Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald
Tucson has some pretty sweet tracks.
I always recommend people play Sewailo, which is on the far west side of town. It's a Notah Begay design, and with the exception of one hole (10) is a really great layout. University of Arizona plays out of there now, so that should give you an idea of the challenge and the conditions. Top notch. Have the Barrio Blonde while you're there (local micro brew) or go and visit the actual tap room downtown. Food is great and the beer is better!
I would also recommend Starr Pass. 27 holes, but the best combo is Roadrunner/Rattler. Just a challenge on every shot that makes you think your way around the course.
Another favorite is La Paloma. Very up and down with a lot of side lies through the rolling terrain. Great conditions and very playable for the most part. Just make sure you don't play it if it is cart path only. It will kill you!!!
A hidden gem that I highly recommend, especially for those who are golf junkies, is Tubac Resort, about 35 minutes down I-19. It's an easy course, but is a must play as it is the site of the filming of Tin Cup. You can play golf then have a drink and meal in the restaurant where Cup made the pelican jump off the stump by the pond (9th hole on Anza, watch out for the cows long!). Tubac is also a great day trip for the non-golfers as it is an artisan community and there is a number of shops and museums to keep people busy. Make sure you control the credit card. Every time I go down there it costs me more away from the course than at it. Enjoyable golf, better shopping, and the restaurants in the little community are top notch.
If you're looking for something pretty easy that anyone can play, Quarry Pines is pretty decent. It's right off I-10 on a few holes, which can make it a little noisy, but it is very playable. Usually a very good value too.
My final recommendation is Ventana Canyon. It's 36 holes, and both golf courses are excellent. Both can be punishingly difficult and expensive, so be warned. The scenery is excellent, especially on the Mountain course, so bring your camera. The best opportunities to see wild life are on this course or Starr Pass (I've been chased from a hole by javlina at Starr Pass, and run into lots of deer at Ventana).
A course I will tell you stay away from is Dove Mountain, where they used to play the Accenture Match Play. It's a wonderful layout, but brutally tough, and the conditions are usually hit and miss (more often miss). It can be fun, but you really need to play it five or more times to get the lay of the land and really enjoy it. Otherwise it can be a very frustrating day and not worth the money.
For your stay in Phoenix, Talking Stick is a good pick. Close to the airport and had decent amenities. The restaurants are okay, but you're close enough to Scottsdale (old town Scottsdale too) to have a night out with some great restaurants and have a short Uber/cab back to Talking Stick. My recommendation is Bourbon and Bones. Great food and drinks. Make a reservation! If you're looking for something more "local" (Mexican) then I would suggest Frank and Lupe's. The food is really good, but you can run into some wait times as they also do catering, and that can impact service from time-to-time. The margaritas make up for any delays though!
If you want to experience more of the university scene, you can always stay near campus (Tempe Mission Palms or the Marriot Residence Inn) and then take in the plethora of restaurants on Mill Avenue. I personally don't recommend this, but there are plenty of people who appreciate this scene, and you can restaurant/bar hop for hours. Just a suggestion based on airport accessibility, but I think you are probably better off taking in Old Town and staying at Talking Stick.
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