Sewailo Golf Club, located on the Casino Del Sol campus at 5655 W. Valencia Road, presents a striking alternative to other golf options in the Tucson area. The course opened in December 2013 and occupies the same property as a full-service resort that offers gambling, live entertainment and restaurants, creating a setting where golf is one element of a larger recreation complex. Measured at 7,309 yards from the back tees and set to a par of 72, Sewailo spreads across 18 holes and was configured to offer both length and visual drama to visiting players.
The facility's scale is underlined by several numerical markers visible in scorecards and promotional material: 18 holes, a total yardage above 7,300, and a signature par-5 10th hole that stretches to 638 yards. Those figures convey the course architects’ intent to test a full array of shots, from long-distance tee play to precise approaches on large greens. The layout is framed by rock features and water elements that are integral to the experience; one of the course’s water-lined greens sits beneath the Casino Del Sol hotel with the Tucson mountains rising behind it at sunset, creating an image that frequently accompanies descriptions of the property.
Sewailo Golf Club's water-lined green with the Casino Del Sol hotel and the Tucson mountains rising behind it at sunset.
The course was designed by Notah Begay III, a figure known within golf not only for his design work but also for his playing career; he is noted as one of the leading Native American golfers to compete on the PGA Tour and is remembered for his college connection as a former roommate of Tiger Woods at Stanford. Sewailo — pronounced seh-why-low — takes its name from the Pascua Yaqui language, where it means “flower world.” That linguistic and cultural connection is part of the course’s identity, which marries local heritage with a modern resort golf presentation.
Sewailo’s routing intentionally mixes characteristics of desert-style and links-style golf. That hybrid approach is evident in fairway shaping and green complexes, and it yields scenic vantage points across the property, most notably from the tee box on the third hole, which is frequently cited as one of the more photogenic spots on the course. The design incorporates contrasting elements — open, wind-exposed areas that evoke links golf alongside arid, desert-framed corridors — so that different holes present different strategic demands.
On a purely physical level, Sewailo’s infrastructure includes 65 bunkers, multiple lakes and waterfalls that together account for roughly 14 acres of water features, and a creek that winds through portions of the property. The course also features sizeable greens and fairways that at times are hilly, providing elevation changes that alter club selection and shot execution from hole to hole. Photographs of players walking on the putting surfaces show the rock-lined waterfalls and the interplay between sand hazards and water, details that are visible components of the course’s character.
Players walk the putting surface at Sewailo Golf Club with rock-lined waterfalls and bunkers visible on the course.
Beyond its physical attributes, Sewailo served as the home course for the University of Arizona’s men’s and women’s golf programs for several seasons. The Wildcats used Sewailo from 2014 through 2022 despite the course’s being roughly a 30-minute drive from the UA campus. After the 2022 season the university programs relocated their home operations to Tucson Country Club, where a nearly $15 million facility was built for their use. Sewailo has also played host to collegiate competition; imagery from tournament days, including the Arizona Intercollegiate, documents teams and individual players competing on the property.
Sewailo is one installment in a broader regional guide that highlights courses Southern Arizona golfers are encouraged to play. That selection intentionally excludes private country clubs and other membership-only facilities, meaning several historically prominent Tucson venues are not part of the featured list. Among those excluded are Tucson Country Club — the Wildcats’ current home course — La Paloma Country Club, Skyline Country Club, The Gallery Golf Club and Stone Canyon Golf Club, which has hosted made-for-television charity events. The roundup also omits miniature-golf attractions, though it notes casual short-game practice facilities such as Golf N’ Stuff remain popular local options.
Since its opening, Sewailo has been presented as a destination course in Southern Arizona, blending resort amenities with a substantial and varied golf layout. The combination of a high-profile designer, an extensive water system, numerous bunkers and a layout that crosses desert and links sensibilities sets the club apart from many other courses in the Tucson marketplace. Those attributes, together with the venue’s association with Casino Del Sol and its past role as a collegiate home course, help explain why Sewailo is regarded as a notable stop for golfers in the region.