Design Notebook: A Land of Sandstone and Lava

Hello and welcome back to Design Notebook, where we’re wondering whether that Gary Player ad for the World Golf Hall of Game has finally been taken out of circulation. If so, what a shame. For the record, Mr. Player, we felt the warmth of the sand every time. We heard the sound of the surf. We marveled at your treasures.

ANYWAY, this edition of DN features a recap from Garrett Morrison of a trip he and Matt Rouches recently took to the underrated golf destination of St. George, Utah. We also have a Q&A with architect Brandon Johnson, who recently struck out on his own after almost 20 years with the Arnold Palmer Design Company.

Trip Recap: St. George, Utah

By Garrett Morrison

A reader once asked me where to play golf in the Las Vegas area. My semi-facetious answer was, “Wouldn’t you rather focus on gambling and sunbathing?” But I also mentioned that I had heard good things about St. George, Utah—about a two-hour drive from Caesars Palace. I had never been to the area myself, but photos of Sand Hollow Resort in particular looked spectacular.

So earlier this year, during a gloomy spell of winter weather here in Portland, I planned a February trip to St. George with Fried Egg Golf’s production associate Matt Rouches. You know, for content purposes.

We would fly into Vegas, rent a car, and visit four courses in and around the city: the nine-hole Links and 18-hole Championship layouts at Sand Hollow, the new Tom Weiskopf design at Black Desert Resort, and a local nine called Dixie Red Hills. On the way back, we’d stop in Mesquite, Nevada, and check out Wolf Creek, which I vaguely recalled as the venue of my first (and last) round of video-game golf. I think I shot 96.

Our goal was to scout a late-winter itinerary that would be more engaging to golf architecture geeks—and slightly less expensive—than similar jaunts around Scottsdale, Palm Springs, or Las Vegas proper. Mission accomplished, I believe. The southwestern corner of Utah is a beautiful region with some outstanding courses. I’ll write more about the places we saw in the coming weeks, but here are 10 preliminary thoughts:

1. The Links Course at Sand Hollow, which we played at 2 p.m. Mountain Time after arriving in Las Vegas around 8 a.m. Pacific Time (note the time-zone difference, type-A schedulers), was the surprise of the trip. My expectations going in hovered between neutral and low. Anytime a desert course refers to itself as a “links,” my bullshit detector starts beeping. But this nine-holer, designed by John Fought and Andy Staples*, is a fine tribute to the Scottish game. The fairways roll over natural rumples; the greens are bumpy and intricate but not overworked; the ragged-edged bunkers are filled with indigenous orange-colored sand; and a rustic stone wall—a fabrication, to be sure, but a convincing one—comes into play on a few holes. I detected a couple of templates, most obviously the Eden fourth hole, but in general Fought and Staples’s architecture doesn’t call attention to itself. This is modest, lay-of-the-land design, and worthy of its influences.

The Eden fourth hole at Sand Hollow Links

(*Credit for Sand Hollow’s courses is the subject of much confusion and debate. Fought is often listed as the sole architect, but Staples was hired first and remained involved—not as Fought’s associate but under his own name—throughout the project. It’s probably most accurate to refer to Fought and Staples as co-designers, and to attribute the routing of the courses to Staples while recognizing Fought as the lead architect during construction. Also worth mentioning is the involvement of Forrest Fezler, a longtime Mike Strantz associate who joined Fought’s firm after Strantz died of cancer in 2005. I have no interest in denying John Fought his laurels, but I will say this: I’ve seen a great deal of his work on the West Coast, and none of it has the subtlety and inventiveness of the Links and Championship courses at Sand Hollow. Was this improvement the result of sudden inspiration on his part, the suggestions of a smart owner, or the contributions of Staples and Fezler? Perhaps all three.)

2. The next morning, Matt and I played the 18-hole Championship Course at Sand Hollow, a more conventional design. The bunkers have cleaner edges and the greens simpler contours. Yet there is still plenty of architectural flair: big undulations in the fairways differentiate good angles from bad, and several greens, such as the elegantly shaped second, tumble away from the line of play. The course is best known for the middle stretch of its back nine, which runs along the rim of the Virgin River Gorge. The holes are astonishing, clearly, but they’re also strategically sound, offering advantages to those who play boldly off the tee rather than clubbing down and shying away from the cliff’s edge.

Behind the par-5 second hole at Sand Hollow Champ

3. Some aspects of Sand Hollow’s presentation are questionable. The Kentucky bluegrass fairways played decently firm when we were there, but we’ve heard from multiple sources that they don’t drain very well. Matt, who is trained in agronomy, spotted a buildup of thatch on a number of the bentgrass greens, which can lead to drainage problems and unhealthy turf. Finally, the fairway lines on the Championship Course have crept in slightly over the years and should be pushed back out.

4. Nitpicks aside, Sand Hollow is a strong value (we paid $50 per player for nine holes at the Links and $144 for 18 at the Champ) and the centerpiece of any golf trip to the St. George area. We’d recommend getting there soon, though. Like many golf facilities that opened during the Recession, Sand Hollow did not initially follow through on its real-estate ambitions. For the past 15 years, only the front nine has had houses in view. That will be changing soon. A new neighborhood is under construction along the right side of the 17th and 18th holes, and Matt and I saw plans in the clubhouse for housing that may soon border every hole on the back nine. A necessity for the financial survival of the resort, perhaps, but a sad one.

5. On our last full day in St. George, Matt and I headed just north of the city to see Black Desert Resort, a $2-billion mega-development that will host a PGA Tour event this fall. The resort is still under construction—temporary structures, half-finished condos, and heavy equipment abound—but its first golf course opened for play last summer. The two things you’ll hear about Black Desert are 1) it’s the last design of Tom Weiskopf, who died at the age of 79 in 2022, and 2) it’s built on top of a lava field. The lava is stunning, forming ink-black ridges and pits that come into play on nearly every hole, but the architecture is somewhat bland. Highlights include the par-5 seventh hole, where a tentative second shot may leave you blocked out by a great mound of basalt; and the two drivable par 4s, Nos. 5 and 14, which are tempting and treacherous in equal measure. Much of the rest of the course is standard high-end fare, albeit surrounded by remarkable landforms.

The par-5 seventh hole at Black Desert

6. How will Black Desert perform as a PGA Tour venue? Slightly above average, I expect. It will play short (7,400 yards at 3,000 feet of elevation = a wedge-fest for a modern tour field) but penal (a missed fairway typically means a lost ball or an unplayable lie). In this sense, it may produce course-fit stats similar to those of El Camaleon at Mayakoba. Players will probably dislike the long walks between holes and the abundance of blind tee shots, but overall the course should feel familiar to them. And I’m sure fans will enjoy the drone views on the telecast.

7. While Matt took evening photos of Black Desert, I dropped by Dixie Red Hills Golf Course, a municipal nine on the edge of the city. What a spot! The first five holes are stunners, wrapping around sandstone outcroppings and pushing into box canyons. The last four—a par 3 over a pond and a trio of awkward par 4s—are less exciting, but the topography keeps moving throughout. Tree removal, fairway expansions, and perhaps a bit less watering would make Dixie Red Hills one of the best golf values in the country ($25 peak walking rate). Even as it is, a must-play if you’re in the area for a few days.

Behind the par-5 third hole at Dixie Red Hills

8. About 45 minutes after leaving St. George, Matt and I pulled off Interstate 15 to visit Wolf Creek Golf Club, a supporting act in the casino town of Mesquite. Wolf Creek has received 4.4 out of 5 from GolfPass users and 2 out of 10 from Tom Doak, if that gives you a sense of the architectural vibe. The course is absurd. Routed by Jim Engh and designed by—depending on which internet source you believe—either Gary Panks or Dennis and John Rider, Wolf Creek attacks a mountainous desert site head-on. It’s barely ride-able, much less walkable. The shaping is cookie-cutter, contractor-fashioned stuff with no relationship to the surrounding landscape. And yet… I’m glad I saw this place. It’s one-of-one, a conversation starter, more an amusement park than a golf course. I sort of hated it, but I had never played anything like it.

The second and, in the distance, third holes at Wolf Creek

9. Matt and I didn’t get to sample the area’s other attractions—which include Zion National Park, Toquerville Falls, and vast amounts of hilly terrain calling out to be biked or hiked—but we’ve heard they’re worth checking out.

