A Tale of Two Hollows- Sand Hollow&Soldier Hollow Gold in Utah

[Steve_ Shaffer]

During a recent trip to Park City&Jackson Hole to escape the summer heat of the desert in PHX, I had the opportunity to play both of these courses in Utah in late August. Unfortunately, my wife lost our camera in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, so I don't have any pictures. Both courses have received mention here before, among them the following prime examples:

Sand Hollow(Fought)

This one includes links to photos as well as praise from Tom Doak :

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53938.0.html

Soldier Hollow Gold(Bates)

This one has links to photos:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40317.0.html

No doubt in my mind that Sand Hollow deserves its #1 Public in GW. SHG doesn't come close. I've played Coral Canyon also and would rate it below both. Since Kalen Braley's thread on SHG the nines have been flipped. I would have preferred to play the original routing. Too many dramatic holes to start a round, not that there's anything wrong with that,  and not much on the former front nine.  Nice facility for a muni.  

Sand Hollow is a star. If it were in AZ, for example, it would be near the top. I really liked the fine red dirt bunkering. The "cliff holes" on the back nine were terrific- 12 to 15. The front nine is not bereft of good holes. I saw a mention in the thread about comparing the par3 15th to 16 at Cypress Point. It's a little far fetched to me but 15 is a terrific golf hole. When we arrived at 17, the wind changed and we played 17 & 18 into a nice wind providing a good finish. The club house was well done and provided good views of the Red Rocks.

Sand Hollow is bit pricier. We paid $75 as we stayed overnight in one of their rental condos. We paid the $40 senior rate at SHG. Late August is a good time to visit both but I'd like to return in the fall.

[Jordan Standefer]

Steve,

I, too, played Sand Hallow recently and had a blast.  It didn't hurt that the course is almost at 6000 feet.  Talk about an ego boost when hitting the ball.  The red sand is just wonderful to look at.

Probably a little out of the way to do on a Vegas trip (Sand Hallow is 2 hours north), but definitely worth a stop if you're headed through the area.

#2 Fairway


#15 Tee

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Just goes to show that Utah is not high on the list of places to play golf for GCA members.

[Jason Topp]

St George was one of my favorite destinations in the last five years.  Prices are reasonable and the weather was terrific in late September.  San Hollow is clearly the best course in the area.  If I returned I might play that one a few times.

[Sven Nilsen]

Steve:

I suspect you're right on with your last comment, but it probably has more to do with proximity than desire.

You may be one of a very few people who have played both of the courses you noted in your first post.  I've played one of them, but have to admit that Soldier Hollow was not high on my priority list during the limited time I set aside for golf on two trips through Utah.

Sven

[Stephen Davis]

I have played both and have played Sand Hollow several times. It is the stand out course in Utah. Soldier hollow is a great value course in a very beautiful setting, but it doesn't hold a candle to Sand Hollow. I also think that the front nine is quite good and only gets a wrap because of how very dramatic the back nine is.