Jennifer A. Pelczarski

Director of Public Relations

www.ritzcarlton.com

Direct: (520) 572-3116

jennifer.pelczarski@ritzcarlton.com

OR

Ed Vyeda

Hunter Public Relations

Direct: (831) 375-1747

evyeda@hunter-pr.com

TAKE THE CHALLENGE FACED BY THE WORLD’S TOP GOLF PROS

THE RITZ-CARLTON, DOVE MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB OPEN FOR PLAY

MARANA, Ariz. – Feb. 25, 2010 – Golfers can play like the pros every day throughout the rest of this year at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course that hosted the Accenture Match Play Championship has tee times available for daily guests, who can enjoy the rolling fairways and greens of the Saguaro and Tortolita nines that recently tested 64 of the world’s elite players.

Building a rich tradition that began last year, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, will continue to make its memorable tournament nines available for play through December. Guests can recreate the excitement of playing the same course as golf professionals from around the world. England’s Ian Poulter defeated countryman Paul Casey in this year’s 36-hole final match for his first victory on American soil.

“We realize golfers enjoy walking in the footsteps of the great players who are establishing a special legacy here,” said Jeff McCormick, director of golf at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain. “We want to invite golfers to be part of that legacy, and make their own personal connection to the history that is in the making at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain.”

Honored among the “Best New Public Courses” by GOLF magazine, as well as “Best New Courses” and “Best Resort Golf Courses” by Golfweek magazine, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain also is only the second golf course in the Tucson region to be designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.

As the centerpiece of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, the Nicklaus golf course integrates solid strategy, variety and fair shot values that harmonize with the high desert elevation of 2,300 to 3,000 feet. Large greens with significant undulation, wide fairways and carries over desert washes define each course. The bunkering varies from classic, pot-style obstacles to expansive areas that stretch close to 80 yards along the edges of the fairways. The golf courses feature Bentgrass greens, while the tees, fairways and rough are Bermuda (with perennial rye overseed), ideal for the desert climate.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain also features an award-winning, 50,000-square-foot clubhouse with all of the services expected from a luxury private club including tennis courts, fitness center, steward-serviced private locker rooms, and a double-ended practice facility. The clubhouse includes indoor and outdoor dining venues with spectacular views, including Cayton’s, a casual but refined restaurant named for legendary Dove Mountain homesteader and cowboy poet Eugene “Cush” Cayton, serving American comfort cuisine with a Southwestern flair.

While the golf courses eventually will be accessible only by resident members and resort guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, the golf course remains available to the public, for group golf as well.

Reservations are accepted 30 days in advance through the golf shop, (520) 572-3500. Also visit www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain.

About The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Nestled in the high Sonoran Desert is an invigorating playground where the adventurous can explore the lush desert along the Tortolitas Mountains and majestic Saguaro forest. The property features a 253-room hotel, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, destination spa and luxury homes at The Residences on 850-acres. The property also features adventure programming, world class hiking, and is host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championships each Spring in its striking canyon setting. This is a place where adventure and a gracious spirit of hospitality come to life. For reservation information, please call 1-800-241-3333 or visit ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain.

 About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 72 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe with future openings including Dubai International Financial Centre, United Arab Emirates; Dove Mountain, Tucson, Arizona; and Lake Tahoe, California. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, please contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at ritzcarlton.com. 

# # #