 FRANCISCO GRANDE Hotel & Golf Resort (520) 381-8200
Arizona Golf Course Review
Francisco Grande - where John Wayne stayed and where Willie Mays played - emerged in the sixties from the imagination of Horace Stoneham, legendary owner of the San
Francisco Giants. He originally conceived the property as a first rate spring training facility for his baseball team. Today, visitors will find a visually enhanced resort featuring 101
elegantly renovated guest rooms, each with its own outdoor balcony overlooking the course and surrounding area. Amenities include a tropically landscaped outdoor pool area
with hot tub, fitness room, Legends Restaurant (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) and Dukes Bar (named after John Wayne, who was a frequent visitor), plus conference
and banquet facilities that can accommodate up to 400 guests. For more info, visit our page for the Francisco Grande Hotel and Golf Resort on out Arizona Golf Resort listing page
by clicking here.
What we enjoyed most about the resort was the close proximity of all the facilities. Nothing is far away - including the wonderful golf facilities. There is a targeted grass range, 2
large putting greens and a short game area with sand bunker. Guests can walk out there door any time of the day to hit a few balls or to work on their short game. The pro shop is
adjacent to the lobby, making it extremely convenient for check in. John Jacobs' Golf School is on site, providing innovative golf instruction on the 70,000 square foot practice area.
Overnight and commuter programs for every skill level are available.
The golf course is a Ralph Plummer design and at 7.545 yards is the longest in the state! This traditional, par 72 layout features manicured greens, water hazards that are heavily
populated with native wildlife, and strategically placed sand bunkers that are mostly located greenside. Over 1500 mature trees, many of them palms and Arizona pines, line the
fairways that are also often bordered by desert areas. The course is one of the few in the region that over-seeds fairways, tees, greens, roughs and the public areas that total over
180 acres.
Five sets of tees provide options for all levels of players, and measure in distance and slope 7545 yards/130 slope, 6941 yards/124 slope, 6476 yards/120 slope, 5840 yards/115
slope for men and 120 for women, and 5224 yards with a slope of 114 for ladies playing from the forward sets. From the red tees, this course is very player friendly. In fact, if you
can avoid the trees that define the shape of most of the holes, golfers of all abilities should be able to score below their handicap here.
On course yardage blocks are located near the center of the fairways at 100, 150 and 200 yards, and 150 yard stakes are present on all par fours and fives. Small markers on the
flagsticks indicate front, middle and back hole locations. Water comes into play on four holes, including pond carries on the par three 8th and 16th holes, and approximately 3
dozen sand traps are situated along the fairways or near the medium sized, mildly undulating putting surfaces.
Francisco Grande is a pleasant golf experience - a wonderful value, and with the resort facilities is a great place to start an Arizona golf vacation. The service, including every
member of the staff we encountered, was exceptional during our stay. Golfers will be able to practice to their heart's content, to prepare for some of Arizona' tougher golf
challenges. Economically - visitors will find that they can enjoy nice amenities and a comfortable resort experience without breaking the pocket book. We highly recommend a stay
here! The property is located between Phoenix and Tucson - about 45 minutes from Sky Harbor Airport. For more info on the course, visit our page for the Francisco Grande Hotel
and Golf Resort, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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