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Rio Rico Resort & Country Club

Rio Rico Resort & Country Club

Book online and get discount tee times at Rio Rico Resort & Country Club

Rio Rico Golf Club and Tubac Resort named top hidden gems in Arizona!

The automobile club of Arizona, in its recent monthly magazine, Highroads, was named the top hidden gems in Arizona. Rio Rico was named #1 and Tubac was rated #2. The article describes Rio Rico with “fabulous foothills with mountain backdrops” and one of Robert Trent Jones signature golf courses.

Rio Rico’s management was recently changed, with LMT Management taking over in late fall. Numerous changes are being made, with the goal of re-establishing Rio Rico as the finest championship course in southern Arizona.

In recognition of this great honor, Rio Rico will be offering a special for all Golf Now members though the month of January. Any GolfNow reservations will include a free lunch and fountain drink. GolfNow players will be able to order any item off the menu including our famous 1/3 pound Rio Rico burger. This offer will continue until the end of the month.

Robert Trent Jones did not invent golf course architecture, it only seems that way. In a career that spanned nearly 70 years, Jones built or rebuilt some 400 courses in 45 states in the U.S. and 35 countries worldwide, with more than three dozen of them having played host to national or international championships. Still, the numbers tell only part of the story.

Jones made an art form of heroic architecture, institutionalizing the risk-reward shot in modern courses. With his often quoted philosophy to make every hole a hard par but an easy bogey, he also had a profound impact on tournament golf. Jones built or remodeled some of the most muscular courses the pros have ever faced, including Firestone, Hazeltine, Spyglass hill, Baltusrol and Oak Hill. In his early years Jones’ designs often created criticism as too severe, and the complaints from the pros reached a crescendo when he remodeled Oakland Hills for the 1951 U.S. Open. When a victorious Ben Hogan boasted of having brought that “monster to its knees” and Herbert Warren Wind followed with a complimentary and widely read-article in The New Yorker Magazine, Jones was introduced to a mass audience and the cult of the golf course architect was born.

Jones was born in Ince, England, in 1906, and he immigrated with his parents to Rochester, N.Y., three years later. He was a scratch golfer by his early teens but an ulcer sidelined him from tournament competition. A high school dropout, Jones was working as a draftsman for a railroad company when the famous world architect Donald Ross came to Rochester to build Oak Hill. Jones was fascinated with what he saw, and in short order, he parlayed some golf connections into a special entry to Cornell University. There he designed his own course of studies to prepare for a career in golf course architecture, and although his special status failed to earn him a degree, he learned his lessons well enough that in 1930 he formed a partnership with Canadian architect Stanley Thompson to build and remodel golf courses.

Jones’ first masterwork came in 1948 when he collaborated with Bobby Jones on Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta (to avoid confusion, Jones adopted the name Trent, from the river in England, and it stuck). Peachtree had all the design features that would become Trent Jones hallmarks: enormous, subtly-contoured greens that offered a host of pin positions, expansive tees that permitted numerous setups, unobtrusive hazards and a fanatical devotion to preserving the land’s natural beauty.

Trent Jones brought an unmistakable showmanship to his craft. This was never more evident than in the wake of his remodeling of Baltusrol’s Lower Course in 1952, when a particularly outspoken member criticized the newly-designed fourth hole, a 194-yard par-3 over water. Eager to rebuff the sniping, Jones grabbed a spoon and heroically marched his critic and a few bystanders to the tee. He took a swing and the ball took one hop and dived into the hole for a hole in one! “Gentlemen,” said Jones, “I think the hole is eminently fair.” Jones, who spent his final years confined to a wheelchair, held sway in 2000 at 93. After having one stroke, he awakened in his hospital bed to see his two sons at his bedside. “What are you doing here?” he questioned. “You had a little setback,” he was told. “You had a stroke.” “Do I have to count it,” he asked.

Jones finished the construction of Rio Rico in 1971, at the height of his career. His philosophy of risk reward architecture is never more evident than at Rio Rico. Huge bunkers and greens, strategically placed hazards, and multiple dog legs all place a premium on shot making. Jones also was obsessed with making sure the lay-out complimented and even improved the natural beauty of the land- and he achieved it with Rio Rico GC. With a championship length of 7200 yards, Rio Rico has been the site of multiple PGA sponsored events. .

