Golf season may be a month or two away along the Wasatch Front, but it is just hitting its stride in St. George, where the sun always shines (or at least most of the time).
Here is a little primer on golf in the St. George area for those who want to know and those who want to go:Question: How many golf courses are there in the St. George area now?
Answer: Seven: Red Hills, Southgate, Green Spring, Sunbrook, Entrada at Snow Canyon, St. George Golf Club and Twin Lakes. There are several others nearby in Hurricane and Kanab. All are public. The Bloomington Country Club is the only private course.
Question: Any new ones coming soon?
Answer: Only one -- the new Sun River course south of Bloomington -- is currently under construction. Several others, however, are on the drawing board.
Question: Have there been any changes to the courses recently?
Answer: Not much since Sunbrook opened its new nine 1 1/2 years ago. Green Spring is making a few changes, switching No. 11 to a par 3 and No. 16 to a par 5 and making several cosmetic changes, with more bunkers, widened fairways and such.
Southgate seems to always be making changes and may have several holes revamped during the next year.
Question: How do I get a tee time if I want to play down there?
Answer: St. George has an automated tee time system (435) 652-4653 for the city courses (Red Hills, Southgate, St. George Golf Club and Sunbrook). You can call 15 days in advance for reservations.
You can call a month in advance at Green Spring (435) 673-7888 and Entrada (435) 674-7500. Twin Lakes (435) 673-4441 is pretty easy to get on most days.
Question: Who's playing St. George courses these days?
Answer: A wide variety of folks, from the "snowbirds" who come from northern Utah in the winter to a surprising number of Canadians. In the summertime, lots of folks drive up from Las Vegas to take advantage of much-lower prices and slightly cooler weather.
Question: When is the best time to play?
Answer: If you want uncrowded courses, go in July. If you want near-perfect weather, go in April or October. To get the best weather and less-crowded courses, try the fall.
Question: When is it busiest?
Answer: Actually, right now through the end of April is when it's the most crowded, but at some courses -- if you show up early enough -- you can get out on the course without a reservation.
Question: What's the cost?
Answer: Prices are a little higher than most Utah golfers are used to. But compared to the rest of the world, they're not bad. Locals get a big break, paying $18 for 18 holes compared to $25 at Red Hills, Southgate and St. George Golf Club. At Sunbrook, locals pay $28 compared to regular greens fees of $38. Entrada gives all Utahns a break, charging $55 (with cart) for Utah residents, compared to $75 (with cart) for non-Utahns. If you can brave southern Utah's summer sun, prices drop significantly at all courses.
Question: What is the most scenic course?
Answer: That's a toughie. Red Hills has the red rocks, Entrada the black lava, Sunbrook the nice views and Green Spring the gorges. All are among the most scenic golf courses in Utah.
Question: What are some of the best holes?
Answer: The two everyone talks about are No. 4 on the Woodbridge nine (old No. 13) at Sunbrook and No. 6 at Green Spring.
Woodbridge No. 4 at Sunbrook features an island green and an elevated tee shot. The Green Spring No. 6 is one of the "gorge" holes, a tough par 4 that requires a difficult approach across the canyon to a shallow green.
Among the other top holes are No. 9 at St. George Golf Club, a risk-reward par 5 over water, No. 5 at Red Hills, a downhill dogleg, and No. 17 at Entrada, a narrow dogleg cut out of the black lava.
Question: What is the most fun course to play in St. George?
Answer: You still can't go wrong with the oldest course in town. Dixie Red Hills, which opened in 1965, is short enough that it won't overwhelm you and has enough variety that is doesn't seem too easy to better golfers. It has several doglegs around the scenic red cliffs.
Question: What is the toughest course in the area?
Answer: Green Spring surrendered that distinction to the Johnny Miller-designed Entrada, which perhaps is not only the toughest course in southern Utah but the state as well.
The fairways at Entrada are narrow, too narrow in many spots, and the greens are tough to putt. A lot of golfers play it once and never go back because they're so humbled.
Those who have played it a lot say that course knowledge makes the course less daunting and more enjoyable, however.
Question: Is there anywhere for beginning golfers to play?
Answer: Twin Lakes, a par-3 course next to the freeway as you come into town from the north, is your best bet. The course has fallen into disrepair in recent years as it has changed ownership, so don't expect great conditions. Most days you can get on without a tee time. Southgate may be the next easiest, especially the front nine, which is fairly flat and not too long.