Golfing Sand Hollow Part 3 - Back 9

Hole 10 

Par 5
565 | 534 | 513 | 462 | 430 yards

The opening hole on the back awards you with another brilliant vista of the surrounding mountains from an elevated tee box next to the clubhouse.  The fairway here travels diagonally to your left to the green.  The hole splits a vast expanse of scrub brush so keeping the ball in play off the tee is critical.

This hole begins one of the best stretches of golf holes I have played recently.  Actually, It may be one of the best 6 hole stretches of golf I have ever played.

Making your drive more difficult a string of bunkers are scattered down the left side of the hole.  These are probably not in play for long hitters as it is only 230 yards to carry the last of them. The bunker that jumps in from the right is more of a hazard at around 260 yards off the tees.

On your second shot another set of bunkers must be avoided.  One of these bunkers sits in the middle of the fairway about 160 yards from the green.  Slightly further up another bunker sits to the right of the fairway.

There is plenty of room to land your second shot over these bunkers to have a shorter 3rd shot into this relatively large, kidney shaped green.  At its widest it is around 35 yards.  There is room to miss all around this green but it is guarded by a single large bunker sitting short right.

This may be one of the more accessible par 5s to attempt to reach in two with the generous room around the green.  The green is also not really raised up making a run-up onto the putting surface possible.

Hole 11

Par 3
190 | 164 | 154 | 136 | 114 yards

This is a tricky fun hole.  

A longer par 3, this hole does offer a little help to the player via its design.  A large area to miss left is available, which is a good thing because the most obvious feature of this hole are the deep bunkers that wrap around the entire right side of the green.

Behind the green is an immense drop off where the canyon walls come into play.  Before this drop off there is another large bunker, hidden from the tee, that might perhaps save a ball from a deadly plummet to the canyon floor below.

Looking to the right here you get another jaw dropping view.  Over the ridge you can see the next hole running down below.  How can you argue that this isn't one of the greatest views you've seen playing golf?

A mound located just left of the green to kick a ball hit there back onto the green and towards the pin.  This green is canted diagonally to the right of the tee.  It is massively long, though not as much wide.  At its longest this green is in excess of 50 yards so take that into account in your club selection.

Hole 12

Par 4
443 | 432 | 372 | 335 | 294 yards

Leaving the 11th hole you take the path behind the green which snakes around a bend to one of the coolest looking holes I have ever seen.  The path is high above the 12th hole, and you can see its entire length, sandwiched along a ridge line on the canyon walls.

From the tee you have to hit this fairway, which turns away diagonally from the tee.  The walls of the canyon on the right are in play and these soft walls can as easily swallow a ball as kick it back into play.  Down the left is a small ribbon of scrub before the hole plummets off into oblivion.

I had to get another shot of Dale making another stunning drive.  Look at that backdrop!

Another view of the fairway from the forward tee showing the room you have to hit your tee shot.  The first bunker down the right side is only about 65 yards from the green so they should not be in play off the tee.

Depending on the length of your drive your next shot may be pretty severely uphill.  The green is elevated from the fairway at the end, so an extra club is probably the smart move.

I hit a great drive just short of the first bunker, however a great drive must still negotiate both sets of bunkers to reach the green.  There is plenty of room behind this green to miss with a natural backstop offered by the hill.

A look back down the hole shows the ascent of the fairway to the green after the elevated tee shot.

This green is again pretty massive, stretching over 40 yards from front to back.

What a great hole, shown here looking back from the 13th tee.

Hole 13

Par 4
320 | 304 | 261 | 231 | 200 yards

After coming off 12, you might think the next hole wont deliver but the 13th certainly does.  A classic short par 4 that offers a risk-reward opportunity. 

Like the 12th, this hole runs right along the edge if the canyon.  Maybe even more so on this hole.  A large bunker hangs right on the edge of the cliff down the left side.  The cliffs on the right are probably less in play here, as a grassy hillside will likely stop balls hit down that side from getting to them.

The biggest hazard on this hole is the large central fairway bunker that lives about 50 yards short of the green.  Clear this on your drive and you may just find the putting surface.  Lay up short of it and you still only have a short iron in.

One more large bunker sits in the front right corner of this long, narrow green.

Don't miss your approach to the left of this green obviously, but do take into account the green's depth of about 40 yards.

