.

With its location near open state trust land, prevailing winds often come into play, adding even more to the challenge, considering some of the elevation changes. Most prominent among them is the par-3 sixth, which many consider the signature hole. It plays at just 168 yards from the tips, but an 80-foot elevation drop makes club selection tricky but a fun hole to play. A stunning mountain backdrop allows you to watch the ball as if it is traveling in slow motion with hang time that will make you want to tee up another one.

Two other par 3s, the fourth and sixth, also offer some nice views with their elevated tees. The par-5 10th, par-4 15th and par-5 16th each have nasty ravines that come into play and result in some terrible lies if your ball ventures into any of them. The only water comes into play along the right side of the 18th hole, a 435-yard par 4.

Practice facilities here are excellent, and after the round, you can unwind at the nearby Mesquite Grill, Palo Verde Bistro and Preserve Restaurant, all of which serve up tasty fare. Amenities enjoyed by SaddleBrooke residents also include a stadium-style theater, outdoor pool, fitness center, whirlpool, tennis courts, softball field and dog park.

The Buzz: This public course north of Tucson represents a unique Arizona golf experience in that it opened as a Scottish-links style course that ended up in a sand and gravel quarry surrounded by rugged desert. It bills itself as the state’s “only quarry golf course” and one of only seven in the country. It began as the Links at Continental Ranch, which was designed by Brian Huntley in 1997 on the edge of a 90-acre, 100-foot deep sand and gravel quarry.

Three years later, after the quarry was abandoned, the quarry/course owner and town of Marana agreed on a plan that would reclaim the quarry by relocating 10 holes inside of it and reconfiguring eight of the existing holes. Remaining land provided for residential development in an area that had been zoned for commercial use, and the course owner agreed to build a nature trail along the adjacent Santa Cruz River. It was donated to the town of Marana, allowing users to enjoy the river on one side and dramatic views down into the golf course on the other.

The Phoenix architectural firm of Gilmore Graves, which specializes in course construction, handled the project and one result is a course with dramatic elevation changes, unusual hole designs and uncommon views. About one thousand Mondell pine trees, mesquites and natural grasses add to the appeal. The course, which re-opened in 2003, isn’t particularly long, but has some tight fairways and doglegs that put a premium on accuracy because the transition areas can be rather punishing. Translation: This isn’t a course where you automatically reach for a driver on every tee that’s not a par-3 hole. Quarry Pines has four sets of tees, ranging from 4,893 to 6,318 yards, and the par-71 layout is rated at 70.0 with a slope of 130 from the back tees.

Par-3 holes are especially demanding, particularly the 11th, which appropriately is named “Buena Suerta.” That is Spanish for “good luck,” and you might need some to hit this green on a hole that plays at 256 yards from the back tee, is surrounded by quarries on both sides, guarded by a front bunker and back-dropped by picturesque Sombrero Peak.

The par-5 12th stretches to 574 yards and No. 13, a 368-yard par 4, plays along the top rim of the quarry, setting you up for the a challenging stretch of holes down through the quarry where strategy and course management come into play. No. 14, called “Descent,” might be the most picturesque hole. The par 4 plays at just 400 yards, with a 75-foot elevation drop, but the tee shot is to an island fairway and shots longer than 220 yards will be flirting with desert. The approach is to a two-tiered green. The 16th is another memorable hole, a 560-yard par 5 with a left dogleg and cross bunkers in the primary landing area. The approach is past a narrow neck to a long, narrow green that can play as much as a three-club difference depending on pin placement. The hole typically plays longer than its yardage suggests.

Quarry Pines offers full practice facilities and stay-and-play packages with affordable nearby hotels such as Best Western, Days Inn, La Quinta, Holiday Inn Express and Super 8. It also has a partner restaurant in the nearby Texas Roadhouse.

The Buzz: Located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountain Range, this course opened in 1997 as a centerpiece of the Saddlebrooke active adult community managed by Robson Communities. It was designed by Gary Panks, who has established himself as one of Arizona’s most prominent architects, with about 30 courses around the state.

At elevation of 3,200 feet, it takes advantage of picturesque mountain views and rugged natural terrain and serves as roaming ground for an abundance of desert wildlife. There are five sets of tees ranging from 4,617 to 6,728 yards, with a rating of 71.4 and slope of 125 from the back tees.

Course characteristics include generous landing areas, mesquite-laden foothills, subtle mounding and natural hazards. Among the memorable holes is the par-5 11th, a dogleg right at 575 yards from the tips. Two bunkers lurk on the left side of the fairway and the right features a pond where cattle used to drink but now serves as a watering hole for javelina, deer and other wildlife. Three bunkers guard the front of a wide green.

Among the best par-4 holes is the 14th, a dogleg right that plays at 400 yards. The temptation to cut the corner is strong, but a grove of mesquite trees stretches along the right side and awaits shots that are not struck long and high enough to clear. A gently contoured green sets between a bunker and a wash.

No. 17 is a delightful par 3 at 207 yards with an elevated tee, which provides some of the most stunning views on the course but demands an accurate downhill shot and plays into a prevailing wind with a contoured green that sets in a natural bowl.

For many golfers, the favorite hole, and perhaps the most demanding, is No. 2, a 428-yard par, where a plate on the tee warns that a mesquite-filled wash crosses the fairway 275 yards away. That fairway narrows as it goes, leaving an uphill shot of about 175 yards to a generous green protected by more mesquites and bunkers.

After the round, golfers relax in the Mesquite Grill, which provides casual dining, southwestern ambiance and nice views overlooking the practice green. This is a semi-private club that is open to the public, but residents receive preferred rates and tee times, and several membership options are available.

Saddlebrooke residents also enjoy a fitness center, tennis courts, swimming pool, softball field and a stadium-style, 478-seat performing arts center.