I’ve lived in Phoenix for eight years, but until recently I’d never spent much time in Arizona’s other major city, Tucson, just a short two-hour drive from home.
But that finally changed when I had the chance to play my first golf course in Tucson at Omni Tucson National Resort & Spaa sprawling property nestled in the picturesque foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, which make for a truly stellar backdrop. The resort offers two championship golf courses: the Catalina Course and the Sonoran Course.
The Catalina is a parkland-style course that debuted in 1961 and hosted both the PGA Tour’s Tucson Open and the PGA Tour Champions’ Cologuard Classic from 2015 to 2023.
The Catalina has an old-school feel and was in wonderful condition, thanks to the ryegrass-seeded fairways. I was particularly impressed by the 374-yard par-4 3rd hole, a dogleg left that requires a precise tee shot, with water issues to the left and trees to the right; and the 170-yard par 3 4th, a beautifully framed hole that requires significant carryover on the water. The Catalina’s difficult finishing hole, a 443-yard par 4 framed by two lakes, was once ranked among the most difficult on Tour. I could see why! The landing area between the two bodies of water requires a good tee shot And a good approach. And the elevated green offers no respite, with a front and back bunker and deep rough to catch errant shots.
For a true desert golf experience, there’s Catalina’s sibling, the Sonoran Course, which was designed by Tom Lehman in 2005. I loved the multitude of holes offering panoramic views of the high deserts and dramatic elevation changes, especially the picturesque 183-yard par 3 3rd, which is an extremely fun tee shot to hit; and the 453-yard par-4 9th. The beautiful layout features a total of 69 bunkers, so fine-tuning your sand game before your tee time is a wise strategy.
An aerial view of the 1st (right) and 18th (left) holes of the Catalina Course at the Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa. Courtesy of Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa
After golf, resort guests can indulge in a variety of activities, such as a dip in the resort’s zero-edge infinity pool, a visit to the full-service spa, or a meal at one of the upscale restaurants. Off-property adventures include horseback riding, desert jeep tours, cattle drives, hot air ballooning, and even gold panning excursions.
My favorite post-golf activity is a cold drink and a bite to eat on the patio, and the on-site Legends Sports Bar offers stunning views of the Catalina’s 18th green and some of the best “crispy cauliflower” I’ve ever had, served with an apricot, sesame, and scallion glaze.
It’s hard to find a better winter golf destination than Arizona, and for anyone looking for a getaway that checks all the boxes, the golf experience at Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa delivers.
The position Why This Tucson Resort Is the Perfect Winter Golf Getaway appeared first on Golf.
