Utah's 30/60 Club

Lately I seem to be hearing and reading, with much greater frequency, statements like the following: "I would like to golf more often, but I can't afford to do it." Or, "I have to find a more reasonably priced habit." Or, "I would love to play there, but I am unwilling to spend more on a single round of golf than on the purchase of a new driver."

I am left to wonder, however, whether the first statement is nothing more than excuse-making by those incapable of balancing any budget - with or without golf. And, could the second statement be an inaccurate explanation from those who actually have an unreasonable number of habits? Furthermore, might the third be a pathetic plea for sympathy from those who think they need to play once-in-a-lifetime courses every time out?

There are threads of truth to both sentiments - golf isn't cheap and, there are plenty of ways to play more often, even on blue collar wages. This being said, however, the reality for most golfers, in most areas, is that the cost to play is becoming exorbitant, and is not likely to go down anytime soon. Supply and demand economics will continue to dictate an appreciating cost to play - as prime golfing real estate becomes more difficult to acquire, and the number of golfers continue to grow (albeit at recent slower rates), the cost to chase the little white ball is inherently going to go up.

So, what is the solution? Is there one? The answers lie in any combination of the following: The price-conscious golfer must find an area where 1) the ratio of golf courses to golfers is as high as possible, where 2) those courses must compete for the golfers' time and money, and where 3) costs to build and maintain the course don't involve 8-digits numbers. Many may fittingly ask if such a place exists any closer to suburbia than Medora, North Dakota, or Rawlins, Wyoming.

Let me share a little secret with most of you. In an era of exorbitant green fees, tee times that often must be scheduled 18 months in advance, and one hundred million dollar golf course construction budgets, there still exists a few pockets of golf where green fees cost less than a tank of gas, can be made the day prior, and the quality of experience still exceeds reasonable expectations. And, believe it or not, this type and quantity of value golf is still available in a major metropolitan area.

Admittedly, there may be some that define value golf a little differently than I do, but I haven't met many golfers who aren't on the constant quest for a good mix of overall conditioning, design diversity, settings of the dramatic variety, and a slope and rating for all levels; all at a toll that doesn't consume every ounce of monthly disposable income.

Where is this place? Where can you find in excess of thirty 18-hole golf courses that fit the criteria, all for under $30 per round, and all within about an hour of a major international airport? For those of you who have not yet found the heartland of value golf, let me be the first to welcome you to Salt Lake City, Utah. Listed are some of its value golf trophies.

• Valley View Golf Course. Layton, Utah. 28 miles north of SLC International Airport:  Appropriately, the first course mentioned is one of the best values in all of golf. This county-owned course is rock-solid in all aspects from the first tee to the last. Set in the foothills next to Layton City's water collection reservoirs, and built in 1975, elevation changes, mature vegetation, and water hazards blend into a seamless layout that is tough to disparage. Fantastic conditioning, challenging greens, annual improvements, and great original design diversity give Valley View its well-earned reputation.


6th Hole at Valley View Golf Course

Hobble Creek Golf Course. Springville, Utah. 60 miles south of SLC:  Utah's value golf runner-up is a worthy bridesmaid on anyone's itinerary. Located on the floor of a sheer canyon, and following its winding namesake, Hobble Creek Golf Course is a local favorite. Fairways lined with huge cottonwood trees and thick stands of scrub oak offer a sense of seclusion, a target golf masterpiece, and brilliant fall colors. Deer, wild turkeys, and even a family of black bears have added to the natural distractions.

Wasatch Mountain State Park. Midway, Utah. 51 miles southeast of SLC:  Next on the list are perfect representatives of the golf setting most would anticipate in Utah. Wasatch Mountain State Park is the host to an award winning 36-hole layout. Two separate courses, the Mountain and the Lake, offer a unique mountain golf experience. The Mountain course is carved from a maze of scrub oak and offers 18 consecutive holes with elevation changes to varying degrees. The Lake occupies the lower half of the property, but still offers stunning views of Heber Valley as it works its way through more diverse foliage and water hazards.

Bountiful Ridge Golf Course. Bountiful, Utah. 16 miles north of SLC:  True country-club-quality conditioning, fantastic service, vivid vistas of the Great Salt Lake, and an exquisite design variety have deservedly generated the state's most loyal base of patrons. Locals are known to fanatically pit Bountiful Ridge against literally any other club in the country. Course maturity, great angled greens, and a picturesque, risk/reward finishing hole characterizes its well-established reputation.

