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Once the site of the famous Flying V Dude Ranch and located about half an hour northeast
of downtown Tucson, Ventana Canyon began attracting golfers in 1984 when the first of its
two magnificent layouts opened. The Mountain Course quickly earned positive reviews and
significant acclaim and, when it was joined by the similarly exciting Canyon Course in 1988,
Ventana Canyon became established as a true golfer's paradise, receiving national attention.
Both 18s were designed by Tom Fazio whose creativity and vivid imagination totally
transformed the raw desert property at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Because
it hosted the Merrill Lynch PGA Shootout in 1987 and 1988 when legends like Tom Watson,
Payne Stewart, and Lee Trevino took on its singular challenge, and because it possesses one
of the game's most photographed holes, the Mountain Course may be the better-known of the
two. The praise for both, however, is pretty evenly shared.
No matter how many photographs you see before your first visit, nothing quite prepares you for
your first glimpse of the Mountain Course's spectacular 3rd hole. This tiny par-3 stops you in
your tracks and, for a moment, you stand staring as the reality of its audacious design sinks in.
There's trouble on all sides of the small, round green, but a sand-wedge is probably all you'll
need to carry the desert between you and the flag. So take a deep breath, commit to the shot,
and enjoy the experience – one you'll surely never forget.
Architect: Tom Fazio
Photography courtesy Ventana Canyon
VENTANA CANYON
CLUB & LODGE CLUB & LODGE
PAR 3 107 YARDS
TUCSON, AZ
H O L E
3
rd
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