Black Desert
Ivins, Utah, USA
Architect: Tom Weiskopf with Phil Smith (2024)
5th Hole / 350 Yards / Par-4
One of the enduring contributions from architect and PGA Tour star player Tom Weiskopf was the ascension of the driveable par-4.
After a successful professional playing career — winning the 1973 Open Championship in tandem with 16 PGA Tour titles – Weiskopf established himself in the designing of golf courses.
Weiskopf was a proponent in providing options for players of varying ability levels to consider. The driveable short par-4 provides an avenue for longer hitting players to consider the ultimate reward in being able to marry sufficient distance and unerring accuracy.
The downside though is a clear risk in failing to do so.
Weiskopf’s final design is located in the southwest corner of The Beehive State — Black Desert. The facility hosted a PGA Tour event in 2024 and will be the site for an LPGA (May 1-4) and PGA Tour event (October 23-26) in 2025.
The par-4 5th tempts players to go for the green. To do so one has to slot a drive down the right side. The risk comes from lava rock that engulfs the course. Any ball that finds that area is almost always unplayable.
An outcropping of lava rock slides in from the right and the view from the tee makes such a line of play quite stressful mentally. From the championship tee the carry over the right side is 260 yards. Those able to execute with precision and length can reap a dividend in either reaching the green or securing the optimum line of play to any flagstick location.
Weiskopf smartly added one large greenside bunker that serves to protect the left portion of the green.
The putting surface is elevated slightly above the fairway and angled diagonally from lower right to upper left.
Golfers opting to drive the green and missing left face a daunting blind pitch shot to the green.
Players can also decide to find a lay-up area – ranging from 200 to 250 yards and leaving a short iron approach.
The green also provides an array of vexing and confounding movements with the front right and back left areas the most challenging.
Weiskopf was a firm believer in providing options for golfers. The elasticity of his course creations was being able to challenge all skillsets. The driveable par-4 hole has been mirrored by other architects since but it was Weiskopf who elevated the concept into a stature of meaningful shotmaking challenge.
Weiskopf died at age 79 on August 20, 2022 from pancreatic cancer. He posthumously entered the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2024.
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Black Desert Resort | Luxury Utah Resort
