Dove Mountain golf: who can play the Nicklaus 27, The Gallery and The Highlands
Dove Mountain golf explained: the Nicklaus 27 is for Ritz-Carlton guests and members, The Gallery is private, and The Highlands sells public tee times.
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Dove Mountain golf in Marana means three clubs. The Golf Club at Dove Mountain, a 27-hole Nicklaus course, is open only to Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain guests and members. The Gallery's two courses are private. The Highlands at Dove Mountain is the one that sells public tee times.
If you saw the Match Play here on TV and want to play it, the answer is a Ritz-Carlton stay. If you just want to golf in the Dove Mountain foothills, there is a cheaper way. This guide covers status, access and the alternatives.
Quick facts
- The Golf Club at Dove Mountain: open; Ritz-Carlton guests and members only.
- Holes: 27 (Saguaro, Tortolita, Wild Burro), Jack Nicklaus Signature, opened 2009.
- Owner: Escalante Golf since 2016, with The Gallery.
- Peak rates: $250 to $360 for 18 (2024 listing).
- The Gallery North and South: private, members and invited guests.
- The Highlands at Dove Mountain: public tee times on GolfNow, $39.99 to $47.99 in September 2026.
- Drive: about 38 minutes from downtown Tucson.
The three Dove Mountain golf clubs
| Club | Holes | Back tees | Designer | Who can play | Fee seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Golf Club at Dove Mountain | 27 | 7,849 (77.1/147) | Jack Nicklaus | Ritz-Carlton guests and members | $250-$360 (2024 listing) |
| The Gallery, North | 18 | 7,384 | John Fought and Tom Lehman | Members and invited guests | Private |
| The Gallery, South | 18 | 7,468 | John Fought | Members and invited guests | Private |
| The Highlands at Dove Mountain | 18 | 6,904 | Not published | Public tee times (GolfNow) | $39.99-$47.99 (Sept 2026) |
The 7,849-yard figure is the Tournament tee on the Tortolita and Saguaro routing.
The Golf Club at Dove Mountain
This is the Jack Nicklaus Signature course that opened in 2009 on the slope of the Tortolita Mountains: high Sonoran desert target golf. It has three nines, Saguaro, Tortolita and Wild Burro; Wild Burro is 3,897 yards from the back tees on its own. The club newsletter describes work on the Saguaro nine that softened greens and added forward tees, but no date was found.
Its tour history is the draw. The WGC-Accenture Match Play was played here from 2009 to 2014 on Tortolita and Saguaro, and LIV Golf Tucson came in 2023. Golf Digest Arizona ranked it #25 for 2025-26.
| Tee (Saguaro/Tortolita) | Yards | Par | Rating / slope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tournament | 7,849 | 72 | 77.1 / 147 |
| Blue | 7,240 | 72 | Not published |
| Copper | 6,811 | 72 | Not published |
| Yellow | 6,334 | 72 | Not published |
| Green | 5,283 | 72 | Not published |
Most visitors play the Yellow tees at 6,334 yards. The Tournament tees are for very good players only. The Dove Mountain course guide has the details.
Who can play Dove Mountain golf
Escalante Golf owns The Golf Club at Dove Mountain together with The Gallery, and the two are sold as one membership, the Clubs of Dove Mountain, with 63 holes. Tee times at The Golf Club are open to members and to guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. Since the 2016 purchase it has not been a public course for non-guests.
The Ritz-Carlton's golf page, read on October 26, 2026, offered tee times to resort guests and members from 7 AM to 4 PM daily. Guests book through Guest Relations, the club (520-572-3500) or the EZLinks tee sheet. The booking window is not published. The club dropped the Ritz-Carlton name in 2012-13, but the hotel is still a Ritz-Carlton.
What a Dove Mountain stay costs
The green fee seen was $250 to $360 for 18 at peak high-season times, with dynamic pricing and cart included, from a listing last updated in 2024. No 2026 rate card was found.
The Ritz-Carlton is the priciest base in the area on add-ons seen in 2026:
- Resort charge: about $68.73 a night on travel-agent listings; the official amount was not shown.
- Parking: valet only, $42 a day on the Ritz-Carlton site.
- Perks: complimentary club rentals and lessons enrollment for guests, per listings.
Dated room rates could not be read for 2026-27. The golf club is about 38 minutes from downtown and 49 minutes from the airport Hampton Inn. See Tucson golf resorts compared and which Tucson golf resort is worth it.