Course Information for Rio Rico Resort & Country Club

Facility Information:
General: 18 hole regulation length course
1 golf course(s)

Rio Rico Resort & Country Club Information:
General: 18 hole regulation length course
Daily Fee golf course
Designed by Robert Trent Jones, ASGCA
72 par, 7,119 yards
72.9 rating, 128 slope
Resort facility

Staff: Contact: Larry Taylor, General Manager
Golf Professional: Steve Henderson


Amenities:
Putting Green
Chipping Area
Practice Bunker
Food & Beverage Available
Pull Carts
Rental Clubs
Lessons Available
Driving Range
Banquet Facilities
Conference Facilities
Showers
Lockers
Bar
Rider Fee
Golf Lessons & Clinics


Rules/Notes:
Walking Allowed
Softspike Facility
PGA Facility
Family friendly

Scorecard:
Front Nine
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out
Mens 426 569 170 359 179 392 474 431 407 3407
Ladies 360 490 133 314 143 342 441 352 340 2915
Handicap 3 11 9 13 15 5 17 1 7  
Par 4 5 3 4 3 4 5 4 4 36
Back Nine
Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In
Mens 510 332 152 422 360 419 367 162 555 3279
Ladies 467 278 97 349 329 346 291 113 464 2734
Handicap 6 18 16 8 12 2 10 14 4  
Par 5 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 5 36


