Sun Valley Golf Course

Sun Valley Golf Course is a resort golf complex in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, located in Sun Valley, Idaho. It consists of three courses totaling 45 holes: Trail Creek, White Clouds, and Elkhorn Golf Club.

Sun Valley Golf Course
Club information
Coordinates43.706°N 114.347°W / 43.706; -114.347
LocationSun Valley Road
Sun Valley, Idaho
Elevation6,000 feet (1,830 m)
Established1937, 84 years ago
TypeResort / Public
Owned bySun Valley Resort
Operated bySun Valley Resort
Total holes45
Websitewww.sunvalley.com/things-to-do/golf/
Trail Creek Course
Designed byRobert Trent Jones Jr.
(1980 renovation)
Par72
Length6,968 yd (6,372 m)
Course rating72.9
Slope rating138[1]
White Clouds Course
Designed byRobert Trent Jones Jr.
Par36   (9 holes)
Length3,605 yd (3,296 m)
Course rating37.5   (75.0 for 18 holes)
Slope rating145[2]
Elkhorn Golf Club
Designed byRobert Trent Jones Sr. &
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Par72
Length7,214 yd (6,596 m)
Course rating72.7
Slope rating139[3]
Course record61 – Doyle Corbett (1998)[4]

Courses

Trail Creek

The resort's primary 18-hole championship course, now known as Trail Creek, straddles that tributary of the Big Wood River, which flows southwest toward the resort and city of Ketchum. Opened 84 years ago as a nine hole course in the resort's first summer of 1937, it was traditionally known as "Sun Valley Golf Course,"[5] and expanded to 18 holes in the early 1960s.[6]

After Earl Holding purchased Sun Valley in 1977,[7] the golf course underwent a redesign by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and reopened in 1980. The par-72 course plays at 6,968 yd (6,372 m) from the back tees, with a course rating of 72.9 with a slope rating of 138.[1] The approximate average elevation is 6,000 feet (1,830 m) above sea level. At its base is the Sun Valley Club, the sizable golf clubhouse for the resort, with a 25-acre (10 ha) practice facility and an 18-hole putting course.

The Ernest Hemingway memorial is west of Trail Creek's eighth tee.[8]

White Clouds

The White Clouds Course opened in 2008, on the former land of the Sun Valley Gun Club. The newest of the courses, the nine-hole layout has impressive views and severe elevation changes over its 3,605 yards (3,296 m) and is the most difficult, with a course rating of 37.5 (75.0 for 18 holes) and a slope of 145.[2] Also designed by Jones, it is named after the White Cloud Mountains in adjacent Custer County.

Elkhorn Golf Club

Elkhorn Golf Club is south of the other two courses, southeast of Dollar Mountain, and opened for play in 1975.[9] It varied between being a semi-private and private club, then was acquired by the resort in 2011. Elkhorn is a split-design of Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior; the father contributed the hillier front nine and the son the back, which is laden with water hazards. Also par 72, the tips measure 7,214 yd (6,596 m) with a rating of 72.7 and slope of 139.[3]

Killebrew-Thompson Memorial

Sun Valley hosts the Killebrew-Thompson Memorial (KTM) golf tournament each August to help fund cancer research.[10] Launched 44 years ago in 1977 by baseball hall of famer Harmon Killebrew of Payette and former congressman Ralph Harding, it originally honored Danny Thompson, a teammate of Killebrew's with the Minnesota Twins who continued his major league career after being diagnosed with leukemia, and died at age 29. Notable participants that first year were President Gerald Ford, House Speaker Tip O'Neill, and hall of fame slugger Mickey Mantle.[11][12][13] Following Killebrew's death from esophageal cancer in 2011, his name was attached to the event.[14]

References
  1. "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Sun Valley Resort - Trail Creek". USGA. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  2. "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Sun Valley Resort - White Clouds". USGA. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  3. "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Elkhorn Golf Club". USGA. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  4. "Golfers tour Sun Valley, Elkhorn in Pro-Ams". Idaho Mountain Express. Ketchum. May 30, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  5. "Mr. Golfer: Water with tee is good". Milwaukee Sentinel. July 13, 1952. p. 6D.
  6. "S.L., Sun Valley tie for honors". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. UPI. September 13, 1963. p. 2D.
  7. Irvine, Arnold (July 4, 1978). "Businessman, landscaper revitalize Sun Valley resort". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. B3.
  8. Merin, Jennifer (July 7, 1996). "Paying tribute to 'Papa'". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. p. A8.
  9. "Elkhorn sets gala opening". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. June 26, 1975. p. C7.
  10. "KTM golf hits the sweet spot of success". Idaho Mountain Express. Ketchum. August 28, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  11. "Ford plays best golf round ever". Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. August 21, 1977. p. 3C.
  12. Miller, Hack (August 20, 1977). "Ford takes a payoff". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 6A.
  13. Killebrew, Harmon; Harding, Ralph (September 1, 1977). "Charity golfers drawing thanks". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. (letter). p. 4.
  14. "About". Killebrew-Thompson Memorial. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
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