The Best Value in the USA
We have been fortunate to visit resorts and courses throughout the US, guys trips, girls trips, family trips, you name it. It is our opinion is that Park City is the best summer golf value in the country. The combination of beautiful and fun golf combined with excellent lodging, world-class restaurants, great nightlife and a wide variety of things to do outside of golf makes this a must for golfers throughout the country.
A fun and visually enjoyable Johnny Miller designed golf course located in Lehi. The Jordan River meanders through the course. Lots of mounding, large bunkers and greens. The course is kept in very good condition. Links Magazine rated it as one of the tip “Hidden Gems” in the country.
Best Holes – #6 is a long par 4 with gardens along the left side and the Jordan River on the right. It is best to keep it straight here. The green is large and receptive. #11 is a tough three shot hole with a long carry of the water right off the tee.
A linksy course with a surprising amount of elevation changes. Every hole is unique, fun and has its own unique challenge. Large greens with numerous good pin positions. One of those courses that you will use most clubs in your bag. Fun and attractive course. I really enjoy the 6 par 3, par 4 and par 5 set up. The variety and routing will keep your interest throughout.
Best Holes – #9 is a fun par 5, the tee shot gives you room between the fairway bunkers, the second shot however, with the pond left and the fairway sloping that way, you need to keep well to the right. The elevated green is well protected by the bunker left and creek behind. #15 is a make or break par 3 for your round. Anything short will find the pond. The hole is long and plays longer. Hitting the green does not ensure a par, the green is strongly sloping and can be deceptive.
Soldier Hollow Gold CourseThe Gold Course played host to the prestigious 2012 USGA National Publink Championship. This links-style course runs along the side of the mountain with large multi-tiered greens, excellent bunkering and wonderful views of the majestic Mount Timpanogos to the beautiful Heber Valley below. The greens tend to break toward the Tate Barn and the valley. Choose your tee wisely, this course can stretch to over 7600 yards, don’t push it, there are plenty of challenges from any yardage!
Best Holes – There are quite a few choices here, #5 is my favorite par 3, your tee shot must carry a canyon filled with scrub oak, the green is surrounded by rough and a deep greenside bunker to the right. I really enjoy the par 4 10th hole, it plays significantly downhill, the approach should be played to the left of your target as everything slopes hard right to left. 16 is a gem of a par 5. A large fairway bunker to the right off the tee with deep rough to the left. The second should be played to the right, the closer you get to the green, the narrower the fairway. The green is well elevated and has significant slope, particularly toward the back of the green.
While you are there – The clubhouse restaurant is one of the best mountain settings anywhere. 30 foot windows look out at the Heber Valley and the courses. The restaurant has a great breakfast. An ice cream cone from Heber Mountain Dairy on your way back to Park City is a must.
Wasatch State Mountain CourseRated as the most beautiful course in Utah every year. Playing up the mountain, the first 7 holes climb over 2000 feet, and the final 8 play back down. This is THE must play while here. Turkey, deer, hawks, mountain streams, great golf and amazing views from start to finish, you have to love this course. Take one or two extra clubs going up the mountain and less coming down. Putts tend to break significantly toward the valley.
Best Holes – Wow, this is tough, there are a ton of them. #3 really gets things going. Dogleg right par 4 where you really should stay left off the tee. The second plays at least one extra club. Stay below the pin and don’t go right. The green slopes hard back to front. Par or better through here and you could be in for a good day. #8 is the first down hill hole. Par 5 that works left to right. Aim just right of the lone fairway bunker, the rough right kills anything slightly right of center. Trust me here, the green slopes away from the mountain. #12, hit it high and let if fly, the ball stays in the air forever. Keep the tee shot left. A two tiered green that slopes left to right. Great mountain hole!
The Lakes Course is a very enjoyable course at the base of the Wasatch Mountains. Well-designed holes and a good variety keep your interest. Eight lakes and numerous streams run through this course. Great course to walk. The course itself is a very good test and is used for numerous state tournaments. The greens are medium sized and subtilty sloping. You don’t need to overpower this course, it is great fun, fair and you need play a complete round to score here.
Best Holes – #6 is a good medium length par 3. Be sure to take enough to carry the pond. Just a beautiful setting and very good golf hole. #14 is one of my favorite par 5s in the area. A hard dogleg right. You will be tempted to try and cut the dogleg but this is not a good bet. Those trees grab anything down the right and leave you with nothing. Two well struck shots on the correct line and you can get home, any mistake brings double, or worse, into play.
