When Jack Nicklaus designed the three nine-hole layouts at La Paloma three decades ago, he was still competing in events such as the Masters and the U.S. Open. The following year The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa was built, and the courses have become a defining feature of the property.
The private La Paloma Country Club, with roughly 380 members, has seen renewed energy since Troon Golf assumed management and Patrick Galloway became general manager. While the club is private, guests of The Westin La Paloma Resort can enjoy the courses, and Troon manages pace of play to ensure an enjoyable round. “Each Troon course has its own time that it should take to play; as each course is different, so each time is different,” Galloway says. A recent $35 million renovation refreshed the resort and enhanced playing conditions, including upgraded greens and fairways and new white sand in the bunkers. Long celebrated for dramatic desert scenery and sweeping views of the Santa Catalina Mountains, La Paloma has earned numerous honors from golf publications and industry associations.
I played the Ridge and Canyon nines with Patrick Galloway, George Bon (sales manager at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa) and Steve White, a member of Global Traveler’s subscriber Globility Board. Our visit included two days of meetings at the resort with Starwood executives and advisors about the habits of entrepreneurial travelers, including how golf fits into their routines.
Ridge Course
Hole 1 | 381 yards, par 4
After a morning of meetings, we were ready to tee off. All four of us found good drives, setting up promising approaches. From the tee, favor the left-center of the fairway; fairway bunkers line the right and many drives tend to kick right on landing. I misjudged the strong desert wind and overshot the green, while Steve and George came up a bit short. Patrick — who joked he’d only played three times that year — hit the green and two-putted for the lone par. The greens at La Paloma feature significant undulation, which makes putting a true test.
Hole 2 | 411 yards, par 4
There are no flattering photos on a scorecard, and my drive proved it by finding a right fairway bunker after an unfortunate bounce. The safer play is left and forward of that bunker. My recovery shot was a scorcher that sailed through the green, off the back; a smart chip to a few inches secured an unlikely par.
Hole 5 | 420 yards, par 4
This classic Nicklaus dogleg left played long with the Catalina winds. We carded bogeys across the board except for Steve, who hit the green in regulation for par. Big hitters can cut the corner to shorten the approach, but a large bunker on the right will punish a slice, and another bunker fronts the left of the green. Often listed as the Ridge’s toughest hole, it offers plenty of places to lose a score.
Hole 7 | 171 yards, par 3
Hole 7 appears straightforward but can be deceptive. Patrick stuck his tee shot close enough to the flag to convert a birdie. I made a messy recovery after hitting a rock but salvaged par. Average players who avoid the right-side bunker should be rewarded, but the green’s contours and the bunker make club selection and execution critical.
Canyon Course
Hole 5 | 542 yards, par 5
Ranked among the most demanding on the Canyon nine, this par 5 requires a sequence of strong shots to score well. It took me two shots to get inside 100 yards, and then I misjudged an approach, turning an 80-yard pitch into a longer shot that cost me a bogey. A wash runs in front of the green, complete with access steps to the bottom, and it can be a harsh place to end up. Steve found the wash and paid for it with a double bogey, while Patrick converted a birdie and George managed a steady par.
Canyon Course Hole 7, looking back © Francis X. Gallagher
Hole 7 | 445 yards, par 4
This signature Canyon hole combines dramatic scenery with strategic challenge. A wash on the left catches many players off guard, and the green sits 30 to 35 feet above the fairway with a dead zone in front. The elevation change and the green’s contours demand careful club selection and a confident stroke.
Hole 8 | 211 yards, par 3
I committed fully and pulled a shot that looked ideal as it headed toward the flag, then cleared the protective bunker and bounced up before trickling back into the sand. Nicklaus-designed bunkering can be merciless. Patrick sailed over the green but managed a neat chip-in birdie, putting even more pressure on my recovery from the bunker.
Hole 9 | 418 yards, par 4
A fitting finishing hole with a narrow fairway and twin bunkers lining the left side of a slight dogleg right. George and Steve hit powerful drives throughout the day and again here; George’s ball found the desert slope while Steve’s landed near-perfect and allowed a comfortable par. The hole demands accuracy — spraying the ball rarely rewards the player at La Paloma.
La Paloma Country Club
3660 E. Sunrise Drive
Tucson, AZ 85718
tel 520 299 1500
lapalomacc.com