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

The 2017 PHAT Championship

The grounds crews were up extra early making the course immaculate for the tournament.

The 4th annual PHAT finale was again hosted by the beautiful Troy Burne Golf Club over in Hudson, Wisconsin.  It is fitting that one of the premier courses in the Twin Cities metro area was  the stage for the inevitably premier play by all of the PHAT members, except for a couple of players with vowels and/or consonants in their name.

The practice green was a mass of PHAT players honing their putting games before the tournament

The first hole was strangely absent of galleries early on.  Later immense crowds would gather...

It was an absolutely perfect day with minimal clouds and light breezes to start the day.

The PHAT members took advantage of the calm early conditions.  By hitting the range.

Jim menacingly chased away the members of the fake-news media that were getting too close to the range.

 Jason wisely stretches those quads while Chad and CJ meditate simulateously

A lot of text book swings were on display.  There was an amazing lack of swing coaches and sports psychologists on the range.

An apparent sniper knocked Bill of balance. 

Il Padrino warms up with an amazing short game regiment

Soon enough, even the best of range-rats like every member of PHAT, have to take it to the course.  With a mighty lash of his Driver, Brad opened the first round of the championship.

Perfect alignment: check.  Perfect balance: check.  Perfect club line: check.  Typical.

Not to be outdone, Chad stripes another tour level drive onto the first fairway.

Jeff outwardly stands stoically while Chad putts on the 2nd.  Inside he was doing the Carlton across the green after a dirty, dirty birdie.

Jeff leaped out to an early lead with a birdie on the diabolical second.  He led wire to wire.  Normally you would think that would be good enough for the W, but not in the PHAT.  A trio of other contenders matched Jeff's clubhouse lead by all posting 73s.

 Jim tees it up on the tight 10th.

 CJ on the 12th.  This shot was stuck to 2 feet.  CJ may have posted the most impressive round of the morning with a string of 10 straight pars to close out his round.

For some PHAT members, the vulture circling the 18th green portended the outcome of their rounds.

After the first round was complete, it was the Tour leaders Bill and Jason on top of the leaderboard, Smooth swinging CJ, with his stunning string of pars also joined the leaders, as did dark horse Jeff, who led wire to wire.  This was a first ever tie during the PHAT tournament.  As the second 18 commenced, the crowds were able to witness a double treat.  Even more thrilling golf, as well as a sudden death playoff thrown in as a bonus.

In a controversial decision Jeff Hiel decided to play a seldom used cards buried deep in the bylaws of the PHAT rulebook, and make a substitution.   Leaders Bill, Jason, and CJ were joined by Jeff's doppelganger Ric Flair.

Ric was unable to withstand the blistering competition put forth by the other competitors, whose swings were so grooved by this 19th hole.

CJ's string of consecutive pars ended at 11 holes.  After a opening par he faltered on the tough second hole, scoring a bogey.

Despite mounting tough campaigns, no one could beset Jason Beeler.  His steady play on the first 2 holes meant he won the sudden-death playoff.  In doing so he not only won a handsome little purse, he also put a stranglehold on the year long race for the PHAT Championship.  With the title all but locked, we turned our focus to other players on tour.

There were other gripping stories up and down through the leader board (mostly down).  Like Kelly literally knocking his socks off, or pants up.  Whatever that saying is.  Last year Mr. Anlauf shocked the world by winning both rounds at Troy Burne and becoming the PHAT Champion.   

This year was not to be another repeat.  Plagued by having to witness the spasmodic drives of Kris, Kelly's game could not recover.

Pants on the ground 

Pants in the air. Rally Socks on.

Mike slapping around on his paint filled second 18.  An impressive 50/56 split led the field. 

Tensions mounted on the putting greens.  As the scores went up so did the pressure on all involved.  While the gentlemen of the PHAT would never resort to anything but the utmost propriety and respect to one another outwardly, it was apparent to all present that underlying undercurrents of vitriol were bubbling just under the surface.

Ryan stalks Chad like some kind of large calved jungle cat.  The secret service watches on in the distance.

While many of the early favorites in Vegas to rebound on the second 18 faltered on the back nine, one shining star made his move up the leader board.  Mr. Winterquist decided to buck the trend of constantly bogeying or worse.  His stellar even play of 38/38 found him atop the leaderboard in the waning minutes of light.

 Ryan hitting his lob wedge high into the gusting winds on 11.

Looking from atop the 13th tee; Chad, Chris, Ryan, and Todd all had a stunned look on their faces when they witnessed Kris actually make a par.  Either that or they saw a Sasquatch.

As the cheers echoes through the pines, in a very Augusta like atmosphere the sun began to set on the 2017 PHAT.

And onto the 18th....

It would all come down to the final hole of the final round.  Could Ryan hold onto his 7 stroke lead, or would something amazing happen?

 Kris hits one in tight to save par.  Sure he hit his drive 120 yards, but a par save here earned a smattering of applause from the wedding guests attentively watching the finish.

Chris uses his intimidating stare down technique to try rattle his playing companions.

 Chad hitting up to a mere kick in.

 Ryan putting the hex onto Chris' swing.

More dart throwing by Todd.

 As each foursome walked up the 18th to the green, a thundering smattering of applause could be heard, if you listened closely.

Looking like a young Marcello Mastroianni, Chad Meschke couldn't mount the run many prognosticators expected.

 Despite a late night putting clinic on the eve of the championship, Todd was unable to find the magic with the flatstick down the stretch of the last 36 holes.

The always hydrated Mr. Young lined up his final putt.

Despite not being in the last group, Ryan ran away with the second round title.  With a short chip, all he needed to do was not six putt.

To make matters interesting, Mr. Winterquist attempted to six putt to force a playoff.  He was unsuccessful in his bid when one of his increasingly short putts actually found the bottom of the cup.

An early favorite, Brad was last seen with his foot firmly on the accelerator of his cart heading over a ravine adjacent to the 18th hole.  There were rumors of a triple digit score being involved, however at press time this could not be confirmed.

 Chris attempts to bribe Ryan into retro-actively entering a few more aces onto his card.

 Nick Smith, with his even keel temperament was money on the greens.  A late surge was not enough to overcome some early missteps.

 The same early mistakes cost the mad bomber, aka Jim.  After several howitzer misfires on the 7th hole of the first round, Mr. Crowley's bid for a bounce-back second round fell short.  He did finish second behind Ryan for the round.

 CJ's mistake free stretch of holes solidly came to an end on the back nine of the second round.  Despite that silky smooth swing, trouble can find even the best of players on this course.

 One of the truly inspiring stories of the day, Bill tried to play golf without any arms.  But look at that on plane swing!

The tour leader for much of the year, Mr. Starken lost his grip on first place last week to Mr. Beeler.  Despite mounting a furious campaign on the day, his comeback fell short.

Beeler coasted into the 18th leaking a bit of oil but he gave the crowd what they came to see on the final hole, with an all too easy looking par.

 Bill attempts a new putting stroke he saw on YouTube

 Jeff attempts too late to simultaneously spear Jason with the flagstick and impale him with his putter.  His efforts failed thanks to Jason's supernatural reflexes.

 After the attempted culling on the 18th, CJ and Bill had to step in to separate Jeff and Jason

After the dust settled, and the scores were tabulated by the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers Jason Beeler was certified as the 2017 PHAT Champion.

Congratulations Mr. Beeler!

Until next time.  Hit em straight.  Or at least look like you're going to.