In the Pascua Yaqui language, the word “Sewailo” means “flower world.”
As you walk along its fairways, you’ll realize that Tucson’s Sewailo Golf Club couldn’t have had a more appropriate name.
After all, thousands of indigenous flowers, which were previously used in tribal ceremonies, can be found throughout the course, as they’ve been salvaged and replanted from their original sites.
Aside from these flowers, the course, which is located at Casino Del Sol Resort, has thousands of native plants and cacti too — more than 30,000 in all.
In short, if you’re seeking a golf course that showcases Mother Nature’s beauty in the desert, Sewailo Golf Club will offer you picturesque, natural views, along with so much more.
An Oasis-like Experience
When four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay III — a Native American who has also become a successful golf course architect the last few years — was hired to design Sewailo Golf Club, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe asked him to create a championship course that would naturally fit in with the reservation’s native landscape.
The 17th hole at Sewalio Golf Club.
With this in mind, Begay III, along with co-designer Ty Butler, strived to ensure the course had a wide array of native plants.
Brittlebush. Lavender. Mesquite trees. Palo Verde. Snapdragons. Texas mountain laurels. Weeping willows.
If you can think of a plant that’s associated with Southern Arizona, you’ll likely find it at Sewailo Golf Club. But the natural beauty isn’t just connected to the course’s cacti, flowers and plants.
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“Sewailo Golf Club’s rolling fairways are all Bermudagrass overseeded with rye, intertwining between seven lakes and two miles of flowing streams,” says PGA of America Golf Professional Rob Charland, Sewalio’s Head Golf Professional. “There are nearly 14 acres of lakes and streams in all, creating an oasis-like experience in the Sonoran Desert.”
A Must Play in Arizona
As a result of Sewailo Golf Club’s endless array of natural beauty, it is not only one of Arizona’s newest courses, but one of its most celebrated as well.
But don’t let the thousands upon thousands of plants fool you. Sewailo Golf Club is far more than just a picturesque course. It’s quite challenging, too.
For starters, the par-72 championship course measures roughly 7,400 yards from the tips. In addition, it provides golfers one of the Southwest’s most memorable finishing holes: the par-4, 416-yard 18th, which has an island green.
The finishing hole at Sewalio.
Yet, despite its length and challenging greens, the course has been created with every golfer in mind, as it has five sets of tees to choose from.
Not to mention, the course, which is the official home of the University of Arizona men’s and women’s golf teams, also has a state-of-the-art practice facility. Therefore, all guests can hone their skills before they tee off and witness the majestic beauty of Sewailo Golf Club for themselves.
“Traveling to Southern Arizona and enjoying the Sonoran Desert — from Sewailo Golf Club’s pristine fairways and greens — is a bucket list item that can’t be missed.”
Rob Charland, PGA
“The meticulously designed Sewailo Golf Club, which challenges and delights golfers amidst stunning desert scenery, is unparalleled,” Charland stresses. “Traveling to Southern Arizona and enjoying the Sonoran Desert — from Sewailo Golf Club’s pristine fairways and greens — is a bucket list item that can’t be missed.”
Other Fun Courses Near Sewailo Golf Club:Arizona National Golf Club: Often voted one of Tucson’s best public courses, Arizona National provides unprecedented views of giant saguaros, mountain vistas and natural springs.El Conquistador: Offering two 18-hole championship courses (the Conquistador Course and the Cañada Course), this club also has a 9-hole option, known as the Pusch Ridge Course.