Soldier Hollow Golf Course. Midway, Utah. 51 southeast of SLC:  Soldier Hollow gained an international reputation for great competition when it hosted the cross country events during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. That spirited legacy was proliferated by the decision to weave a 36-hole golf complex betwixt the trails and facilities that are used only during the winter months. The aptly named Gold Course presents the championship design with its length, elevation change, and resistance to scoring. The Silver Course fittingly presents a slightly less challenging test to those with less grueling aspirations.



View of Soldier Hollow Gold Course

Mountain Dell Golf Course. Lower Parley's Canyon. 12 miles east of SLC:  Again, the expectation to experience mountain golf is surpassed with yet another 36-hole facility, this time located in Parley's Canyon halfway between Salt Lake City and Park City at nearly 6,000 feet about sea level. Both the original Canyon Course and the newer Lake Course present fantastic layouts against an untainted backdrop. Dramatic ravines, numerous natural hazards, and an imposing rough add to the aesthetics and demand shot-making at every juncture. An explanation of the cloven-shaped divots found on the fairways and greens is found as abundant moose are regularly seen traversing the courses with general disregard for golfers and conditioning.



17th green at Mountain Dell's Lake course

Eaglewood Golf Course. North Salt Lake, Utah. 14 north of SLC:  Eaglewood Golf Course offers a unique golf experience situated in the foothills more than 1,000 feet above the Great Salt Lake and just minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. Impressive elevation changes, inner battles over risk and reward, blind shots, a variety of hazards, and an astonishing ability to alter course difficulty by regulating the length of the rough mandates a fantastic combination of shots and the use of every club in the bag.

Logan River Golf Course. Logan, Utah. 85 miles northeast of SLC:  Unique to Utah's high desert golf offering is target golf that is molded out of natural wetlands. Logan River Golf Course distinguishes itself from its more arid neighbors by the atypical amount of water found within its confines. Massive trees (by Utah's standard) in combination with protected bird habitat are capable of confiscating an inconsiderate number of golf balls - starting and finishing the round with the same ball is an exceptional feat. However, don't let the challenge cause you to forego a great round on an absolutely beautiful course.



Opening green at Logan River

Wingpointe Golf Course, Salt Lake City, Utah:  Arthur Hill's authentic links-style Wingpointe Golf Course stands as an additional testament to Utah's golf diversity. Positioned within the actual property lines of the Salt Lake International Airport, Wingpointe is a must-play for any real golfer with at least a 5-hour layover. More relevant than the convenient location of the course, however, is the architecturally calculated location of its dunes, bunkers, and hazards. Due to its environmental proximity to the Great Salt Lake, golfers are generally able to play on a year-round basis.

Talon's Cove Golf Course, Saratoga Springs, Utah, 43 miles from SLC:  Situated on a bluff on the west side of Utah Lake, with matchless lake and mountain views, this mounding, link-style creation stakes its warranted claim on Utah's greatest golf setting. Being selected as the host to the Utah Open in just its second year of operation lends credibility to it fast-growing status as one of the state's finest tracks. Renowned architect Gene Bates leaves his signature with impressive length on several of his five par 3s, and deliberate changes in length and direction in consideration of the prevailing winds on his five par 5s.



6th green at Talons Cove Golf Course

Other Qualifiers:

• Stonebridge Golf Course, West Valley City, Utah
• Birch Creek Golf Course, Smithfield, Utah
• Eagle Mountain Golf Course, Brigham City, Utah
• The Ranches, Eagle Mountain, Utah
• Westridge Golf Course, West Valley City, Utah
• Mount Ogden Golf Course, Ogden, Utah
• Bonneville Golf Course, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Glen Eagle, Syracuse, Utah
• Davis Park Golf Course, Fruit Heights, Utah
• Riverbend Golf Course, Riverton, Utah
• Old Mill Golf Course, Salt Lake City, Utah
• The Links at Sleepy Ridge, Orem, Utah
• River Oaks, Sandy, Utah
• Tri City Golf Course, American Fork, Utah
• The Links at Overlake, Grantsville, Utah
• Gladstan Golf Course, Payson, Utah
• Round Valley Golf Course, Morgan, Utah
• The Reserve at East Bay, Provo, Utah
• Cedar Hills Golf Course, Cedar Hills, Utah



16th green at Sleepy Ridge Golf Course

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