Cedar Hills Golf Course Review
Designer: Damian Pascuzzo and Robert Muir Graves (2003)
801-796-1705
10640 Clubhouse Drive Cedar Hills, UT
Utah Golf Guy Grade
| OVERALL | 7.63 |
| BEAUTY | 7 |
| VALUE | 9 |
| PRACTICE FACILIITES | 8 |
| CLUBHOUSE | 8 |
| PACE OF PLAY | 7 |
| CONDITIONS | 6 |
| FRIENDLINESS OF STAFF | 8 |
| FUN | 8 |
| 7 | |
| NOT INCLUDED IN OVERALL: DIFFICULTY | 5 |
| TEES | OUT | IN | TOTAL | RATING | SLOPE |
| BLACK | 3367 | 3237 | 6604 | 71.5 | 135 |
| BLUE | 3136 | 2981 | 6117 | 69.6 | 131 |
| WHITE | 2874 | 2750 | 5624 | 67.3 | 124 |
| RED | 2358 | 2343 | 4701 | 63.4 | 116 |
Course Summary
Welcome to the Cedar Hills Golf Course review. Cedar Hills Golf Club is a 6600 yard, 18 hole par 72 championship golf course nestled at the mouth of the American Fork Canyon in North-Central Utah County. The front nine plays more as a link style golf course while the back nine has a little more variety and plays up in the canyon. The background mountains on this course are absolutely stunning and the first tee shot of the day is one of the best in all of Utah.
This course has quite a few picturesque holes throughout the course but the front nine also carries some very standard, simple and relatively boring tracks. Aside from holes 1, 6 and 9 the front nine was disappointing. The back nine was much more enjoyable and offered diversity, beauty and challenges on almost every hole.
The par 5’s on this course are absolutely fantastic! Notably, holes #6, 9, 10 and 18 were all quite memorable. All of them are reachable in two, but each require a pressure tee shot to do so. The par 3’s on this course were largely forgettable with hole #15 being the lone exception.
This course is recommended due to the majestic views and natural beauty of the mountains and the terrain. Tee shots on 1, 9, 13, 17 and 18 are a lot of fun!
The practice facilities are great. They include a well-manicured putting green right off the #1 tee, an average sized driving range and a separate chipping green next to the range.
Specifics
Fairways – Almost every fairway is wide with various waves and rolls. Big hitters will land on flat ground but shorter hitters might have some different lies for their approach shots. Fairways are in decent shape with a few brown or dead spots throughout the course but nothing major. Three holes had very spongy fairways but the rest had a good feel. Rough does not play too much different from the fairway (in the fall). If shots are in play and out of the fescue you should have a chance at a green in regulation on every hole.
Greens – Large, fast and undulating. Ridges run across the middle of most greens and tiers or shelves are found on the backside of most greens. Very bumpy with the aerated greens but during the golf season the greens are much smoother.
Sand – For Utah County, the sand is in average shape. They are not groomed real well but they are soft and play like a sand trap should play.
BEST HOLES
Signature Hole - #1 Par 4 381 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
Most courses feature a standard “warm up” hole as the opener of the round but not at Cedar Hills. Towering over the entire front 9; the first tee box is an exhilarating 200+ foot downhill shot into a wide, albeit short fairway. Big hitters will more than likely need to stay away from driver as the fairway ends at 290 yards but plays closer to 240-250 yards due to the elevation drop.
Four bunkers surround the fairway with two more on the sides of the green. Hitting 260 yards into the fairway leaves you with a simple pitching onto the green. The green is long, skinny and one of the flattest on the course. A very good birdie opportunity on a breathtaking hole.
Most Beautiful - #10 Par 5 524 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
Hole #1 has the most beautiful tee shot, 17 and 18 feature a beautiful water feature but for my money, hole #10 is from tee to green the most beautiful hole on the golf course. The tee shot goes right up into the canyon. A small but harmless pond is found on the right side of the tee boxes, native grass is found in front of the tee and surrounding the left side rough . Trees line the right side of the fairway. The green is right up against the base of the mountain with trees, bushes and brush pushing against the backside of the green. During the summer season a striking stream runs in front of the green making you think twice about going for it in 2. The bell shaped green slopes from the front to back with a shelf on the backside.
Birdie Time - #16 Par 4 360 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
A shorter par 4, this hole has a simple strategy, stay out of the left side bunker. If you can do that you will have a fantastic shot at birdie. A rolling and sloping fairway will give you an extra 20-30 yards on the drive and will leave you with a simple chip to attack the pin. The heart shaped green has a ridge in the middle. A shelf shows up on the back left side while the back right side descends. If pin is on the front or left side, a birdie putt is likely.
Likely Bogey - #13 Par 4 372 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Double Bogey
Tee shot up the mountain with a severely undulated and sloped green. Tee it high and let it fly. The more distance you get on the tee shot the better opportunity and angle you will have to hit it on the green. The hole says 372 yards but you will need to add an extra 40 yards due to the elevated fairway and green. The green is deep and sloped with a false front. You must gauge your distance correctly (which is difficult because of the elevated green) or you will be looking at a possible 3-putt. If the pin is on the left, green is flatter but the risk is falling into the native grass on the left. If pin is on the right, 2 ridges run through that side making it paramount to land near the flag or it will be difficult to 2-putt.
Best Par 3 - #15 217 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
Elevated tee box into a heart shaped green. Bunker on the left side. A ridge runs through the middle of the green. If flag is in front, great chance to have a birdie putt. If flag is behind the ridge, make sure you get over the ridge and the ball has a chance to funnel to the pin.
Best Par 4 - #1 381 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
See “Signature Hole”
Best Par 5 - #9 533 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
Aside from Hole #1, this is my favorite tee shot on the entire course. From the tips you can just see a peak of the left side of the fairway. In order to reach in two, it is necessary to cut the corner over the mountain forcing a blind tee shot.
The fairway is wider than it looks but too far to the right is OB. Three bunkers hug the left side of the fairway making it even more paramount to land it on the right side of the fairway. A small bunker to the right of the green. The green is relatively flat with a gradual incline from front to back ending in a large shelf.