Utah County golfers are spoiled.
At a time when recreation officials across the country are saying there's a shortage of public golf courses, it's still fairly easy for local golfers to get a tee time on any of the county's six public golf courses.And for those who can afford it, Utah County has two of the finest country clubs in the state - Alpine Country Club in American Fork and Riverside Country Club in Provo.
Local courses may not be experiencing the problems of overcrowded big-city golf courses, but they're busier than ever. Whereas weekends used to be the only time local courses were packed, nowadays reservations are required more and more.
Utah County offers a variety of golfing that is hard to find elsewhere. Long courses, short courses, tough courses, easy courses, hilly courses and courses with lots of water - they're all here.
Golfers visiting from other parts of the country are often heard to say, "Utah County golfers don't know how good they have it."
-Tri-City Golf Course, in American Fork, is owned and operated by the cities of American Fork, Pleasant Grove and Lehi. Gary Naylor is the head professional, and Jerry Gray is the course superintendent. Designed by Joe Williams, Tri-City opened in 1973.
Tri-City is one of the longest and toughest golf courses in Utah. It is best known for strategically placed trees found in most fairways.
"It's a challenging golf course and one that offers something to golfers of every caliber," Tri-City assistant pro Clint Whitney said.
Golfers are usually able to get on Tri-City on weekdays without reservations. Green fees are $5 for nine holes and $10 for 18 holes.
-Cascade Fairways is a nine-hole golf course at the mouth of Provo Canyon. Kevin Stratton owns the course and is superintendent. Randy Anderson is the head professional.
Cascade is one of the older courses in Utah County. It opened in 1967. It used to be one of the shortest golf courses in Utah, but the holes were lengthened five years ago.
"Most people don't think that nine-hole golf courses are fun to play. But Cascade is in very good shape and is very fun to play," Anderson said.
More than 55,000 rounds were played at Cascade last year, making it one of the busiest nine-hole courses in Utah. Green fees are $5.50 for nine holes and $10 for 18 holes. Tee times are required every day.
-East Bay Golf Course, in East Bay Park in Provo, opened in 1987 and was designed by William Neff. Besides an 18-hole championship course, East Bay has an executive nine for the beginning golfer. Kean Ridd is the head professional and Norm Carter is the course superintendent.
East Bay probably has more water hazards than any other golf course in the state. Water comes into play on every hole, which makes East Bay one of the toughest golf courses in Utah. It also features grass bunkers - a feature new to American golf courses.
"East Bay is a target golf course," Ridd said. "It combines a little bit of the old look in golf with the new look in golf."
Reservations are required daily and green fees are $5 for nine holes and $10 for 18 holes.
-Hobble Creek Golf Course is the oldest and probably most popular golf course in Utah County. Sonny Braun has been the head professional since the course opened nine holes in 1967. Another nine holes opened in 1972. William Bell designed the course and Chris Jensen is the course superintendent.
Located in Hobble Creek Canyon east of Springville, the course features some of the fastest and most difficult greens to putt in Utah. The oak-lined fairways and winding creek make accuracy a must. People come from all over the state and the country to play Hobble Creek.
"People come back to Hobble Creek over and over because of the scenic beauty and excellent layout," assistant pro Randy Rodriguez said.
Tee times are required daily at Hobble Creek. Green fees are $5 for nine holes and $10 for 18 holes.
-Spanish Oaks Golf Course is located at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon and was designed by Billy Casper. Roy Christensen is the head professional and Doug Adams is the course superintendent.
Spanish Oaks, which opened in 1981, has finally matured into one of the more popular courses for the average golfer. It is known as one of the shortest courses around, but still has some of the most difficult holes in Utah County. Many of the greens are severely sloped, and a good short game is essential to score well at Spanish Oaks.
"The shortness of the course makes it enjoyable for the average golfer, but the trickiness of the greens makes it a challenge for the better players," Christensen said.
Green fees are $4 for nine holes and $8 for 18 holes. Reservations are required daily.
-Gladstan Golf Course, located in the Gooseneck area between Elk Ridge and Payson, is the newest golf course in Utah County. Designed by William Neff, Gladstan opened in 1988. Jack Lomento is the head professional and Mark Hyland is the course superintendent.
The front nine at Gladstan is designed like a Scottish golf course, and the back nine is a mountain course. Gladstan features some of the most interesting and fun-to-play holes in the state.
Because the course is relatively new, Gladstan is one of the least-crowded county courses. Golfers looking to avoid the crowds and play a challenging course should travel to Gladstan.
"A couple more years and the course will be professional-tournament quality," starter Eldon McMurray said.
Golfers can usually get on Gladstan without reservations. Green fees are $4.50 for nine holes and $9 for 18 holes on weekdays. Weekend green fees are $5 for nine holes and $10 for 18 holes.
Most Utah County golf courses offer reduced rates to senior citizens and juniors. Each course has carts available for rental, a driving range and snack bar.