The Club at Starr Pass
Legendary golf course in the Tucson Mountains featuring 27 holes, including 9 by Arnold Palmer.
About The Club at Starr Pass
The Club at Starr Pass is a Tucson golf destination in the Tucson Mountains, offering 27 holes of golf within the desert setting of JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa. The club's three nine hole courses include the Palmer Course, the Gambler Course, and the Pioneer Course, with the Palmer nine designed by Arnold Palmer. Together, they create a course experience shaped by elevation changes, mountain winds, natural terrain, and views across the Sonoran Desert.
The club's history reaches back to 1884, when Richard Starr established a stagecoach trail through the west Tucson Mountains. The route connected Tucson with the mining boomtown of Quijotoa, about 70 miles to the southwest, and part of that original trail now follows the sixth fairway of the Pioneer Course. The golf course officially opened in 1986, with its original 18 holes designed by Craig Stadler and Bob Cupp. Those holes are now known as the Pioneer and Gambler courses. Arnold Palmer added a third nine in 2005, expanding Starr Pass from 18 to 27 holes.
Starr Pass also has a place in Tucson golf history as the host of the Tucson Open from 1987 through 1996. The event's most notable moment came in 1991, when Phil Mickelson won as an amateur. Today, the club describes its golf as a fun, risk and reward experience in which strategy and playability meet the character of the desert landscape. Wildlife sightings can include roadrunners, coyotes, bobcats, mule deer, and javelinas, adding another dimension to rounds played among the Tucson Mountains.
Each course offers its own variation on the setting. The Palmer Course covers nine holes and features dramatic elevation changes and winds created by the Tucson Mountains. The Gambler Course also has nine holes, with a par of 36, while the Pioneer Course follows the historic Starr trail and has nine holes with a par of 36. The club's facilities include a driving range, putting green, clubhouse, and refreshed golf shop. The shop carries golf apparel, equipment, accessories, and signature logo merchandise, giving players a place to prepare for a round or find something connected to the Starr Pass experience.
Golf instruction is available for resort guests and local Tucson guests. Options include private lessons, on course playing lessons, junior golf lessons, and series of lessons. The club also offers rentals and access to its practice areas. Beyond golf, Creosote Sonoran Kitchen and Cocktails provides a refined yet relaxed dining setting with panoramic golf course views. Its menu combines New Sonoran cuisine with modern American influences, highlighting heritage ingredients and desert flavors.
The Club at Starr Pass also hosts private events, including intimate gatherings and special celebrations, with renovated spaces, curated catering, and a dedicated team. Its membership categories are presented as family memberships centered on golf, resort amenities, and the surrounding desert landscape. Visitors can begin by reserving a tee time, arranging instruction, exploring membership options, or making plans to dine and attend an event. The club serves both resort and local Tucson guests, placing a historic 27 hole golf experience within the Tucson Mountains.