Golfer Magazine 2018

ISSUE 11 | FREE | SUMMER 2018

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The Breitling Jet Squad Jacques Bothelin Christophe Deketelaere Paco Wallaert

#SQUADONAMISSION

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ISSUE 11 | FREE | SUMMER 2018

W W W. J H G O L F E R . C O M Publisher & Editor John Saltas

Art Director Vaughn Robison

Advertising Sales Dave Alper, Chase Corona

It’s about connections...

Premier Shooting Instruction and Entertainment Shooting Experiences for the Novice Shooter and Experienced Marksman Alike

ShootInJH.com | 307.690.7921 4

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Associate Editor Jeff Waters

Jeff Waters is a PGA Master Professional and a member of the Golf Writers Association of America

Copy Editor John Saltas

COURSE GUIDE 9

JACKSON HOLE GOLF & TENNIS If You Build It, They Will Come.

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TETON PEAKS

True Links In The Mountains? Yes.

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SNAKE RIVER SPORTING CLUB Where Dreams Become Real.

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TETON PINES

World Class. Case Closed.

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TETON RESERVE Rewards The Accurate.

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TARGHEE VILLAGE Pocketbook Friendly.

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SHOOTING STAR Heart of Teton Artistry.

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TETON SPRINGS

An Experience To Match The Mountains.

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3 CREEK RANCH

Beauty and Privacy Defined.

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HUNTSMAN SPRINGS

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Worth Every Stroke. Worth Every Dollar.

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WWW.SHOOTINGSTARJH.COM John L. Resor, Associate Broker 307.739.1908 | jresor@shootingstarjh.com Tara Dolan Adell, Sales Associate 307.739.1908 | tdolan@shootingstarjh.com Mike Kramer, Membership & Sales Director 307.739.3298 | mkramer@shootingstarjh.com 6

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The Clear Creek Group Realty Jackson, Wyoming 844.209.2059 WWW.THECLEARCREEKGROUP.COM

SHOOTING STAR - WHERE THE OLD WEST MEETS THE NEW WEST Shooting Star is a private residential community located at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and is contiguous to 1,800 acres of open space. It includes a Tom Fazio core golf course and a Hart Howerton designed clubhouse that offers fine dining, a world-class spa, state-of-the art fitness facilities, a yoga/Pilates studio, tennis courts and a barn for children’s activities. Outside are tennis courts, a 25-meter tension edge lap pool, a separate children’s pool, two hot tubs, and a fire pit overlooking a lake and the 10th and 18th holes.

In the winter, Shooting Star offers an alpine club with a ski concierge and direct shuttle service to and from the lifts. In addition, the golf course becomes the valley’s premier Nordic ski facility.

We have just broken ground on the last phase of developer homes – Shooting Star West. This 25 acre site will have 6 Lodges (4 bedrooms, 4,074 SF designed by John Carney), 3 Homesteads (5 bedrooms plus a bonus room, 5,095 SF designed by JLF and Associates) and 6 single family homesites. Within the 25 acre property, we will be creating a lake and three streams which will complement the outstanding mountain views.

Shooting Star also offers a limited number of memberships. Over 400 families have joined the Club, making Shooting Star one of the fastest growing clubs in North America. Since opening in 2009, Shooting Star’s golf course has been ranked 8th or higher by Golfweek Magazine on its list of Top 100 Residential Courses.

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JACKSON HOLE GOLF & TENNIS If You Build It, They Will Come.

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n 1965 “The Sound of Music” premiered to box office acclaim. “The Girl from Ipanema” by Stan Getz was recording of the year and “My Fair Lady” won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

UCLA won the NCAA Basketball Championship while Alabama and Michigan tied as the best college football teams in the nation. America was preparing to launch a moon landing, and the most ambitious infrastructure project in the history of the world, the Interstate Highway System, was opening parts of the United States, especially in the mountainous west, to areas that were previously inaccessible to all but the most adventuresome and hardy of souls.

Adding to all this, with little acclaim, the Jackson Hole Ski Corporation, in a complete leap of faith, opened the first golf course to be built in the Jackson Hole area.

It’s telling that most firsts, especially those of a visionary nature, do not last. In the early 1960s, Jackson Hole was home to fewer than 5,000 people, and the principal occupations were ranching and agriculture. As a gateway to Yellowstone National Park with a beautiful view of the mountains, there were only the faintest of aspirations that the area could sustain commercial business interests other than the usual suspects: camping, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and skiing.

Fast forward to the modern day and see the results of the farsightedness of those early pioneers that a golf resort could not only add and embellish Jackson Hole and the surrounding area but create an entire tourist industry and make the Teton Range a must-visit mountain recreational playground.

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It did not come easy. The first go around lasted two years, but the project had already attracted the attention of powerful interests. Enter the Rockefeller family and their newly formed Grand Teton Lodge Company who acquired the Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club in 1967 and set about improving on the original design. Their first hire was a young and ambitious golf course designer, Robert Trent Jones Jr., who was already establishing himself as steward of the land and using the “sites natural attributes.” Whether luck or foresight was part of the equation or not, Jones gave the project instant credibility with his environmentally friendly design which endures to this day as one of the premium mountain golf courses in the world.

Sold in 1999 to the mammoth Vail Resorts Corporation, Vail undertook a $15 million improvement project that involved bringing back Trent Jones to renovate the championship golf course along with a new clubhouse and fitness center, tennis and pool complex and other amenities. The seedlings, planted in the early 1960s by visionary pioneers, have now blossomed into one of the crown jewels of resort golf clubs in the world.

I’ve been fortunate to play several of Jones’s creations and, although sometimes difficult with many subtle and exciting challenges, they have never disappointed. Jones employs the philosophy of designing courses that “will fascinate people so they’ll want to play them many times and learn the depths and meaning of the courses stories, their subtext, and their poetry.” His designs, while incorporating existing topography, also present tricky challenges to players as they try to figure out the best way to address and attack those tests.

Jackson Hole Golf Club presents five sets of tees which offer a blend of distance, risk/reward and the ever-present water hazards formed by the Gros Ventre River that follows several holes.

Jones’s designs never dull, offering a subtle mix of dogleg par-4’s, straight away par-5’s and medium, but tricky, par-3’s which keep you on your toes because the moment you let your guard down the course will knock you upside the head with results often leading to disaster. The signature test of all Jones’s designs is how much risk can I tolerate and still play within myself? On every tee, whether it’s a par-3, 4 or 5, you ask yourself, how much can I cut off the dogleg that will lead to a more favorable attack on the pin placement on the greens? Should I attack the pin placement? Should I lay up or go for broke? How can I get home in two? It’s very much like a chess match in anticipating your next move in advance. Execute and play well, get greedy and suffer the consequences.

The greatness of this design, other than the dropdead views of the mountains and the challenge of its routing, is its placement on numerous lists of 10

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best in the state, nation, etc. and the awarding of two United States Golf Association National Championships. The 1988 USGA U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and the 1993 USGA Ladies U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. That alone is a testament to the genius and vision of the early pioneers who not only imagined the potential of this enterprise but planned, developed and built a facility of this magnitude.

