Other Tucson Golf Courses:
Tubac Golf Club
El Conquistador Golf Club

The original front nine, now Rattler, begins with the new Gold, or back tees, slightly higher and about 20 yards behind the original. Standing here with the sun at your back has to be one of the best first tee views anywhere. Two matching hills frame the entire Tucson valley, with the Rincon Mountains as the distant backdrop.

First tee jitters? Forget about it. It’s a gentle opening hole, as is the second, which turns north toward a challenging elevated green—no rattling sounds yet. It’s the demanding third hole where Rattler first strikes—watch out! Dramatic? Yes.

The engaging fourth hole—the fourth par 4 in a row—is a respite between the third and fifth, a steep uphill par 5. No matter how good, how appropriate, play the tee boxes that fit your game, as soon as you have played the beautiful and demanding par-3 Number 6 hole, go to the seventh and climb the stairs to the back tees, if not to tee off, then at least to drink in the view from this hawk’s perch. If you’re not a hang glider, this may provide the inspiration to consider lessons.

Originally the back nine, the Coyote circles the southern part of the course, a varied and interesting succession of holes and views. Lovers of the desert will welcome the par-4 Number 4, where seemingly every desert plant and tree fully claim the hole’s left side, creating a “cut off as much as you wish” risk/reward tee shot.

The following hole is a nifty par 3 where that number is a fine score. Trouble lurks. Then comes the Starr Pass Signature Hole. It’s not long but it’s memorable—with the uphill fairway bisecting the rocky U-shaped “pass” that descends quickly to a small green and the even steeper descent that follows. This was freight man Richard Starr’s sole passage through the foothills and into “The Old Pueblo” of Tucson as he worked his business in the early 1800s.

Standing on the sixth tee, a strong player can be easily tempted into a “go-for-it” mentality. Miss the fairway and you’ll be scrabbling in the rocks looking for your ball, hearing echoes of Mr. Starr’s wagon. Make a goof or two on these last few holes, and you can at least apply some balm to your soul with the panoramic view from Coyote’s ninth tee.

The newly redesigned Starr Pass Tucson Golf Club, a 27-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Facility, offers stunning views of Tucson and surrounding Arizona mountain ranges. What’s best about the golf at Starr Pass is that it’s a true Sonoran desert golf experience. Accept the challenge posed by natural arroyos, dramatic elevation changes and swirling winds created by the Tucson Mountains, while enjoying the scenic beauty of true Arizona desert golf.

Starr Pass Tucson Golf Club also offers great teaching facilities and practice areas with putting and chipping greens, and a double-loaded driving range. The Golf Shop offers the latest in top-quality equipment, rentals, apparel and products.

We know you’ll thoroughly enjoy these 27 holes as they were designed to challenge players of all abilities. What’s more, the names of the three nines are indicative of the wildlife you may experience here at Starr Pass ... The Roadrunner, The Coyote and The Rattler.

The new nine, the Roadrunner, is popular, says Head Professional Bernie Eaton. “We’ve been getting a lot of great feedback on this nine’s different look for Starr Pass. It’s more accessible and more pleasurable.” Roadrunner’s first and third holes are par 3s, the latter with an elevated tee of 75 feet, giving the golfer a chance to soak in the view while making a club selection.

But it’s the box canyon—where the next four holes hug the canyon walls traveling in a “U”—where the golfer’s soul is calmed by natural beauty. The fourth and fifth descend on the terrain, the latter to a stunning, secluded green tucked into the base of a commanding hillside. A quick U-turn, then it’s back up to the elevated green of a par 5 and a master view. The par-4 Number seven ends this welcome digression.

Experienced Starr Passers will recall the eighth and ninth holes of Roadrunner. The level, par-3 Number 8 has a big green, while 9, once a prodigious par 4, is now a par 5 crossing a deep arroyo.