Widely regarded as one of Arizona's finest public-access golf facilities, Ventana Canyon is home to two excellent desert-style layouts. Occupying pride of place in the centre of the resort, and bordered on both sides by the Canyon course, the Mountain course is a wonderfully natural desert layout, with limited housing flanking the holes. The drama comes early on this wonderfully crafted layout. The short par-3 3rd, played at the highest point on the course, provides one of Arizona's legendary holes. Things continue strongly on the front-nine, so much so, that the back-nine may actually feel a little less spectacular, although the quality of golfing challenges laid down by Tom Fazio continue unabated. Throughout, the views of the Santa Catalina mountains and desert plains are stunning. The fairways here are lush, and the greens well-defended by menacing bunkering, grassy mounds and occasionally water. It's well worth going out of your way to ensure Ventana Canyon is on your Arizona golfing itinerary.