There are very few must-sees, stay and play golf resorts in the Western United States, Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club is one of them. JW

JACKSON HOLE GOLF & TENNIS 5000 Spring Gulch Road Jackson, Wyoming 83001 307-733-3111 www.jhgtc.com

18-hole championship public course Length 7, 409 yards Par 72 | Slope 135 | Rating 74.2 Opened in 1965 Bob Baldock, Original Architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., Redesign Architect Greg Dennis, Golf Professional Jeff Jensen, Superintendent Rates Rates include carts and driving range Early Open - 4/28-5/20 $70 After 10 a.m.

Spring Season - 5/21-6/17 $130 from 10-11:50 a.m. $70 from noon-1:50 p.m. $70 during twilight Prime Season - 6/18-9/16 $190 from 10-11:50 a.m. $165 noon-1:50p.m. $130 during twilight Fall Season - 9/17-9/30 $150 after 10 a.m. $95 during twilight Late Season - 9/30-Close $70 after 10 a.m.

Club Rentals $75 daily TaylorMade Full Sets w/ six golf balls.

Pro-Tip Wild animals, including moose, buffalo, deer and other species abound within the property. They are not props in your adventure and could pose a danger. Stay safe and avoid proximity to any of these animals. A golf ball is not worth a trip to the emergency room.

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LINKS AT TETON PEAKS True Links In The Mountains?

Yes.

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t is not often one can experience that rare, improbable departure from everyday reality by visiting an iconic mountain wonderland that stuns the senses with wilderness and ma jesty unparalleled anywhere on earth. And then combine that outdoor encounter with the absolute joy that is an authentic links-style golfing experience. It’s not that such a journey is so improbable, and by any stretch of the imagination it is, it’s that the overall experience can be so spectacular in the scope and grandeur of the encounter that it leaves you breathless in the realization that it is indeed possible. The Links at Teton Peaks, situated at the base of the Teton Range, offers such an outing.

True links golf courses are hard to find anywhere outside the British Islands. In America, those courses tend to exist in coastal regions primarily in the Northwest and East and are usually very pricey.

The reasons, of course, are links golf courses utilized the sandbars that separated the agricultural friendly inland land from the salt infested and uninhabitable shorelines. Links land fulfills its purpose by using terrain, useless for any commercial activi12

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ties except as a shield protecting arable land from the mercy of nature’s elements.

That is until golf became fashionable in the 16th century and golfers needing a place to play, with other available lands scarce and expensive. True links land is treeless, formless, fluid and steadily being shifted and shaped by the forces of nature. The wind and sea are the creators while the elements provide a natural defense and hazard.

Fast forward to the early 90s and meet Bob and Sharman Williams, a California couple looking for a place to settle after Bob retired from his law practice of almost fifty years. Setting down roots amidst the grandeur of the Grand Teton National Park, the Williams combined their love of the outdoors, landscape painting, fly fishing and golf, into a links masterpiece that, when considering the location, defies the imagination.

Enlisting the talents of David Druzisky, an award-winning member of the professional architect’s society, ASGCA, the Williams gave him an open mandate: maintain the rugged landscape with the raw beauty of the mountains and surrounding wildlife. All while crafting a true links-style course that combines the best of traditional concepts: wind-swept terrain, scenic routing, and modern maintenance principles.

And Druzisky delivered. Pot bunkers, double fairways, blind approach shots, each hole presenting those unique challenges associated with the links experience, all while including breathtaking views of the Tetons.

For locals and visitors alike, if you have not experienced true links golf, the mere thought can be intimidating. Most American golfers only familiarity with this style of golf is what they see on TV during the playing of The Open Championship each July.

Compounding this dismay is if you routinely play more traditional parkland settings with wide fairways and little rough so typical to public and resort courses.

But fear not. The links at Teton Peaks are imminently playable. Each hole has three sets of tees with generous landing areas and distinct approaches. The longest hole on the course is the par-5 eleventh, which measures a long 630 yards from the black tees. From the silver’s it is a much more manageable 497 yards. The gold tees measure a plebian 380 yards.

And this is the lesson from an excellent designer. A high-quality golf course should always offer challenges, including length, that appeals to all skill levels. Golfers

should always play the tees that support their skill set.

The front nine is well balanced with three par-5’s, three par-4’s and three par-3’s with a total yardage of 3,218 yards from the black tees, 2846 yards from the silver tees and 2,369 yards from the forward tees.

The back nine gets interesting with three 5’s, three 4’s and three 3’s. Number 10 is a short par-3, followed with back-to-back par-5’s, and then back-to-back par-3’s finishing up with three par-4’s and the last par-5. Number 16 is a drivable par-4 from the silver tees but offers the risk-reward of a double fairway that will challenge the very brave or the very accurate. The back nine measures 3,329 yards from the blacks, 2,850 yards from the silver tees and 2,361 yards from the golds Unlike more traditional seaside links courses, water comes into play on fourteen of the eighteen holes as the Griffin Spring Creek meanders throughout the course.

Interestingly this water feature does not detract from the links experience as golfers have been known to stop and test their fly fishing prowess for the native cutthroat trout that fill the stream. Wildlife is also abundant as moose; whitetail deer and many species of wildfowl inhabit the area.

Carts are allowed on the course but to fully appreciate the beauty, ambiance and recreational experience; management has wisely permitted golfers to walk with a reduction in green fees.

Located in Driggs, Idaho, The Links at Teton Peaks offers an outstanding golf experience at a fair and reasonable price. When one combines the breathtaking scenery of the Teton Range with the non-traditional links golfing experience it became a fanciful detour into delights unknown to the traveler when that journey began. Whether you come just for the golf and spend the day or visit much longer your experience will more than justify the passage. JW

LINKS AT TETON PEAKS 127 W 4000 N Driggs, Idaho (208) 456-2777 www.thelinksattetonpeaks.com

18-hole regulation length public course 6,344 yards Par 72 | Slope 131 | Rating 72.5 Opened in 2002 Brent Baldwin, Golf Professional Jeff Sundwall, Superintendent Rates 18 holes w/cart $35 weekday | $39 weekend 18 holes walking $20 weekday | $24 weekend Twilight $25 Monday-Thursday | $30 Friday-Sunday Pro-Tip Links style golf requires accuracy above all else. Unlike parkland golf courses, links golf does not have rough.

If you miss the fairway you will probably lose you ball or have a difficult recovery shot.

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SNAKE RIVER SPORTING CLUB Where Dreams Become Real

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magine you could close your eyes and assemble in your thoughts and dreams the perfect outdoor, high-mountain, rainbow’s-end and everything that such a fantasy could include.

It most certainly would welcome stunning vistas of snow-capped, ma jestic mountain peaks rising into crystal clear, cobalt infused skies.

That vision would also include an untamed but accessible river intersecting and coexisting with the unspoiled countryside. The waterway would be teeming with native trout, wildfowl and wispy willows lining banks that eagerly await a raft, float, canoe or fly line.

Picture sun-splashed views of natural-growth timber, stately quaking aspen, ma jestic cottonwoods, and grand spruces rising to the heavens, along with meandering elk, buffalo, deer, and eagles soaring overhead.

If you are dreaming, you might as well add rustic, first-class accommodations, restaurants, a tennis center, health and wellness spa, aquatics, hiking trails, a shooting center, professional guides, outfitters and, just for good measure, a working ranch on 1,000 private acres accessible only by membership or invitation.

For the coup de grace, when you have that picture-perfect setting in place, envision a golf course flowing throughout this paradise that perfectly blends itself seamlessly into the surrounding landscape in a flawless expression of such magnitude that this entire existential process can only be processed in your wildest imaginings. Or could it?

Welcome to the Snake River Sporting Club, where dreams become realities, passions pampered, and every desire fulfilled.

Everything you can envisage in the way of outdoor recreation is located on this magnificent property and offered on a scale that is unparalleled in class, service, and opportunity, even considering the high expectations, rarefied air and jetset atmosphere that is Jackson Hole. Especially if you care for, appreciate and enjoy golf in a pristine setting.

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Snake River Golf Course is flawless, blending the design philosophy of its creator, Tom Weiskopf, with his instinctive feel and appreciation for the natural environment and ecosystem that can only be found, at this magnitude, in one location on earth, the Snake River Valley in Jackson, Wyoming.

For the record, in my opinion, great players do not necessarily make great architects of golf courses. In my career as a player, teacher, manager, administrator, and journalist, I’ve played, officiated and written about hundereds of golf courses around the world. I guarantee you just because a well-known player puts his name on a golf course does not make it an architectural masterpiece or fun place to play.

In the modern era of golf, there are only a few great players that have transcended their playing skills into success as golf course designers and builders. Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Ben Crenshaw come to mind. But that list has to include Tom Weiskopf. His designs echo his competitive temperament, love of nature and reflect his status as one of the outstanding players in recent times.

Weiskopf has designed 66 golf courses in his architectural career, many that reside in top-100 lists, but Snake River is where he has a home and plays often. It’s one of his favorites and for a good reason.

Not only is the landscape magnificent, the outdoor opportunities vast, but Snake River is one of the most exceptional golf courses you will play in the Intermountain West. And that’s not just me talking.

This layout has won numerous awards in different distinctions and perennially-ranked as the #1 Golf Course in Wyoming. Weiskopf considers it his most elegant design in North America.

Weiskopf is best known for his victory in the 1973 Open Championship contested at Troon, Scotland.

And he makes no secret of his love for the links style courses that stand out in the British Isles. Saint Andrews, Muirfield, Troon, Carnoustie and the other great courses in the Open Championship rotation have left indelible impressions on his designs. Most notably his use of bunkering.

Weiskopf feels that bunkers should offer three distinct challenges to the player. One, they should provide targets indicating where to aim, whether it be the first, second or third shot. Two, as a consequence, or penalty to be avoided. And, three, as a safe, bailout area saving the player strokes for errant shots. Weiskopf also believes in balancing bunkers on both sides of the fairway and green, so they don’t favor a particular style of shot making.

Balance is a word he often uses in describing his design philosophy and has incorporated this viewpoint into his design of Snake River. The golf course is uniquely challenging but extraordinarily fair and offers the player scoring opportunities on each hole with a minimum of repeated features. Each 16

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hole is exceptional in its challenge, balance, routing and visual stimulation.

Another characteristic incorporated in all of Weisskopf’s golf courses are drivable par-4’s. Reaching the green in one shot is a concept he believes offers players the ultimate risk/reward. Again, this is a design feature he borrowed from some of the great Open Championship courses, most notably Saint Andrews. At Snake River, this opportunity comes early in the round on the second hole. Measuring 322 yards from the back tees, the shortest par-4 on the course offers a dramatic, but compelling, target that falls fifty feet below the teeing ground, to a large, undulating and bunkerprotected green that entices the player and all but begs you to go for it.

Water is minimal on the front nine but comes into play on the back as the routing closely follows the Snake River along with the ma jestic scenery that borders the property.

SNAKE RIVER GOLF COURSE 1 Johnny Counts Road Jackson, Wyoming (888) 434-7772 www.snakeriversportingclub.com 18-hole private course 7,533 Yards Slope 140 | Rating 74.9 Opened in 2006 Tom Weiskopf, Architect Kali Quick, Golf Professional Gregg Ornowski, Superintendent Golf Course Yardage/ Rating/ Slope Snake (Championship) Tees: 7,533 yards/ 76.7 / 145 Hopper Tees: 7,104 yards/ 74.8/ 145 Caddis Tees: 6,881 yards/ 72.9 / 132 Streamer Tees: 6,548 yards/ 71.0/ 125 Wulff Tees: 6,232 yards / 69.4 / 123 Midge (Forward) Tees: 5,319 yards / 70.9/ 133 Pro Tip This is a golf course that will challenge every level of a player’s ability. With the amount of bunkering on the course it is imperative that you play the correct tees relative to your skill set. Fore-caddies assigned to each group will assist the player with club selection and sight lines. Listen to them, you will be glad you did.

Snake River Sporting Club is a very private club for members only but offers limited guest opportunities to visit and experience the most picturesque, well-designed and magnificent outdoor recreational property in the United States. A visit that provides an incomparable, real-life experience regardless of however limitless or fanciful your dreams and fantasies may be. JW

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TETON PINES World Class. Case Closed.

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m I the only golfer in the world who wonders why there are so many first-class golf courses located in mountainous areas situated near ski resorts? Even a cursory check of the leading golf magazines annual ratings of top golf courses in each state shows a plethora of those courses in seasonal-challenged areas, including high mountain valleys. Whether it’s Park City, Utah, Winter Park in Colorado, Sun Valley, Idaho or right here at Teton Pines in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

My answer is this: destination golf, much like skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, camping, etc. are all meant to be enjoyed, practiced and realized in a relaxed setting complete with the social prerequisites and rituals that are time-honored and necessary to complete the experience. Special outings include travel to and from, lodging, food, equipment, the esoteric in-the-know knowledge of the activity, the ubiquitous after-party and the social hour or hours discussing the day’s highs and lows, triumphs, and misadventures. To enjoy and fully realize the experience, one must not be rushed. Like the fine wine served at their award-winning on-site restaurant, it must be savored, relished and appreciated for the unrepentant delight it is.

World class resorts such as Teton Pines certainly deserve this distinction, and are very good at providing the necessary accouterments to accomplish the total experience, in fact, it’s their business model.

However the Teton Pines Resort in Jackson, Wyoming presents a masters class in defining this type of one-stop, first-class accommodations, park, move-in and stay with the golf course the center attraction. If it’s a one-night stay, pop in, check it off the list and move on, this is probably not your cup of tea. Spend some time and enjoy all that Teton Pines and Jackson Hole can deliver.

