The Golf
Located in the southernmost town of Hurricane, Utah lies Sand Hollow Golf Resort. The 27 unique holes on this immaculate property were designed by John Fought, a former U.S. Amateur champion and two-time winner on the PGA Tour. The feature Championship Course consists of 18 holes of beautiful golf while the 9-hole links course waits for those who cannot get enough.
The front nine of the Championship Course winds through high-plains and around massive outcroppings, with severe undulation in the fairways and becoming more noticeable on the greens. The panoramic views and massive rocks are sure to distract you for just a moment from the task at hand. On the back 9, a vast gorge stretches many miles across. Along its leading edge are the Championship course’s feature holes, tip toeing on what feels like the edge of the world. High cliff walls lie on the right of three of the four daring holes. Sand Hollow Golf Resort is a hidden gem and we are about to tell you why!
As we arrived on the property, it became immediately evident that we were in for an amazing golf experience. The red rocks were scattered throughout like popcorn on a movie theater floor. It was late when we drove in, but one of the friendly staff members was available to help us. The golf clubhouse shares space with the concierge desk, an interesting but effective setup.
Our round on the Championship course began early in the morning so we made our way to the clubhouse to check in. The standard hotel rooms are located not even a quarter mile from the clubhouse and are standalone building almost like a luxury condo style. There are several housing options, which I will get to in the resort portion of this article. The Clubhouse pro shop and restaurant is perched on a hill featuring floor to ceiling windows overlooking a beautiful view of the valley beyond.
We decided to pick up some breakfast burritos from the restaurant before heading out to the range to warm up. They were quick and delicious at delivering those to us and we were on our way! Make sure to stop by the pro shop before as you must purchase golf balls before heading out. A small bucket is $5 for 35-40 balls and a large bucket is $10 for 90-100 balls.
The first hole starts out very straightforward with a par 4 down the hill. I pulled driver, too much club seeing as it was a downhill hole and the elevation in Hurricane, Utah is 3,248 feet. Keep that elevation in mind when choosing your clubs! The greens were rolling at about an 11 that day, faster or slower depending on undulation. That was one of the trickier things to figure out! With so many different mountains, hills, and valleys it leaves you saying “which way is this putt breaking?”
Compared to the back 9 the front was pretty straight forward. One of the only notable holes and my favorite on the front-nine was the par-4 9th hole. This holes plays flat off the tee box and then up the hill back toward the clubhouse. Make sure to account for the uphill approach shot when choosing your club. With a deceivingly large hill at the front of the green, being short here could lead to some problems!
I typically like to pick one hole from each nine to talk about, but there are too many on the back to just focus on one! The real adventure and one of several breathtaking views began immediately on hole 10. This par-5 10th hole bends slightly to the left with a tee box perched high above the waiting fairway just beyond the back side of the clubhouse.
As Golf Digest would say, “to step on the 11th tee is to step on the edge of the world.” The tee box on the par-3 11th overlooks a vast gorge which lines holes 12-15 along the left side. Although the gorge does not come into play, the view is spectacular.
The par-4 12th hole was the first of several holes on the edge of the mountain cliff. You only need 100 yards or so to carry the trouble in front. A large red rock wall lines the right side of this fairway. It’s best to miss right, one member of our group took this to heart and ended up accidently using the mountainside as a bumper back into the fairway! A decent drive will leave you with a manageable distance into this green for birdie.
The next hole is just as breathtaking as the previous one! The par-4 13th hole plays a lot shorter than the 12th. You can reach the green here with driver or elect a 5-6 iron to avoid the fairway bunker in the middle. I elected a lay up 6-iron and short wedge into the elevated green. This allowed me to come into the green with some trajectory and get it to stop and avoid the downslope off the back edge.
One of my favorite holes on the back nine and perhaps the entire course was the par-3 15th hole. Playing at around 210 yards from an elevated tee box, this tee shot requires at least 170 yards of carry to carry the hazard depending on the tees you are playing. Ultimately, I donated a golf ball to the Sand Hollow golf ball gorge fund located 200+ feet below. I’m sure they will appreciate my donation more than I did!
Sand Hollow Championship Course Rating 4.25 out of 5
Sand Hollow blew our group away, especially the entire back nine. Southern Utah really is a hidden gem of golf and Sand Hollow was no exception. The natural red rock, vast gorges and natural hazards made our experience spectacular and adventurous. The clubhouse afforded us more spectacular views and refreshments as the “19th hole.” I encourage everyone in the area to make the trip over to Hurricane, UT and check out Sand Hollow Golf Club, you won’t be disappointed.
Other Golf Features:
The Resort
Sand Hollow Resort gives guests a number of options to choose from based on their group size and accommodation necessities.
The options are:
Resort Rooms and Suites: Guests can choose between a 1 or 2 bedroom suite with a king or queen bed.
Vacation Condominiums: Guests can choose between a penthouse suite, 3 bedroom condo, or 3 bedroom grand condo.
3 Bedroom Vacation Homes: Guests can choose between a number of different floor plans and models.
4 Bedroom Vacation Homes:Guests can choose between a number of different floor plans and models.
5 Bedroom Vacation Homes:Guests can choose between a number of different floor plans and models.
Our group stayed in a standard 1-bedroom room with 2 queens in each. As we entered the room there is an entry room complete with a microwave and other additional amenities like coffee and a small ice maker. There was a second room consisting of 2 queen beds and a great view of the 9-hole links course.
What we noticed immediately is how homey the room felt. The beds are not like traditional hotels as they each have their own bed frame complete with a throw blanket. There are also a few different pools on the property, the newest being the one furthest from the clubhouse and right outside our window. It was refreshing to hop in after our mid summer round and offered plenty of swimming and lounging space.
If you came to Sand Hollow Resort but not interested in golfing, they have a slew of adventures to choose from. Guests have the option of: