Debuted in 2023 to national renowned, Black Desert Resort (Ivins, Utah) is already serving as fulcrum for SoCalers seeking the Beehive State’s deserved rep for ample elbow-room, postcard geology and some of the union’s most underrated golf. Located less than 10 miles from popular St. George, Black Desert’s new golf grounds have only enhanced the destination’s star on the southwest map.
The last of Hall of Famer Tom Weiskopf’s 73 course designs, Black Desert’s narration of ancient black lava flow and towering red cliffs has fast caught the attention of pro and amateur players alike, and the grounds are readying to endeavor a unique touring double-dip: This October, the Black Desert Championship will play as the second event on the PGA Tour’s Fall schedule; come the onset of May, the course will serve as host for an LPGA tournament.
Whether to watch the pros or engage your own scorecard, here are five reasons for the SoCal swinger to pack the clubs for a getaway to Utah’s outdoor bounty.
While many SoCal fans of the Tour wait until the turn of the calendar to watch the world’s best at the American Express in Greater Palm Springs (January 16-19, 2025), said spectators need not bide the swing through the Southland.
From Oct. 10-13, 2024, the debut Black Desert Championship will serve as the Tour’s first Utah stop since JFK was in the White House.
“When I called the PGA Tour and said, ‘I’d like you to consider us for a tournament,’ they laughed; and I wasn’t meaning to be funny,” recalls Patrick Manning, managing partner of Black Desert. “But they obliged to come out and we walked the course for about seven hours. By the time we got to the 18th green, it was said, ‘Nothing is going to pop on national television like this course.’”
From either L.A. or Palm Springs, St. George proves a drive under six hours, and those heading out from San Diego can tack on but another 45-minutes; the latter proves notable based on the Greater Zion visitor stats, which chart San Diego as the destination’s second-largest guest market.
Travelers aiming to trade wheels for wings will soon have more options for the traverse.
“The St. George airport director reached out and wanted to work together and was able to add a direct flight from LAX to St. George Regional Airport,” Manning says. “That route will soon be running and, after that, they look to add one directly from San Diego.”
Per those SoCal travelers behind the wheel, a fine and fun way to break up the trip (and find some serious dichotomy amid respective destinations) comes by way of a pit stop in Sin City. Take the four-drive drive to Vegas’ spread of golf and gamble, get some Z’s (or, maybe not) and then finish the commute with a mere 90-minute drive on the ensuing morn.
Black Desert was voted by one leading national outlet as the top public-access course in Utah, and charted by another as the country’s second-best course to debut in ‘23.
The grounds are in fine company, and golf guests will be well-suited when pairing a Black Desert day with a round at a number of the quality options across Greater Zion’s 14-course spread (chief among them being the excellent Sand Hollow in nearby Hurricane).
Guests seeking a Stay & Play will soon be well-sated with Black Desert Resort’s spread. While the property will debut the day before the PGA Tour arrives, ample plans are on the horizon.
“The resort will eventually be five times larger than what is currently the largest hospitality offering in the state of Utah,” Manning continues. “In addition to the five restaurants we’ll have ready for when we open, we eventually have a total of over 20 chef-driven dining options. Along with our golf, we truly want this to be a fly-in culinary destination.”
As compliment to the region’s golf grounds, Greater Zion is globally reputed for its limitless menu of outdoor play.
“Whether for leisurely strolls through Snow Canyon State Park or a more aggressive hike through Zion National Park,” says Manning, “there’s an activity level for everybody out here, all within a couple miles of wherever you are.”
Set amid the lone locale in the U.S. where three major ecosystems converge -- the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert – the area’s geographical impress abounds, as does a full slate of biking, fishing, ATV action and, of course, a visit to Zion, which annually charts in the nation’s top-five most popular national park destinations.