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IN TOWN DELIVERY • PINKYGS.COM OPEN DAILY AT 11A.M. VOTED BEST PIZZA IN JH. LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. 20

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As a private club, Teton Pines offers annual membership opportunities including golf, swimming, tennis, social or any combination of the above.

Those memberships reflect the amount of access you may enjoy, and membership does have its privileges. Tee times, access to the six hard and two clay tennis courts, swimming pool, and other amenities are restricted to club members during certain hours and events.

But it is the golf course that is the centerpiece.

Annually rated as the best course, not just in Jackson Hole, but in the surrounding geographic area, including Idaho and Wyoming, the course is the pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow.

Designed by the award-winning team of Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, the Pines is not your average public muni. It was designed with a specific demographic in mind, and it delivers. Long, tight, scenic and challenging, it is not a course for the faint of heart or beginners. Nor is it intended to be. Teton Pines is a semi-private resort community that provides a complete host of amenities to its members, which happens to include a championship golf course. Fortunately for visitors and locals alike, the course does allow a limited number of guest opportunities.

The Palmer/Seay collaboration is known for moving a lot of dirt, and the Pines is a classic example of their design philosophy. Although nestled in a mountain environment, at the very base of the Teton Range, the course is relatively flat with plenty of twists and turns that challenge and reward.

The Palmer side of the team has always rewarded skill and length, while Ed Seay balances the partnership with a technical placement of hazards and site lines. The course routing meanders amongst large strands of native pines and quaking ash with potential risks/rewards prevalent on almost every hole. Another signature feature of the Palmer/Seay routing is plenty of water and forced carries, especially on par-3’s.

Six sets of tees grace each hole, another Palmer/Seay trademark, and add a lot of length to the Championship tees of 7,412 yards with a 73.9 rating.

Play here only if you’re are a glutton for punishment.

The blues stretch 6,888 yards and the Palmer Tees, which I suggest for skilled players, measure in at 6,585 yards. The course offers two set of white tees, men’s and women’s both at 6,331 yards. Greens at 5,932 yards and the forward red tees measuring 5,474 yards. Ask in the pro-shop which tees match your skill set and stick to that recommendation. You will be happier if you do.

As with all mountain courses, conditioning is a significant challenge. Growing season at altitude is short and fraught with potential disasters. I spent ten years of my professional career at an upscale mountain course, and I saw it snow every month ex-

TETON PINES

3450 N. Clubhouse Dr Jackson, Wyoming (307) 733-1733 www.tetonpines.com 18-hole championship public course 7,412 yards Par 72 | Slope 137 | Rating 74.8 Opened in 1987 Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay John Fought, Architects Matt Stireman, Golf Professional Rates All rates include cart & driving range Early Season 5/3-5/18 $42.50 after noon Early Prime Season 5/19-6/15 $85 after noon Prime Season $175 after noon | $130 after 3 p.m.

Late Season 9/15-10/20 $85 after noon Season 5/01 through 10/16 Pro-Tip Each set of tees on a Palmer/Seay design will give you the look and feel of an almost completely different golf course. Those choices will range from the very difficult to sublime to pedestrian. Which set of tees you pick will vastly affect your enjoyment level, so choose wisely.

When in doubt move up not back.

cept July. Jackson Hole is no exception. Temperature fluctuations, native animal migrations, sleet, hail, mountain thundershowers all wreak havoc on superintendent’s best-laid plans. Fortunately, the genius of the Palmer/Seay partnership accounts for the seasonal variations. There are reasons this pair has designed several of the topranked mountain golf courses in the world. Teton Pines is no exception. The routings, grasses, topsoil and shaping all contribute to the excellent condition of the Pines as one would expect from a world-class facility.

Teton Pines, located an arms throw from the Teton Range in Jackson, Wyoming, combines all that one would expect from its deserving ranking as one the best mountain golf destination resorts in the Mountain West. JW ISSUE 11| 2018 • JHGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

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Members Pampered.

Guests Welcome.

Offering unmatched Teton views and exceptional amenities to members and guests alike, Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club invites you to experience this award-winning Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed course.

Member benefits include exclusive tee times, member socials, tennis, pool, workout facility, and two pro shops.

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A MENU AS IMPRESSIVE AS THE COURSE Introducing Chef Luke Biewick, bringing his experience at Jenny Lake Lodge and a vision of flavorful, creative fare featuring locally sourced ingredients to the North Grille.

Enjoy fireside patio dining overlooking the course or the casual restaurant and bar.

You don’t have to play the course to enjoy a round at the North Grille Restaurant.

Tee Times or North Grille Reservations: 307-733-3111 For memberships, special events or group golf, contact Steve Cole, 307-733-7787.

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T

eton Reserve is one of those golf course/vacation home/planned resort communities that is a victim of cruel circumstances. Namely the housing bubble enthusiasm of the first part of this century, coupled with the financial crash of 2008. It’s not their fault. The economy crashed.

The project was first conceived and planned during the golf/real estate boom going on in this country in the late-20th and early-21st centuries. The National Golf Foundation, the record keeping golf organization in this country, projected that the golf course construction boom would continue unabated as the baby boomer generation, with gobs of disposal income, looked to buy secondary homes, usually built around golf courses, swimming pools, and outdoor recreational pursuits. Nationally, new golf course openings were averaging more than one a day. And then, in 2008, the boom went bust.

The Teton Reserve, designed by former United States Open Champion, Hale Irwin, is a remarkable project and design that is the unfortunate victim of, not only back luck but bad timing. The good news is they have survived when a lot of golf course developments have gone bankrupt and closed. The reasons they are still in business is the location is a proven magnet for the high-end traffic the project seeks. The master plan is sound, and the golf course is not only praiseworthy but very interesting.

Teton Reserve is designed more like the retirement communities in Palm Springs, California, rather than a mountain course at the base of the Teton Range. The golf course is in the middle of the development, and every building lot is adjacent to the golf course with access, sometimes in your backyard. The golf course is also lengthy with long distances between greens and teeing areas making walking almost a nonexistent exercise. If you are a visitor, a cart is mandatory. If you are a resident, and the golf course was designed for and around homeowners, your private golf cart is a necessity.

Like Palm Springs, this is a course constructed with residents in mind. It’s a cottage business in the desert to have your own personalized and equipped golf cart. And I’ve seen some customized designs that are high-tech with every conceivable luxury that would rival the most high-end automobiles with all the added extras. If the economy remains on its upward path and this project continues to sell building lots, then I can see this type of eclectic assortment of personalized custom golf carts parked in every garage.

It helps that Hale Irwin designed the course to be played in four different directions, which means you can start and finish anywhere you want on the course. If you are a homeowner, jump in your cart and play. Multiple teeing areas which create different sight lines on each hole allow you to pick and customize the course you want to play. I would 24

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TETON RESERVE

Rewards The Accurate

TETON RESERVE 11 East 6000 South Victor, Idaho (208) 787-4224 www.tetonreserve.com

18-hole regulation public course 7,426 Yards Par 72 | Slope 130 | Rating 74.1 Opened in 2008 Hale Irwin, Architect Phil Goodson, Golf Professional Dereck Stanfield, Superintendent Rates 7 days a week 18 holes $49 w/cart | $34 walking 9 holes $25 w/cart | $16 Walking Twilight $20 after 2 p.m.

