Sept 25, 2025 News

In this edition: Audubon Update, Opening Tourney Announced, and Win a Prize!

Audubon Certification Adds Value to Town of Oro Valley Asset

Reaching Audubon Certification at the Pusch Ridge Golf Course will add prestige and environmental value to the Oro Valley Community.  As a new member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf, our course is working towards Audubon Certification. 

The Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf (FOPRG) is supporting the efforts of the El Con Golf Team and the Town of Oro Valley in working towards certification.  This collaborative effort means employing improved management practices in Water Conservation; Water Quality Management; Wildlife and Habitat Management; Chemical Use Reduction and Safety; and Outreach and Education.  Accomplishing this will take multiple years, especially considering that the course is only open for regular golf the end of October through early May.  (Disc golf is played on the course over the summer.) And, it  will take volunteer and financial support from the community.

The Resource Advisory Group focused on this work includes Rosalyn Epting, OV Parks & Rec Director; General Manager Darryl Janisse and Superintendent Jason Wolf of El Con Golf; Dan Talsma and Carolyn Weinig of the FOPRG board and advisors; and volunteers DeeAnn and Peter Leuzinger.  The team has identified 16 projects for the course that will give certification a jump start now that the initial Site Assessment and Environmental Planning have been submitted to Audubon International. 

There is much work to be done!  Volunteers are needed from the Friends and the OV Community to undertake these and other projects.  Some identified projects include:  hosting golf tournaments to support our stewardship projects (first tournament is scheduled for Nov. 7); gathering photos of plants and wildlife on the course to build a working inventory; creating quality signage identifying trees, cacti and shrubs on the course; building and installing bird houses, such as owl, bat and hummingbird houses, to grow desired inhabitants on the course; and creating signage to explain the efforts being made to conserve water.

If you would like to join this effort either financially or with your time and effort, please contact puschaudubon@gmail.com.  Teams of volunteers are being organized to take on the identified projects.  If you are handy with woodwork and would like to help build bird houses, your help is needed.  If you are a horticulturist or birder, please help us in identifying our current inventory and in recommending new plantings to add to the habitat. Or if you want to invest in the project financially, there are opportunities on the FOPRG website to do just that: https://www.friendsofpuschridgegolf.org/donate.  It takes a village – and that includes YOU!

By the way, the other courses in the Tucson area who have already achieved Audubon Certification include Starr Pass, Sewailo and La Paloma.  Talk about prestige!!

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It has been a long hot summer in Oro Valley and we are looking forward to cooler weather, the opening of the golf course, our leagues resuming and our fall celebration tournament!  We have lots of exciting news to share with you! 

GOLF COURSE

Our beautiful course will reopen the weekend of October 25^th and our four leagues will  begin their season on October 27^th.  For information about the leagues please visit The Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf website: https://www.friendsofpuschridgegolf.org/golf

The El Conquistador Golf Team has worked on the course all summer.  (Special Kudos to Josh).  They continue to improve playability – removing overgrowth around the perimeter of the fairways, trimming back trees, landscaping the area around the pond and keeping the greens in top notch condition.  There is a new screen blocking the porta potty – Yay – and much more.  Goal this year is 21,000 rounds.  More on that later. 

The Town of Oro Valley completed a fantastic project in front of the tennis courts.  Covered seating, all new tables and green artificial turf.  We will be able to reserve this space for after league events.  We think you are going to love this excellent upgrade!

Celebration Tournament on November 7th

Give “Birdies” and “Eagles” a boost with your generous support… Celebrating our Pusch Ridge Habitat and New Audubon membership!

We are excited to share information about our upcoming tourney – which is always a sellout!   This year is even greater, more exciting and pivotal – for many reasons! 

In partnership with the El Conquistador Golf Team and the Town of Oro Valley, Friends of Pusch Ridge is working towards Audubon Certification. There are significant benefits to this designation that we explained above - however, successful achievement requires financial support and volunteerism.

Over the past five years, The Friends of Pusch Ridge have been able to raise money to support course projects – for example: The practice net, signage, chairs, plants for the cactus gardens, Rick Messina tranquility garden, bulletin boards in the Pro-Shop, seasonal decorations and much more! Our volunteers have donated countless hours on the course, have hosted after league events and executed a detailed marketing plan which includes Oro Valley hotels, apartment complexes, an employee referral program and partnering with local restaurants… Play Golf – Have Fun – Eat Locally!  We are living our vision statement – “Connecting the community through the game of golf.”

Why are we sharing all of this background information?  Well – to be totally transparent - FOPRG is broke and we need your help! After our downpayment for lunch we have $400.00! To keep our mission going and to ensure the Audubon project is a huge success we have designated this tournament as a fundraiser to get us back in the black… Can we count on our Friends?

For the tourney – you can be a Hummingbird, Hawk or an Eagle! Registration includes golf and lunch at the Last Territory. Any registration amount over $65.00 is tax deductible.

Morning: Hummingbird: $80.00 ~ Hawk: $125.00 ~ Eagle : $175.00

Afternoon: Hummingbird: $75.00 ~ Hawk: $100.00 ~ Eagle: $150.00

Eagle includes a limited edition FOPRG/Audubon Certification hat, and you will be entered  to win four rounds of golf.

If you cannot play – there are two more support opportunities.  Lunch at 11:30 (pricing at $50, $80 and $125) at the Last Territory and/or you can donate to Friend of Pusch Ridge Golf.  https://www.friendsofpuschridgegolf.org/donate

Another exciting addition this year includes hole sponsorship!  Our Premier Venue Sponsor is The El Conquistador Tucson a Hilton Resort.  We will send you an updated newsletter with all of our sponsors, along with their hole assignments and BTW – each one will be a designated desert bird or animal!  We are loving the Audubon initiative. Yay Javelinas!

Thank you for reading this long article and for your ongoing support of our beautiful golf course – an incredible town asset that provides a premier recreational experience for our residents of all ages and golf skills and the many tourists that visit our community.

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Let’s Start Strong …..Win A Prize!

The 2025-26 golf season at Pusch Ridge is right around the corner!   Help FOPRG get the momentum going right from our opening day!   A special promotion is being offered between opening date of October 25th through November 15th.   For every round you play during that time period, you will receive one (1) entry into a drawing for a special prize provided by Indigo Golf.

A “Hole in One” will award you five (5) entries into the drawing PLUS your name will be added to our Hole In One Club plaque in the pro shop!

Details and entry forms will be available at the pro shop desk.   We have a goal to do 1,800 rounds in those first 22 days.  Please come and help us “Start Strong”…..and bring your friends!  This is an important year to show the town of Oro Valley our commitment to keep Pusch Ridge a valuable and viable town recreational asset.