While you are there – The clubhouse patio is a fantastic setting. Good food and cold beer. This is my spot for a birthday meal. A Mountain Dog at the halfway house on the Mountain course is a must. Great hot dog. Be sure to drive back to Park City by going over Guardsman Pass, it takes and extra 10 or 15 minutes but the views are stunning.
Mountain Dell Canyon CourseA solid and fun front nine gives way to a stunning back nine. Holes 11 to 15 play up and down Lambs Canyon and are special. This setting is wonderful and the golf is great fun. Medium sized greens, tree lined fairways with good bunkering. The holes up the canyon make this a tough walk, but it is a beautiful one. Pay attention to elevation changes when making club selection.
Best Holes – #11 is a wonderful par 5. A 3 shot hole, a wide fairway becomes more narrow on the second and the long narrow green provides a challenge. Each shot plays longer than you expect. #12 is another fun uphill hole. A shortish par 4 where your tee shot needs to be accurate and sloid or the ravine will cost you a stroke. The second is severely uphill. #13 is the par 3 at the top of the course. Beautiful and challenging. Shots off line are problematic, particularly if left.
This course has some of the best designed holes in the area. Watch out for Moose, they are frequently on this course. Good elevation changes, fun golf holes and stunning views. Lakes, ravines, mountain streams, this is really fun mountain style golf.
Best Holes – #4 is a dogleg left with your tee shot carrying the lake. A poorly planned drive will find the lake, a solid drive leaves a short pitch to a small green protected short with bunkers, long is in the lake. #6 reminds me a A.W. Tillinghast, a long dogleg right with rough and bunker down the right, how much can I carry? 4 is a good score here. #17 is a beautiful downhill par 3, club selection is imperative, the stream is short, bunker and woods are long. The green is a really pleasant setting.
While you are there – As with most of the Park City area courses, the clubhouse has a great setting. The burgers are good and the beer is ice cold.
Park City CourseLocated in the heart of Park City, this course provides a really nice round of golf. The course has numerous ponds and streams running throughout. The greens are fairly flat but have subtle breaks that will create issues if you are not careful. Most fairways are tree lined and some are pretty tight. There are tons of pleasant views of the surrounding mountains and ski area. Very convenient for nine or eighteen.
Best Holes – 6 is a short downhill par 4 but is the #1 handicap on the course. Your drive must be between 200 and 225 yards leaving a short iron into a three tier green protected front and left by water and OB long and right. 18 is a fun par 5, you can play it as a relatively easy 3 shot hole, or long hitters can risk it and go for it in two. Bunkers come into play off the tee and water surrounds the green on three sides.
While you are there – Ruth Chris is on property and offers a great summer bar menu and a wonderful setting. My preference is to go up the street to Silver Star Café, get a table on the rail, have a drink and an Elk Burger while overlooking the course we just played. One of the best spots in Park City.
Always in good shape, great views of the Great Salt Lake below and the mountains above. Friendly staff, great conditions, fun and varied holes along with a great price caused Golf Digest to declare Bountiful Ridge the best golf value in the country. The greens vary in size but are have strong slopes, normally from back to front. There is generally a little more room off the tee than it looks.
Best Holes – #2 seems to be a simple par 3, medium length, downhill to a large green. The issue is the steepness of the green. Unless you are directly below the pin you will have an intimidating bender, even if it is a shorty. 18th is a beautiful par 5, it can be reached in two but the green is surrounded by water. The stream and waterfall make for a great setting.
While you are there – Nice setting to have some food and drink. This is my choice for an arrival or departure day round.
The setting here is wonderful with a mountain backdrop and views into Salt Lake below. The course itself is has a wonderful variety of holes. Bonneville is used in a lot of local and state tournaments and for good reason. To score here you will need to have all facets of your game going well. Not a course to try and overpower, think you way around here.
Best Holes – #5 is blind off the tee, aim down the middle and trust it. The key here is to be on the correct level of the green with your approach. There is a large slope down to the back tier. #17 is a pretty par 3 with a Donald Ross type green, somewhat domed and sloping away on all sides. #18 is a fantastic finish. The tee shot plays downhill, narrows the farther you go and long hitters can reach the cross stream. If you hit your tee shot left (I always seem to) you are playing a semi blind approach to a subtlety sloped green tucked into a natural amphitheater. Players can easily take 3, or 6, and have in back to back rounds.
While you are there – Just down the street is “This is the Place Heritage Park” this is where Brigham Young first saw the Salt Lake valley and told the travelling party, “This is the Place”. The park is very nice and does a good job telling some of Utah and Mormon history.