The new Copper Rock golf course in Hurricane, Utah, will open to the public in February. It has been designed and built by Dale Beddo of G3 Golf Group.

Located near Zion National Park and Sand Hollow State Park, the daily-fee layout winds through a grassy valley for the first nine holes before moving to hillier terrain for the back nine.

Construction of the golf course began in late 2016. The course is part of a 950-acre master planned development that includes a hotel site. Beddo says the end goal is to be a top 100 resort destination in the USA.

Notable features include the 210-foot long green at the fifth, and the double green for the ninth and eighteenth holes.

“We had anticipated possibly naming the holes: with two-to-five grouped to be called; ‘A wee bit of Ireland,” said Beddo. “These four holes are core golf holes as is the front nine, but these holes are grouped together and inspired by what I like to think Ireland would feel like.”

Beddo was introduced to the Copper Rock site through a mutual friend shortly after finishing work at the Arnold Palmer-designed Red Rock Country Club in Las Vegas. His construction firm, G3 Golf Group, has completed all phases of course construction, and was supported by the late Riley Stottern, who served as the grow-in superintendent and Andy Dunlop, who oversaw the irrigation. Beddo also served as the feature shaper.

“Utah golfers have for 50 years played local subsidised golf, though city and county operated golf courses,” said Beddo. “It was not unit the late 90s did we begin to see privately developed and operated golf courses in Utah. This meant that the quality of golf was often overshadowed by the battle over tax dollars being utilised for golf recreation. That left many of our more ambitious golfers travelling out of state to find unique golf courses to play.

“Many of the features you find at Copper Rock derived from golf experiences typically found at higher end resort destinations. Pebble Beach, Texas Hill country and golf from the UK helped to inspire much of the creativity.”

The course will host the Copper Rock Championship on the Symetra Tour in September, bringing the LPGA to Utah for the first time since 1965.