Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club
This one didn't make the top 100, but is the best you can play in Wyoming. It was built in 1961 by Bob Baldock, and redesigned repeatedly; twice, and most recently, by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The white tees at 6793 yards seemed too intimidating, even considering the altitude, so I played the RTJ1 combo (pink) tees at 6142. I thought that, given the address, there would be some elevation features, but the course is quite flat and many of the members were walking. Jones likes bunkers, though, so threading your way through the fairway bunkers is somewhat reminiscent of the target golf common in desert courses.
The scenery is surely not desert, with tree-lined fairways and the snow-capped (even in August) Tetons in the background, and water in play on 9 holes.
The conditions were great, the weather perfect, the greens fast and true, with considerable contour and a variety of shapes, and ample opportunities for "sucker" pin placements.
There's a theory of stock prices known as "reversion to the mean", and that was evident in my play. Dr. Jeckyll started with pars on the first two holes, but then Mr. Hyde played the next 7 in 13 over par.
I was playing alone, waiting on the twosome in front, and at the 10th tee I found them eating their hot dogs and waiting to tee off. They offered to let me play through, but said they had been waiting, too. I proposed joining them, and that's what we did. They said they weren't very good, and I said that's OK, neither am I.
So Dr. Jeckyll returned and played the next 8 in 2 under par, 3 birdies and one bogey. Then to balance the forces of nature, Mr. Hyde made a double bogey on 18.
As long as you're here to enjoy the views and the National Park, and the touristiness of Jackson Hole, playing this course is a nice way to spend an afternoon. The Central Bankers of the world will be here next week. I bet none of them will make 3 birdies on the back 9.
Pictures.
The scenery is surely not desert, with tree-lined fairways and the snow-capped (even in August) Tetons in the background, and water in play on 9 holes.
The conditions were great, the weather perfect, the greens fast and true, with considerable contour and a variety of shapes, and ample opportunities for "sucker" pin placements.
There's a theory of stock prices known as "reversion to the mean", and that was evident in my play. Dr. Jeckyll started with pars on the first two holes, but then Mr. Hyde played the next 7 in 13 over par.
I was playing alone, waiting on the twosome in front, and at the 10th tee I found them eating their hot dogs and waiting to tee off. They offered to let me play through, but said they had been waiting, too. I proposed joining them, and that's what we did. They said they weren't very good, and I said that's OK, neither am I.
So Dr. Jeckyll returned and played the next 8 in 2 under par, 3 birdies and one bogey. Then to balance the forces of nature, Mr. Hyde made a double bogey on 18.
As long as you're here to enjoy the views and the National Park, and the touristiness of Jackson Hole, playing this course is a nice way to spend an afternoon. The Central Bankers of the world will be here next week. I bet none of them will make 3 birdies on the back 9.
Pictures.
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