Final hole at Dorado Golf Course a Menace to Tucsonans

By Ryan Finley, Contributor

TUCSON - Let's face it: there are far more Craig Stadlers in the world than there are Tiger Woodses. Far more people in the city of Tucson are older, slower, and less active than the average professional golfer, the Walrus excluded.

So, it's refreshing to see courses in the city of Tucson that cater to the needs of the aging, less-active, and slowed people in town. The Dorado Golf Course on Speedway Boulevard is one of them.

The biggest test at Dorado is the 18th, a 195-yard par 3 hole. One of the hardest finishes in town and perhaps the hardest par-3 finishing hole in Southern Arizona, the Dorado course is a worthy challenge for any golfer, old or young.

Ron Castillo is a golf professional at Dorado, not to mention an expert on the course.

"There's trees around the green, plus a bunker," he said. "Coupled with the wash that goes across the front of the green and a tight green, we have a tough hole."

It seems there is no really easy way to finish off the Dorado course, unless you want to skip the 18th hole in favor of a few cold ones in the bar.

Castillo suggests a unique approach.

"I'd throw a 5 iron right at the pin," he said. "Heck, that's what I do most of the time, anyway."

All humor aside, how to beat the hole depends a lot on how strong of a golfer you fancy yourself to be.

"There's many different ways to handle the hole, depending on how you can hit the ball," Castillo said. "We have a lot of older golfers here, so they usually will use a three to five wood."

With many older golfers there, Castillo believes it's hard to par the hole.

"Normally, it takes some of our players more than three shots to get on the green," he said.

Dorado Golf Course is located at 6601 E. Speedway in Tucson, two blocks east of Wilmot.