The 10 Best Tucson Golf Courses and Resorts

An overhead view of a Tucson putting green

Brad Holt / Getty Images

There are not as many golf courses in Tucson as there are in the Greater Scottsdale/Phoenix area, but those listed here make for an extraordinary golf vacation or getaway. Tucson is one of the most underrated golf destinations in the U.S. Some of the golf courses in Tucson rank among the very best in the world. Some are well-kept secrets. If you're planning a golf outing to Tucson, this guide will provide you with ideas about where to play.

01 of 10

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain

The 13th hole at the quarterfinals of the World Golf Championships at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in 2012
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The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, my all-time favorite. The layout is pure Jack Nicklaus, and so it should be, for this is one of the master's finest Signature Golf Courses - 36 incredible desert holes and a remarkable piece of agronomic engineering. It’s both a visual delight and one of the most enjoyable/playable tracts we've come across in a long time.

02 of 10

Arizona National Golf Course Tucson

The Arizona National Golf Course
Arizona National Golf Club

Robert Trent Jones Jr. took full advantage of the natural flow of the terrain and designed the course around nine natural springs, intimidating craggy outcrops of rock, shady, mesquite-lined arroyos and some of the most beautiful and spectacular scenery to be found anywhere in the ​​Southwestern U.S.

03 of 10

Forty Niner Country Club Golf Course

The green at the golf course at the Forty Niner Country Club
Forty Niner Country Club

Good course management is the key to a low score at Forty Niner Country Club. Accuracy off the tee and shot placement are more important than distance, especially when confronted by the dogleg holes on the course. The 18-hole Forty Niner course plays 6,630 yards from the tips for a par of 72, a course rating is 71.3 and a slope of 124 on Bermuda grass.

04 of 10

Heritage Highlands Golf Course at Dove Mountain

The waterfall feature at theDove Mountain Heritage Highlands golf course
 The Highlands at Dove Mountain

The 18-hole Heritage Highlands course plays 6,904 yards from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 72.5 and it has a slope rating of 136. Designed by Arthur Hills, the Heritage Highlands golf course opened in 1997.

Continue to 5 of 10 below.
05 of 10

Quarry Pines Golf Club

A putting green with more holes in the background at Quarry Pines
 Quarry Pines Golf Course

The landscape is unique and arid, featuring dramatic elevation changes and stark terrain complimented by the addition of thousands of trees. The Quarry Pines Golf Club at Marana is rated one of Tucson's premier courses. It offers an extraordinary golf experience, one you won’t want to miss.

06 of 10

Hilton El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort

The golf course in the El Conquistador Resort in Tucson
Brent Winebrenner / Getty Images

The Hilton El Conquistador is the largest golf resort in Southern Arizona offering 45-holes of championship golf on three different courses. These three Hilton Tucson courses, along with its golf academy, cater to golf enthusiasts of all levels of skill.

Conquistador Course

The 18-hole Conquistador Course plays 6,801 yards for a par of 71 with a course rating of 72.7 and a slope of 126. Two par 5's can be reached with two perfectly placed shots giving them real birdie potential.

Canada Course

The 18-hole Canada course plays 6,288 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 69.7 and it has a slope rating of 132 on Bermuda grass. Designed by Greg H. Nash and Jeff D. Hardin, the Canada golf course opened in 1982. Hilton Hotels manages this facility.

Pusch X9 Course

Formerly Pusch Ridge, the 9-hole Pusch X9 course plays just short of 3,000 yards for a par-35 with a 65.6 rating and a slope of 110. Designed by Greg H. Nash and Jeff D. Hardin, the Pusch Ridge golf course opened in 1983.

07 of 10

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson

The golf green with distant Tucson mountains at Loews Ventana Canyon
Loews Ventana Canyon

As a golf resort, Loews is best known for its two excellent Tom Fazio-designed courses. It's not all just about golf, however, as you'll find an incredible selection of activities available including two swimming pools, eight tennis courts, hiking, bicycling, croquet, ping pong, and basketball.

Canyon Course

The 18-hole Canyon Course at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort plays 6,819 yards from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 72.3 and it has a slope rating of 140. Designed by Tom Fazio, the Canyon golf course opened in 1984.

Mountain Course

The 18-hole Mountain Course at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort plays 6,898 yards from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 73 and it has a slope rating of 147 on Bermuda grass. Designed by Tom Fazio, the Mountain golf course opened in 1984.

08 of 10

San Ignacio Course at San Ignacio Golf Club

A golfer putting on the San Ignacio Golf Course
San Ignacio Golf Club

The 18-hole "San Ignacio" course at the San Ignacio Golf Club plays 6,704 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. The course rating is 72 and it has a slope rating of 135. Designed by Arthur Hills, the San Ignacio golf course opened for play in 1989.

Continue to 9 of 10 below.
09 of 10

JW Marriott Starr Pass Golf Resort

Living at the Marriot and playing at Starr Pass Golf Course, full of Saguaros and Chollas cacti
​constantgardener  ​/ Getty Images​

The 27-hole golf complex at the Starr Pass Golf Club facility in Tucson, Arizona features three separate nine-hole courses: the Cayote, the Rattler, and the Roadrunner. Designed by Bob and Arnold Palmer, the golf courses opened for play in 2003. Marriott Golf manages this facility.

10 of 10

The Golf Club at Vistoso, Tucson

The lake at Rancho Vistoso, the golf club at Vistoso, with mountains in the background
Holly Harris / Getty Images 

The 18-hole "Vistoso" course at The Golf Club at Vistoso plays 6,935 yards from the tips for a par of 72. The course rating is 72.1 and it has a slope rating of 145 on Bermuda grass. Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the Vistoso golf course opened for play in 1995.