del Lago Golf Club

I have been playing at Del Lago since 2007 and as our golf superintendent changed this year our greens have become quite inconsistent and no longer are being rolled which is a bummer. I also had the pleasure of meeting the owner a few times and learned that he was committed to new bunkers and removing some of them that aren't really in play for easier maintenance moving forward. I even paid an extra $500 in my membership this year to offset the cost for this work effort. However, the work was never completed but they kept the money just the same. If you play with decent irons I would play elsewhere as your clubs will be damaged hitting out of the bunkers as rocks are simply to common place.

I do hope that things improve as I live so close to the course and have enjoyed the people and the layout has so much opportunity but am not sure ownership sees it the same way.

Play well players!

This is the course I’ve probably played more than any other over the past 15 years or so. There was a time when it was probably my favorite in the Tucson area, but upkeep has gone downhill a bit in recent years. It has an incredible layout and variety of challenges. If they were to invest some money and give it a refresh I think it would be nearly world class.

The course was in suprisingly good condition considering the summer weather. The greens were in good shape as well as the fairways. The terrain was varied and challenging at times. We pretty much had the course to ourselves. The restaurant service was good and the food and beer was good.

Golf course is in very nice shape, as far as fairway & greens.. Greens a bit slow, due to heat. However the sand traps are terrible.

Monsoon season has arrived in the high desert which means afternoon golf is both entertaining and risky. Del Lago is nestled in a neighborhood in Vail and has some good views of the Rincon Mountains nearby and Mt Lemmon in the distance. There are some fun elevated tees, challenging blind dog legs, and frequent winds which makes you think about what club to hit whether it’s a head, tail or cross wind. I learned that again as I hit my 7 iron on #7. I hit it solid and watched the head wind grab it and drop it 5 yards shy of the green with the pin in the back. Of course the opposite is quite fun when I hit my tee shot on #10 with a tail wind 335 yards when I usually average around 260-280 depending on how solidify I hit it. It’s an elevated tee shot with a downhill landing, so on a tailwind day, you get both aids! On this day, I played the front nine and a monsoon started to threaten which brought lightning. I don’t do lightning. So, at the turn, I came inside and waited it out. Once the lightning finished, I ended up playing the back 9 in an hour and 15 minutes because most had left!

The positives: Greens are green. Fairways are green. Tees are green. The course is in great shape. It’s a course that brings some good challenges and has something for every level of player in my opinion. If you’re advanced then hit from the tips and test that experience. If you’re not a long ball hitter then hit from the second tees. It takes a lot of the desert out and allows for a nice round. I split the difference and play from the gold tees. The people here are nice. I’ve interacted with multiple people in the golf shop, marshalls, and cart gals. They’ve all been fantastic.

The negatives: The sand traps are awful. And I mean awful. They’re more like compacted mud with rocks to chip your irons traps. What is it with Tucson and sand traps with dirt and rocks instead of actual sand??? Honestly, I take a drop every time I get in one. I don’t want to chip my clubs. It’s a pretty big negative because I like the challenge of sand play, but I refuse to play out of these. Seems to be a thing in the high desert at other courses as well. The only other negative is picky and that is that the greens were really slow. That being said, I get it. It’s summertime here and cutting them to the point it takes to make them fast would probably kill them with the desert heat. I’ve played this course in the fall, winter and spring and the greens are quicker those times of year.

All in all, this course is well worth it especially for a hot rate!

Course was amazing like always! Monsoon rolled in and got us a tad wet but the course handled the water like a champ!!

Course in good shape - greens a bit on the slow side- fill the lakes back up - that is awful

Great course but wish the traps were all sand, free of rocks. Also would love to see carts with GPS capabilities.

Bunkers are unmaintained and everywhere. I love the layout of the course but if you find a bunker you’re likely going to cause damage to your clubs trying to hit out of them. There are a lot of rocks in the bunkers and they are larger than your golf ball. If you’re gonna play here, agree before the round that all bunkers are free drops and you won’t have to replace a club after the round. Played a round in 2019 and found an old pair of underwear in the bunker next to my ball. Not worth the drive to Vail. Save your money and frustration and go play a muni instead. The photo is from 2019. Bunkers are worse following the pandemic.

We've played several courses around here lately, and this course is in better condition than the others...including some of the resort courses. Fairways, rough, tees and greens in good shape.

Only downfall was the 19th hole. Service was horrible from the restaurant. Food was good but had to chase down the server to order drinks, to get menus, to get refills of beverages and to get our bill. No one managing the shop. Probably explains why the only other customer in the place was at the bar.

It was another enjoyable round at del Lago on Memorial Day. I've been playing the course a little more often because they've been offering more decent deals online. I've always liked del Lago because it's not merely a grip it and rip it course. You do use driver, but not all the time. There are multiple options on every hole. Lots of fun. I wasn't on my game today and paid the price for it. Del Lago isn't overly punitive, but you will be punished when you deserve it. I deserved it. Doesn't change my opinion. The greens were a little slow today. It looks like the superintendent is letting them stay a little shaggy to offset the heat. Be aware of that. Some putts came up short early in the round.

The course does not seem to be maintained all that weel. There was not a bunker on the course that was maintained with sand. They looked as if you were hit out of a rock quarry. The greens were just ok. The fairways were below best standards. This used to be a beautifully maintained course. Not now. The price was $45 for an afternoon Tee time. That is way too much for having to take a drop out of every bunker. I had great experiences in the past. However, would not play here again until they brought it back to the old standards. The starter was terrific and top notch