One of Golf Digest’s Top 75 Golf Courses of 2011 – Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson

We love to share with our readers some of the best golf courses in Arizona, and luckily it’s easy for us since we play them often! Just like the golf gurus at Golf Digest, we know that the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson is one of North America’s best golf course resorts.

There are actually two golf courses in the resort. The Canyon and the Mountain courses are both Tom Fazio designed, and recently the resort created a half-mile trail so guests can get a close look at the Sonoran Desert. According to their website, The Canyon Course takes you through the awe-inspiring Esperro Canyon, and past the massive Whaleback Rock.  The Mountain Course features the incredible #3 hole, played across 107 yards of cactus and canyons and celebrated as the most photographed hole west of the Mississippi.

Just imagine being up on a plateau above the city of Tucson and nestled into the Catalina Mountain foothills. You will be in a hushed world where long-time residents such as the Saguaro cacti, the coyote, and the great horned owl live in undisturbed harmony throughout the Resort’s 93 acres. This is just a little taste of what you will see and feel when you take a golf vacation at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.

Here at Tucson Golf Vacations, we know what golfers want and we work hard to deliver the best golf vacation of a lifetime. We aren’t fly-by-night type of guys, we’ve been in this business for more than a decade, and have been playing golf for much longer than that! Give us a call today 520-877-7324 to book a golf vacation at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, or one of the dozens of other golf resorts in the Tucson and Scottsdale, Arizona areas. We are ready to help – just ask for Chris (chris@tucsongolf.com) or Jay (jay@tucsongolf.com)!

Arizona’s Best Kept Secret Public Course – Dinosaur Mountain Golf Course

The best kept secret public golf course in Arizona is ready to offer you a truly unique golfing experience in the high Sonoran desert. Every tee box here presents a panoramic vista and an exhilarating challenge to your game. The course will take you up, over and around Dinosaur Mountain with dramatic tee-to-green elevation changes and long, loping fairways. If you don’t hit straight you had better bring an extra dozen golf balls in your bag!

The views of the nearby Superstition Mountains and the Phoenix Valley are spectacular. Signature holes #4 and #5 are among the most memorable in the game! Carts have GPS and ice coolers (fill your cooler with ice at the snack stand by the carts). There is no water to drink on the course so be sure to bring some bottles with you. A camera is a good idea for the views and the wildlife that pops up now and again – you could see bunnies, lizards, and even a hawk or two!

After you’ve played the Dinosaur it’s off to its sister golf course the Gold Canyon Sidewinder. This course snakes around the base of Dinosaur Mountain, through natural arroyos and dry creek beds. Native cholla and prickly pear cacti, mesquite and palo verde trees line the challenging twists and turns that will keep you on top of your game. And like the Dinosaur course, it’s a scenic adventure that will bring you back again and again.

Let us build a custom golf vacation package for you that include these two courses and others of your choosing in the Scottsdale and Tucson areas. We will also arrange for your lodging and will throw in a dozen Pro V1X golf balls per player (new bookings only). Call us today at 520-877-7924 and start planning a golf trip of a lifetime!

Play an Audubon-Certified Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona

Discover a natural alternative to ordinary Scottsdale, Arizona golf courses at McDowell Mountain GC built on the western slope of Scottsdale’s McDowell Mountains and adjacent to the nationally recognized Westworld equestrian center. Acclaimed golf course architect Randy Heckenkemper transformed the Bureau of Reclamation’s storm water retention area into one of the premier Scottsdale golf courses.

McDowell Mountain GC is more than a stunning 18-hole daily-fee Scottsdale golf course. Formerly known as Sanctuary at Westworld- McDowell Mountain GC is the first golf course in Arizona and the 17th course in the world to attain the coveted Audubon Signature Status. While friendly to the environment, McDowell Mountain GC is an entertaining challenge that demands intelligent course management at every hole. In addition to establishing itself as one of the finest Scottsdale golf courses, the Golf Course also houses a stone and stucco clubhouse that serves as an inviting retreat featuring a host of amenities including a comfortably elegant dining room, a multi-use, outdoor covered pavilion and an impressive golf shop.

The Sonoran desert‘s native quails, roadrunners and jackrabbits watch quietly as you play on the rolling terrain of the MCDowell Mountain Golf Course. After the sun sets brilliantly to the west, deer and wild coyote come out to play on a 6,624-yard, par-71 layout that features 71 acres of turf and 65 sand bunkers. Typical of the McDowell Mountain GC experience, the par-3 No. 8 is both beautiful and enticing, incorporating one large water feature complete.

Bordered by naturally protected areas, holes 2, 3, 4 and 5 demand precision and smart golf management, golf in Scottsdale has never been more enjoyable. With five sets of tees on each hole, you will find an enjoyable golf experience for players of every skill level with two multi-tiered waterfalls.

Insider Golf tips: Stick to the blue tees, and hit nothing but 3-wood off the tee

We will customize a golf vacation experience for you that include the McDowell Mountain GC as well as others of your choosing. In addition, we will arrange for your lodging in a premier resort or upscale vacation rental. Give us a call today 520-877-7924 and then come out to play on one of the few Audubon-certified golf courses in the world. Trust us, you will love it!

