Gallery's No. 9: 725-yard
Hole is Longest Par 5 in Country

By Ryan Finley,
Staff Writer

“Nobody’s gonna reach in two, period,” said Paul Nolen, the head golf pro at the Gallery. “I don’t care who you are. Unless your name is Woods or Daly, you can’t do it, period.”

Considering the hazards and sheer length of the hole, it’s a wonder some golfers can finish the hole.

725 yards. 14 bunkers. A lake. A wash in front of the green. Downhill….oh yeah, and it’s a par 5.

Yowza.

Unless your name is Daly or Woods, good luck trying to master this beast.

• Course Review of The Gallery • Another Look at the Gallery's 9th Hole • Profile: The Gallery's Paul Nolen • Recent GolfArizona.com course reviews • Past articles by Ryan Finley

“It’s definitely a three-shotter,” he said. “The ninth is a beautiful golf hole. It’s downhill but, boy, it’s a long one.”

As if the length weren’t bad enough, there are the hazards. Fourteen bunkers line the hole: that’s roughly one every 51.78 yards, or, as Nolen said, “a whole bunch of bunkers.” A lake lines the left side of the fairway, with a wash lining the front of the green.

“Between the lake and the wash, it’s a wonder anyone can get on the green in three,” Nolen said. “Once you get past all those bunkers and the natural hazards, you’re set.”

According to the pro, there are few great stories incorporated with the hole due to the fact that few people come to the tenth tee happy.

“We’ve had some birdies, but nothing too huge,” he said. “With the few birdies we have, people are pretty relieved just to finish off that well.”

In order to do well on this hole, the average golfer would need McGwire’s arms, Tiger’s fundamentals, or a bat named “Wonderboy,” like in “The Natural”.

Simply, the odds of any weekend warrior conquering this hole are slim.

“There’s really no secret that this is the longest Par 5 in the country,” he said. “How people play it is all up to them.”

The Gallery is located on Dove Mountain Rd., off the Tangerine Rd. exit off the I-10 freeway in Tucson.