10. I have two reservations about the St. George trip. One, it isn’t cheap. To match my and Matt’s itinerary, you’d need to set aside between $800 and $850 for green fees. Two, if you see walking as an essential part of a great golf experience (as I do), you might be disappointed by the region’s cart-centric culture. While Sand Hollow Links and Dixie Red Hills were easily walkable, every other course we played had an unspoken riding-only policy. We considered walking Sand Hollow Champ, but an outside attendant politely implied that he would see us as a pace-of-play liability if we did. We decided not to rock the boat. All in all, though, I’d recommend St. George to any adventurous golfer, especially one looking to escape snowier climes in early spring or late fall.

A Q&A with Brandon Johnson

By Garrett Morrison

Arnold Palmer died in 2016, but his architecture firm lived on, guided by his associates Thad Layton and Brandon Johnson. As the golf course industry contracted, the Arnold Palmer Design Company began to focus on smaller, more cost-effective projects. The firm’s work became, in my opinion, more distinctive and interesting.

After APDC shut its doors last year, Layton founded his own design-build firm. Last week, Johnson followed suit. To learn more about Johnson’s background and work, and to get a sense of where he’s headed now, I sent him a few questions via email.

Brandon Johnson rocking the tartan

How did you get your start in golf architecture?

It really starts with my love for playing the game. As a kid—and even now as an adult, although my body does not tolerate it as well—I could play all day every day with an increasing desire to get back on the golf course. Playing golf opened my eyes to golf architecture. I blindly pursued a degree in landscape architecture to become a golf course architect. It has allowed me to channel my interests in art, architecture, nature, and golf into a wonderful professional journey. My internships at the PGA Tour Design Services office and working on the construction crew at TPC Deere Run were my initial introductions. ASGCA Member Rick Robbins agreed to be a mentor and house me for my final Bachelor of Landscape Architecture project, which was a golf course and community development project that his firm was simultaneously working on.

How did you end up working for Arnold Palmer?

During my second internship at the PGA Tour, I met Thad Layton, who was interning with APDC. I got him on TPC Sawgrass and that developed into us being great golf friends. I met others in the Palmer office though the industry or around town. When APDC was moving to Orlando, Thad mentioned a possible open position. After several rounds of interviews, I got hired!

During your time at APDC, what was the biggest thing that changed in the golf course industry?

The Great Recession. It fundamentally changed the golf industry. The decades-long expansion of new courses, and even renovation work, came to a halt.

And what was the biggest thing that changed about your own work?

Finding and perfecting how I enjoy working on a project.

I worked out of the PGA Tour Design Services office for The First Tee prior to joining APDC. It was a wonderful experience, being involved with a plethora of sites and projects across the country for The First Tee while gaining exposure to the high-end tournament focused thoughts of the office. Understanding construction and designing in the field was at the foundation of that office and became part of my DNA. When I joined APDC, Mr. Palmer moved the office to Orlando so he could be more involved in the business. It was an honor and privilege to work with him and grow as a designer under a slightly different process and philosophy that was also evolving and changing.

Striving for ample time on site and becoming fully immersed in every stage of a project was my evolution. Working with and consistently partnering with talented individuals who share a passion and vision for exciting golf (Sterling Garner has been shaping with me the last few years) while getting a rake or shovel in my hands or jumping on the sand pro to finish my greens and surrounds has added to the process. No matter how detailed a plan or expressive a sketch, to successfully execute ideas or provide that individualized touch I needed and wanted to be engaged on site.

Of the projects you oversaw under the APDC umbrella, which ones are you proudest of?

I am proud of them all. Some for architectural reasons in what was created or how much a course improved, and some for personal experiences or relationships made during the course of the project. Creating a short list means I will omit other important ones!

The opportunity to return and work at my alma mater North Carolina State University was a treat. We were able to highlight the big roll of the property and create a distinctive experience for that region. The Lonnie Poole Golf Course has a local cult following and is a blast to play. It was also a full circle moment for me, as important influences through different phases in my life such as professors who mentored me, Mr. Palmer and the Palmer Team, my parents, and wife all converged during the course of this project.

The work we completed at Wexford on Hilton Head Island stands out in relation to the starting point of the existing course and where we took the final design. Wexford was a nondescript club in a golf-rich market. Our renovation flipped the script, pushed some boundaries a bit, and gave that club an architectural identity that has been embraced by the membership. Just last week during a site meeting I was wearing a Wexford shirt. My host lit up, expressing how much he enjoyed playing the course.