Hole 14

Par 4
525 | 433 | 411 | 396 | 333 yards

After the last 2 holes the 14th is less of a visual adventure.  No cliff hanging designs on this one, just a slow descent from tee to green.  Make no mistake though, this hole is fearsome.  Looking at the card and seeing 525 yards, you'd probably think par 5.  Nope this is one beast of a par 4 from the tips.

The bunker on the left edge of the hole is over 300 yards from the tee.  The hole slopes from right to left so the best play here is down the right half of the hole.  There is plenty of room to rip it on this hole.  For most of its length the fairway is about 50 yards wide.  Hit down the right side you can catch a slope that will rocket your ball downhill gaining valuable yardage on this lengthy hole.

Once you get even with that left bunker you could see off the tee it is only about 100 yards to the green.  If you can't reach this green in 2 (likely), the play here is most likely a shot that carries that first bunker and comes up short of the bunkers that comes in down the right side, as you can see in this photo where a couple of balls are resting.  From here it is just a wedge to the green.  Again you can see how the hole slopes to the left the entire way from tee to green.

The better miss on your approach is definitely down the right side.  A pair of bunkers wrap most of the green on the left side.  A slope down the right can also help to funnel a ball back to toward the green.

This green is yet again another massive oval.  It is about 45 yards deep.  A collection area is offered below and behind the green, should you send a screamer over the green.  This will save you before the ball falls off the hill that sits behind the hole.  As you approach or leave this green make sure to check out that stunning view again!

A look back up the hill shows the elevation rise towards the tee.

Hole 15

Par 3
230 | 191 | 158 | 145 | 113 yards

The string of brilliant holes on the back 9 comes to a finale with this par 3.  Named the Devil's throat you have to try to tee off from the Blue tees on this one.  Here Dale is hitting from this tee box which is situated just in front of a narrow gap between two sets of jutting rock faces.

From here, the hole requires all carry to the green.   A massive valley awaits anything that comes up short.  If you just manage to sneak across you may find the bunker sitting short and below the green.  Anything left is obviously bad but there is room to miss short right.  Long right is also OK with a bank to bring your ball back down onto the green.

A look off to the left again.

This is a view from the forward White tees.  From here the hole looks a lot less daunting, though there is still plenty of hazards between here and the green.

This green canted so that from the back tees you are shooting into its narrowest side but from the forward tees you are offered its longest dimension.  Really good design there. It is still plenty big to land those long shots in.  It is multi tiered as well, as you can see.

Hole 16

Par 4
369 | 355 | 345 | 316 | 266 yards

The 16th brings you back down to earth.  Turning away from those stunning mountains and the cliff-hanging holes, this is a dogleg right hole that requires precision rather than length off the tee.  

The fairway is still plenty wide but a pair of bunkers jump in from either side to pinch down the fairway in the landing zone off the tee.  The left bunker is about 200 yards away from the tees.  The right bunker is maybe 20 yards further up.  Between these bunkers the fairway is still almost 40 yards across so a good straight drive at the bunker further in the distance is a perfect line.

At the right bunker the hole starts to turn to the right.  From just in front of that right bunker it is less than 100 yards into the green.  That bunker complex does stretch all the way to the green, and hugs its right side so a miss to the left is a better option.

On more 40 yard deep green offers plenty of room to miss deep and left.  This green is not elevated at all so missing pretty much anywhere except the bunkers around this green should still be an easy recovery.

Hole 17

Par 5
523 | 493 | 466 | 455 | 415 yards

The 17th is a downhill dogleg left par 5.  This is maybe the only hole on the course with a little bit of that desert "target golf" style feel to it.

Off the tee a large bunker fronts the fairway landing zone.  You can play off to the right of them but that leaves an awful long way in.  The best line is just to the right of the second bunker that sits over the top of those.  Be aware that from the Blue tees the fairway does run out at about 300 yards, when a wash crosses the hole and divides this fairway from the rest of the hole.

Once you land your drive, you may need to lay up if you went too conservative.  A shot played this far back brings that second bunker into play on the second shot.

The wash that separates the fairways is just under 70 yards across so take that into account on your shot selection.  From the other side of the wash you only have about 100 yards to the green.

Awaiting before the green is a single large bunker sitting right in the fairway.  This is about 60 yards from the front of the green.  Unless you hit a great drive, you are likely going to need to figure out the distance to land somewhere over the wash and before that bunker.

