Our first day, we played The Golf Club at Vistoso, a 6,954 yard desert course with 4 sets of tees to accommodate any type of golfer. Tee off was a challenge on some holes as you required a drive over the desert to reach the pristine fairways. If that wasn't tough enough, a number of second shots required the same type of shot to reach the green. Once there, you deal with subtle undulations that let you know you may not be as good a putter as you thought. The desert scenery is spectacular throughout the golf course and the wild large jack rabbits with 18" ears were amazing to see wandering around the course.

On Monday, we drove about five miles down the road to play the Hilton El Conquistador course, a 6,801 yard resort course. This course winds through numerous stands of mesquite trees, offering a park-like feel in a desert landscape. Waste bunkers kept the course tight but fair with well bunkered manicured greens. Lunch at the clubhouse afterward with a few cold ones added to a very enjoyable day. That night we had dinner at one of the complimentary restaurants, Cibaria Cucina Italiana, a family run venture featuring innovative Italian cuisine. I can say with certainty that no one went home hungry that night.

Tuesday, we drove to Arizona National Golf Club. This is a must play golf course for anyone going to Tucson. It is desert golf at its finest. The golf course meanders among the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains and the surrounding vistas are unmatched by any golf club in the Tucson area. From atop tee blocks there are panoramic views that stretch across Tucson to Mexico. The clubs diverse 6,785 yard course will test the very limits of any golfer's ability.

Next day we visited the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort with its three nine hole courses, Coyote, Rattler & Roadrunner. Picturesque desert scenery and century old cacti loom over fairways and surround tees making it a golf day to remember. Standing on the tee, you're looking straight up a hill with a rocky form of a mountain visible over the crest of the ultra-green fairway. The pin? Well, it's back around a bend, or down the hill. There are definitely a few blind shots to greens brilliantly tucked into the mountainside. These courses will make you realize why you love the game and also why you hate it. You are certainly going to make some donations to the desert, so bring lots of golf balls.

On day five and six we revisited Arizona National and The Club at Vistoso to see if we could improve on our golf scores and once again enjoy the scenic desert courses. Well, at least the scenery was beautiful. That night we dined at "Sullivan's Steakhouse", a first class bistro featuring steak, martinis and jazz. For non-meat eaters, the seafood dishes are exceptional. Don't leave without having one of their homemade desserts… they're to die for. Live entertainment and an extensive wine list rounded out an outstanding dinner for our last night in Tucson.