Red Rocks Ring the Greens in St. George Utah
The St Louis Post Dispatch has this interesting article about the great golf available in the St George, Utah, area. Below are excerpts.
When Mormon leader Brigham Young passed through a small settlement in 1861 in what is now the southwest corner of Utah, he looked at the desolate landscape and made a prophecy.
"There will yet be built between those volcanic ridges a city with spires, towers … and homes with many inhabitants."
If Young had been able to see further into the future, he might have added "and some really fine golf courses."
As the population grew, so did the number, and quality, of the golf courses. The St. George area boasts 11 public courses in an idyllic setting between the ridges, buttes, mesas and mountains that once caught Brigham Young's eye. While St. George previously attracted primarily snow birds, it now also lures golfers, who are drawn by the scenic beauty, favorable weather and reasonable greens fees.
"It's turned into a little golf mecca," said Colby Cowan, head professional at Sand Hollow Resort, whose 18-hole championship course is a stunning layout that opened in August 2008. Sand Hollow was No. 7 on Golf Digest's list of the nation's best new public courses for 2009. Golfweek lists Sand Hollow as No. 1 among Utah public courses. Coral Canyon, another St. George-area course, is No. 3.
I played four of the area's courses on a visit last month — Sky Mountain, Sand Hollow, Sunbrook and The Ledges — and Sand Hollow stood out. (I thought Sky Mountain and The Ledges tied for second, with Sunbrook fourth.)
Nine of the area's courses comprise the Red Rock Golf Trail, in association with 14 lodging properties within 15 minutes of St. George. Stay-and-play packages can be arranged online at redrockgolftrail.com or by phone at 1-888-345-2550.
When Mormon leader Brigham Young passed through a small settlement in 1861 in what is now the southwest corner of Utah, he looked at the desolate landscape and made a prophecy.
"There will yet be built between those volcanic ridges a city with spires, towers … and homes with many inhabitants."
If Young had been able to see further into the future, he might have added "and some really fine golf courses."
As the population grew, so did the number, and quality, of the golf courses. The St. George area boasts 11 public courses in an idyllic setting between the ridges, buttes, mesas and mountains that once caught Brigham Young's eye. While St. George previously attracted primarily snow birds, it now also lures golfers, who are drawn by the scenic beauty, favorable weather and reasonable greens fees.
"It's turned into a little golf mecca," said Colby Cowan, head professional at Sand Hollow Resort, whose 18-hole championship course is a stunning layout that opened in August 2008. Sand Hollow was No. 7 on Golf Digest's list of the nation's best new public courses for 2009. Golfweek lists Sand Hollow as No. 1 among Utah public courses. Coral Canyon, another St. George-area course, is No. 3.
I played four of the area's courses on a visit last month — Sky Mountain, Sand Hollow, Sunbrook and The Ledges — and Sand Hollow stood out. (I thought Sky Mountain and The Ledges tied for second, with Sunbrook fourth.)
Nine of the area's courses comprise the Red Rock Golf Trail, in association with 14 lodging properties within 15 minutes of St. George. Stay-and-play packages can be arranged online at redrockgolftrail.com or by phone at 1-888-345-2550.
posted by Utah Blog Admin @ 8:30 AM
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