Five years ago when the new 18-hole Eagle Mountain Golf Course opened on the old Intermountain School property, the old Brigham City course on North Main street was destined for oblivion with a condominium project planned for the golf course land.
Guess what? Five years later, the old Brigham City course is alive and well and operating under new ownership as the Brigham Willows Golf Course.A lot of golfers probably aren't even aware of the existence of Brigham Willows, figuring the course had been plowed under. But the condominium project never got off the ground, the ownership of the property changed hands twice and the course fell into disrepair. Although it was supposedly open, it wasn't even listed among the 90-some Utah courses in the Utah Book of Golf until this year.
But under new owners Jule and Clare Geiger, the old course designed by Ernie Schneiter Sr. nearly 45 years ago is making a comeback.
Judging by my experience there last week, the course is still undiscovered. I showed up at 3:30 in the afternoon and couldn't see a soul in sight. A blackbird tried to run me off the No. 4 fairway, and that was the only sign of life I saw until I finally saw a couple of groups up ahead. When I finished the round (hitting two balls on most holes) in less than an hour and a half, there were a few groups waiting to tee off.
According to the elder Geiger, the course is starting to get more play and he sees golfers coming from anywhere from the Salt Lake Valley to Logan.
The course was in "terrible shape" when the Geigers bought it, but it's gradually improving. There is quite a bit of clover on the fairway and the greens hadn't been mowed the day I was there. One bunker was full of grass clumps and had little sand. The course has several boggy areas, but that's a problem that has always existed up there and has to do with the high water table and the surrounding farmland.
Brigham Willows gets its name from all the willow trees dotting the course. Most of the trees are full grown, and they are the main hazards since there is little water and few bunkers. Most of the greens are small and a couple are downright tiny. At 3,300 yards from the whites, it is one of the longest nines in the state. There are some long holes such as the dogleg 550-yard par-5 No. 4 hole, but a big reason for the course length is the lack of a second par-3 hole. This may be the only course in the state with only one par-3, the 175-yard 2nd hole.
The original course had several par-3s as a 2,500-yard par-33 course. But in 1965, some property northwest of the original nine was utilized to make some longer holes.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Brigham Willows Golf Course
DIFFICULTY
* * *
LAYOUT/SCENERY
* *
ENJOYABILITY INDEX
* *
(5=Highest rating, 0=Lowest)
HOLE PAR YARDS*
1 4 325
2 3 175
3 4 385
4 5 550
5 4 355
6 4 390
7 5 480
8 4 300
9 4 340
OUT 37 3300
*Middle tees
LOCATION:
900 N. Main, Brigham City
HEAD PROFESSIONAL:
Julie and Clair Geiger (owners)
COURSE DESIGNER/YEAR OPENED:
Ernie Schneiter Sr., 1950
COST:
$7.50, range $1/$2
carts $7
RESERVATIONS:
723-5301, 2 days in advance
EASIEST TIME TO GET ON:
Noon to 3 p.m. weekdays
COURSE RECORD:
Reid Goodliffe, Gene Munk 63, Mike Malaska 65 (competitive)