What are the best private golf courses in Tucson Arizona?

An introduction to Tucson

In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at the finest private golf courses near the city of Tucson.

After Phoenix, the capital city of Arizona, Tucson is the second largest city with over 500,000 inhabitants.

It is located in Pima County just to the north of the US/Mexico border, whilst also set within the Sonoran Desert, a landscape which has a big influence on the city. 

Tucson is home to the University of Arizona as well as many other great places to visit and things to do.

But you’re here to check out the best private golf courses in Tucson, so let’s jump into them.

See also: What are the best public golf courses in Tucson, Arizona?

The best private golf courses in Tucson

1. The Gallery Golf Club (South Course & North Course)

We kick off this list with one of the most spectacular private golf clubs in the whole of Arizona, The Gallery Golf Club.

This outstanding club opened its doors in 1998 with the first of the two championship courses opening for play. First up was the North course, a collaboration between the former Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman, and ex tour-player John Fought. 

Not long after in 2003, Fought went solo and created the magnificent South Course. The layout isn’t exactly radical, being pretty much out and back, but the condition and subtle elevation changes are superb.

Both courses offer up expansive fairways and incredibly sophisticated green complexes, all constructed with a stunning backdrop of the Tortolita Mountains. 

But for me, the North Course stands head and shoulders above the South. This is without doubt one of the most spectacular golf courses in Arizona, let alone Tucson.

And the stature of the course is not in question. In 2007 and 2008 it hosted the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Henrik Stenson and none other than Tiger Woods both prevailed respectively. There have also been numerous awards with Golfweek regularly recognising the course as one of the best in the State.

2. Stone Canyon Golf Club

Yet another course which is without doubt one of the finest in state, Stone Canyon Golf Club offers desert golf at its finest.

The course was designed by Jay Morrish, a massively underrated golf course architect. You may also recognise him as one half of the design duo including Tom Weiskopf.

Here at Stone Canyon, he ventured out alone and this one of his finest golf course creations.

The course is tucked away in an isolated spot in the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains. It’s about a 30 minute drive north of Tucson…arid desert landscape at its finest.

With state law restricting new golf courses to just 90 acres of turf, the layout is significantly influenced by the wild rugged landscape. This is not a place to start slicing it off the tee!

This challenging layout features numerous carries across to narrow fairways, where lush green grass contrasts the patches of sandy wasteland creeping ominously into the landing areas. And that’s before we even consider the number of blind shots.

Greens are well protected and particularly on the Par 3s there are some superb examples of target golf.

See also: What are the best private golf courses in Scottsdale, Arizona?

3. Tucson Country Club

In the east of the city over towards the Tanque Verde Creek, is the private Tucson Country Club.

This is one of the finest of its kind in the city limits. It is also one of the oldest golf courses in Tucson having opened in 1947.

The course was the creation of architect William Bell and was laid out on a fertile plot of land abundant in wildlife and vegetation.

The land had for many years been farmland for the Navajo and Yavapi tribes, hence the thriving flora and fauna. It also isn’t uncommon when playing here to see native animals lurking around the fringes of the fairways.

From the back tees, the course stretches to just over 7,000 yards with tree-lined fairways in a Midwestern style of design. As a driver’s course, you’re able to open the shoulders and get the big dog out of the bag.

Stray shots aren’t overly penalised although expect your approach shot to be impeded by one of the many trees.

5. Golf Club of Dove Mountain (Saguaro & Tortolita)

The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is one of Jack Nicklaus’ finest desert course creations.

Another of his Signature golf course designs, the setting here is superb. High in the Sonoran Desert where the elevations range from 2,300 to 3,200 feet. 

There are 27-holes onsite with the Saguaro and Tortolita nine-holes being the pick of the lot. The other option is the Wild Burro nine-hole.

Nicklaus purposefully designed the courses to be challenging. This would ensure variety for the members, as well as an ultimate test for guests of the onsite Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Despite that, on each hole there are five tee boxes so the course is playable for all levels of golfer. 

There is a real variety of holes. Carries over water, doglegs, target golf, all peppered with pristine white bunkers and beautifully contoured greens. One thing you definitely can’t complain about is the condition. 

And this is no doubt why the PGA Tour decided to host the Accenture World Matchplay Championship here for six consecutive years. The likes of Jason Day, Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy and Hunter Mahan all tasted success on this layout.

With the backdrop of the Tortolita Mountains and the constant sea of saguaro cacti, this is top class desert golf designed by a master of golf course architecture.

See also: What are the best golf courses in Yuma, Arizona?

6. La Paloma Country Club (Ridge & Canyon)

Nestled away in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains is the superb yet immensely private La Paloma Country Club. The club is home to 27-holes of top class Jack Nicklaus signature golf. 

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the Ridge and Canyon nine-holes are tough. Especially from the back tees, this is no walk in the park.

There are seven sets of tee boxes on every hole which points to the dangers lurking out on the course. Essentially, unless you have a low single-figure handicap, don’t even consider playing from the backs. 

The course is scenic and being in the mountain foothills, there are stunning vistas out across the landscape. But naturally this also influences the layout of the course. Fairways duck and weave all over the place, leaving very few flat lies.

It is also critical to hit the ball straight. Wayward shots will be penalised and you could be in for a long day. 

7. Oro Valley Country Club

Just a fifteen minute drive north of Tucson, in the northern portion of Pima County, is the popular Oro Valley Country Club. 

This is a member-only private club which has existed since 1959, when the Landon Group purchased some land and saw the opportunity for a first-class golf course to serve the growing population.

To oversee the project, they commissioned the architect Robert Harris. Harris was an architect with a solid reputation. Yet nearly all of his prior work had been done in the mideast. 

States like Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana etc. So although he was a trustworthy pair of hands, desert courses weren’t necessarily his speciality. 

Despite that, Harris devised a fantastic traditional routing, which makes full usage of the desert’s natural features. 

There are striking cacti, long golden grasses and the occasional rock formation. Whilst all the while, the layout is framed by the imposing and quite magnificent Santa Catalina Mountains. 

The course is relatively flat, so easily walkable. From the back tees the yardage reaches over 7,000 with narrow fairways leading up to tight TifEagle Bermuda greens. 

The signature hole is the wonderful 18th, which is a demanding par 4. 449 yards from the back tees to a long narrow fairway. Half way down you encounter a majestic lake which closely guards the green and makes for an uncomfortable finish to a sterling course.

It’s worth noting that in 1987 and more recently in 2023, the course underwent major renovations. In 1987 the work was overseen by the reputable Keith Foster.

Whilst in 2023, an all-encompassing renovation saw the greens upgraded, bunkers improved as well as the practice facilities, which are well worth enjoying prior to playing.

What is the best private golf course in Tucson?

The best private golf course in Tucson, Arizona, is the outstanding North Course located at The Gallery Golf Club. It was designed in collaboration between ex-PGA Tour player Tom Lehman and the hugely respected John Fought in 2003, and has gone on to host numerous high profile golf tournaments.

How many golf courses are there in Tucson, Arizona?

There are 44 golf courses within a 20 mile radius of Tucson, Arizona. Within the city there are 34 golf courses with a mixture of both private and public courses.