Park City Golf Club review
Architects: William Neff and Perry Maxwell (1962)
www.parkcity.org/departments/park-city-golf-club
435-615-5800
1541 Thaynes Canyon Drive Park City, UT 84060
Utah Golf Guy Grade
| OVERALL | 7.13 |
| BEAUTY | 8 |
| VALUE | 7 |
| PRACTICE FACILITIES | 6 |
| CLUBHOUSE | 6 |
| PACE OF PLAY | 8 |
| CONDITIONS | 6 |
| FRIENDLINESS OF STAFF | 7 |
| FUN | 9 |
| NOT INCLUDED IN OVERALL: DIFFICULTY | 8 |
| TEES | OUT | IN | TOTAL | RATING | SLOPE |
| BACK | 3386 | 3276 | 6662 | 71.4 | 133 |
| MIDDLE | 3203 | 3074 | 6277 | 69.7 | 129 |
| FORWARD | 2795 | 2690 | 5485 | 71 | 132 |
Course Summary
Park City Golf Course has been through quite a few changes since it was first built in 1962 as a nine hole course. William Neff later redesigned it into an 18 hole course and his son, William Neff Jr., re-created the beautiful 18th hole a few years later. The course is mountain-style on rolling terrain with beautiful vegetation and animals throughout the track. Park City plays only 6,700 yards but it is hard to take advantage because of the dangerous dogleg fairways throughout. 3-wood and long irons are the recommended play on most of the driveable holes. If you are unable to consistently hit high fades or draws with the driver, you will drive through the fairway and end up in the trees.
The front nine is absolutely stunning, with tight fairways lined by mature trees. Babbling streams and ponds are scattered throughout this side of the course. If you stay on the fairway you can shoot a low score. If not, that scorecard can blow up quickly. The back nine is a little more scattered, open and not as picturesque. Construction of a new building is happening and affected the play on holes 11 (turned into a Par 3 instead of a Par 4 because of the construction) and #12 (a construction fence lines the right side of the fairway). If only playing nine holes, we recommend playing the front nine. For a mountain course, the terrain is relatively flat (only 1 or 2 huge elevated tee boxes) so walking the course is an option for those who are capable.
Specifics
The clubhouse is quite small and shares the space with a few restaurants and the Hotel Park City. Practice facilities are average at best with two smaller putting greens. The driving range is closed down until July of 2020 due to maintenance. The staff were helpful and courteous on the phone and in the clubhouse. However, a few maintenance workers on the course drove past us on multiple occasions without so much as a “hello” or a nod.
Conditions
The natural beauty of the course (on the front nine) is something that each Utah golfer should experience and epitomizes golf in Park City. Conversely, the conditions at the course were not the best. Being a mountain-style course, it is expected that animals such as deer and large fowl will eat up parts of the grass but the issues were beyond nature. Large gashes and dead spots line quite a few of the fairways and the tee boxes were pretty chewed up. The greens were in good shape but played quite slow. The greens are generally large and undulating with the majority sloping uphill. The sand bunkers were in excellent shape and were greatly appreciated with a few of my up-and-downs.
BEST HOLES
Signature Hole - #6 Par 4 351 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
This short, dogleg left hole plays downhill. Green is blind from the tee box and both sides of the fairway and the end of the dogleg is littered with mature trees. Drive needs to get past the last pine tree on the left to have a shot at the green. The last pine tree is about 100 yards from the front of the green and right fairway is the preferred angle to attack with the approach. Approach shot is downhill to a very wide green over a beautiful pond protecting the front left side of the green. Green slopes uphill. A ridge on the left side creates a small shelf on the back left. Over the green is out of bounds, left is water. Stay on the fairway, land on the green and two putt for par. Any detour to this recipe will leave your scorecard with a big number.
Clubhouse Pick: 5 or 6
Most Beautiful - #5 Par 4 395 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
Another short Par 4 that requires a drive onto the fairway. 100 yards from the back tees and 70 yards from the middle tees are tall oak trees that can come into play. Tee shot requires some loft to get over the oaks so tee the ball up just a touch higher than normal. Aim for the left side of the fairway for the best angle. Another beautiful pond protects the front right of the green. Approach shot is uphill to another uphill green. If you can land your drive in the fairway, this hole plays quite easy. Very little room behind the green so gauge your distance correctly.
Clubhouse Pick: 5
Birdie Time - #10 Par 4 320 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
The shortest Par 4 on the course, goes dogleg left. Fairway slopes uphill. Big hitters who can hit a draw have a chance to reach the green. The fairway is guarded by OB on the right, mature trees on the left and a small creek that runs behind the left fairway 20 yards from the green. Little to no room behind the green so gauge your chip shot correctly. Green is deep and slopes gently uphill. One of the flatter greens on the course. Right fairway is the preferred play, chip to the flag and roll in your birdie putt.
Clubhouse Pick: 16
Likely Bogey - #14 Par 4 426 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
Long Par 4 that plays longer due to the uphill sloping fairway. The tee shot is over a pond but should not come into play unless you duff the shot. The approach shot plays even longer as the green sits on top of a steep hill. Bushes guard both sides of the green. Possibly the widest and deepest green on the entire course so choose your yardage carefully. Green slopes from right to left but the left side has a small ridge that will funnel all shots back towards the middle. According to the locals, very few people are able to two putt this green (I was able to two putt but it took a 6 footer to finish the deed). In summary, long Par 4 that plays uphill to a huge undulating green. Par should be birdie on this hole
Clubhouse Pick: 6
Best Par 3 - #2 185 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
A beautiful par 3 over water that plays a bit shorter because the green is more downhill than it appears from the tee. Large bunker on the right will collect any wayward shots in that direction. Green slopes aggressively uphill.
Clubhouse Pick: 17
Best Par 4 - #6 351 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
See Signature Hole
Clubhouse Pick: 5
Best Par 5 - #18 536 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
Arguably, the most entertaining hole of the round. Reachable in two if you can land it on the fairway, but there is a risk involved. The course strategically placed a pair of fairway bunkers, one on the right and one on the left) to put a little fear in the big hitters. The hole bends left so a straight shot could end up in the right bunker, overcooking the draw will end up in the left bunker. These bunkers should not come into play for the average hitter.
Once on the fairway, more potential trouble lurks. A beautiful pond protects the front left side of the green. If attempting to reach in two, must carry the pond to the green. 30 yards short of the green, the fairway gets extremely narrow, wedged between the cart path and the water. Not recommended to run the ball up to the green, but must land your approach on the green. To the right of the cart path is a creek. This huge green is protected by the pond on the left, bunkers on the back and to the right with trees and a creek lining the backside.
For those playing this hole safe, land your second shot short of the pond and leave yourself with a 75 yard wedge into the green. Green slopes uphill and is quite undulated.
Clubhouse Pick: 18