Okay played this course Saturday for a Special Olympics event. The course is in real good shape. Greens are a little slow but overall tee boxes and fairways are in great shape. The staff at El Rio is... Continue »

Okay played this course Saturday for a Special Olympics event. The course is in real good shape. Greens are a little slow but overall tee boxes and fairways are in great shape. The staff at El Rio is outstanding. Well worth the money their charging. $26 with a cart!

Played here day after Christmas. The staff told me that this course, along with Fred Enke GC, received only minimal overseeding due to the budget limitations they face. The greens got a bit of oversee... Continue »

Played here day after Christmas. The staff told me that this course, along with Fred Enke GC, received only minimal overseeding due to the budget limitations they face. The greens got a bit of overseeding done to them, along with the tee boxes and apron/skirt around the greens. Yep, you read that right.....no fairways. They painted them green, but its all dormant grass, which means they save big money by not watering the fairways. The ball sure rolls forever though! ha ha. My elbows hurt from the shock of impact near the end of the round. That ground is hard, ouch. Don't even think of playing before 12pm when the rates drop and you can score unlimited golf with cart. I see they are charging around 40 for the morning times and at that price it truly is baffling who would pay it. Hope this info helps....long live city golf!
Jeff

This course is in great shape considering many other courses are under serious maintenance right now. The green fee is more than worth it. There are a few par fours that can be quite challenging to ... Continue »

This course is in great shape considering many other courses are under serious maintenance right now. The green fee is more than worth it. There are a few par fours that can be quite challenging to make par but overall this course is very forgiving off the tee. The greens are little hard, but this is to be expected given the hot weather will dry them out before 11am. I like the established trees this course provides for aesthetics and shade. I am happy this course will not be closing, a real Tucson gem

Played 5/18/13 and it's in O.K. shape. Greens ant tee boxes are really nice. Fairways at a 7 of 10 for a muni in Tucson. Rough and fairway hard to separate being mowed about the same but it's alright.... Continue »

Played 5/18/13 and it's in O.K. shape. Greens ant tee boxes are really nice. Fairways at a 7 of 10 for a muni in Tucson. Rough and fairway hard to separate being mowed about the same but it's alright. worth a visit.

Played on November 14th 2012- One word, DRY! looks like a summer course. Must be starting over seeding SUPER late in the season.I really enjoy this course normally. Large trees are placed strategicall... Continue »

Played on November 14th 2012- One word, DRY! looks like a summer course. Must be starting over seeding SUPER late in the season.I really enjoy this course normally. Large trees are placed strategically in groves as well as at key points on fairways just at the distances you want to land. high walled bunkers are also placed on fairways and around greens at challenging locations. Especially on the fair ways I think they are on every fairway. nice layout and a great history. Oldest course in Tucson used to host the PGA in the 50's. worth playing but give it a little time right now for the best conditions.

El Rio Municipal Golf Course Review
Tuscon Arizona Golf Course Reviews

I hold a current Tucson City Golf Resident card. I reserved this course to get some friends back in the game of golf. El Rio is a good walkable course but the rough is very bare in spots and the sand ... Continue »

I hold a current Tucson City Golf Resident card. I reserved this course to get some friends back in the game of golf. El Rio is a good walkable course but the rough is very bare in spots and the sand traps are not bad for the usual brown Tucson dirt traps. The poor rough and sand make the course challanging along with tree lined fairways. The city rate is almost not worth playing this course. If Silverbell down the street were available, I would go there first. It was a last minute plan to play. That may be why it was available to play on a Sunday. Take all of the above with the thought that I did just spend three of the last 6 days walking around the Accenture Match Play at Ritz-Carlton. Wow! Now THAT'S a beautiful course.

Played this course with a buddy last weekend (10/11) on his recommendation that conditions had improved since I first played it a couple of months ago. Conditions had improved. The course was playab... Continue »

Played this course with a buddy last weekend (10/11) on his recommendation that conditions had improved since I first played it a couple of months ago. Conditions had improved. The course was playable, but it's nothing to write home about. This is a storied course, that at one time hosted the Tucson Open on the PGA Tour. That was many years ago, and several "upgrades" ago. This is a city owned/operated muni that has been revamped, hyped, and again fallen into a sad state of upkeep. The prices are generally pretty good, but without question it's in the worst condition of any of the city operated muni courses. There are lots of mature trees, some water, and some well-laid out bunkers to make you think before swinging . . but for whatever reason, the city just can't keep the course in good condition. And that's a shame because of the history and tradition that this course possesses. There is a lot of traffic right now because it seems as if everyone else is reseeding this time of year. The course was crowded even though there was a lot of wind, and the weather man had promised rain. This is an ok layout, but someone needs to do something about the conditions if El Rio wants to return to its hey day as one of the better courses in the area. It's a long road ahead!

Played El Rio for the first time ever today (8/9/2008). I've never played a course in as poor a shape as it is in! Had to play "winter rules" because there was little grass on most of the fairways, ... Continue »

Played El Rio for the first time ever today (8/9/2008). I've never played a course in as poor a shape as it is in! Had to play "winter rules" because there was little grass on most of the fairways, and none in most areas. Apparently there was an article in the local paper last week that quotes city parks officials as saying they're letting the city courses deteriorate to their current condition on purpose to set the stage for overseeding. I'm not a landscaper, but I don't understand that logic. Other courses in the area overseed, and they're in great shape right now. El Rio was a mudhole! The greens putted like they hadn't been mowed in a week . . long, furry grass . .but at least it was grass. The fairways had more weeds and mud than grass. There were several teeboxes that didn't have a blade of grass on them . . you were hitting off sand. The greens fees are reduced, but even at reduced fees this course isn't worth playing in it's current condition. Avoid this course right now at all costs.