Tucson

Often overlooked in favor of the Phoenix/Scottsdale area about 90 minutes north, Tucson, Arizona holds its own and then some as a golf destination. With a little more elevation than the Valley of the Sun, Tucson is slightly cooler in the late spring, summer and fall, making it a good year-round golf destination.

Although Tucson doesn't have nearly as many golf resorts as Scottsdale, Tucson resorts certainly hold their own, starting with Casino Del Sol and its $25 million Sewailo golf course designed by former PGA Tour player Notah Begay III and Ty Butler.

The area is also home to Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, where much of the movie "Tin Cup" was filmed, as well as the former home of the Tucson Open, the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, and the former home of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championships at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain. In addition, Tucson boasts one of the country's better municipal golf scenes, led by the two golf courses at historic Randolph Park.