We really enjoyed this course.  The course is not very long, only 3368 yards from the tips but the abundant use of water and mature trees creates enough difficulty to make the course somewhat challenging but still fun.  Water is a predominate feature of this course with water a hazard on 5 of the 9 holes.

The signature hole on is the par-4 fourth.  The fourth and fifth holes are one of the best two hole stretches in Utah.  The fourth is a dog-leg right that runs along directly along the Green River.   The hole is only 350 yards long and is much shorter if you are willing to cut the corner over the water.  There is a large mature tree about 50 yards in front of the green to discourage anyone from  going for it off the tee.  The fifth is a par-5 that continues to parallel the water although not as  pronounced as the fourth. ]]> http://www.utahgolflist.com/?feed=rss2&p=177 0 http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=174 http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=174#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:06:02 +0000 admin http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=174 Click Here

The practice facility is also great.  The course has two large putting greens.  One is next to the club house where you can putt while waiting to be called to the first tee. The second is down by the driving range.   The driving range is quite a ways a way from the clubhouse and you have to take a golf cart to get there.  Sandwiched between the putting green and the driving range is a chipping green.

The golf course is a wonderful design of power and finesse.  There are many holes where the smart play is to lay up.  Many holes one should leave their driver in the bag and try to place the ball in the fairway about 200 yards out.  Those holes are: 1 (par 4), 4 (par 4), 7 (par 4), 12 (par4), 14 (par 4), 17 (par 4). Some of the above mentioned holes can be reached with a great drive but is a very risky shot, holes 7 and 12 come to mind.  While many of the par fours one must hold back a bit, the par fives are very long.  Hole 6 is a great example of South Mountain’s par 5s. The hole plays a lot longer than it is marked, and the second shot, like most of the par 5’s is to an elevated green.  The two par fives on the back, 13 & 15, are both reachable in two and are great scoring holes for those long off the tee. A great tee shot on either of the holes could leave a 5 iron in your hands to get home.  The hardest hole on the course is by far the par four 14th. It is a sever dog leg right which forces a driver out of your hands(DON’T TRY IT!!). The smart play is a 200 yard shot in the fairway, which leaves you a little over 150 to the green.  The par 3’s are all quite easy since 3 of the 4 are under 150 yards.  The final hole is a long finishing par 4 that has an elevated green. One must put together two great shots to have a birdie putt.

Do not be fooled by my review of the course. This is a hard course. The course meanders through the foothills of Draper and as such, any errant shot is lost in the foothills of Draper. There is out-of-bounds on every hole. The layout is such that most fairways are generously sized but quickly move from fairway to ruff to out-of bounds.  If you visit South Mountain on a day where you are not able to hit where you are aiming, it is going to be an expensive golf ball day.

Not to be out done, the golf course is one of Utah’s finest.  The Ledges was ranked #5 in Golf Digest’s Best New Public Golf Course for 2007.  The course is 7,200 yards from the tips and is set in the rugged landscape of Snow Canyon.  The architect is the late Matt Dye, who also did the Sleepy Ridge Golf Course in Orem Utah.  Like Most Matt Dye courses, the greens at the Ledges are large with a lot of undulations.

The golf course is really the story of two courses.  The front nine is a links style course with the back nine being a more rugged mountain course.  The front course is fun and not as difficult as the back.  With that said, the front is not your typical municipal course.  The front puts a premium on iron shots into the green.  The greens are large and difficult so you do not want to leave yourself with an 80 foot birdie putt.  Make sure you check where the flags are located and choose the correct club.

The back nine meanders through the rugged terrain of snow canyon and is much more difficult than the front.   The back also features more elevation changes with elevated tee-boxes and greens.  The par four 15th is the signature hole for The Ledges.  At only 320 yards from the tips, it is the definition of target golf.  The tee-box is elevated and separated from the fairway with desert terrain.  The fairway and the green are separated by a gulch that will swallow up any errant shot.  Visually, from the tee box, it is one of the most picturesque holes in Utah. Hole # 1: Par: 4 Black: 405
Blue: 376
White: 356
Red: 332

The first hole is a basically a straight away hole but it favors a left to right shape to a shot. The fairway slopes from left to right. The line you want is over the top of the fairway bunkers on the left which should leave you with a short iron into the depressed green. The green is large and very undulated as with many other greens on the course. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 2: Par 3 Black: 231
Blue: 220
White: 190
Red: 171

