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Jason Topp

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St. George, UT
« on: April 22, 2011, 10:43:52 AM »
I am joining a group this fall with the following itinerary (over which I have no input).  I'm sure the descriptions come from a travel agent.  Usually the courses on the last day are good with cost being a factor in the overall choice of venues.

Anyone have opinions on the courses? 


Golf Thursday afternoon will be at Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club in St. George. This is a private course, designed by Johnny Miller, and affiliated with Inn at Entrada.   The Entrada course is rated the second best course in Utah, and among the top 36 courses in the Western US.  http://www.golfentrada.com/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=296328&ssid=178340&vnf=1 
 
Golf Friday morning will be at Coral Canyon Golf Course, near Hurricane, Utah  (15-20 minutes from Inn at Entrada).   http://www.coralcanyongolf.com/index.php.  And, golf Friday afternoon will be at The Ledges of St. George Golf Club (25 minutes from Coral Canyon, 7 minutes from Inn at Entrada).  http://www.ledges.com/stgeorgegolfcourse/ledgesgolfutah/ .  The Ledges was ranked as America's fifth best new public course by Golf Digest Magazine in 2007.
 
Saturday morning, play will be at Kokopelli Golf Club, located near Hurricane, Utah (40 minutes from Inn at Entrada but worth it)   http://kokopelliut.com/index.html.  And play Saturday afternoon will be at Sand Hollow Golf, which is about 20 minutes from Kokopelli Golf Club and about 20 minutes from the Inn at Entrada.  Sand Hollow is the most spectacular golf course in Utah and ranked #1 in the state.  http://www.sandhollowresort.com/golf/

Lynn_Shackelford

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2011, 12:25:33 PM »
I have not played any, but have driven around several.  I don't think you will find much in the way of interesting architecture, but you will be afforded spectacular views at all sites.
It must be kept in mind that the elusive charm of the game suffers as soon as any successful method of standardization is allowed to creep in.  A golf course should never pretend to be, nor is intended to be, an infallible tribunal.
               Tom Simpson

JLahrman

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2011, 12:33:30 PM »
No input on golf from me unfortunately...but hopefully you will be visiting some of the national parks in the area as well - Bryce Canyon and Zion especially.  My wife and I did the Angels Landing hike at Zion last year, that was some incredible stuff.  There are some less strenuous hikes too, but if you're up for some climbing and heights don't bother you, Angels Landing is incredible.

View from the canyon, you hike all the way up to the top:



The spine you hike up for the last quarter mile.  It was a little more than we expected.  You're hanging onto chains a good portion of the time.  As I told other hikers as we were coming back down - you don't feel like you're going to die, but you don't feel like you're not going to either.



Spine time:



Keep smiling babydoll, we're almost there (yes that is a sheer drop on both sides of her):



Me being rewarded with the view from the top.  Just fantastic.



My wife, a chain, and a 1,400 foot drop.  It's not like you're dangling off the cliff, but with a couple of missteps you could be gone.  I think one or two people fall per year, surprised it's not more.  You'd never want to be up there in any sort of precipitation.  PS my wife actually does have a head, please ignore my poor camera skills.  Although, you must understand that I was on the same ledge.

« Last Edit: April 22, 2011, 05:44:22 PM by JLahrman »

David Kelly

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2011, 01:04:18 PM »
I've played Entrada. It is ok but as Lynn said the views are spectacular in places.  There is a stretch on the back nine where you play through black lava rock that is pretty cool although the holes themselves are just ok.
"Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent." - Judge Holden, Blood Meridian.

Kalen Braley

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2011, 01:17:16 PM »
I've only played Sky Mountain in that area, which has some terrific holes in addition to some housing holes.

But I couldn't agree more with JLahrman, if you're in the area on a one shot deal and don't spend at least one day in Zions, you're really missing out.  It really is that good.

Bill_McBride

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2011, 03:40:24 PM »
Joel, I don't know who put up those chains that create the illusion of safety, but I'm wondering if anyone had you sign a waiver of any sort?   Wow!!

