Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club

Located in Tucson, Arizona, Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club is nestled against the gorgeous desert backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Winding brilliantly through the canyons and cacti, these two 18-hole courses (Mountain and Canyon) line 600 acres of the high Sonoran Desert Preserve. The two Tom Fazio designs provide a unique blend of playability and challenging championship desert golf. The spacious practice facility and an award-winning golf shop stocked with everything a golfer needs to dial in for the round. The Lodge offers a luxury rest and relaxation spot just steps away from the first tee! Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway, round of golf, or a tennis match, Ventana Canyon flexes its versatility while taking advantage of breathtaking views of the Tucson valley.

As we arrived early Saturday morning, we were met by a member of the course staff, Aaron, to show us around the complex and get us checked in. The pro shop was on the smaller side but packed a big punch with top of the line gear. I always try to get as many tips as possible and found out that the greens were rolling at about 11 on the stimpmeter and most putts break towards the valley (always look for the mountains!) This would be important later, as perceived downhill putts into the mountain would play flat.

The practice area at Ventana Canyon was very impressive and exceeded our expectations. Surprisingly, many courses we visit tend to not put as much effort into the practice range and additional facilities. With a full-sized Bermuda grass range, USGA standard putting surface, and short game area complete with a sand bunker, Ventana Canyon does not come up short in this department (pun intended). The golf house, conveniently located in-between the range and putting green provides golfers with a plethora of options to load up on food and drinks for the round.

Canyon Course

We began our weekend of golf on the beautiful 18-hole Canyon Course. With our group handicaps ranging from 9-13, we decided to play the gold tees, which play at a respectable 6300 yards. Since this entire property is on the side of the mountain, it played about 100 yards further than indicated due to uphill shots adding significant distance.

As is customary in our reviews, we like to choose a favorite hole on the front nine and a favorite on the back. The winner of our front nine pick was the par-4 3^rd hole. Playing at 376 yards from the gold tees, this hole is the highest point on the canyon course and offers panoramic views of the Tucson valley. I elected to take a hybrid off the box as you do not need much to get into a scoreable position here. My 220-yard club left me with about 120 yards downhill (towards the valley)! It is best to keep the ball below the hole as downhill putts run pretty quickly and an overstruck putt will be run far past.

Our favorite hole on the back nine was the short par-4 10^th hole. This was a particularly tough choice as the par 3 13^thhole featured a dramatic elevation drop and the par-5 18^th featured a gorgeous finish with a waterfall backdrop behind the green. We chose the short par 4 because of the unique tee shot strategy and a beautiful boulder that lies just beyond the green. I elected to pull a 6 iron off the tee box, which left me just 100 yards into the green. Less is more on this hole as it gets very narrow past 220-230 yards.

The Canyon course is somewhat forgiving for a desert style course. The greens rolled extremely true and smooth and the fairways and tee boxes were well-manicured. Aside from a few holes, there is not too much drastic elevation change as it is more gradual and deceiving. You must have focus and pick out specific targets and landing areas for each shot, nothing new for the game of golf. The course is split apart on the east and west wide of the property, leaving a long drive from hole 9 to 10. So if you’re wondering, don’t worry you are not going the wrong way!

Mountain Course

After resting up in the Lodge we headed out early Sunday morning for round two on the 18-hole Mountain Course. It was a rainy night and morning so all the practice facilities were closed due to standing water. We decided to grab breakfast in the Sabino room next to the golf shop. The menu was impressive with several options including a breakfast sandwich and a variety of omelets. Nobody in our group got to warm up due to weather so we went out cold turkey, agreeing on a breakfast ball off the first tee, a 386-yard par-4. As we got up to the green we noticed several specks on the green as we were walking up. As we got closer we realized the green was coated with worms! The rains had brought them out of the ground and added an interesting dynamic to putting as we had to clear our lines beforehand. Never seen that one before, but golf can get interesting in more ways than one I guess!

It didn’t take long to identify our favorite hole on the front nine. Being the most photographed hole at Ventana Canyon, the 104-yard par-3 took the cake. Tucked into the base of the Catalina Mountains, the green is slightly obstructed by a tiny mountain hill on the right side. With an elevated tee box, this hole played even shorter than the scorecard indicated. I elected to pull a 54 degree wedge and with a front pin location I was a bit long. Be careful though as putts going back towards the tee boxes will be FAST. The rest of the front nine was fairly straight forward with a few doglegs and water coming into play on holes 4 and 5.

Our pick for the back nine was a bit tougher but ultimately landed on the par-4 15^th hole. Playing at 415 yards, the hole is not overly long, but the tee shot is sure to make any golfer think. The hole turns right to left and playing from the gold tees you must go over the trees along the left side to find a safe spot to land it. From there, the green presents a false front and will funnel any short shot back down the hill into the collection area that sits in front of the green. It is best to miss a bit long here and aim for the center of this undulating green. There is a small hill behind the green to catch any extra-long or thinned approach shots.

The Lodge

Once you are finished golfing or in between rounds, The Lodge offers a plethora of activities and an extremely comfortable room setup. Consisting of just 50 rooms, every room in the lodge is a suite consisting of either 1 king bed or two queens, equipped with a full kitchen including an oven, stove, and microwave. With a small amount of suites comes a large amount of attention to detail, spacious rooms, and supreme service. No wonder The Lodge has been a AAA Four Diamond property for 23 consecutive years! In addition to the world-class golf, Ventana Canyon offers tennis, pickleball, spa, pool, fitness, and children’s activities.

Of course during all these activities and sports you are bound to work up an appetite. There are a few different options for dining. The primary dining experience is the Catalina Dining Room and Patio. Giant windows offer panoramic views of the Catalina Mountains, hence the name! The dishes range anywhere from classic favorites to a few unique creations from the executive chef. An additional dining option is the Ventana Bar and Grill. This venue has a bit more of a bar atmosphere complete with drink specials and TV’s (five!) to view your favorite sporting event.

If you are the cooking type and decide to utilize the beautiful kitchen, there is a Basha’s store 1.3 miles away. Head on over to pick up anything you’d like to cook! If you are not the cooking type but want to enjoy a relaxing night in the room, there is a Domino’s Pizza 1.1 miles away for quick delivery. I recommend trying the excellent food at The Lodge but to each their own! They provide kitchen amenities for a reason!

Ventana Canyon also does a fantastic job with banquets & catering along with weddings! Whether you’re organizing a cocktail party, retirement party, work conference, barbeque dinner, or bar/bat mitzvah, The Lodge and Ventana Canyon staff have you covered!