Pro-Tip A long golf course with lengthy distances between teeing areas and greens that allows you to play variations that golf course designer Hale Irwin, incorporated into his design. Take a cart and enjoy your round. You will be glad you did.

imagine this would create some logistical problems if the course is busy, but, again using the Palm Springs model, I’ve seen it work on courses with people jumping in and out, playing a few holes and moving on somewhere else.

The course, reflecting Irwin’s mastery of trouble shots, has a lot of bunkering with sand surrounding every green and dotting the landing areas. Water hazards are almost non-existent, but mis-hit shots will still make you pay. The front nine, balanced with three par-5’s, three par-4’s and three par-3’s, measures 3,605 yards from the blacks, 3,339 from the golds, 2,911 yards from the slivers and 2,574 yards from the bronze tees. The sixth is a monster par-3 at 246 yards from the blacks.

The back nine is longer at 3,811 yards from the back tees, with the par-5 tenth stretched out to 669 yards and the par-3, seventeenth at 245 yards.

Hale Irwin’s design makes for a challenging golf course reflecting the personal values of its super competitive designer. The moral of the story is, don’t be a glutton for punishment, move up to the tees that suit your ability.

Teton Reserve is a golf course built with the homeowning residents in mind. Designed to be played from multiple teeing areas with diverse sight lines and copious amounts of sand bunkering, this is a golf course that might not appeal to all players.

That said if the economy continues growing and remains strong, coupled with the millennium generation turning to golf the way their boomer grandparents did, this development will endure in the very competitive Jackson Hole golf community. JW

TARGHEE VILLAGE

Pocketbook Friendly.

TARGHEE VILLAGE 530 Perimeter Drive Alta, Wyoming (307) 353-8577 www.targheevillage.com

9-hole regulation-length public course Par 36 | 3,375 yards Opened in 1986 Hale Irwin, Architect Lawrence Aphughe, Golf Professional Chris Ingles, Superintendent Rates 9 holes $26 w/ cart | $18 walking 9 holes before 9 a.m. $17 w/ cart | $9 walking 18 holes $40 w/ cart | $24 walking Pro-Tip No bunkers and no sand traps on the entire golf course and that’s by design It’s cheaper to maintain and the course much more playable and easier to get around especially if you are a beginner or a junior, which for those groups, the Village is the perfect course.

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f you count yourself among the twenty-two million plus golfers who frequent the more than 12,000 public-access golf courses in the United States, you usually know what you are getting into when you show up to play or book a tee time. Fun, easy and little or no expectations as to the conditioning, extras or add-ons generally associated with more prominent and fancier layouts.

For the record, I’m a public golf course guy. I have spent my entire professional career working at public golf courses. I like the idea of being able to show -up, walk on and carry my clubs if I want. I appreciate being able to stop at the turn and getting a hot dog and a beer for less than $10. Or chatting with the guys behind the counter and being able to play a couple of extra holes at dusk without a hassle. In Jackson Hole, Targhee Village is such a golf course.

Your neighborhood public muni is like the corner bar. It’s mine. I have ownership, and I belong regardless of who I am or where I live. I once envisioned writing a book outlining the little quirks and idiosyncrasies of all the 9-hole tracks I’ve played around the United States. It ended up being too massive an undertaking. There are just too many out there, and each one has their own story to tell.

Targhee Village is the local’s course in Jackson Hole. And that’s a good thing. It’s

everything you would expect from a 9-hole muni.

Charming, friendly, accessible, casual, flat and comfortable to play. It’s the perfect antidote to the upscale resort courses in the area.

Do you want quirks? How about this. Targhee Village has no bunkers, not one sand trap on the entire golf course and that’s by design. For one thing, it’s cheaper to maintain, and another it makes the golf course much more playable and easier to get around especially if you are a beginner or a junior, which for those groups, the Village is the perfect course.

Home to Jackson Hole’s National First Tee program and an extensive junior golf curriculum, the practice facility is first class. Twenty-five grass hitting stations, a large hitting area and two regulation length holes used for practice before or after your round and no charge, other than range balls, to play those holes. There are also two teaching professional on staff for lessons. Its the perfect place to get your game in shape to play the more challenging resort clubs or unwind after a day of sightseeing, horseback riding or trekking through the mountains.

Now if you are looking for name designers, dramatic site lines, perfectly manicured fairways, and greens. Or you want dramatic elevation changes and guarded tee shots and landings, including all the extras your read about in the golf and travel magazines, including this one, there are plenty of those up-scale courses within shouting distance in the Teton Valley and nearby communities. And they are well worth the price you pay to play those courses as you check them off your list of top 100 golf destinations in the country you have visited and played.

But here is something to consider, especially if you are with your family or on a limited budget. At Targhee Village, the views of the ma jestic Teton Range are the same. The quaintness, ambiance and old west feel of Jackson Hole are the same. And golf, at its very essence, is still golf. The absolute, unbridled joy of hitting a golf ball correctly and playing well is the same wherever you are or what category of course you visit.

I’ve always preached, regardless of where you are in the world, no matter the type of golf course you are playing whether it be a country club, resort course, island paradise or your neighborhood muni, golf is the language spoken here. And it’s a dialect that is understood, expressed and appreciated wherever you find yourself or in the company of other golfers.

The Targhee Village Golf Course in Alta, Wyoming, in the foothills of the Targhee National Forest, is an absolute gem of a public golf course and should be enjoyed, not as an afterthought, but as a destination. JW ISSUE 11| 2018 • JHGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

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SHOOTING STAR Heart of Teton Artistry

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ocation, location, location are the three most important words in real estate development.

While many would argue the entire setting of Jackson Hole, situated in West-Central Wyoming, is prime development acreage by any criteria you might use, others might say some parts are more treasured than others. This statement rings especially true if the location you love, care about and make your home on, is a fragile ecosystem unparalleled anywhere else on earth.

The Teton Range, although containing some of the oldest rocks on this planet, is one of the earth’s newest mountain ranges, giving them their stark and rugged beauty. Running nearly 40 miles northto-south, springing to life just below Yellowstone National Park, the western side slopes gently into Idaho. The Eastern side falls more steeply into Wyoming, producing a narrow valley sliced neatly by the Snake River. This deep gorge, forming the western boundary of the Grand Teton National Park, was given the name “Hole” by the early settlers and mountain men. Jackson was added in honor of David Edward “Davey” Jackson, one of the original trappers who braved the harsh winters plying his trade in the early 1800s.

Initial attempts to settle, farm and inhabit the valley proved futile due to the inhospitable climate and rocky soil. Cattle ranching became the primary commercial activity which drew tourists, drawn to the area’s proximity to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, looking to experience the abundant opportunities to hunt, fish and recreate.