Brad Isaacs

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2011, 04:07:18 PM »
I think the area attractions are better than the quality of golf. Zion and Bryce are priceless as the pictures show. Entrada ok, coral canyon ok,  and wolf creek down at Mesquite in Nevada ok.

The best golf architecture is around Park City(as far as Utah is concerned)

JLahrman

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2011, 04:46:26 PM »
Joel, I don't know who put up those chains that create the illusion of safety, but I'm wondering if anyone had you sign a waiver of any sort?   Wow!!

No waiver of any sort.  A warning or two, but to me the warnings really did not do justice to the trail.

The guidebooks did say that there are chains to help you, and that those afraid of heights might not like the trail, but it was more than we expected.  My wife was a little apprehensive in several places ("Now we have to do that?").  One of her best friends made it to the top about three weeks prior to our visit, so she was determined to do it as well.  Otherwise I bet she would have turned back.

When we were coming back down we saw a dad going up with his 9-year-old son.  Hopefully they turned back before they got to the top.

We also passed a threesome just starting up the trail: "We're afraid of heights."  Me:  "Turn back now".

There are all sorts of trails in Zion, so it's not as if they're all like Angels Landing.  And most of the hike is just uphill, it's not dangerous at all.  It's the last bit that's a doozy.  It was quite an experience.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2011, 04:54:13 PM by JLahrman »

Andy Shulman

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2011, 05:13:34 PM »
Jason - I hiked Angel's Landing sometime in the 90s and it is, without question, #1 of all the many National Park and other hikes I've done.  However, it is not for the faint of heart or those afraid of heights.  I distinctly recall crawling on my hands and knees for parts of it out of fear of falling, not b/c you needed to.  If you give it a go, make sure to wear shoes/boots with non-slip soles, hang on tightly to the chains and enjoy the almost 360-degree view of the canyon when you reach the top.

While it didn't make Backpacker Magazine's list of the 10 most dangerous hikes in the US - http://www.backpacker.com/october_08_americas_10_most_dangerous_hikes/destinations/12631 - if you want to talk yourself out of it, just type "Angel's Landing deaths" into any search engine!

JLahrman

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2011, 05:21:09 PM »
He's really going to want to do it now!

There may be other trails that are more dangerous, but I don't know how many there are that FEEL more dangerous.  Andy, it sounds like you've done a lot more hiking than me.

I enjoyed it, and never felt any panic, but I can certainly see how the trail could be deadly.

Kalen Braley

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2011, 05:24:44 PM »
My wife and I were going to hike this 5 years ago on a trip down there...but safe to say once she saw it what it "entailed" she declined.

We did take a less aggressive hike that included a 400-500 foot section of similar cliff type fall-off and that was enough for her, so probably all for the best.

As for the park itself, one can easily spend a week down there and not run out of interesting/thrilling hikes.

Jason Topp

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2011, 06:00:05 PM »
Thanks for all of the insights.  If I were to take Sunday to drive to do one hike with the need to catch a red-eye out of Las Vegas that night what would be the recommendation?  Keep in mind I will be a bit bleary after 36 holes a day and some festive dinners.

JLahrman

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2011, 06:44:27 PM »
Thanks for all of the insights.  If I were to take Sunday to drive to do one hike with the need to catch a red-eye out of Las Vegas that night what would be the recommendation?  Keep in mind I will be a bit bleary after 36 holes a day and some festive dinners.

The Emerald Pools hike is quite scenic and not nearly as difficult.

You'll have to backtrack a little, since Zion is in the other direction from St. George's than Las Vegas.  But the drive from St. George's to Vegas is only about two hours, it's not too bad.

Scott Stambaugh

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Re: St. George, UT
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2011, 01:03:47 AM »
Jason,

Save time Saturday afternoon for the 9-hole Links Course at Sand Hollow.  I was there a few years ago, had a lot of fun- big wide corridors, interesting greens, a faux sheep fence and what I'm guessing is wind that probably blows like clockwork.  If I ever return, I'd probably just hang out on the Links Course and skip the Championship Course, which is no slouch itself...

As for the other recreational activities others have mentioned, if you're a mountain biker and can find time (and I'm guessing a rental bike,) there is some epic riding up on Gooseberry Mesa.

Scott