Yesterday I played a round of golf at one of my all-time favorite courses here in northern Utah, Valley View Golf Course. Valley View is a tree-lined course, always plush and healthy, with a lot of very interesting elevation changes. It’s a fairly difficult course as well.
I’ve been struggling so bad with my game lately that I’ve been fantasizing about quitting golf. As a (now former) 1 handicap I had some real struggles and couldn’t even break 80 for a whole month. Very frustrating, and I was beginning to feel like I was wasting my time on the course.
Then out of the blue yesterday at VV I shoot an even-par 72, including a double bogey on the par-3 16th. I made birdie on the 18th to get it back to even. The only other real booboo besides the 16th was making par on the par-5 2nd, when I was chipping from the back of the green for eagle, about 20 feet from the pin. A bad chip led to a par.
So I shot even par. I guess that means I won’t be quitting the game this week. I feel like the game knows your state of mind, and throws you a little tiny nugget at just the right time. It’s like gambling in Vegas. You lose your ass and that one small win keeps you there, giving you hope.
So I’ll be staying in the game this week at least but you can’t fool me, golf. I know what you’re doing.
Sadly, an Arthur Hills “links” style course here in Salt Lake looks to be closing at the end of this season. I could go into the politics of why this is happening, and talk about mismanagement and all that, but I’ll just say that we have a lot of new bike trails in town now.
View of Salt Lake City from Wingpointe’s 4th tee – click to see more
I played Wingpointe a few days ago and the greens were as good as ever. Unfortunately the fairways are not that great and the only good lie a player is guaranteed is on the tee. But that’s the nature of the beast when you are on soil full of salt from the Great Salt Lake.
Wingpointe Golf Course
That round a few days ago might be my last there. As much as I love the design and the greens, the whole experience is tainted by the poor fairways.
I have many great memories at Wingpointe, like the time I shot 31-41 for a very irritating 72. Won a tournament there too a couple of years ago.
Sad to see this course closing. It won’t be the last golf course closure here in Salt Lake I’m afraid.
Bye wingy.
I had quite an enjoyable round yesterday at the Mountain Dell Canyon Course, between Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah in Emigration Canyon. The Canyon course is one of two courses on the property, and the one I prefer.
I had some spectacular shots yesterday. One was a punch 8-iron from under a tree in the right rough on the par-4 9th. The ball ended up 12 inches. Birdie. The next one was a punch 9-iron from 145 (lots of wind), from a severe side-hill lie. That 3rd shot on the par-5 14th astonishingly didn’t go in. It must have lipped out for eagle. The ball was TWO inches behind the hole. Birdie.
I had some other fantastic shots after the round, via my golf aerial photo/video hexacopter drone.
Mountain Dell Canyon Course – click to see more
They should get rid of the cart paths…
More aerial golf photos: Mountain Dell Canyon Course and Mountain Dell Lake Course.
While on vacation hiking and exploring southern Utah’s beautiful red rock country I stopped by with my aerial photo copter and caught a couple of pics of Sunbrook Golf Course in St. George, Utah.
Sunbrook Golf Course in St. George, Utah – click for more photos
Sunbrook is a great 27-hole municipal course. Each nine has its own unique style, including a nine which goes through lava rock.
For more, click the photo above or the following link to the HOG Sunbrook Golf Club photo gallery.
One of my three (yes I have three) home courses is finally getting an automated irrigation system. Bonneville Golf Club, Utah’s most popular municipal course and one of my top favorites, has been hand watered since it opened in 1929. The course is a bit of a war zone right now. It really does look like this hole pictured below, the par-5 16th, has been hit by some bombs.
Bonneville’s Par-5 15th Hole Irrigation
If you’re looking to play Bonneville the next few weeks (May/June 2015) keep this work under consideration. Some holes are cut short or skipped. In lame fashion they’re still charging full price, so buyer beware.
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