The Gallery: private
The Gallery's North course (1998, Fought and Lehman, 7,384 yards) ranked #29 in Golf Digest Arizona for 2025-26. The South course (Fought, 7,468 yards) is firm and links-style and hosted the WGC-Accenture Match Play in 2007 and 2008. It used to rotate one course open to the public, but since 2016 it has been fully private. Our private golf clubs in Tucson guide covers it.
The Highlands at Dove Mountain: the public way in
The Highlands is the golf club of the Heritage Highlands 55+ community, 9 minutes from the Ritz-Carlton. GolfNow sells public prepaid tee times, and groups under four are paired. September 2026 Hot Deals were $39.99 to $47.99 with cart, far below the Dove Mountain rate seen. It plays 6,904 yards from the Rattler tees. It did not appear in nearby tee-time listings for October 27, 2026, which may mean overseed, so check before an autumn round. The Highlands course guide has more.
Other courses within reach
| Course | From the Ritz-Carlton | Fee seen (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Crooked Tree | 24 min | $42.95-$63.17 (Oct 27) |
| El Conquistador (Conquistador) | 25 min | $46.69-$85.79 (Oct 27) |
| Omni Tucson National Catalina | 29 min | Not published |
For a cheaper bed, the Holiday Inn Express Tucson North - Marana is about 25 minutes from Dove Mountain and 2 minutes from Quarry Pines. Our Marana golf guide covers the area, and best golf courses in Tucson ranks Dove Mountain against the rest.
Is a Ritz-Carlton stay worth it for the golf?
Yes, if you want the Match Play course and are happy to pay for it. The Nicklaus 27 is one of only a few Tucson courses with real tour history, and as a guest you get it, plus complimentary club rentals per listings, without needing a member.
No, if you are counting costs or want to play widely. Peak green fees were $250 to $360 in 2024, the resort charge and valet add more than $100 a night on the figures seen, and the golf club is about 38 minutes from downtown and 49 from the airport Hampton Inn. Every other round on your trip starts with a drive.
Middle path: one or two nights at the Ritz-Carlton to play Dove Mountain, then a cheaper base in Marana or Oro Valley for The Highlands, Crooked Tree, El Conquistador and Omni Tucson National.
Closed courses nearby
Don't confuse Dove Mountain with Vistoso. The Golf Club at Vistoso, a Tom Weiskopf course in Oro Valley, suspended operations on June 1, 2018, and its land became a nature preserve. Old booking pages are stale. See closed golf courses in Tucson.
When to go
Dove Mountain is in the Tortolita foothills northwest of town. The season runs November to April, with March the best weather month at Tucson airport (about 76F highs). Overseed dates were not published for the Nicklaus course. See best time to golf in Tucson.
Plan it on the map
Open the Tucson golf map to see all three Dove Mountain golf clubs, the Ritz-Carlton and the public courses nearby, with drive times. The $30 plan can work a Ritz-Carlton stay, or a cheaper Marana base with The Highlands, into your trip.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Can the public play Dove Mountain golf?
Not The Golf Club at Dove Mountain. Its tee times are open to members and to guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, and it has not been a public course for non-guests since Escalante Golf bought it in 2016. The Highlands at Dove Mountain, a community course nearby, does sell public tee times.
Is The Golf Club at Dove Mountain still open?
Yes. The Ritz-Carlton's golf page, read October 26, 2026, offered tee times to resort guests and members from 7 AM to 4 PM daily, and the club's booking link was live. No sale or closure was reported after the 2016 Escalante purchase.
How do Ritz-Carlton guests book Dove Mountain?
Through the resort's Guest Relations team, the club on 520-572-3500 or the EZLinks tee sheet. The booking window is not published. Listings say resort guests get complimentary club rentals.
How much is Dove Mountain golf?
A where2golf listing, last updated in 2024, gave $250 to $360 for 18 holes at peak high-season times, with dynamic pricing and cart included. No 2026 rate card was found, so treat that as a guide only.
Can I play The Gallery Golf Club?
Only with a member. The Gallery's North and South courses are private, for members and their invited guests. Escalante made the club fully private after buying it in 2016, and it is sold with The Golf Club at Dove Mountain as the Clubs of Dove Mountain membership.
Where was the Match Play played at Dove Mountain?
The WGC-Accenture Match Play was played at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain from 2009 to 2014 on the Tortolita and Saguaro nines. Before that, The Gallery's South course hosted it in 2007 and 2008. LIV Golf Tucson was held at Dove Mountain in 2023.
How far is Dove Mountain from Tucson?
The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is about 38 minutes and 23.4 miles from downtown Tucson on our routed estimate. From the Hampton Inn at Tucson International Airport it is about 49 minutes.
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