The Preserve Golf Club
The Preserve Golf Club offers an 18-hole desert course that balances challenging play with scenic views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. With elevated tees and natural terrain shaping varied shot demands, it welcomes golfers seeking both beauty and strategic challenge in a semi-private setting.
Course Overview
The Preserve Golf Club, located in the foothills east of Tucson, Arizona, presents an 18-hole layout that blends natural desert contours with strategically elevated tees and fairways. This semi-private course offers a mix of desert and mountain golf experiences, where players navigate terrain shaped by saguaro cacti, palo verde trees, and rugged rock formations. With its sloping fairways and well-placed bunkers, The Preserve demands thoughtful shot placement but rewards precision over brute force.
From the first tee, the course reveals a subtle progression in difficulty, catering to a wide range of skill levels. The elevated tees enhance visibility and amplify the stunning view of the Santa Catalina Mountains, which serve as a dramatic backdrop throughout the round. Some holes incorporate gentle elevation changes that add variety without overwhelming ambitious walkers, while others introduce risk-reward factors where aggressive approaches can yield birdie opportunities or costly penalties.
The condition of The Preserve Golf Club is consistently praised, especially the firm desert turf and well-maintained greens that test putting technique with subtle breaks. The course’s reputation for enjoying peaceful play rounds and manageable pace reflects a thoughtful design that invites patient strategizing instead of rushed shots.
Although golf carts are available on designated paths only, walking the course is practical and often preferred to absorb the quiet atmosphere and desert vistas. Golfers planning their visit should prepare for limited on-course amenities; while the clubhouse provides essential services, there is no halfway house nor beverage cart during play, making it wise to bring water and snacks.
Overall, The Preserve Golf Club stands out by combining a challenging competitive layout with the distinctive beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Whether seeking a reliable test of golf or a chance to immerse in desert scenery away from urban buzz, this course strikes a balance that appeals to both committed players and those eager for a memorable Southwestern golf experience.
Course Highlights
Distinctive elevated tees provide expansive vistas of the Santa Catalina Mountains, while natural desert vegetation and rock formations create visual interest and strategic hazards. The layout integrates elevation changes smoothly, demanding shot precision and thoughtful course management. Lack of on-course beverage or midway amenities encourages players to plan accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guest Reviews
Leo Guay
A gem in the Tucson area! Played 6 courses in Tucson and Phoenix on a guys trip in November 2024, and this was our favorite! Amazing views and elevated teeboxes on a majority of holes, great condition, fun, peaceful, good pace, friendly staff, everything a golf course should be! Only minor downsides: range is present but not included, they charge hidden extra fees on anything paid with a credit card, no service cart or halfway house, so bring your own lunch or snacks.
Rebecca Griswold
The course is beautiful, the scenery even better! The guy in the pro shop should mention there’s a 3.5% charge for using a credit card. He should also mention there is no beverage cart on the course, so folks could get something right there in the clubhouse. Also surprised to find no GPS on the carts and often the phone signal was weak to non existent to get the information of each hole on our phones. No where on the course is there any water in buckets for wetting a towel. Courses seem to be constantly chasing faster and faster rounds. Four hours, 15 minutes now. Sometimes takes the fun out of it.
Paul Schroeder
Beautiful layout and nice elevation changes. Well worth the travel to get there. Plenty of challenge but mostly fair. The one knock on the course is that sometimes the greens are too shaggy and need to be cut lower to get to normal. Played twice, first time the stimp meter had to be no greater than 6. Next time time was about 8.
Joe Rottman
In a word, stunning. We played here today and enjoyed a round with the snow-capped mountains in the background. It took a while to get to, but 100% worth it. IMHO, the most beautiful course in Tucson!
T. Selmer
This was a hidden gem. Unfortunately, it was a cart path only when we played. It's a beautiful area and the course was a 10
Rebecca Griswold
The course is beautiful, the scenery even better! The guy in the pro shop should mention there’s a 3.5% charge for using a credit card. He should also mention there is no beverage cart on the course, so folks could get something right there in the clubhouse. Also surprised to find no GPS on the carts and often the phone signal was weak to non existent to get the information of each hole on our phones. No where on the course is there any water in buckets for wetting a towel. Courses seem to be constantly chasing faster and faster rounds. Four hours, 15 minutes now. Sometimes takes the fun out of it.
T. Selmer
This was a hidden gem. Unfortunately, it was a cart path only when we played. It's a beautiful area and the course was a 10
Robert Power
Fred Pretorius
A great course but tricky to get to because your GPS may take you to a road that is blocked by gates so plan for extra time to get there...
Henry Tiner
Must know it to score well. Very good
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Course Details
Access & Location
66567 E Catalina Hills Dr, Tucson, AZ 85739, USA
Clubhouse with pro shop and dining facilities
Walking possible and encouraged; course terrain includes desert paths with some elevation—appropriate golf shoes recommended.
Advance tee time reservation recommended; guest play depends on member sponsorship.
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