The small community of Tubac has an ancient history, hailing back to a small Spanish fortress, known at the time as a “presidio.” Developed in 1725, it functioned as Spain’s first colonial garrison in what is now Arizona. The tiny frontier outpost grew to become a significant stop along the Camino Real, which connected the provinces of New Spain (Mexico) with those of Alta California. Eventually, Lieutenant Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza briefly moved to the fort, living within the facility from 1760 to 1776. He was ultimately responsible for founding the El Presidio Real de San Francisco just outside of the Mission San Francisco de Asis. Yet, Anza spent most of his time at the Tubac presidio, before venturing north to create its more famous cousin in California. He specifically constructed a chapel called “Santa Gertudis,” the foundations of which currently reside under the newer St. Ann’s Church. The fort then gradually found itself defending against a series of vicious Apache attacks throughout the early 1800s, who had started to resist the encroachments of Spanish—and later Mexican—settlers onto the land. The climax of those raids occurred during the 1840s, forcing the garrison and its population of civilian workers to briefly vacate the premises. American troops soon controlled Tubac though, following their seizure of the territory during the Mexican-American War. But the Apache attacks continued well into the mid-19th century, culminating with a four-day siege in 1861. Peace finally arrived to the region by the dawn of the 20th century, in which Tubac became a vibrant art colony. Today, Tubac, Arizona, is now a fascinating tourist destination, thanks in large part to the magnificence of the Tubac Golf Resort and Spa.

Robert Lawrence: Affectionately remembered to history as “Red,” Robert Lawrence was a prominent golf course architect whose work largely appeared in the American Southwest. His career began as a landscaper with the Westchester Country Club in 1919. Spending only a few years at Westchester, Lawrence eventually found work with the renowned architectural firm Toomey and Flynn during the Roaring Twenties. Lawrence specifically became an acolyte of William S. Flynn, serving as one of his construction superintendents. He even helped Flynn finish many important projects, like the development of the Merion Golf Club and The Cascades at The Omni Homestead Resort (another member of Historic Hotels of America.) But when the Great Depression befell the nation, Lawrence unfortunately had to leave his job with Toomey and Flynn. Moving to Boca Raton in Florida, he subsequently did golf course maintenance over the next two decades. Nevertheless, Lawrence’s influence remained strong throughout the sport of golf. Indeed, he even rose to become one of the founding members to the American Society of Golf Course Architects in 1946. Around the same time, Lawrence relocated to Arizona, where he began constructing golf courses again. His brilliant use of the local topography in his designs quickly earned him another moniker among his fellow contemporaries—the “Desert Fox.” Among the most noteworthy courses that Lawrence created while living in Arizona included the Desert Forest Golf Club, the Tubac Golf Resort and Spa’s Otero Course, and the Championship Golf Course at the University of New Mexico. Since his death in 1976, Lawrence’s designs have gained significant praise throughout the United States. In fact, Lawrence was inducted posthumously into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame due to his accomplishments in 2003.

Bing Crosby, singer and actor known for his roles in Going My Way and The Bells of St. Mary’s.

Tin Cup (1996)