I recently played Sleepy Ridge in Orem, Utah designed by Matthew Dye, nephew to Pete Dye.
The course is routed thru a wetland area that sits next to Utah Lake. While it took several years to get the permits, the wetlands were amply utilized throughout the course to make for some interesting approaches to greens and otherwise challenging carry shots. Yes there are a handful of "environmentally sensitive areas" not to be entered... but they were so thick, your chance of finding your ball in them was pretty much nil anyways.
The strength of the course is in its greens which were all fairly huge. All 18 as a set were the biggest square footage-wise as I've ever seen on a course. (I know I know, I really need to go see St. Andrews) Combine that with thier undulating design and 2 putting was far from a sure thing. In addition, many were made in the push-up/volcano style with deep swales/chipping areas making getting up and down a tough task.
The fairways have a decent amount of countouring and are fairly wide from tee to green to accomadate the usually windy conditions. However the forced carries off the tee and into the greens can be fairly difficult for high handicappers.
The bunkering is perhaps the course's biggest weakness as they were flat and for the most part only came in play on wayward shots to prevent them from going to much worse places. However there is a neat Principles Nose on the par 5 13th.
The course employs a nice set of shortish risk/reward par 5s where eagle is very doable,
if the approach into the green was struck well. The par 4's were the teeth of the course with a good balance of short to long holes. While I didn't take a full set of photos I have included the following notables.
Hole 5 - Par 5
A good luck at the swale to the left of the green. Its approx 5 feet from the bottom of the swale up to the green.
Hole 6 - Par 4
The approach into the green with trouble short and to the right.
Hole 9 - Par 4
This is the apporach in from the right hand side of the fairway. A 125 yard carry to the green.
Hole 11 - Par 4
This is a short driveable par 4, 340 from the blues with trouble all along the right.
Looking back from the green to the tee.
Hole 12 - Par 3
A short hole with a neat little Biarritz green.
Hole 13 - Par 5
A couple of pics of the PN bunker that is about 60 yards shorts of the green. From in front:
From the green looking back:
Hole 15 - Par 4
This is a devilish par 4 with a wicked green site and an even more wicked pin position. The best play is to go up the right hand side of the fairway where you will have this angle in:
A closer look at the green which is a pushup and surronded by the wetlands on 3 sides. Accuracy is a must here:
Hole 17 - Par 5
A look at the green from about 100 yards out if you choose to layup.
