The Gallery GC, Marana. North Course by John Fought and Tom Lehman, 1998.
This course played as the second course for the Tucson Open for one year, and so I recall hearing a lot of discussion about the behemoth ninth hole, a par 5 of 725 yards. I had always been under the impression that the tee for this hole was high up on a mountainside, for some reason, but when I played here I was surprised to find out that’s not the case. The hole does run downhill steadily for most of its length, but it’s nothing overly dramatic. Just a serious three-shot hole.
The North Course plays much more up on the hillside than the better known South, which hosted the WGC Match Play for a couple years. Thus it has some pretty holes, especially the 14th which bends its way back into the hillside, and the 15th, which is one of those par 3s with two greens. Search me as to why that was necessary here.
On the other hand, the 6th is a pretty awkward way to try to get down the hill and most of the rest is fine but not special.
Arizona 3rd Decile [2013]
ardentgolfer.com 