Finally, working at Spring Island – Old Tabby Links was healing. The site is gorgeous, and the membership and staff are fantastic. The project occurred right after my dad passed. Spending time in such a peaceful location and immersing myself in a wonderful project was just what my soul needed. Our design enhancements rejuvenated a gem and for a time even vaulted its ranking on Golfweek’s Top 200 Modern from No. 157 to No. 67 shortly after the renovation.

The 18th hole at Old Tabby Links (photo courtesy of Brandon Johnson)

Are you working on any projects that you can tell me about?

I am currently working on a master plan at King’s North, the first course at a 54-hole Myrtle Beach National facility. The long-range goal is to create three completely different architectural experiences within the property.

I am also excited to work with my alma mater again on a short-game practice facility for the men’s and women’s golf teams at NC State. Both coaches use data and statistics to help focus team and individual practice sessions and playing strategies. It will be fun to collaborate with them, incorporate their data, and create a practice campus that will not only challenge their players but present an endless array of shots and scenarios that stir enthusiasm and wonder about their practice.

There are a few other opportunities that, should they go my way, will be exciting to talk about. I’ll be sure to share them with you as they develop.

Chocolate Drops

By Garrett Morrison

Cat at Cobbs. TGR Design, Tiger Woods’s architecture firm, will design a short course at Cobbs Creek Golf Course, a Philadelphia muicipal facility in the midst of an ambitious (and long-awaited) revitalization. In related news, the Cobbs Creek Foundation selected Troon to manage the “Cobbs Creek Golf Campus,” which will include a 30,000-square-foot learning facility, a “multi-level golf entertainment venue” (don’t ask me), an 18-hole Hugh Wilson course restored by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, and new nine-hole layout designed by Hanse and Wagner. It’s time to record a pod on this project, I feel. Stay tuned.

A routing plan for TGR Design's short course at Cobbs Creek

Forgle becomes Forse and Nagle. No one calls them “Forgle.” I just made that up. But for a quarter century, Ron Forse and Jim Nagle have been one of golf architecture’s most productive duos, specializing in historically informed renovations of Golden Age courses. Their clients have included Lancaster Country Club, Davenport Country Club, Lawsonia Links, Kirtland Country Club, Country Club of Buffalo, and the East Course at Broadmoor. The press release describes the split as amicable and notes that the pair will continue to collaborate on certain projects, including the ongoing restoration of Charles Hugh Alison’s Davenport. Separately (but no doubt relatedly), Nagle announced that he had been hired to restore the North Course at NCR Country Club, a Dick Wilson design in Dayton, Ohio, and to draw up a master plan for Eagles Mere Country Club in Pennsylvania, one of William Flynn’s earliest projects.

Liddy tackles PGA West’s greens. By the end of this year, former Pete Dye associate Tim Liddy will complete a renovation of Dye’s greens at the Stadium Course at PGA West, host of the PGA Tour’s American Express. Since provoking hue and cry from the pros in 1987, PGA West has gradually transformed into one of the Tour’s easiest venues. Liddy sounds like he wants to bring back some of the design’s original teeth. “The Stadium Course will evolve into a more challenging layout post-restoration,” Liddy told Golf Course Architecture. “We will be able to place hole locations adjacent to the water’s edge. Our goal is to restore the course back to its prime, offering an unforgettable experience that will attract golfers from every skill level.” Add it to the growing list of Dye restorations.

A Course We Photographed Recently

Royal County Down (Newcastle, Northern Ireland)—designed by Old Tom Morris in 1889, modified by Harry Vardon in 1908, further altered by Harry Colt in 1926, visited by the Eggsplorations crew in March 2024

{{content-block-design-notebook-st-george-trip-001}}

Quotable

“It is more or less accepted fact that trees are not the best of hazards, for the obvious reason that they unfortunately afford but slight opportunity for the display of golfing skill in extricating the ball from their clutches… but they are undoubtedly charming features in a landscape view. Trees are a fluky and obnoxious form of hazard, but they afford rather good protection, and if a clump of these exists at such a spot, it might well be considered justifiable to leave it standing.” -Harry Colt