Another pair of bunkers sit down the right side off the fairway and short of the green.  There is a ton of room on all sides around this green.  It definitely is designed to encourage attacking this green on your second shot.  Should you avoid that central bunker, short you will likely be very close to the green.

The green is elevated on all sides from the collection area that envelops the hole.  Having to hit from anywhere around the green is not going to be a problem.  This is one of the smaller greens on the course but still around 30 yards in its longest dimension.

Hole 18

Par 4
435 | 425 | 412 | 390 | 357 yards

Similar to the 9th hole, but not playing as much uphill, the 18th heads right back towards the clubhouse which is perched above and the the left of the green.

Off the tee, the fairway bunker down the left side is just over 200 yards.   That is about 50 yards long so to carry it is a tough ask if you hit your tee ball at it.

Another bunker sits down the right edge of the fairway.  That one starts about where the left bunker ends, so around 250ish.

The best play here is to obviously split these bunkers.  Bisecting those two carts in this photo would be position 1A.

A picture of my pops on the 18th with one of the few rare houses in sight.  I wouldn't mind living in that one!

From just passed that left bunker it is around 140 yards to the green.  The hole rises up from those bunkers all the way to the green so an extra club is probably wise.

A giant bunker sits below and to the right of the green.  Hidden from view behind the green sits a trio of bunkers.

Conclusions

This was one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf in a long, long time.  From the get go I loved how the front nine felt very links-y.  That is somewhat of a hard thing to grasp, with it being in Southern Utah, nowhere near a coast.  The large firm fairways and giant greens (along with the myriad of sand around the course) surely helped give that vibe.  

The scenery is just amazing around here to boot.  That certainly helped to make the front nine fun. Now if the back 9 isn't what it is, and it was more of the same as the first 9 I still would have enjoyed the round.  I am sure it would not be as memorable, nor would this course be found where it is as one of the top courses in the state.

For our round our playing partners certainly helped make this a memorable round.  Watching Dale work his magic was so much fun to see.  When I grow up I want to be like him!

But to be honest, what makes this course is the back nine.  Maybe not since Old Head in Ireland have I encountered a string of consecutive holes that just seem to keep getting better.  From hole 10 to hole 15, Sand Hollow offers golfers a world-class experience.  Those cliff-side holes on 12, 13, and 15 are just flat out amazing.

While the front nine gets to you with its fun accessibility and largely wide open spaces, the back nine just sucks you in and doesn't let you go until you have sadly almost come to the the end of your round.

I can't emphasize enough how strongly I recommend playing here.  If you are ever in the area (especially if you are doing the Mesquite area for golf) make the extra drive to Sand Hollow.  You won't regret it, or forget it.

Back to the Introduction...

To the front Nine...

Sand Hollow Golf Resort
5662 West Clubhouse Drive, Hurricane, UT 84737
(435) 656-4653
sandhollowresort.com

Golfing Sand Hollow Part 2 - Front 9

Hole 1 

Par 4
447 | 432 | 414 | 404 | 371 yards

The opening hole is a great par 4 to ease into your round.  Not a short hole, but a massive fairway is offered since the first and ninth hole share this area.  There is OB down the right side but there is plenty of room off the fairway down that side before you would find that.

The line off the tee is just straight down the hole at the Resort's hotel or the greenside bunker complex.  The scrub down the left is pretty far away, around 290 yards, depending on your tees.

If you play down the right side of the hole you will need to then carry the large bunker complex that sits about 65 yards short of the green.

Looking to your left is the first of many stunning views that you will find on the course.  I mean come on, this is ridiculous!

From the left side of the fairway, the approach into the green is much more open than down the right side.  The fairway does narrow to a small neck as it passes by the bunker complex.

As you hit your approach into the green be aware that this green, like many on the course is enormous.  A pair of bunkers does flank the left side of the green but really this green is so large that only a terrible shot is likely to find a home down in that sand.

A shot of the first green taken from the back right corner.  This green is a large oval and is almost 60 yards from front to back.  While not the most undulated surface, that is a good thing as you can have some very long lag putts on this one.

Hole 2 

Par 5
577 | 556 | 545 | 497 | 446 yards

The first par 5 of the day is a long one.  From the tee your view to the hole is partially obscured by the scrub brush in front of the tee.  The fairway you can see is dominated by a large center bunker that sits about 230 yards from the tee.   It is possible to carry that bunker.  While the bunker plays tricks on your eyes, this fairway is actually pretty large.  At the bunker the fairway actually stretches almost 80 yards across.  

