Entrada at Snow Canyon unveils new David McLay Kidd-designed golf course

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club recently unveiled its new David McLay Kidd-designed golf course to members and dignitaries. During the 17-month renovation project, McLay Kidd redesigned the club’s former Johnny Miller and Fred Bliss-designed course, which opened for play in 1996.
McLay Kidd, whose course designs include Bandon Dunes in Bandon, Ore., Gamble Sands in Brewster, Wash., and Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley Golf Resort in Nekoosa, Wisc., was assisted on the Entranda project by Troon’s Design, Development and Agronomy team. Enhancements included all new irrigation and drainage systems, as well as relined and renovated irrigation lakes. All greens were redesigned and resurfaced with state-of-the-art Bentgrass, fairways were re-contoured, tees were relocated and/or renovated; and every bunker on the golf course was reimagined. The entire golf course, including tees, fairways and roughs, has been re-grassed with improved cultivars of Perennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass. Entrada’s practice facility was also renovated.
“What I saw here at Entrada was opportunity,” said McLay Kidd. “All you have to do is look at the views here. Golf at its very best is played through a beautiful landscape. There are no great golf courses that aren’t played through beautiful, enthralling, enticing, adventurous landscapes. And, here when I first visited Southern Utah and Entrada, I found just that.”
The new golf course plays to a par of 71 and measures 7,065 yards from the tips, an increase of 20 yards from the previous design. McLay Kidd’s design incorporates contours, slopes, ‘kickers and bounces’ giving members and guests with slower swing speeds the opportunity to score well if they can read the contours and execute the shots.
Read more:
https://www.firstcallgolf.com/industry-news/release/2022-04-12/entrada-at-snow-canyon-unveils-new-david-mclay-kidd-designed-golf-course
https://www.golfentrada.com/

[Tommy Williamsen]

Wow. I did not know that was doing any work there. When I played the course a few years ago I thought that it was on a wonderful piece of ground with some  very interesting holes in and around black lava. I liked the course and if I get out there again will be fascinated to see what McLay Kidd did.

[Jason Topp]

Is that the course that Johnny Miller was originally credited with designing?  I played it and do not remember much other than the black lava and aiming for the middle of greens because there was no way I had the skill to aim anywhere else.

[Mark Kiely]

Is that the course that Johnny Miller was originally credited with designing?  I played it and do not remember much other than the black lava and aiming for the middle of greens because there was no way I had the skill to aim anywhere else.

Your answer is in the second sentence of the original post. :-)

[Jason Topp]

Is that the course that Johnny Miller was originally credited with designing?  I played it and do not remember much other than the black lava and aiming for the middle of greens because there was no way I had the skill to aim anywhere else.

Your answer is in the second sentence of the original post. :-)

I am as sharp as I usually am today!

[Lou_Duran]

I was not blown away by it when I played it nearly seven years ago.  The lava fields were interesting, but not particularly well used.  The golf course seemed to be subordinated to the retirement community- it was late spring, very hot and nearly empty.  I did like Sand Hollow in the general area a lot.  Beautiful part of the country if one likes a desert motif.

[Joe Hancock]

Lou,


Seven years ago, Entrada was not a good golf course. It’s a completely different place now, and the lava holes are most improved due to added width. The views are stunning, and the golf much improved.

[cary lichtenstein]

we need pictures

[Pete_Pittock]

Stay/play there about four years. Nice views, lava holes but seemed outdated and for me the least bang for the buck of the handful of courses I played. That was my third short golf trip to the area (+ Mesquite), would have put Sand Hollow and Wolf Creek ahead of it. Glad it got nipped and tucked.

[Joe Hancock]

Pete,


I’d have a hard time putting Wolf Creek ahead of anything, but I understand. Nip and tuck might not cover what DMK did….apart from utilizing existing corridors, there was nothing untouched, and I would say it is unrecognizable from its former self. Related, yet best for another thread…this website needs to host pictures. It’s too cumbersome as is for posting pictures.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

There are some (2) pictures in slide format in top of article:






Kidd introduces more ground game options to Entrada at Snow Canyon (golfcoursearchitecture.net)

[David Kelly]

Johnny Miller's design portfolio....yikes.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Do they have enough water in that area for golf?  It seems close to Lake Mead which is turning into Puddle Mead.

[Kalen Braley]

Do they have enough water in that area for golf?  It seems close to Lake Mead which is turning into Puddle Mead.

Wayne,

The practical answer is no.  They still want to build a pipeline to the Colorado to get more water from an already depleted resource that needs less water drawn from it not more.

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2022/04/13/mgk-less-water-doesnt-mean-no-water-in-washington-county-even-if-lake-powell-pipeline-doesnt-happen/#.Yx9hE9fMKUk

[Payton Broadbent]

Living in Utah, water is a huge concern for the rate of growth, even in the Salt Lake area where I am.  We need a few solid winters to gain some ground back (especially in the Colorado where there is already a large dependence)


In regards to Entrada, DMK has made it much more playable from what I have heard.  Millers greens are too zone oriented. I play one of his other designs, Thanksgiving Point, regularly.  If you aren't in the right "zone" it is a near impossible two putt.  Although DMK has some severe features, from his designs I've played, they seem much more fair.  Miller seems to employ the "if you miss this small target, you get screwed" philosophy.


Hope to play Entrada soon so I can compare.

[Emile Bonfiglio]

Played Entrada a few years back and enjoyed the course. Front 9 felt like Palm Springs, Back 9 felt like a Hawaii & TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course) mix. I'd like to get back there again.