Rumors have been going around about a new golf course and housing development east of the Sand Hollow Reservoir. Thankfully, the City of Hurricane had a name and a phone number for a very street-savvy and innovative golf course designer and developer who has made southern Utah his home. His name is Dale Beddo. You may have heard that name and his co-designer’s name, Bruce Summerhays, a PGA professional when associated with the late Kokopelli golf course built too close to that devastating recession of 2009. A time when thousands of courses in the U.S. simply closed and country clubs had to reinvent themselves. Dale has a long history as a developer and course designer and has a vision for this new course in our home town that I’m certain will benefit the local golfer as well as the traveler who discovers this unique golfing experience as I once did over seven years ago.
Scott Dunford: What lessons have you learned from your experience at Kokopelli?
Dale Beddo: I believe we’re still recovering from that recession. Gone are the days when you can build a $25 million or $32 million golf course with big-name designers demanding $2 million design fees. If we learned anything from the golfing greats like designers Palmer, Nickolas, Trevino, and Player, they made golf appealing to the blue-collar worker. Offer an affordable golfing experience to attract a wider audience from our youth to retired beginner and enthusiast. Tiger, too, paved the way, but equipment became so expensive and continues to get even more pricy. When I was playing in the ‘70s I could go out and buy a complete set of clubs for around $400 or $500. Now I can’t buy a driver for that! You can still build great golf courses for $4 million to $5 million and provide the quality and playability that will truly complement this market and markets like ours.
SD: Where exactly will this new course be built?
DB: 3915 S 1100 W in Hurricane. Near the Sky Ranch Airport community adjacent to the airport. If anyone wants to come out for a tour, we welcome that. You can call (435) 669-8915.
SD: How many building lots will be available at completion?
DB: Right now, we’re working on phase 1, called “Corderro,” which is adjacent to the golf course community. We’re currently branding the golf course, so no definite name yet. Hopefully by the holidays. A total of 2,200 lots will be available in the fall of 2018. Approximately 10,000-square-feet desert lots starting at $55,000 to $65,000 in Corderro. There’s so much hidden beauty in our deserts, and this piece of property is no exception.
SD: Tell me more about the course itself.
DB: It will be 6,850 yards from the tips. It’s not designed to be overbearing or difficult but still places a lot of demand on a good tee shot. We’re putting a lot of time and attention on making this course unique for the area but still provide the custom features you’ll find in some of the greats like TPC Scottsdale and Florida. Seven holes are affected by water. We have a one-mile creek that runs through our property that provides another level of beauty and challenge along with desert rock outcroppings and views.
SD: So here’s the big question. Are you building a great golf course?
DB: Time will tell if it’s a great golf course. It will be comparable to one that you’d pay $125 for in peak season, but our rates will focus on quality, service, and price point. I believe you can build quality golf courses with affordable rates like $45 to $85. I also won’t charge a nonresident higher rate just because they live out of state. This will be a course that you’ll feel will be your course with service and quality at a fair price point.
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I want to personally thank Dale for his desire to provide a golf course we can afford to play more often. Residents of their community will receive a special rate, and Dale looks forward to becoming a part of the many promotional packages and discount programs available to us. There was so much more that he shared with me, but you’ll just have to go out there and meet him yourself. If you’re as curious as me, you’ll go see this property as it develops and come away with the same excitement I have to play it sometime in the fall of 2018. See ya on the links.
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