Public

Saguaro/Tortolila Course

The Golf Club at Dove Mountain

Marana, AZ, USA
drewkpelletier9
rypell67
drubin5876
Oliver
Scarlett
+6
18 holesPar 727,849 yds76.7/148

About this course

The Golf Club at Dove Mountain sits in the high Sonoran Desert northwest of Tucson, where Jack Nicklaus routed 27 holes across rugged terrain in the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains. The facility opened in 2009 and features three nine-hole loops—Saguaro, Tortolita, and Wild Burro—that can be combined into different 18-hole configurations. The Saguaro and Tortolita nines form one of the primary pairings at this private club, which gained prominence as the host venue for the PGA Tour's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship from 2009 to 2014. Nicklaus designed the course to work with the dramatic elevation changes and natural desert washes characteristic of this landscape. Fairways move through corridors of saguaro cacti, palo verde, and ocotillo, with significant vertical movement that creates both uphill and downhill approach shots. The routing takes advantage of views toward the surrounding mountain ranges while requiring players to navigate forced carries and uneven lies. The greens are large and contoured, typical of Nicklaus designs from this era, and the bunkering incorporates the desert aesthetic with natural-edged sand features. The club operates as a private equity facility and includes additional amenities beyond the golf course. The tournament history brought national television exposure to the property during its early years, establishing its reputation among desert golf destinations in southern Arizona.

Quick facts

Location
Marana, AZ, USA
Access
Public
Year built
2009
Holes
18
Par
72
Length
7,849 yards
Difficulty
76.7/148
Course Vaults score
7.8

Getting there

The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is reached most conveniently via Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), situated roughly ninety minutes south of the club through the Sonoran Desert landscape. The drive north from Phoenix traces Interstate 10 before branching onto State Route 77, a passage that gradually surrenders the urban sprawl for open desert vistas - saguaro sentinels rising against distant mountains as the terrain shifts from valley floor to the foothills surrounding Marana. For those arriving by private aircraft, Tucson International (TUS) lies closer at approximately forty-five minutes away, while the region's smaller airstrips offer additional flexibility for ultra-light operations. The final miles wind through the Dove Mountain community itself, where the club's low-slung, modernist architecture emerges from the high desert with understated elegance, the surrounding landscape left largely untouched - a fitting arrival for a course designed to honor rather than dominate its native terrain.

FAQ

Common questions about Saguaro/Tortolila at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain

Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.

Saguaro/Tortolila at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain has a Course Vaults score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 11 logged golfers.

Saguaro/Tortolila was designed by Jack Nicklaus.

Yes. Saguaro/Tortolila at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.

Par at Saguaro/Tortolila is 72.

Saguaro/Tortolila plays 7,849 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.

The slope rating at Saguaro/Tortolila is 148.

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