This long par 3 gives the player many shot options depending on where the pin is placed on this large green. A low running shot is the best play. Try to keep the ball down under the wind if you can. Make sure to get the ball on the right part of the green since the green is very long. Tee Box Green Hole # 3: Par 5 Black: 571
Blue: 538
White: 512
Red: 486

This par five is not for the faint of heart. This long par 5 plays relatively straight. Keep the drive to the left of the fairway where it opens up and away from the fairway bunkers on the right. Getting home in two is difficult as a deep low of rough 50 yards from the green protects it. A layup shot to a full wedge is your best play. Tee Box Fairway 1 Fairway 2 Green Hole # 4: Par 4 Black: 456
Blue: 431
White: 405
Red: 381

This downhill par 4 is a scoring hole. #4 has a wide inviting fairway that needs to be hit since the green is very difficult. Steer clear of the fairway bunkers on the right and you should have a short iron into this green. The green is very intimidating since it looks very narrow. The green does widen out in the back but be sure that you get the ball to the back if the pin is placed there. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 5: Par 3 Black: 161
Blue: 142
White: 131
Red: 114

This short par three main defense are the three mounds in the green. Getting the ball on the green in regulation does not guarantee a par so make sure you know where the pin is placed. Try to use the mounds on the approach which can help get the ball close to the pin. Tee Box Green Hole # 6: Par 4 Black: 430
Blue: 400
White: 367
Red: 333

This long par 4 plays slightly up hill. The fairway is much more narrower than the other holes on the front and so make sure you are hitting your mark. The shortest route to the green is a drive up the left hand side of the fairway but beware because the numerous bunkers on the right of the fairway are reachable. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 7: Par 5 Black: 589
Blue: 556
White: 539
Red: 494

This is one of the most majestic holes on the front. This down hill par 5 starts you on your way toward snow canyon. The only real obstacles on this hole are the bunkers on the right for your tee shot and the bunkers on the left for your second. Take a moment on the tee-box to take in the surrounding views. Tee Box Fairway 1 Fairway 2 Green Hole # 8: Par 4 Black: 372
Blue: 347
White: 318
Red: 289

This is probably the easiest hole on the course. The hole is a sharp dog leg left and the green is most likely drivable for you long hitters. Do not be afraid to lay up he, a 3 iron or hybrid club off the tee may be the best shot. If you choose to lay up, try to keep you ball on the left side of the fairway. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 9: Par 4 Black: 422
Blue: 398
White: 368
Red: 335

At the ledges, the closer you get to the clubhouse, the more water comes into play. Number nine is certainly no exception. The fairway is quite narrow and the green is elevated so two great shots are needed to get a shot at birdie and maybe even for par. If you miss the green, miss right since anything left will be in the drink. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 10:Par 3 Black: 233
Blue: 210
White: 175
Red: 136

As we have said many times, the back nine is significantly more difficult than the front. Number 10 is a great taste of what is to come. The green does slope back to front to help you hold that long iron on the green. Tee Box Green Hole # 11: Par 5 Black: 531
Blue: 511
White: 498
Red: 465

Number 11 starts the climb up Snow Canyon. This par 5 is not very long in length but plays long since the hole runs up hill. Getting home in two is basically impossible so make sure you put together two safe shots and you will have a shot iron into the raised green. Know where the pin is placed but a good rule of thumb is aim for the middle of the green. Tee Box Fairway 1 Fairway 2 Green Hole # 12: Par 3 Black: 169
Blue: 147
White: 127
Red: 111

Take in the views of the twelfth tee-box before you get to the task at hand. The green slopes left to right to try to land the ball on the left side of the green to help funnel the ball to the green. This line gives you the most leeway for mishits. Tee Box Green Hole # 13: Par 4 Black: 419
Blue: 397
White: 360
Red: 328

Number 13 is a downhill, dog leg left, par 4. The key to this hole is avoid the fairway bunkers on the left. Try to get the ball on the high side of the fairway on the right. The green is very difficult as it slopes away from you. A “bump and run” is a good choice to the narrow green. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 14: Par 4 Black: 389
Blue: 358
White: 340
Red: 309

This hole looks a lot more difficult than it is. Just hit a safe straight shot and you should have a change to get the ball on the green in regulation. The green is long and narrow. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 15: Par 4 Black: 320
Blue: 297
White: 281
Red: 246