This is the first hole where you start to experience some of the tremendous red rock formations on the course.  While these are not in play they do make for a great backdrop to the hole.

The large central bunker has a rather elevated face, making a lengthy exit from it unlikely.

Beyond that bunker the hole descends towards the green. Another bunker jumps out from the right, narrowing down the hole about 100 yards from the tee.  At this bunker the hole turns to the right, with the green tucked off the center line of the hole.

Closer to the green, a pair of bunkers frames the far edge of the fairway and will collect wayward long second shots.  For those playing this as a three shot hole, you just need to layup short of the right cross bunker, or just to its left for a wedge into the green.

The approach from the left side of the fairway, here from about 120 yards, is fairly open.  The green here slopes back left to front right.  A slope to the left of the green is to be avoided, as is the bunker that guards the front right corner of this triangular shaped green.  Finally, a pair of bunkers sit behind the this much smaller green, than you find on the first hole.

Hole 3 

Par 3
208 | 195 | 182 | 170 | 134 yards

Set in front of an outcropping of red rocks, this longer par 3 at first appears rather unimposing.

However, subtle hazards await you off the tee.  A pair of bunkers visually frame the front corners of the hole but should not come into play.  A false front of the green, especially on the right half of the hole can repel balls not hit far enough.

The green is about 50 yards wide and 35 yards deep so even if you find the green off the tee, you may have a very long couple of putts.  As you can see, the green also runs off to the left and back behind the hole.

Hole 4 

Par 4
463 | 439 | 429 | 402 | 344 yards

The 4th is a dogleg left which features a pair of waiting bunkers down the right side of the fairway off the tee.  The closer of these is about 200 yards away and the further is 280 yards.  Finding the fairway is key here as the boundaries of this hole is framed by the same brush that sits in front of the tee boxes.  In general this brush is some really thick stuff, so unless you get really lucky any ball hit into it is likely not to be found much less played.

The fairway narrows to only about 30 yards adjacent to the second bunker.  If you play short of that or can get over it you have a little more generous landing zone.

Our playing partners included William Dale Beddo. Here, Dale is teeing off on the 4th hole.  Dale is an accomplished golf architect, having worked with both Nicklaus and Palmer at times.  His career is winding down with his final work being the BYU course.  He also was involved in a new private course being built nearby to Sand Hollow called "The Rock"

Dale was a great guy to play with.  He put up with my Dad and I hacking around with him.  Dale is probably the best golfer I have ever played with personally.  It was just awesome to watch him play.
Check out this card on found online of a tournament he was in, enough said:

Anyways back to the 4th hole, the closest bunker off the tee is shown here.  If you get into this one, or the next one on the wrong side you have to just chip out with those high faces towards the green.  You can see the green off to the left as the hole turns and then descends back towards the resort's hotel.

The approach into the green is largely unguarded.  There is a large bunker on the left but it is some 40 yards short of the green and is more a visual distraction than an actual hazard.  There is one small bunker sitting of the right side of the green.

This is another large oval green, close to 40 yards at its widest.  After you finish this tough long hole, make sure to stop and admire the view back up the hole to the mountains beyond.  Wow!

Hole 5 

Par 4
355 | 347 | 306 | 292 | 244 yards

The 5th turns back and plays opposite and just adjacent to the 4th hole.  Significantly shorter this is an easier hole for that reason and for the wider fairway to tee off into.  A large bunker sits down the right side about 250 yards out.  There is plenty of room to miss that and stay in the fairway, which is 80 yards across at its widest point.

Another shot from the forward tees and the absolutely stunning backdrop of Signal Peak, located in the Pine Valley Mountains in the Dixie National Forest.

Looking off to the right on the hole you can see the kind of thorny scrub that awaits wayward shots.

The approach into 5 must traverse a pair of bunkers flanking the fairway.  The left bunkers is some 20 yards in front of the green but the right one wraps around the front corner of the green.

This green is circular and around 30 yards across.  There is room to miss long with a sloped collection area wrapping around below the back of the green.

Hole 6 

Par 4
493 | 468 | 442 | 430 | 354 yards

Another longer par 4.  This one is a relatively narrow dogleg left.  While the previous hole offered a wide fairway, this hole shows more teeth.  Off the tee you see a long bunker down the left.  This is not really in play as it can easily be carried.  A good line is just on this bunkers right edge.

