The goal of addressing aging infrastructure and improving playing conditions, while still preserving the challenge and beauty of Jack Nicklaus’ original design was fully completed with mindful touch. Guided by Desert Mountain Director of Agronomy Todd Bohn and Nicklaus Design’s Chad Goetz, the project combined modern technology with thoughtful refinements, welcoming Members back to a course both familiar and refreshed.
Geronimo History
Desert Mountain’s third Jack Nicklaus Signature design opened on October 31, 1989, with an inaugural round featuring Nicklaus, Jim Carter, and a 19-year-old Phil Mickelson. All three were NCAA individual champions, but none broke par. Carter shot 73; Nicklaus and Mickelson each posted 74. Geronimo had announced its intentions.
Early in its history, Geronimo Golf Course stretched more than 7,400 yards with a 77.1 course rating. Nicklaus originally envisioned it as Desert Mountain’s tournament course, but Cochise Golf Course’s more spectator-friendly terrain made that layout the home of The Tradition from 1989-2001. Geronimo established its own reputation through demanding shots, rugged surroundings, and the satisfaction of meeting a formidable but fair test.
Tournament History, Honors & Accolades
Even before opening, Geronimo’s par-3 18th hosted the playoff for the 1988 Desert Scramble, decided by Greg Norman’s winning birdie putt. The course later welcomed the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Tournament of Champions in 1996 and 2002. The 1996 event crowned Charles Howell III and Grace Park, both future professional champions.
Geronimo also hosted the Southwestern Amateur, including its 100th-anniversary edition in 2015. Its closing hole received lasting recognition with inclusion in the 2000 book, The World’s 500 Greatest Golf Holes.
Geronimo Restoration Highlights
The restoration was driven by what Members couldn’t always see. Aging irrigation lines, a tired pump station, and grasses and bunker sand in need of replacement were compromising playing conditions. The architecture remained worthy of preservation; the infrastructure needed attention.
A new pump station and HDPE irrigation piping replaced the aging equipment and PVC pipes. A modern single-head irrigation system now allows precise, isolated watering, supported by improved sprinkler spacing, upgraded nozzles, and software Bohn can operate remotely, even from his smartwatch. Together, these changes have improved water management and distribution.
Re-grassing with the same turf varieties used at Cochise delivered better color, durability, consistency, and playing characteristics. Tee expansions, particularly on the par 3s, created additional space, while careful pruning restored long-lost sight lines. The renewed views recall the landscape Nicklaus introduced in 1989.
Some of the most meaningful improvements addressed specific trouble spots. On the ninth hole, a low area 50 to 75 yards short of the green routinely collected water, silt, and debris. The team installed two 12-inch underground pipes and an upstream sediment collection area, intercepting material before it could contaminate the playing surface.
Throughout the rest of the course, drainage improvements worked hand in hand with design refinements. Fairway bunkers were moved closer to the green, trees that obstructed views and routes to the green was relocated, fairways and teeing areas were expanded, and rocks and boulders were removed entirely or buried beneath the ground to improve playability and/or protect against erosion by directing water away from the vulnerable fairway.
Member comfort received attention, too. New comfort stations at the sixth tee and beside the 13th green/14th tee, integrated carefully into their surroundings, were brought to ground level, eliminating stairs.
Staying True to the Nicklaus Intent
Geronimo Golf Course’s return reflects a shared commitment to preserving a treasured course while improving the everyday experience. Modernized below ground and thoughtfully refined above it, Geronimo begins its next chapter with its identity intact. For Members, the invitation is simple: rediscover a familiar favorite, restored for the rounds ahead.
Before you hit the tees, go more in depth on each hole through a flyover of all 18 holes at Geronimo.
