The Highlands at Dove Mountain

Pros

• The staff are fantastic.
• The Highlands course is wonderful and the staff are incredible, making it a course to play again and again.
• Mia the cart girl is super.
• Katrina and her team ensure weddings are perfect and memorable, at a good price.
• The golf course is in great shape with wonderful views.
• The chef is outstanding and the food is wonderful.
• The greens are smooth and true, with well-maintained sand traps.
• The staff in the pro shop are friendly and helpful.
• The property is beautiful with top-notch restaurant views.

Cons

• The restaurant's food has been extremely disappointing.
• The au jus served was described as a pathetic excuse, pale in color, watery, and lacking beefy flavor.
• Greens on the course weren't great when compared to other Tucson courses.
• On-course conditions were inconsistent, with no waters on the course or GPS on carts.
• The staff's attitude and service were rude and unhelpful.
• The manager Julian was described as the worst manager the reviewer had seen.
• The bartender's attitude and service were plain rude.
• Canyon Pass delivered some of the worst service the reviewer has experienced, with long waits and inattentive staff.
• Dinner at Canyon Pass included cold and overcooked food, with poor management responses.

Review

The Highlands at Dove Mountain is repeatedly described as an absolutely stunning place, where the setting alone draws compliments and the overall experience often leans toward the memorable. Visitors gush about the beauty of the location, the impressive views from the restaurant and various spots around the property, and the sense that the staff genuinely care. Many guests speak highly of the course itself and the hospitality they encounter - from friendly faces behind the bar to attentive service at the turn - creating an impression that this is a place you'd want to return to again and again.

When it comes to the golf experience, reviewers paint a largely positive picture of the course, praising the layout, the conditioning, and the playability. Several accounts emphasize a course that is in great shape with greens that are smooth and true, sand traps that are well kept, and fairways that feel thick and plush. Pace of play is often highlighted as well, with a foursome finishing in around four hours and the overall environment described as inviting, especially for a 55+ community where residents and guests share a love for the sport and the panoramic surroundings. Yet there are dissenting voices too: some readers feel that conditions can be inconsistent and note the lack of amenities on the course - no waters or GPS on carts - and even compare greens unfavorably to other Tucson-area courses. The overall sentiment remains positive, but the criticisms show that expectations for maintenance and on-course conveniences can vary.

Beyond the course, the Highlands serves as a personal milestone for many, particularly as a wedding venue. One reviewer described their daughter's wedding there as the most beautiful they had attended, with Katrina and Claudette delivering exceptional planning and coordination that made the day feel perfect and stress-free. The venue's spaciousness, ample dressing rooms, and flexible layouts were repeatedly praised, as was the sense that the price was reasonable for what was provided. While there was a touch of background noise from sports facilities and the restaurant, most felt it did not detract from a beautifully orchestrated celebration. This sentiment solidifies the Highlands as a coveted setting for weddings and special events, where dedicated staff can transform the space into a personalized, picture?perfect day.

The dining scene at the Highlands receives a mix of praise and critique, reflecting a broader pattern across the reviews. Several guests commend the restaurant for good, reliably solid fare and a consistently strong service ethic, with some highlighting the restaurant as a reliable go-to for breakfast and lunch, as well as praising the spectacular views that accompany meals. One notable standout was a French dip sandwich described as excellent, with caramelized onions, horseradish, roast beef, and well-made bread - an experience that left a strong impression. On the flip side, there are pointed critiques of specific meals and experiences, including a debatable au jus that a reviewer called the most pathetic ever - described as tasting like water with caramel color and salt rather than something beefy. There are also mentions of less-than-ideal experiences with food timing and quality at the Canyon Pass area, where a guest felt the service was lacking and the manager Julian was not up to the standards expected, highlighting that the restaurant can fall short for some visitors.

Staff and service emerge as a defining thread across many reviews, with a strong sense that the Highlands' team can be outstanding, friendly, and accommodating. Positive notes abound: Mia the cart girl is described as super, David behind the bar is singled out for his great work, and individuals like Jim and Claudette are credited with going above and beyond to ensure a memorable visit or event. The warmth and attentiveness of the staff, whether at the restaurant, on the golf course, or during wedding planning, contribute significantly to the favorable impression of the Highlands. Yet, the same period shows that when service falters - whether due to on-site management issues, perceived rudeness from a bartender, or slow restaurant service - the impact is palpable and can color a guest's experience, underscoring that staff performance remains a critical factor in the overall guest satisfaction.

In addition to the golf course and hospitality, the Highlands is also framed as a well-integrated community with notable amenities. The 55+ development is described as beautiful and appropriately scaled, with residents benefiting from a top-notch golf course and access to a well-regarded restaurant that's open to the public. Viewpoints about the staff, the overall ambiance, and the way the property intertwines resort-style living with a sense of neighborhood pride are consistently positive. A number of reviewers emphasize the remarkable views from the restaurant and the general sense of being in a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing setting, reinforced by the course's recent accolades and the overall upkeep. It's clear that for many, the Highlands stands out as a desirable place to live, visit, and entertain guests.

Finally, practical logistics and navigation occasionally pop up as stumbling blocks, reminding readers that even standout venues have their hiccups. An ongoing theme is the confusion some guests experience with directions, with Google Maps mixing up the main gate at Moore Road with another entry, leading to misdirected visitors. There's also mention of gate and access nuances at the property - points that can be clarified to improve first impressions for newcomers. Taken together, the Highlands at Dove Mountain emerges as a spectacular, multi-faceted destination: a striking golf and event venue supported by a team of genuine, capable staff, with abundant opportunities for memorable experiences and a few areas where management and operations could tighten things up. For those who value stunning scenery, a dependable golf experience, and wedding?worthy facilities, the Highlands offers a compelling, often glowing, portrait of what a premier southwestern resort community can be.

Restaurants

• Dove Mountain Brewing Company (1.5 miles)
• McDonald's (2.3 miles)
• Ignite (2.4 miles)
• McDonald's (4.8 miles)
• zpizza Tap Room (5.1 miles)
• Persian Room (5.3 miles)
• Jerry Bob Family Restaurant (5.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Casas Church (4.4 miles)
• Grace Community Covenant Church (5.6 miles)
• Resurrection Lutheran Church (6.7 miles)
• Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (7.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (5.3 miles)
• Walgreens (5.6 miles)
• Fry's Pharmacy (5.7 miles)
• Walgreens (6.1 miles)
• Integris Rx (6.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (6.4 miles)
• Bashas' Pharmacy (6.4 miles)

Parks

• Linda Vista Park (5.4 miles)
• Sunset Park (5.5 miles)
• Willow Park (6.3 miles)
• Canada Del Oro Riverfront Park (6.5 miles)
• Continental Reserve (7 miles)

Physicians

• Realief (5.8 miles)
• Agave Family Medicine (6 miles)
• Soundpoint Audiology (6.1 miles)
• Northwest Medical Center (6.8 miles)
• Continental Ranch Family Practice (6.8 miles)
• Continental Reserve Urgent Care (6.8 miles)
• US Oncology (7.1 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (6.6 miles)
• Starbucks (7.4 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (7.7 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (7.7 miles)
• Kneaders Bakery & Caf (7.8 miles)
• Village Bakehouse (8.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Vicki Berkus, MD, PhD (7.2 miles)
• Oro Valley Hospital (7.2 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Foothills 15 (8.1 miles)