Ridge/Canyon at La Paloma Country Club

La Paloma Country Club sits in the Catalina foothills on Tucson's north side, where the Sonoran Desert meets the Santa Catalina Mountains. Jack Nicklaus designed the 27-hole facility in the early 1980s, creating three distinct nines—Ridge, Canyon, and Hill—that can be combined into three different 18-hole configurations. The Ridge/Canyon combination is the most frequently played routing and serves as the club's primary championship layout.

The Ridge nine occupies higher elevation terrain with expansive views across the Tucson basin and plays along natural ridgelines and elevated plateaus. The Canyon nine descends into desert washes and arroyos, where saguaro cacti, palo verde, and ocotillo frame the holes. Nicklaus incorporated the dramatic topography throughout, with elevation changes that affect club selection and create strategic interest on approach shots. Water features appear on several holes, a notable design element in the desert environment.

La Paloma operates as a resort and private club, with the golf course serving both members and guests of the adjacent Westin La Paloma Resort. The facility includes practice areas and a clubhouse positioned to take advantage of the mountain backdrop. The course reflects Nicklaus's design approach from this period, emphasizing target golf with defined landing areas and well-protected greens that reward accurate shotmaking over the desert landscape.