Tucson's Five Best Municipal Course Holes

October 23, 1998

Tucson, Az - Q: What do these holes have in common?

-Putting the best hole first
-Using the 14th fairway to play #13
-Enough pin placements that you never play the same hole twice
-A short, yet tough, par 3
-A tee shot where "slice is nice"

A: Each is a "best hole" on one of Tucson's five conveniently
Fred Enke Municipal Web Page
Randolph North Web Page
Silverbell Municipal Golf Course Web Page

Typically, first holes are open and straightforward, designed to ease a golfer into the round. To the contrary, the first hole at Fred Enke Golf Course challenges right from the tee and doesn't stop until the putt finally drops. The par-4, measuring 380 yards, is Fred Enke's best hole. The tee-shot must carry over desert and land in a fairway that slopes severely left-to-right, with only a couple yards of rough separating it from water. Play the ball to the left to account for the sideways roll, but don't protect too much or you'll roll left into the desert. The short iron downhill approach demands a high soft shot to hold on the firm green. It's a very small green with mounds in front and a small backstop behind to hold back the desert. Due to the size, any putt will be from moderate to short in length, but the green's undulation makes even the shortest putt difficult. It's ironic that this premiere hole starts your round. Originally it was #10. The two nine's were switched ten years ago because the back nine wasn't getting enough play. Now the best is ahead of the rest

For fun par 5's, Silverbell's your course. The tree-lined 530-yard #13 is the most fun of all because of the options available for playing the hole. This dogleg left is 250 yards out from the tee and 300 yards slightly downhill into the green. Play it straight, or try to carry the trees, or perhaps land in the 14th fairway. This option results in a blind second shot, but it's your chance to either be aggressive and try and make eagle or sit back and go for birdie. Bunkers on both sides and in front protect the green. Wayward right or long will be lost out-of-bounds. The green has a swale in the middle with a steep slope uphill on the back half. An open front encourages fairway wood seconds, punch thirds, and putted approaches from near the green. Until you've played the hole a time or two I suggest driving up the left side of the fairway to put yourself in good birdie position with your third shot.

At Randolph North Golf Course, the 200-yard par 3 #15 is the best hole. Though in the middle of the course, water and trees isolate #14 and allow concentration on this difficult tee shot. A long iron needs to carry the lake as well as the pot bunker in the green's face, then stop without running through the green into the lake where it curves around back left. A helping wind and receptive green may assist your play. The wide green permits a multitude of pin positions, so don't think that playing this hole just once is enough to fully enjoy its possibilities.

Short par 3's are generally thought to be easy and docile. On Dell Urich Golf Course(Randolph's neighbor), the par 3 #17 signature hole plays more like the traditional Sunday pin at Sawgrass's #17, where inaccurate tee shots fly into the water as the players' standings plummet. Dell Urich's #17 is not an island green, though, it just plays like one. Water encases the green's front and right side; a bunker and trees enclose the remainder. Afraid of the water, no one entertains the possibility of going for the pin. Instead, they go long, the small firm green sending shot after shot into the back bunker. Possibly the scariest play in golf, the next shot can only be a sandblast toward the cup, with water looming if you catch too much ball. If you do get up-and-down, pat yourself on the back; you just made an all-world sandie.

Very rarely does a tee shot require a change of direction midway through flight. One that does is El Rio Golf Course's #18, which plays around their driving range 100 yards, then abruptly doglegs to the right. The drive is a slicer's dream. If used correctly you may have as little as 200 yards, but more likely around 270 yards remaining. A net protecting the parking lot allows you to take a rip on the second without fear of losing the ball. Left side bunkers and a long green are the only obstacles remaining. The green runs slower uphill than it appears, adding an extra stroke onto most scorecards.

The best hole needs to not only be enjoyable while challenging, but offer something different each time you tee it up. Time after time these 5 holes entice you to return for another round so that you can challenge them again.