The Buzz: Although it doesn’t get the acclaim of the 18-hole Conquistador and Canada courses at this Hilton resort, Pusch Ridge may be the finest nine-hole layout in Arizona. The Little Sister, with three sets of tees ranging from 2,579 to 2,799 yards, is a par-35 course that is an absolute delight. If you’re pressed for time or looking f or a warm-up before tackling either of the other two courses, this little gem will get the job done.
It is named after Pusch Ridge, a beautiful mountainous area that towers over Tucson and the surrounding desert as one of the most prominent features of the Santa Catalina Mountains. With its lower slopes dotted with cactus and its upper reaches dark with pine, this unmistakable landmark makes the point in no uncertain terms that this is a land of extremes – in biodiversity as well as topography. Within the 56,933-acre wilderness, elevations range from 2,800 to 8,800 feet. Deep canyons separated by razorback ridges crease the slopes; rocky bluffs and pinnacles define the horizon. The wildlife that inhabits this unique setting is diverse as well.
The course is named in honor of George Pusch, a German immigrant who settled in the area in 1874, establishing a cattle ranch that was unique in that it utilized a stream pump to provide water. It was one of only two steam pumps in the Arizona Territory and popularized Pusch’s property as the Steam Punch Ranch on the Canada del Oro.
This, then, is the setting for this delightful course, which is the only one of the three located on the resort property. It encircles the resort and makes full use of the ravings, ridges and indigenous cactus, mesquite and palo verde trees with dramatic elevation changes, water hazards and small greens, adding up to a shot-making test. The third through seventh holes are as challenging as they are scenic. You will love the mountain backdrop behind the third green and the view of the resort from the tee on the par-3 fourth.
The signature hole is the fifth, a 371-yard par 4 with a walkway to a peninsula green. The sixth, another par 4 at 366 yards, features a sharp right dogleg to an elevated putting complex and the seventh, a 111-yard par 3, caps off the stretch with a tee shot over a formidable desert ravine. One word of advice – keep your approach shots below the hole on the Pusch Ridge greens or you will end up with long, fast, downhill comeback putts.
If you stay at the resort, you’re in for a treat. El Conquistador includes five restaurants, two lounges, four pools, courts for tennis, basketball, volleyball and racquetball, two exercise rooms, three Jacuzzis, saunas, bike rentals, horseback riding and a 143-foot water slide that is pure fun. Pusch Ridge also has an extensive trail network, which is a nature lover’s delight.