I recently played the mountain 9 at Cascade Fairways in Orem, UT,(Approx 30 min south of Salt Lake City). The original 9 was designed by William Neff in 1967 and opened in 1968. The 2nd 9, the mountain 9, opened in 2003 and was routed across some very severe terrain. Its unclear who designed this 9, but it may have been Mr. Neff as well before he passed away.
As stated in the title of this thread, the mountain 9 was routed thru such a preposterous piece of property, I couldn't help but think its a Doak 0. But on some level, in a Shivas kind of way, its actually so bad, I think its actually very good. Here are its primary attributes:
- Its over a mile just from the clubhouse to the 1st tee. And even if one was shuttled to the 1st tee, they'd still have such a long up and down haul, it'd be brutal to walk just these 9 holes.
- Features a double green for the 2nd and 3rd holes.
- Driveable "par 4's" and even "par 5s".
- Listed yardage on the card completely wrong. I suspect they did so to get the total course yardage over 6000 yards.
- Power lines running thru many holes and very much in play.
- Unconvential routing - 3,5,3,4,3,5,4,4,5, that double backs on itself a few times.....
...with a ton of half holes as they actually play closer to 3, 4.5, 2.5, 3.5, 3, 4, 3.5, 3, 3.5.
- A great match play course.
- Good course conditiong with F&F fairways and true greens.
- A few preposterous shot requirments sprinkled in.
- Dabbles with a few skyline greens.
- Tons of quirk, blind shots both on the tee and approach shots.
- As well as plenty of risk reward and penal style holes.
- For what it is, fits relativly well into its surroundings.
- And lastly loads of just plain fun and holes that will get your full attention.
In other words, its got something for almost everyone!!
On to the course....
#1 - Par 3 - Says 185 on the card, which is way off, only plays about 140'ish. Don't miss right
Looking behind back to the tee, shows the steepness and great views provided by the site.
#2 - Par 5 that only plays like a 4.5. A longish carry to the fairway...
Leaving this blind shot if going for the green in 2..where to hit it?
Looking back to the tee, shows the extreme steepness of this hole. And as usual the pics do no justice to it...very steep!
The blind approach to the skyline green, at least for me after ganking a 5 iron 2nd shot.
When you get up there, you find out its a double green with the next hole.
#3 - Par 3 - The goofyness starts, you must walk back to a different tee, where its just a Sand Wedge approach from a very slanted/crooked tee box.
#4 - Par 4 - A very blind tee shot with a green that is reachable for the long hitters. However you must aim almost to the top of the hill on the left for the line.
The approach from a fairway after a 3 wood layup.
Looking back shows the hill to be carried a little better.
#5 Par 3 - Another short par 3 where long is very wrong.
A shot of the green with Mt. Timpanagos in the background (elev ~12,000 feet)
#6 - Par 5 - As you double back on the routing, the next hole unfolds before you where its decision time.
From the tee, do you go for it by driving over the nob of hill on the right? Its a approx 330 yard carry.
Or go out to the fairway, where you must challenge the same hill again to get home in 2.
Looking back from behind the green thats tucked up around the corner.
#7 - Another short par 4 that is very tempting but dangerous. The landing area is teeny...
Looking back reveals just how narrow the hole is, and unfortunately sliding down the hill. I give this hole maybe a dozen or two more years before it completly slides off the hill.
#8) While its a par 4 on the card, its only 200 yards or so up the hill. I easily "drove" the green with my tee ball. Watch out for those power lines!!
And if you do choose to "layup", its a completely blind approach.
#9) Par 5 on the card, but really only a par 3.5 as the green is driveable for a big hitter. The tee shot with the fairway at the bottom of the hill and the 4th fairway in the distance.
If you chose to go for the green, you must drive it back over the 8th tee!!
A look at the approach when playing the sane route below.
With ball in hole, hopefully, your round is done. Looking back up the fairway.