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activities and lodging and, in later years, expand the steep mountain runs of Jackson Hole Mountain and Grand Targhee ski resorts.

Real estate development came promptly. And with those developments came the accompanying amenities including golf courses. Location was necessary, but add-ons were expected.

It was on one of these original cattle ranches that Shooting Star President, John Resor, first experienced the wonder that can only be grasped in an unsullied and natural high-mountain setting.

His grandfather was one of the early settlers who recognized the grandeur of the Teton Range and began purchasing property in the valley. Those acquisitions, over the years, evolved and grew into Snake River, the largest working ranch in Jackson Hole.

Having grown up on the ranch and seen firsthand what unchecked development can do to a fragile environment, Resor vowed to use his family’s resources to protect the ecosystem. “Growth always has to be balanced with preservation,” he says. “And along with growth comes responsibility.”

To that end, working with the Jackson Hole Land Trust, the Resor family facilitated the transfer of 1,800 acres of their holdings to open space and has registered the property with the National Registry of Historic Places. Local community organizations now exercise control over 21,000 acres in Jackson Hole protecting it from encroachment and providing for future generations, all while developing a collective culture of responsible development.

As much as the history of Jackson Hole dates back to early pioneers like David “Davey” Jackson, the future growth of this community, rests entirely on the visionary broad shoulders of John Resor and his long-range campaign to preserve what he and his family have treasured for three generations.

This preservation of the environment was the driving force when the decision to build a golf course was made to complement the families proposed residential community. Outside developers wanted the golf course constructed in the middle of the housing development threatening Fish Creek, a renowned fly fishing haven. The Resor family resisted that notion and decided to develop the property themselves. Their plans for a golf course would not be the focus of the housing development, but on the peripheral, with unobstructed views of the mountains, while protecting the creek and the abundant wildlife that inhabited the property.

Concerns for an acceptable undertaking led to the search, vetting, and hiring of renowned golf course architect, Tom Fazio. And he delivered. The finished product is a golf course as grand as the Tetons rising above the valley’s landscape.

Fazio immersed himself into the development.

Creating plans with elaborate drawings of each 28

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SHOOTING STAR OF JACKSON HOLE

6765 North Crystal Springs Road Teton Village, Wyoming www.tetonsprings.com (307) 739-3270 www.shootingstarjh.com 18-holes private course 7,550 Yards Par 72 | Slope: 137 | Rating: 75 Opened in 2009 Architect: Tom Fazio Rusty Fuller, Superintendent Pro-Tip Fazio’s designs, because of the variations, shape and length of the teeing grounds, give the player and infinite variety of angles and site lines to attack and play the hole. This myriad of choices provide golfers the surreal feeling of playing completely different holes. This is evidence of a master builder.

hole, he oversaw the on-site shaping and construction himself. Fazio, unlike some name designers, does not have a particular style or quirky individual trademarks.

He is known for shaping the routing of the course to fit the existing landscape while contouring the layout to the available terrain.

Fazio’s design philosophy has led to many of his designs honored in “Golf Digest’s list of America’s Greatest Golf Courses.” And “Top 100” golf courses in the world.

Shooting Star is no exception. This design is a superb golf course whose location sits on 254 acres of choice land with 50 acres of water and 2,500 newly planted trees. A site that richly deserves the many accolades it has received.

Adding to the awards is the fact, Fazio is known for user-friendly layouts that protect the environment, while allowing the player to pick from a variety of expansive, abundant teeing grounds, leading to well-defined fairways, and broad, undulating putting surfaces with minimal distances between greens and teeing areas. His golf courses are imminently playable for any skill level.

It has always amazed me that a gifted artist can take a blank canvas and create beauty. In the case of golf course architecture, a designer of Fazio’s celebrity can visualize a smooth piece of ground and produce a masterpiece of inspiring vistas. It’s a talent that is as priceless as the land upon which it sits.

John Resor and Tom Fazio, together, have created a breathtaking, magical ex-

perience at Shooting Star, which now inhabits the heart of Jackson Hole.

Real estate professionals cynically state the only viable commercial reason to construct a golf course is to sell building lots. A golf course is just another add-on, an inducement, creating value for the development.

Fortunately, the golf course at Shooting Star and the ranch in its entirety reflect the vision of its founders and their values, (i.e., honoring history, protecting the environment, providing for future generations), all while preserving an old-west culture entrenched for centuries.

Reasons, it seems, far more noble, regardless of how desirable and valuable the location may be.

JW

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TETON PINES COUNTRY CLUB & RESORT Located at the base of the Tetons in Jackson Hole, WY and perfectly situated between the town of Jackson and Teton Village, this stunning par 72 golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay. Stretching 7,412 yards from the tips and with six sets of tee boxes, golfers of all abilities will enjoy each of the 18 holes surrounded by majestic mountains, breathtaking scenery, and abundant wildlife. Teton Pines Country Club and Resort also features an exquisitely remodeled Clubhouse & restaurant with excellent dining, lively member events, and exceptional service. Indoor and outdoor tennis, fly fishing, a swimming pool, and magnificent cross country skiing make Teton Pines a destination for all seasons.

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SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN GOLF • YEAR ROUND TENNIS • MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE EXCEPTIONAL DINING • BEAUTIFUL WEDDINGS & EVENTS 307-733-1005 | WWW.TETONPINES.COM

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TETON SPRINGS An Experience To Match The Mountains

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f one was to look at the sport of golf in very simplistic terms, it seems pretty straightforward and has been around for hundreds of years. At the very base, you hit something off the ground with a stick. Over the years that ground has evolved into golf courses, and there are only two types, private and public. The former is for members only, the latter for anyone with the wherewithal and the money to plunk down for green fees.

In those two categories, there are also different plateaus. For example, public golf courses can be municipality owned and operated, historically the lower end of the spectrum and lovingly called your “neighborhood muni.” And then there are all kinds of layouts lumped together into the “Daily Fee” group. These could include your military, resort, island paradise or, more typically, courses built to sell building lots and then turned over to the home owners association as part of the development.

These golf courses are usually managed and operated by golf management companies that now control a large segment of the public and private golf course market.

In the private category, there are generally two types, equity and non-equity. Equity means the members own it, lock, stock and barrel and they manage the property, typically with a board of directors. These clubs are very private with little or no outside participation other than limited member/guest arrangements and are very protective of their status and property.

Non-equity is by the membership. You pay a specific fee for different levels of participation and access. Golf, tennis, spa, clubhouse, equestrian, shooting sports, you name it, and these clubs offer it. As you can expect some of these memberships can be pricey, especially on a high mountain, destination, wonderland, like you find in and around Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The Headwaters Club at Teton Springs is this type of club. What a member can expect from their membership is a very high and consistent level of service, quality, and access. In resort communities, clubs of this type, built in and around secondary residences, are typically joined by individuals who often belong to clubs in other locations, which means they are used to this level of service and 32

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accessibility, and they are generally protective of their status and access. But its customary, and usually kept quiet, for high-end private clubs of this type to offer reciprocal and non-member play on an individual case-by-case basis. Teton Springs is one of those clubs that allows reciprocal play but limits it to four outside groups per day. So, if you are a member of a private club in your hometown or state and visiting the area and want to play one of the best-kept secrets in the Teton Valley, designed by golf legend, Byron Nelson, give them a call, you will be glad you did.

