Tucson Country Club

Overview: Tucson Country Club is a private 18-hole parkland course in the heart of northeast Tucson. William P. Bell shaped the layout in 1947, and the current top listed tee measures 6,954 yards at par 72. Tall mature trees, subtle green contours and a lowland setting create a Midwestern-style contrast to the surrounding Sonoran Desert. The course is designed to be walked, with length, bunkering and quiet breaks in the greens providing the challenge rather than constant elevation change. It is one of Tucson’s established private golf institutions and a useful reference point for the city’s older golf tradition.

History: The club was established by Tucsonans who acquired a large ranch in 1947 and developed both a country-club community and an 18-hole course. Its tournament history includes 19 USGA Championship Qualifiers, eight Arizona Amateurs, the 1964 Western Amateur, the 1982 USGA Senior Amateur and the 1992 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur. Dr. Edgar Updegraff, one of the region’s most accomplished amateurs, was closely associated with the club. A 2023 renovation by Mike Gogel refreshed the course while the Bell routing remained the foundation.

Did You Know? The fairways rise from former ranch and farming land, including ground once associated with the Navajo and Yavapai communities. The club’s tall trees now create a green corridor in the middle of Tucson.