Golf Etiquette & Tipping Tips

While the weather may end the golf season for some of our good friends up North, in Arizona we’re heading into our busiest golf season. For both residents and visitors, Arizona’s perpetual sunshine makes for a great golf experience. So while we know that so many of us will hit the links on many days during the holiday break, we thought it was a good time of year to review some very popular questions we get about the social rules of golf.

We recognize that we are not Miss Manners or Emily Post, but we are avid and experienced golfers so we know a thing or two about good golf etiquette. We always follow these 5 simple rules, and we encourage other golfers to, too.

• Watch your mouth – your voice does carry on a golf course, and sometimes the greens and tees are next to one another. So, be polite and keep your voice down, and your expletives to yourself.
• Clean up after yourself (and others) – ball marks, divots, and sand hazards require your attention. Use the correct tools for the jobs every time, and do a good deed whenever you see a repair forgotten by one of your fellow golfers.
• Obey the rules – wear the proper clothes and shoes, stay on the cart paths and out of the line of play, don’t go over the club limit but please do stock your golf bag with clubs, tees, and balls, and always pay attention to the weather and course conditions.
• Don’t be a slowpoke – always use your time between shots to plan your next one. Don’t slow down game play, and always offer the group behind you the option to play through. They won’t always take it but they will be grateful you asked.
• Remember what your mother taught you – golf is a social game and you want to use the good manners you first learned as a child. Be polite, take care of your surroundings, and behave the way you wish others would behave on the course.

The final tip for today is actually about tipping. Depending on the type of golf course you’re playing – public or private – there could be a number of course staff that will offer you help and assistance. The general rule is to tip when you get good service (if it isn’t against club rules to tip – so please find out before you golf at a new course), and reward those who make your golf experience more enjoyable. Whether it’s the outside services staff or the beverage cart staff, you should always offer a tip when there’s a service well rendered. It’s especially important this time of year to remember those staff members who have helped you all year long. It is the season for giving!

Golf may be a frustratingly tough game to master, but much of the joy of playing is the social experience aspect of it. Stick to these golf etiquette and tipping tips and we are certain you will be the master of the social game the next time you hit the links.

Golf is Good for Your Heart

When was the last time your spouse nagged you to play golf “for your own good”? If you’re one of the lucky guys whose wife knows that golf is good cardiovascular exercise, then it’s likely there are no objections when you hit the links. If you’re one of the unlucky guys whose wife merely gives you another bowl of oatmeal and 30 minutes on the treadmill, then it’s time to show her this blog!

It’s true, and Harvard scientist proved it, that golf is good for your heart!

“Walking an average course for a round of golf can be as much as four miles. If you walk 18 holes three to five times a week, you’ll get an optimal amount of endurance exercise for your heart. If you pull your clubs or carry them, you’ll burn more calories per round, and benefit even more.”

So the key is walking the course with your clubs – ditch the golf cart and caddy! Also, you must play frequently. Just as you must exercise three days a week or more the same is true for golf. Do you really need any other reasons to play? Well here are a few more health benefits from playing golf:

• Vitamin D – although we are advocates of sunscreen as a cancer prevention tool (and wrinkles, too), we do know that vitamin D is critical for healthy bones. Catch some rays on the golf course and give your body the sun it needs to produce vitamin D.
• Weight bearing exercise – yet again to help us keep and strengthen our skeletal structure, golf is a great exercise to prevent bone degeneration and to increase lean muscle mass.
• Better sleep – if you suffer from restlessness or insomnia then it’s time to get some exercise. Playing golf two to three times each week will not only tire you out physically so that you’ll sleep better but also help clear your mind of noise. When you’re focusing on your swing or on a putt, you won’t be worrying about your boss at work.
• More friends – golf is inherently a social game and researchers have long known that people with an active social life are also healthier. Sure, golf can be a good tool for closing business deals but it’s also important for building friendships. Very few guys will turn down an invitation to play golf so go ahead and ask. You’ll all be happier and healthier for playing a round or two (or three!).

So when your wife or significant other asks you what you want for a gift this holiday season, simply respond that you’re really working on being a healthier you so therefore you need a golf vacation. Can you really be criticized for caring about your health? Golf is a win-win for you – play your favorite game and take care of your heart! Now if you need some golf vacation tips, you know we’re here for you!

Got Shaky Hands? Try a Belly Putter

While it’s true that long putters – similar if not identical now to belly putters – have been around for more than two decades, it’s also true that very few professional golfers have used them in competitive play. They are legal to use; that has never been the issue. But during the past few months since pros on the tour have been winning with them, the debate over bell putters has reached a fever pitch!

