| Red Ledges in Utah has everything you'd want in a | | | | tower above the winding, heaving fairways. The tees |
| luxury housing community: great views, miles of | | | | of the 427-yard first hole are perched some 300 feet |
| infrastructure and, most importantly, a Jack Nicklaus | | | | above the first fairway. This is one opening hole that |
| Signature Golf Course. | | | | you will never, ever forget. |
| If you were going to develop a luxury housing and | | | | In fact, this is perhaps one of the most memorable |
| recreation community in these economic times, you | | | | courses most visitors here will ever play. One |
| might have a wish-list something like this: two Fortune | | | | magnificent vista after another greets players on |
| 500 CEOs for owners, over 2,000 acres of land in | | | | nearly every tee. At the 468-yard, par-4 third, the tee |
| some of the most pristine country in America, and | | | | box sits behind the second green, and overlooks the |
| nearly 10 miles of infrastructure and utilities installed | | | | Heber Valley, the area that will be the Short Course, |
| even before the first house was built. Most of all, you | | | | and two different fairways. |
| might wish for a centerpiece golf course, designed by | | | | Another tee box that will have you licking your chops |
| the greatest player in history. | | | | is at the 560-yard 14th, where you stand more than |
| After touring the grounds of Red Ledges luxury | | | | 150 feet above the fairway with another view of the |
| homesites, about one hour north of Salt Lake City, you | | | | entire valley and the surrounding mountains. As with |
| start to wonder if maybe the developers of this | | | | most of the holes, there's a generous fairway but |
| exclusive four-season Heber real estate community | | | | deadly trouble right and left. |
| have a genie corked in a bottle somewhere. It's hard | | | | Perhaps my favorite hole on the entire course, though |
| to imagine anything else they could wish for to make | | | | - and one of my favorite all-time par 3s - is the |
| the place any better, and that goes for the superb | | | | 203-yard ninth. Even if you are playing the member |
| Jack Nicklaus Signature Course that lies at the heart | | | | tees (168 yards) or middle tees (147 yards), consider |
| of the development. | | | | moving back to the Nicklaus tees here. Climbing the |
| Amenities at Red Ledges | | | | steps to the summit of a tee box reminiscent of a |
| Although about half of the 1,200-plus luxury homesites | | | | Mayan pyramid, you shoot over two juniper trees to a |
| at Red Ledges have already been sold; as of yet, | | | | semi-occluded, semi-bowl-shaped green that runs from |
| most of the amenities (and all of the homes) are still | | | | front left to back right. |
| nascent. The list of what is yet to come, however, is | | | | Red Ledges: The verdict |
| nevertheless almost overwhelming. | | | | To be completely honest, I have never quite |
| Within the next couple of years, residents will have | | | | understood the allure of private golf courses. Red |
| access to a nine-hole Jack Nicklaus short course, Jim | | | | Ledges, however, has opened my eyes. |
| McLean Practice and Instructional Facility, Cliff Drysdale | | | | If this were a resort course or daily-fee course, it could |
| Tennis Academy, spa, swimming pools, fitness facility, | | | | be criticized for being too difficult. Some of the greens, |
| equestrian center abutting over 3,000 contiguous acres | | | | for example, allow pin positions that are borderline |
| of open space, hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, | | | | unfair. (And certainly unfair for a group of golf writers |
| breathtaking mountain views, close access to Deer | | | | visiting for the first time!) |
| Valley Resort ski areas and excellent fly fishing in | | | | As a private course, though, where the members will |
| several rivers nearby rivers. | | | | have unlimited access, world-class instruction and |
| The one amenity that is already open, however, is | | | | immaculate grooming, Red Ledges is ideal. The |
| quite a doozy: the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf | | | | sprawling, rolling greens are extremely tricky, and |
| Course. Visitors and prospective homeowners | | | | although they are still young and quite grainy, they will in |
| fortunate enough to play this masterpiece will never | | | | time become legendary. Approach shots simply must |
| forget the experience, and as such, it would be hard to | | | | find the right sections, or three- and even four-putts will |
| imagine a better way to advertise the Red Ledges | | | | spoil some otherwise good rounds. |
| community. | | | | The same can be said of the fairways, where position |
| Red Ledges: How it plays | | | | and club choice will be crucial, especially at this higher |
| Red Ledges is the 200th U.S. course by Nicklaus | | | | altitude (where every shot seems to travel about a |
| Design, and the Golden Bear brings all of his | | | | half club too far). |
| experience to this truly spectacular and challenging site. | | | | Although the clubhouse is not built yet, it will someday |
| The titanic track measures 7,653 yards from the tips, | | | | loom above the first tees, atop the red ledge itself and |
| with a stratospheric course rating of 77.2 and slope | | | | will offer one of the most spectacular views in a state |
| rating of 153 from the tips. Fortunately for us mere | | | | full of amazing landscapes. For now, the temporary |
| mortals, however, every hole offers four or five tee | | | | clubhouse/half-way house is as comfy as some real |
| boxes, and from the 5,190 forward tees. | | | | clubhouses and serves up perhaps the best |
| No matter where golfers tee it up, though, everyone | | | | hamburger I have ever tasted. |
| gets to play an amazing routing that begins atop the | | | | In short, Red Ledges is a true members' course for |
| namesake red ledges - cathedral sandstone cliffs that | | | | some very, very fortunate members. |