However, be prepared. Teton Springs is a big-time golf experience. Resort courses, routinely designed by big-name designers, seek to give the player an optimal golf encounter which includes all the features one would expect from plunking down this much money to play.

Location-check, scenic backdrop-check, lots of length-check, multiple tee locationscheck, plenty of water hazards and sand bunkers-check, forced carries-check, doglegs on every hole requiring a consistent, repeating swing-check, large greens with numerous pin locations-check. The difficulty of the course reflects the philosophy of its Hall of Fame member and designer, Byron Nelson, “challenging yet enjoyable.”

HEADWATERS CLUB AT TETON SPRINGS 75 West 950 South Victor, Idaho (208) 787-3636 www.tetonsprings.com

27-holes private resort course 18-hole championship course 7,426 Yards Par 72 | Slope: 134 | Rating: 73.3 Opened in 2004 Architects: Gary Stephenson & Byron Nelson Matt Cirimele, Director of Golf John Fuller, Golf Professional Rusty Fuller, Superintendent Season 6/01 through 10/31 Pro-Tip The Headwaters Club at Teton Springs requires a certain level of competence to be able to attack the doglegs and forced carries on each hole. Pick the tees that give you the best chance to land your tee shot in the fairway or on the green while avoiding the everpresent bunkers and water hazards.

And it is long, 7,373 yards from the gold tees. And from back there it’s demanding with a slope of 141 and a rating of 74.8. Fortunately, there are five sets of tees on every hole which allows the player to select the course that suits their game because you are going to have to hit it straight or know how to move the ball in either direction to play this golf course. That’s why it is imperative to pick the tees that allow you to hit your prevalent shot, whether its right-to-left or left-to-right, to cut off as much of the doglegs as you dare on each hole while avoiding all the dangers that lurk everywhere.

As I said, this is a big-time, significant golf experience and not for the faint of heart or less skilled.

For those players, Headwaters wisely built a par-3 course that can accommodate beginners, juniors, and players that really should not be on the championship course.

The holes range from 70-200 yards and have two cups on each hole. Regulation and an oversized putting cup that is gaining popularity among less skilled players. Designers are incorporating more and more of these short-course features into their designs to accommodate marginal skill levels while restricting access to the championship designs for the more accomplished player.

The Headwaters Club, as you would expect, also has a state-of-the-art practice facility including putting and chipping greens.

The Jackson Hole geographical area offers a multitude of golfing encounters. From the 9-hole public course to the high-end, very exclusive, private course experience with all that entails. The Headwaters Club & Lodge at Teton Springs has been rated, by US News and World Report the #1 Hotel in Idaho the last three years. Its 18-hole championship golf course is indeed in that category and complements everything else you would expect at a very exclusive private club. JW

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3 CREEK RANCH Beauty And Privacy Defined

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he World Wide Web is one of the remarkable and celebrated creations of this world. The blessings are, of course, a prompt accounting of everything that has been written, discovered or created in the history of this planet. The negatives, on the contrary, are precisely the opposite, giving anyone with a high-speed modem instant access to delve into the depths, curves, and corners of places that some folks wish to keep unseen. And so it is with 3 Creek Ranch.

The first, and only, exclusively private, memberowned, equity golf club in Jackson Hole, 3 Creek Ranch characterizes the discretion, lifestyle, and luxury that only a very few can partake. People who live, play and recreate at The Ranch, own the property lock, stock and barrel and get to make the rules. Most people who indulge in this existence want it that way. Solitude, exclusiveness, and anonymity are suitable traits for those who have obtained this level of sophistication and accomplishment. I have known very few of the rich and famous that enjoy the loss of privacy their success affords them. 3 Creek Ranch exists exclusively for this demographic.

As members of the most exclusive and private club in Jackson Hole, their membership gives them unfettered access to the myriad of legendary, world-class outdoor recreational opportunities that exist at levels unmatched anywhere else on earth, while still maintaining their privacy. And so, it is with the golf course that winds its way throughout the property.

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most of the top layouts are located in, and around, Jackson Hole. 3 Creek ranks as one of the highest on that list. The best of the best if you will, but the comparison is difficult. The Ranch is very private, and access restricted unless you are a member or a guest of a member.

Situated on 710 acres of former rangeland, just minutes from Jackson, and all that city has to offer, the ranch is the last large parcel of land to be developed in the area. What had been a private flyfishing club, is still a private fly-fishing club albeit with the addition of 135 home sites and a golf course. Owned by Henry and Emily Oliver since the early 1960s, ownership of the ranch passed to their two children, Harry and Bucky. Abandoning the cattle operations that had been the commercial mainstay for over a century, the Oliver Brothers, not wanting to give up their private fishing hole, kept the land intact until 2002 when they incorporated the property into the member-owned, very exclusive, golf and fly-fishing preserve it remains today.

Which begs the question, exclusive versus accessible? There is an argument to be made that hiring a top-name designer, give him an unlimited budget, move tons of earth, construct a golf course, build a clubhouse and then let only a handful of people access the property, is what largely contributes to the desirability of the estate. Much like Augusta National or Pine Valley, their image, history, and exclusiveness enhance their celebrity, value, and allure.

I’m not saying 3 Creek Ranch is not a fantastic golf course because it is. Forbes Magazine ranks it as one of the “12 Best Private Golf Communities.”

Travel and Leisure rated it, “The Second Best New Course in the World.” And Golf Digest has ranked it “#1 in Wyoming” for many years since it opened in 2005. The argument I’m making is objectivity suffers when availability is limited.

Designed and built by Rees Jones, son of legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones and brother of Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Rees Jones has spent his entire life in the golf course design and construction business. His portfolio includes many of the most notable courses in the world including Torrey Pines, Bethpage Black, Pinehurst #2, The Country Club, Bellerive, Hazeltine, Baltusrol, Medinah, Congressional, and Eastlake Golf Club among others.

Jones’s celebrity speaks for itself. At 3 Creek he has created a virtual landscape of brilliance that meanders ma jestically through native vegetation, parkland meadows, riparian zones, streams, and stands of timber which host countless species of birds, plants and animals.

3 Creek Ranch, with all the amenities it offers, is also situated in the middle of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest, intact and mostly unblemished temperate zone system on earth. As 36

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private property, the ranch functions ecologically, much the same as it has for hundreds of years. The property also contains more than 400 acres in a conservation easement, and the upper part of the ranch was deeded to the United States National Park Service to remain an unadulterated natural resource that is accessible for visitors to enjoy in perpetuity.