This isn’t like the case of Sam Snead and his croquet-style putting which was ruled illegal in the 1960s. Sam changed his stance to straddle the ball and that was the rule-breaking problem. This is more about a piece of equipment that causes golfers to putt in a very non-traditional way while using their own body for leverage. As Steve DiMeglio of  USA TODAY wrote:

“The argument against the long putter centers on the view that they take nerves and skill out of the stroke. By anchoring the putter against the belly or sternum or chin, a third point of contact has been made and makes it easier for those using the longer putter to make the ideal pendulum stroke. The anchoring prevents golfers from breaking their wrists or rolling their forearms — which are the bane of those using conventional or standard length putters.”

No one complained about them before Webb Simpson, Adam Scott, and Keegan Bradley won tournaments with them. Frankly, long putters seemed to be acceptable for older players on the Champions Tour and for players on a serious losing streak looking for something – anything – to help their game. But now that there are winners, and some are the young stars on the Tour, there seem to be a problem. And, when Phil Mickleson, arguably one of the best putters in the game but who has struggled recently, used one at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the belly putter debate raged on.

Some golfers say that it’s only good for the short putt from 6 feet in. But, Phil himself said that he plans to practice with his belly putter to improve his game in the 10-25 foot range. If he succeeds in practice, we can expect to see him using it more in tournament play. Mike Davis, executive director of the USGA, said he hasn’t seen any data to support the allegation that belly putters harm the game of golf despite being helpful to some players.

Perhaps the debate will focus on resting the club on the golfer’s stomach or other body part. It does help to steady shaky hands. Maybe that’s the problem with belly putters since the game of golf is as much mental as it is physical.

A PGA Tour Volunteer on a Mission

Volunteerism has always been important in the United States. Churches, schools, hospitals, and thousands of other local organizations rely on volunteers to achieve their missions. Volunteers really are points of light that shine like stalwart beacons both in times of great need and times of great joy. So, it’s no surprise to read about amazing and inspirational people like Faith Tanner who is a PGA Tour volunteer.

Mrs. Tanner loves golf and shared that love for the game with her late husband, Larry. They first learned about volunteering on the Tour in 2007 when they attended the Buick Open and met the Hole Captain on No. 18. Upon witnessing the Tanners’ unbridled excitement to be at the event, the PGA volunteer was impressed and helped them secure their first volunteer position at the next year’s Buick event. The Tanners understood that being volunteers meant work that could range from trash pick-up to escorting players off the course to the extra hours expected in the retail tents. As Mrs. Tanner said,

“I said a little prayer that I wanted to work really, really hard – put in extra hours – so somebody would notice me so I could get invited to 2012 [Ryder Cup].”

The Tanners decided to set a personal goal to volunteer at every PGA Tour event in 2010. It was an exciting time in their lives.

Tragically, Mr. Tanner fell ill and passed away in 2009 before they could complete their volunteer dream tour. As with so many things in life, it was an unexpected twist for this sweet couple that could have completely eliminated their dream. But, Mrs. Tanner, whose first name is Faith, after all, had other plans. She decided to forge ahead with their dream and she attended the 2010 Ryder Cup in South Wales as a media marshal volunteer. She had a picture of Larry pinned to her backpack so he was “there” too.

It’s now 2011 and Mrs. Tanner is on her dream tour as a PGA volunteer. You can track her progress on her website www.pgatourvolunteer.com. She’s blogging away after each event and loving every minute of the very hard work she is doing as a volunteer on the Tour. She’s in Massachusetts this weekend for the Deutsche Bank USA Championship where she’s volunteering in Premium Access. Stop by and tell her “hi” from us at AZ Golf and Home, and while you’re at it ask to take a picture of this shining point of light on the PGA Tour!

For more information about volunteering on the PGA Tour go to: http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r060/volunteer.html

Greens Are A Golf Course’s Last Defense

The best golf players in the world can talk all day about their longest drive. The technology in golf has improved to the point where a 300 yard drive isn’t foreign to a pro player. Of course there are outside factors to consider – wind, humidity, and terrain – but most pro players have no problem hitting an average 280 yards a drive.

So with the ability to really rip one off the tee, there is much discussion in golf course design about the greens. As Jeff McCormick, Director of Golf Operations at the Jack Nicklaus designed course at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain just North of Tucson, Arizona, said,

“If you’re going to have a golf course here in the desert and not have 22–yard fairways and 6-inch deep rough, the greens need to be the challenge.”

The course designed by Mr. Nicklaus was built to host the Accenture Match Play Championship. The golf legend certainly wanted to make the course challenging for the best-of-the-best pro players who travel to play there. There are huge fairway bunkers built into the doglegs, and the greens have been described as “diabolical”. Hello to the 3-putt is common during play on the course.

Another Arizona golf course, the Red Mountain Ranch Country Club in Mesa, also has “diabolical” greens. This time it’s the mounding – so commonly found in golf courses in Scotland – not so common in Arizona. Some of the mounds around the greens on this course are so high they can block your view of the pin when you stand near them.

So if you are planning a trip to golf one of the many great courses in Arizona, please remember to bring your short game. Sure you will need to deal with bunkers, roughs and doglegs but it’s the greens that will kill your score. Be challenged by the greens for your next golf vacation – www.tucsongolf.com will make all the arrangement for your dream green golf vacation!