The 15th hole is considered by most the signature hole of The Ledges. Visually from the tee-box, it is one of the most majestic in Utah. Number 15 is the definition of target golf. A three iron will be plenty of club to land safely in the fairway. If you are going for the green. A good place to miss is the green side bunker on the left. Just make sure you have enough to get it over the chasm. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 16: Par 5 Black: 600
Blue: 591
White: 526
Red: 469

16 is a long par 5 with a split fairway. Your line off the tee-box is just right of the rock out-cropping. If your tee shot is fortunate enough to make the crest of the hill, go for the green in two. If not, pick a club that will put just short of the left bunker on the either fairway but if you can, try to stay on the right fairway. Tee Box Fairway 1 Fairway 2 Green Hole # 17: Par 4 Black: 408
Blue: 381
White: 354
Red: 318

17 is a dog leg par 4. The bunkers on the left make this hole look much more intimidating then it is. The perfect shot is over the left fairway bunkers as the fairway widens out after them. If you do not have the strength or the guts, try to keep the ball on the right side of the fairway since balls on the left side may have a blind shot into the large undulated green. Tee Box Fairway Green Hole # 18: Par 4 Black: 439
Blue: 414
White: 383
Red: 357

The finishing hole has a lot of water. Where the pin is located should influence which side of the fairway you want to favor. Try to keep the ball below the hole on the large green and finishing birdie is a strong possibility. Tee Box Fairway Green ]]> http://www.utahgolflist.com/?feed=rss2&p=67 0 http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=54 http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=54#comments Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:58:54 +0000 admin http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=54 Sunbrook is one of four golf course owned and operated by the city of St. George. Sunbrook has continually been a favorite of golfers in Southern Utah and has been named the best golf course in Utah by Golf Digest twice. The course was designed by Ted Robinson and John Harbottle and was first completed in 1990. Later, Sunbrook added the Black Rock nine holes, making Sunbrook the only course in southern Utah with 27 championship holes.

Sunbrook consists of three nine hole golf courses, each named after the signature hole or feature of the individual course. The Pointe follows the foothills in the west side of St. George. One of the dominant features of the Pointe is the abundance of water. There is water on holes 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Hole # 3 is a great par 3 that measures 208 from the back tees. The tee box is elevated and the green is protected by protected by three bunkers and water on the left. Number 5 is also a stunning hole that borders a desert cliff on the left. It is a short par four, 320 from the tips, that severely doglegs to the left. This is a good hole for the long hitters to lay up on since any shot left will end up 100 feet down below on the par-five second hole. The Pointe is a great nine holes that has some great risk reward holes. The elevation changes from tee box to green also make for a challenging round.

The Woodbridge nine contains two of the greatest Utah golf holes–the par-three forth and par-four fifth. The par-three fourth is an island green that you must try to hit from an elevated tee-box. The green is very large but that doesn’t mean a miss hit tee shot wont end up in the water. The next hole is a dog-leg right par-four. You tee off from elevated tees and in the distance you can see a large lake with a quaint wooden bridge providing a way across. The hole from the tips is about 440 yards but the lake makes you lay up since it is about 230 yards from the tips. A well placed tee shot leaves a long second over the water to a green well protected by four bunkers. It is one of the hardest holes on the course but also one of the most pleasant.

The newest addition to Sunbrook is the Black Rock nine. Black Rock gets its name from the three holes carved from the lava field. These holes are stunning visually and are not easy to play, putting a premium on accuracy. The most dynamic of the lava holes is the par-four seventh. The tee box is located amidst a large outcropping of molten rock. Your second shot must carry over more ominous black lava rock while avoiding the small lake protecting the right of the green. To say the least, Black Rock has only added to the overall experience of Sunbrook golf course.

Hole #1 is a down hill slight dog left to a large fairway. Both side slopes slightly to the fairway so it will stop an errant shot. There is a small stream that cuts across the fairway. It is very small and does not always have water in it and it should not come into play. The green is elevated and slopes from the back to the front.

This hole may seem simple on paper but there is nothing simple about it. This par-5 is straight up hill. There is a fairway bunker on the left that is drivable and make this up hill hole even longer. Your shot into this 3 tiered green is blind so be sure to know where the pin is located to get your putt on the correct shelf.