Measuring 7,698 yards from the tournament tees, the course offers five additional tees ranging from the Blacks at 7,416 yards to the forward or Red Tees of 5,460 yards. Gold, rust, and silver tees round out the offerings at 7,013, 6,624 and 6,065 yards respectively.

The Golf Club also includes a state-of-the-art practice facility with chipping greens, practice bunkers, and a double-ended range to accommodate golf schools and private instruction.

3 CREEK RANCH

2800 Ranch House Circle Jackson, Wyoming (307) 732-8900 www.3creekranchgolfclub.org 18-hole private course for members 7,698 Yards Par 72 | Slope 140 | Rating 76 Opened in 2005 Rees Jones, Architect Michael Marion, Director of Golf Greg Glover, Director of Instruction Dan Tolson, Superintendent Pro-Tip Rees Jones designs are known for their distinctive site lines and the use of extensive mounding, bunkers and hazards which define the fairways and greens. What you see is what you get, giving the player a frank and honest pathway to the target, regardless of the tees used or the skill set of the player.

3 Creek Ranch sits on some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Ideally positioned in a locale known for the vastness and richness of its offerings, while protecting an ecosystem that abounds with a magnificence unparalleled anywhere on earth. All amidst ambiance and infrastructure that astounds in its natural splendor.

Add it all up, and you have a wealth of abundance that is as grand as the Tetons rising above it all.

However, like the proverbial pot of gold resting at the end of the rainbow, the treasure that is 3 Creek Ranch is unavailable to all but a few. Without the inquisitive eyes of the internet, we would never recognize and appreciate the magnitude or worth of the prize. JW

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HUNTSMAN SPRINGS Worth Every Stroke.

Worth Every Dollar.

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question I have always asked myself, whenever I travel, is how much I would spend to visit and play a particular golf course.

As a general rule in my family, the wife and kids pick the general locale when we vacation. Usually, they make that decision based on the available attractions, accommodations, shopping, amenities, etc. I have some input in the discussion centered on what golf courses are in the nearby vicinity.

Before we go, I try to do my homework. I like to see the history of the area and who designed the golf courses nearby. I always research the course rankings in the region, state, and country. I ask myself, what if any, ma jor national or significant professional or amateur tournaments have the courses hosted? And finally, and this is the kicker, can I afford the visit, both in money and time spent away from the family?

I’m not a prude. I am more than willing to plunk down $500 to play Pebble Beach anytime I get close to the Monterey Peninsula. Same rational would apply to Shinnecock Hills, Pine Valley, Augusta National or any number of highly ranked golf courses if they let the general public play. No amount of money could keep die-hard golfers from those courses regardless of the money they could charge for public access.

The reasons golf fans would spend outrageous sums of dollars to play these golf courses are as vast as the fairways and greens that entice players to these scenic locations in the first place.

Exclusiveness, prestige, location, checking off the bucket list, among others are all justifiable reasons to play a glamorous course. And, finally, why not?

The rationale seemingly exists, among golf aficionado’s, if it costs anywhere over $200 to play it must be worth it right? Besides you get a bag tag and a shirt with the logo on it to wear to the office.

Here is my take. If I was to find myself on either side of the Tetons, whether in Jackson Hole or Driggs, Idaho, for whatever reasons, and all of the above variables come into play, and I only have the time, resources, motivation and money to visit one golf course, that course is, hands down, going to be Huntsman Springs. And the reasons can be summed up very simply, David McLay Kidd and Bandon Dunes.

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When one considers the famous golf courses that have stood the test of time and their desirability as a destination, whether it be tradition, reputation, exclusiveness or cost, most of them are oldstyle, tree-lined, parkland layouts that appeal to Americans’ sense of richness and comfort. There is a certain cookie-cutter sameness that golf course designers use when they develop a property. Yes, the great ones add their personal touch, but most golf courses share the same design characteristics.

During my enrollment in the PGA of America’s, Golf Course Design and Construction School, these methods were embodied into the curriculum with do’s and don’ts that you should or should not incorporate into a golf course design. During the golf course boom era, it seemed as every designer was borrowing, copying, stealing or trying to enhance other people’s designs built on those templates. It became comical to the point where they were all trying to outdo everybody else. Golf courses were taking on a false facade almost like those theme hotels in Las Vegas where you can visit the Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower.

And then Bandon Dunes happened. Throw out the cookie cutter. Toss the playbook out the window. Take an inhospitable, wind-swept, inaccessible piece of Oregon coastland and build a course that winds its way along the rugged bluffs of the Pacific Ocean with no cart paths, tennis courts, swimming pools or other amenities. A golf course that has changed the golf world’s perception of how the game of golf was meant to be played.

The architect of that masterpiece, a rebel in a staid and placid trade, a ground-breaking pioneer who brought European features to a golf course that revolutionized the entire industry, has created those same design concepts in Northern Idaho. That man is David McLay Kidd, and Huntsman Springs is that golf course. Here’s what he has to say about his masterpiece: “When asked what I feel are my greatest achievements in golf design, most expect me to say Bandon Dunes. In reality, Huntsman Springs is, to me, my greatest golf architectural achievement.

We seek to take golfers on an adventure marked by nuance, subtlety, and unpredictability.”

And that’s why, if I’m in the area, if I have just one day and one course to play, it’s, without question, Huntsman Springs.

The golf course is stunning in its beauty, challenging in its routing and breathtaking for its views of the Teton Range.

Situated on almost 200 acres of high mountain plains, intermingled with 48 acres of wetlands, Huntsman Springs has 153 bunkers that punctuate fairways averaging 80 yards wide culminating at large but severely undulating greens. Defining the routing of the course is 64 acres of Irish red-tipped 42

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fescue imported from Scotland that gives it an old-world style and coarseness. This mating provides the property with a picture-perfect marriage of beauty and harshness that belies the old school branding of lush opulence that permeates most resort, golf course communities.

It’s almost impossible to appreciate how beautiful and challenging this course is when taken in its full entirety. There are multiple reasons the resort has garnered the many awards bestowed on it in its short history.

But that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because you love the game of golf, its history and the unique test this course offers. You have traveled this far on a journey

HUNTSMAN SPRINGS 501 Huntsman Springs Drive Driggs, Idaho (208) 354-9660 www.huntsmansprings.com

18-hole private course 7,331 Yards Par 72 | Slope 150 | Rating 74.4 Opened in 2010 Architect: David McLay Kidd Paul-David Milton, Director of Golf Guy Johnson, Superintendent Rates Member guest with member $100 Member guest without member $150 Lodging guest fee $150 Reciprocal fee $250 Forecaddies $50 per player plus gratuity Rentals $50 per set Pro-Tip Carts are available for players, but to fully appreciate the ma jesty of this design, skip the cart, take a caddie and experience golf as it should to be played.

to experience the sheer exhilaration of encountering a masterpiece of golf course architecture that provokes passions, delight, and fortune on a scale unparalleled except for a very few places on earth, regardless of how much it costs to indulge those pleasures. It’s time and money well spent. JW

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