From green to white: Snow closes Saddlebrooke golf course
Reporter: Kevin Keen
SADDLEBROOKE, ARIZ. (KGUN9-TV) - Rolling hills of green turned to white overnight. A relatively rare blanket of snow covered areas around Saddlebrooke, Ariz., including the community’s golf course. But while the frosted cholla and prickly pear look like Mother Nature’s art, they're also bad for business.
Hal and Doris Dieterle woke up Friday to the wonderland in Saddlebrooke, less than an hour north of Tucson.
“I let the doggie out and she was rather surprised by the whiteness,” Hal said.
The snow totaled nowhere near an inch, but it was enough to disrupt his day.
“I got a quick email from the pro shop saying my tee time had been canceled because the course is closed,” he said.
This kind of shut down at Saddlebrooke One Golf Course is relatively rare, said golfing director Bernie Eaton. He said it usually happens just once a year in early February.
“From a business perspective, Friday's one of our busiest days of the week,” Eaton said. “Obviously, we lose revenue and we lose rounds. We lose additional revenue from the food and beverage end of things.”
Eaton said this tee time delay -- which normally lasts just a day -- might stretch into the weekend this time.
“If we can get the snow melted (Friday), we have a good chance of being open at some point during the weekend,” he explained. If the snow remains, he explained, the incoming cold temps will keep it there and golfers will have to stay off the greens.
Hal and Doris will wait and watch -- with fingers crossed -- from a safe distance.
“I like the snow when it's up on the mountains and I can see it from down here,” Hal said.
“I think that's the best part of it. It stays for one day, looks beautiful and then it's gone,” Doris added.
For current golf conditions at the Saddlebrooke course, call 520-825-2505.
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