One of the things that always gave Phoenix-Scottsdale a major advantage over Tucson in the race for winter getaway golfers is the ease of getting direct flights into Phoenix Sky Harbor from almost anywhere. The Valley still holds a clear edge in this regard, but the gap is shrinking.

Tucson head pros say they’re seeing more and more East Coast golfers find their way to Arizona’s second golf mecca. This influx not coincidently coincides with a number of direct routes being added from the East to Tucson in the last few years. Particularly in the New York market.

JetBlue flies direct to Tucson from JFK. And the Tucson weather’s so good, you have almost no chance of being left stranded on the runway. At least on your flight in. And that’s the important one, the one where you might be rushing to make a tee time.

Continental also has daily direct service to Tucson from Newark, by far the nicest of the New York area’s three airports. A quick internet search of their prices showed the route’s no more expensive - and sometimes a little cheaper - than the tried-and-true Phoenix flight.

Not having to fly into somewhere else and drive several hours is making a big difference in Tucson golf. Yet it’s still much less crowded with more much nature than King Scottsdale.

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