Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Arizona Golf Course Review: Tucson Country Club is one of only a handful of grand old golf course gems left mostly intact in Arizona, so it’s not surprising that it’s an exclusive, private club with the highest quality golf and amenities package.
Tucson Country Club was established in 1947 by a small group of people who purchased a 580-acre ranch in a then-remote area surrounded by stunning mountain views and abundant wildlife. That group wisely chose the legendary father-son team of William P. and William F. “Billy” Bell to design their golf course.
Updating projects by Bell family disciples Red Lawrence and Arthur “Jack” Snyder took place in ’63 and ’72. While they retained the classic design elements for which the Bells are well known, they also modernized it in a way that kept it relevant to an evolving game; proof lies in the course’s resume which some consider the most impressive in the state.
Tucson Country Club has hosted 18 USGA championship qualifiers, eight Arizona Amateurs, the 1964 Western Amateur and is the only Arizona course to host two USGA championships – the ’82 Senior Amateur and ’92 Senior Women’s Amateur.
The Club is the home course of Dr. Ed Updegraff, who many consider to be the best amateur player in Arizona history. He won 27 club championships, along with a U.S. Senior Amateur, played on numerous Walker Cup teams and received the Bob Jones Award, the top honor presented annually by the USGA.
So, history is dripping from this facility that once served as rich farming land for Navajo and Yavapai tribes. As for the course, it is a traditional, parkland layout with medium-sized greens, fairways lined with olive and eucalyptus trees, three lakes that bring water into play on five holes, and about 90 strategically-placed bunkers. Four sets of tees range from 5,708 to 6,954 yards with a rating of 72.8 and slope of 130.
Trickery is not part of the challenge, which is formidable, and the proximity of greens and tees makes it a good walk unspoiled. The front nine offers up far more birdie opportunities than the back, which can be a “back-breaker.”
The real “fun” starts with the par-3 12th, which plays at 169 yards from the tips and requires a shot over a small pond. A larger lake borders the right side of the next hole, a 518-yard par 5, but the best is the three-hole finishing stretch.
No. 16 is a 411-yard par 4 with a tight fairway and large bunkers guarding the front-left and front-right of the green, leaving a narrow approach. The 17th, one of the state’s best par-3 holes, plays at 235 with two huge bunkers in front. The 18th offers a 462-yard par-4 with three cross-bunkers in the primary landing area and four more surrounding the green.
The toughest part about playing Tucson Country Club might be just getting to the first tee; regular golf memberships require two sponsors and five referrals on the application. Regular memberships are equity and others are non-equity, including junior, activity, social and non-resident varieties. Other amenities here include one of the finest tennis facilities in the state, with 11 courts, swimming, a fitness center, extensive children’s programs and casual and fine dining.
Read the Arizona Golf Course List AZGA Player’s Arizona Golf Course Review for every golf course in Arizona at www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory.
It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.