Welcome to a very different golf photo story. Welcome to the Arizona National in Tucson.
There was not a single hole on this course that I did not take photos of either the views or the flowers. One must be very careful about getting too close when photographing cactus or their flowers... they have been known to jump out and get you!
Sunday I golfed with Lorne and Ted at Arizona National... one of the area's most beautiful desert golf courses... designed by my favourite golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
I had played here many years ago when it used to be called The Raven.
Notice the red flowers behind my friends above...
Please tell me the name of this flower, if you know it. I tried to Google it up... but no cigar.
Thank you Shelby... you get the prize! This flower is aloe saponaria fireworks. The name fits... it looks a lot like fireworks.
We saw these orange-red flowers in bloom along the fairways and tee boxes. I thought they would compliment this spectacular view from the Par Five 18th tee box, so I climbed around some cactus and thorny bushes to get behind them to make this shot.
I only wish my tee shot from here would have turned out as good as this picture did.
Immediately behind the lake is a first class club house facility.
There are some unique hazards when you go golfing in the desert... it is a little different playing around cactus compared to playing around trees. Your golf ball doesn't bounce off the cactus like it does from most trees. Look closely at the largest Saguaro cactus in the foreground.
It is very difficult to play your second shot when your ball is driven right into a cactus. It is also pretty tough to play anywhere except on the fairway. A search for a errant ball could have you in a confrontation with a rattle snake.
The golf course is home for thousands of the cutest little jack rabbits... often we came upon whole families of these cuddly little bunnies munching on the fairway grass.
The Arizona National lies in the Sabino Canyon... with a backdrop of spectacular mountains, where cactus abound and mountain lions hide. So far they have hidden so well the only place I've seen them is on warning signs.
After 18 holes I paid off my golf bets, which confirmed this quote by evangelist Billy Graham...
"The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course."
Check out: http://mojavedesert.net/wildflower/
ReplyDeleteThere were a couple listed under red that looked similar...
Looks like a lovely day of golfing, Pa! Glad you've got some sun!
xoxo
Very nice. It looks like you had some warm weather to play in.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! That cactus has seen better days, eh? Funny. I love the desert. But stay away from those snakes! Hugs from all of us up north!
ReplyDeleteWonderful...I remember golfing at the Raven once too...it was spectacular as I remember it. The cactus blooming is so lovely. Looks like you had a marvellous time and great photos of Lorne. Hi, Lorne! You guys have fun, now ya'hear? Love you Babe!
ReplyDeleteYou do take beautiful photos of flowers--love the colors--and it looks so nice and warm--send some of that warm air to BC--we really do need some spring!!!!
ReplyDeleteFlower-boy says your red flowers are probably a variety of aloe.. check out -- http://www.penick.net/digging/?cat=92&paged=5.
ReplyDeleteThank you Shelby. You are dead on right. We were back to play the same course again yesterday. The flowers were fading and past their prime, but I checked out the base plant and it was a perfect match to aloe saponarita fireworks.
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