Over the crest of the hill from the tee the hole descends slightly all the way to the green.  Sitting around 280 yards from the tee is a rock outcrop in the center of the fairway.  I can imagine a few people having hit a good drive might land on this thing, sending there ball who knows where.

From that rocky outcrop you have maybe 170 yards to the center of the green.  A big bunker looks to just out from the left.  This hazard is again more visual intimidation than a true hazard being about 50 yards short of the green.

The other bunker, down the right stretches from about 30 yards out to the edge of the green and presents more of a problem on your approach.

With the high face of the bunker on the right, hitting into there can quickly spell problems.  There is plenty of room to miss left of the green, and even room behind the green, where another slope behind the green funnels balls into a collection area.  There is even a bunker located back there, though I can't imagine it gets a visitor more than a couple times a month.

The green is another large oval canted diagonal from the fairway.  At its longest dimension it is close to 50 yards, so taking that into account on your approach is important so you don't end up taking more putts than you'd expect.

Looking back up the hole you can see the small elevation change as the hole descends from about 180 yards to the green.

Hole 7 

Par 5
577 | 563 | 537 | 500 | 453 yards

The second par 5 on the front requires carrying the cross bunker that runs into the fairway from the left side.  Another trap that is more of a visual challenge than one you'll need to contend with.  A good drive will not have a problem carrying that.

Over the top of this first bunker is another expansive landing area before another cross bunker on the left squeezes the hole down.

On your second shot should you carry the left bunker, another one joins the fun from the right about 50 yards from the green.

A final pair of bunkers sit covering the front left of the green.

Should you play up the right side of this hole, and carry the bunker down that side, the approach into the green is wide open, like is shown here.

The green is another oval shape, with a much wider dimension then depth as you approach.  The green is relatively flat to the rest of the hole so long shots in can run up, should youo avoid the various bunkers along the way.

Hole 8 

Par 3
162 | 158 | 141 | 135 | 121 yards

A short par 3 that offers plenty of sand and a deep green to make up for the distance of the tee.  A trio of bunkers hug the right side of the green. With another large bunker below the green on the left.

There is room to miss short but the green is elevated and the slope in front of the green will repel balls away that do come up short.

This hole is at the base of another great red rock formation.

With the green turned diagonally from the tee, there are a lot of possible pin placements with the green again stretching almost 50 yards from front to back.

Hole 9 

Par 4
433 | 404 | 374 | 364 | 317 yards

The final hole plays back to the clubhouse. An uphill hole, this hole actually begins your slow climb up to the pinnacle of this course on the back nine.  The backdrop of this hole is incredible with the clubhouse perched up above the green and in front of the large rocks.

It is about 240 yards to the first bunker down the left side.  That sand squeezes down the fairway slightly, but over the top of it is a wider landing area some 50 yards across.

The hole plays uphill the whole length so on your approach make sure to take enough club to account for that.  Your approach will need to carry the large bunker front and center.  You also must navigate a pair of traps on the right side of the green

Up on top of the hole is another massive circular green that is 30 or more yards across.

A look back from near the clubhouse of the ninth green and the fairway down below.

Front Nine Conclusion

The first 9 holes at Sand Hollow were fun to play.  The holes had length to them but the large firm fairways offered plenty of room to swing away.

While I was playing here I found myself thinking it felt a lot like The New Course I played in Orlando.  While this course didn't offer quite the wall to wall fairways like that course did I did feel it had a very "links-y" atmosphere to it.  The holes didn't feature much if any of the "target" style golf I associate most of the courses in the Southwestern U.S.

Honestly though probable the most memorable thing about the front nine were 2 things not directly related to the golf course itself.

The first would be the marvel at watching Mr. Beddo control his golf game.  That was a truly a thing of wonder to witness.  I think it also elevated my game just trying to somewhat keep up, or to be honest, just not embarrass myself!

The other most memorable mention goes to the stunning scenery.  With the distant snow-capped Dixie Mountains, and the more localized red rocks, the colors were just so amazingly vibrant.

And while these things made for a fun round, it wasn't the font nine that keeps me thinking back to this round as maybe one of my favorites played out in the Southwest.  Nope, the reason this round shot to one of my favorites in a long time is what awaits on the back nine...

Back to the Introduction...

To the back Nine...