Rio Rico, AZ

Current Conditions 93° Sunny High: 94° F Low: 52° F

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Rio Rico Resort & Country Club 2.6 5 88 88
Playing conditions are much improved since January, and the course desighn is one of the best I was at Rio Rico in Jan. and saw pictures of what the course looked like in Oct., when the current mgmt team took over. The course had almost been overtaken by the elements and had been restored to a playable condition. I returned in April and was very pleased with the improved conditions and playability of the course. Rio Rico is one of the best designed courses I have ever played, and I've held a single digit index for over 45 years. Challenging yet fair. I think its imprtant that players use the correct tee box according to their ability, to maintain pace of play, though I played 3 days in well under 4 hrs. can't wait to return in June, when i believe the course will be a true 5 star golf resort. My review of the Golf Now web design is not so good. Every time I click outside the review box, say to respond to an IM, I lose everything and need to start over from scratch. Golf Now please address this. April 6, 2013
OK, but could easily be great! No golf marshall to help with the pace of play. Older gentlemen playing from the wrong tee made this game unbearably long. DIDN'T ANYONE TELL THEM ABOUT PLAYING IT FORWARD? Staff in the shop were great. Greens were coming along, need water and time, Tee boxes were so/so. Red were nothing more than sand and weed, but playable. Still challenging and loads of potential. Marshalls need to speed up the play. April 3, 2013
Getting back in shape! I Have been a member at RRGC for ten years now. From 2005-2008 the course was pristine and lush. Over the past few years this beautiful layout was completly neglected. It was absoluty horrible! Since the new management came in this year I have seen a tremendous changes in the conditions and the way things are run. I reluctantly joined the club again this year and to my amazement the new guys completly surpassed my expectations. It is still going to take time to get the greens, teeboxes and fairways back to the way they were but be patient I truly believe it is going to happen. The people that are writting negative reviews really do not understand how much improvement has taken place. Give it a try! March 30, 2013
Robert Trent jones would be embarrassed Everything needs work, greens, fairways. Winter kill? Financial kill? March 30, 2013
Good Robert Trent Jones layout, but needs extensive regrow in fairways & greens IT'S ALL THERE, but needs to be brought back to what Robert Trent Jones had intended. i.. Re-seeding is needed in many spots. Some greens have lost their original shape and need to be brought back (ie.Nos. 7&9) and green surrounds need to be developed to improve the pitching game. Ladies tees are really in need of a lot of work. This might sound too critical ,but if my suggestions are done, this course would be a 5 star course. March 27, 2013
Good course design; terrible condition Though the course design is good, the condition was absolutly terrible. Tee boxes, fairways, bunkers, and greens need a whole lot of work. Very good on-line price made the outing tolerable. Will not play this course again. March 24, 2013
Pretty Pretty rough around the edges but could be a really nice course. Greens were really slow compared to what we have been playing. March 24, 2013
Good round of golf. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. This is a very good course. It is overly dry, needs irrigation. March 23, 2013
Huge improvement in course since we started playing down there in January. They are really putting time, effort and money into improving the course. Farways and greens are improving weekly. Some fairways a little bare. Greens have shown the biggest improvement since January. They have gone from being barely green and mostly sand to rolling fairly consistantly. The course is on an even par with most of the Green Valley courses (except the Haven which is in great shape) and much better than the Ignacios, North and South. We enjoy playing there and it is a good value for the money. March 23, 2013
good layout -- course needs attention I realize that it is still spring. However, I have played several other courses in the area this month and found the overall condition of most courses to be in better condition; especially the greens. The fairways had been aerated and possibly seeded but the condition was still not too good. The price for green fees was comparable with the other courses in the general area. The Trent Jones layout was nice and I may play this course again if the general course maintenance improves. March 22, 2013
Not too Bad...BUT... The layout was fun! Slightly challenging but playable!! Course was not in the best of shape...Would recommend playing it once but try to catch it when in it is in good shape. Was not bad, just felt more like a city course than a resort course, plus tack on the drive, one would be better served playing Canoa/Quail Creek/Torres Blances or even the Haven... March 18, 2013
challenging , especially in the wind Over all course very green however fairways so hard one can not take a divot, greens are very shaggy, need to be cut. More water is needed to soften the fairways. Price on Golf Now was right. Not worth any more. March 16, 2013
Thin lies on fairway. Bumpy greens. Lots of roll. Fairway grass still has not filled in and is sparse in areas. Conssequently, be prepared to hit off of thin lies and to have your ball roll a long way on drives or long irons, sometimes so much you roll into trouble.. Greens need attention as well. There are bumpy areas on almost all greens, Putts will waver on the way to the hole. March 15, 2013
Good value for the price paid Course is in OK condition, but we didn't pay top dollar, and felt what we got was a good value for what we paid. Course is long and worth the drive. Every hole is interesting. March 4, 2013
Usually a fun course, some easy holes and some difficult. I play this course perhaps 4-5 times each winter. This year the course is not in its usual good condition. Both fairways and greens were thin of grass and fairly dried out. The staff, however, was very good, and the round was a decent bargain, especially because lunch and drink were a part of the green fees. I probably will not play the course again this winter, so I hope the course is in better condition next winter. March 3, 2013
poor course conditions This course has great potential it was fun to play it has a great restaurant and proshop staff was very good if I lived closer I would play again but in the shape it is in not worth the 1:30 hr drive. February 28, 2013
Robert T Jones design. Well placed traps. Course used to be in better shape. Fairways/traps below average. Apparently they "lost" some greens last year, so they have been overseeding/watering to bring back. Greens used to be fast/true/smooth. Now bumpy, slower. Too bad. February 26, 2013
This course was well designed for the terrain but has not been well maintained reducing its enjoyability. Maintenance needs to learn some very basic things like how to install the cups on the green - several were raised from the putting surface. Greens were rough and were in desperate need of care and attention. February 21, 2013
Great lay out, I love the dog legs. greens need work and someone to keep play moving Play was a little slow ,some foursomes had holes open infront of them and didn't allow others to play thru . The greens are still in rough shape but getting better. This is still a fun course to play and will play again. February 19, 2013
course is vastly improved from a year ago verry nine in the last several years the couse has been alowed to deteriorate but new it is beeing improved it should soon be back to the course of old. (really good ) on our reservation lunch was included, a good lunch so it makes this a great value February 18, 2013
tough from the black tees Course is in good overall conditon and the greens were very good. Love the layout! February 18, 2013
Recovery of this very good classic course not yet complete. This course is a great Robert Trent Jones Sr classic design. I played it often over the years. However, it was neglected last year and deteriorated significantly. New owner seems committed to bringing it back but started too late to make it really playable this winter. I recommend waiting until next fall to ay it. I sure hope it comes back! February 17, 2013
This course is making an amazing recovery! Since new owners took over last fall the greens have been improving steadily, the fairways are great, the sand traps well-cared for and the friendly staff with a nice restaurant/bar make for a very enjoyable golf experience. February 16, 2013
The course in coming back after being neglected but the staff is courteous and helpful. The course has some challenging holes but some of the women's tee's are all sand. The staff is working hard to bring it back into condition. February 9, 2013
Nice layout but poor condition The greens were pitted and bumpy the tee boxes were muddy around them from watering during the day and very thin grass on them. Glad we got a deal I would hate to think we would pay over $25 per until conditions improve. Would not take guest there unless it was a real good deal. We just considered it a practice round. The two groups in front of us (from Minnesota) were very slow and had one behind us hitting into us as we were walking off the 9th green don't know where he thought he was going we were waiting on every tee box! There is NO excuse for that it's just stupid! Played horrable on the back between the slow pokes in front of us and anxious behind us.. February 8, 2013
Nice course with many sand traps. I enjoyed playing the course. With so many sand traps and water in play, it makes for a challenging but very fun day. February 8, 2013
Lunch was great A geart design is very good, esp the first nine last 4 holes. Condition was not good, overseed has not taken hold fully yet. In March it will be much better, they are trying hard to bring it up to speed. Greens on the front nine were not cut, but the back side was. I would not play there again till March. The free lunch was great February 7, 2013
Give it a couple of months and with warmer temps, this course will be back in great shape. The management is working hard to bring this great course back to it's original condition. The sand traps are full of new fine grain sand and the trap edges are being cleaned up. The fairways are good now and will be better when the temps get into the 80's and above. The greens are bumpy and slow now, but given time I am sure they will be back to their speedy and smooth conditions. Give it a try and I'm sure you will enjoy it. February 5, 2013
This course was fun to play. This course is not in as good condition as it was 20 years ago. It does appear as if they are trying to get it into better condition. February 2, 2013
Great layout in beautiful area. Love course. Greens need lot of work. Should not allow 5somes. February 1, 2013
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NOTE: While every effort has been made to assure accuracy, we advise you to check all information with the golf course before booking your tee-time or driving to the course.
Rio Rico Resort & Country Club
1123 Pendleton
Rio Rico, AZ 85648-1610


URL: Course Website