You tee off from an elevated tee box on this beautiful par-3. The elevation change makes choosing a club difficult. The green is surrounded by three green-side bunkers and water to the left.

When you look out from this tee box you see water directly in font of you, do not get psyched out about it, it should not come into play unless you really hit a poor shot. The hole is dog-leg left and the correct line is right over the trees in the left ruff. The fairway bunker on the left comes into play if you do not quite make the corner.

This short par-4 could be the signature hole of the Pointe. Keep the driver in the bag on this hole because any errant shot to the left will land 100 feet below on the second hole. The hole is a dog leg left and a long iron is all you need to set up a good shot into this two-tiered green.

The elevation change on this par-4 is very dramatic. The hole plays down hill and is a dog-leg left as it wraps around the side of a plateau. There is also a pond to the right which can grab well hit tee balls for the long hitters and miss hits for shots into the green.

7 is a short par-5 but a lake the bisects the fairway causes you to lay-up, making this play a lot longer than yardage would indicate. A conservative tee-ball will serve you best as water runs up the right side of the entire hole. Two well placed bunkers will also challenge approach shots. The green is a two-tiered.

Unless your driver is your most accurate club, leave it in the bag on this short par-4. 8 is a dog-leg left with water on the left. The smart shot is to lay-up. Check your yardage so you can leave a full wedge in your hands.

Head home with this difficult par-3. choosing a club is difficult because the green is very elevated. To make matters worse, the green has 3 tiers so make sure you know where the flag is located since you will not be able to see it from the tee-box.

]]> http://www.utahgolflist.com/?feed=rss2&p=54 0 http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=41 http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=41#comments Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:07:51 +0000 admin http://www.utahgolflist.com/?p=41 I was browsing You Tube the other day looking for videos of Utah golf courses. I can across 5 Utah golf courses that have created a video and posted them on the web. What I can’t understand is how come other golf courses haven’t followed suit? It is cheap advertisement, all you need to do is create a video and post it on any video sharing site. With that said here are the 5 Utah golf videos I have found.

1: Green River Golf Course:

2: The Ranches Golf Club:

3: The Ledges Golf Course:

4: Remuda Golf Course:

5: The Links at Sleepy Ridge:

25 Random Things of Utah Golf:
1- The Utah State Amateur is the oldest continuously held tournament in the world.
2- Three U.S.G.A. amateur champions have come from Utah–George Von Elm, Scott Hailes, Annie Thurman-Young.
3- Former Salt Lake Country Club caddie and junior member George Von Elm Scott beat the great Bobby Jones 2-and-1 in the 1926 Amateur, proclaiming, “It was my greatest day in golf.”
4- In Utah you can ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon.
5- The PGA, Champions and Nationwide Tour have played in Utah.
6- The Utah Golf Association is 1-up on the Arizona Golf Association.
7- The Utah State Amateur will be played at Valley View golf course this year.
8- The competitive course record at Valley View is 63.
9- Johnny Miller’s Champions Challenge has brought some of golf’s greatest living legends to Utah.
10- The Provo Open is 70 years old this year.
11- You can look up your playing partner’s handicap online.
12- If you don’t have a handicap, you’re not a golfer.
13- The Utah Open is 83 years old this year.
14- The Utah Junior Golf Association has sent 160 boys and 39 girls on to college golf.
15- Fairways Magazine will be 18 years old in May.
16- Utah Jazz players Deron Williams and Kyle Korver play golf.
17- Utah is home to some of the superstars of golf including Johnny Miller, Dan Forsman, Mike Weir, and Bruce Summerhays. (Mike Reid has moved to Maryland but still owns a home in Utah.)
18- There are 30,000 Utah Golf Association members.
19- The first Utah State Amateur was won by Robert Harkness in 1899.
20- Utah has over 120 golf courses open for play.
21- Billy Korns holds the record for winning the most Sate Amateur titles, six times. Billy passes away last year.
22- You can play on tree lined, mountain and deseret courses in Utah.
23- There are five women in the Utah Golf Hall of Fame–Helen Hofman Bertagnole, Bev Nelson, Marge Fillis, Mary Lou Baker and Marcia Thayne.
24- Tiger Woods has two knee operations in Park City.
25- The Utah State Amateur is 111 years old.

Take from “25 Random Things of Utah Golf”, Fairways, Volume 18, Issue 1, March 2009, pg. 10.