Canyon Springs Golf Course - Public Review

Course Review and Comments

First, let me admit my bias: I think what makes a course better than another is the amount of thought it takes to play. In other words, what are the strategic values of each hole and the course as a whole? Is the course so strategically engaging that the golfer thinks about the game and little else? Canyon Springs passes the test. As many as 12 holes have thought-provoking features that greatly influence success or failure. The other holes are straightforward affairs on the surface, but have enough subtlety in their design that you quickly learn there are clear advantages in the precise placement of shots. Add in the scenery—the course is located at the bottom of the five hundred foot deep Snake River Canyon next to a four hundred foot waterfall—the wildlife, and no residential housing, and you have a memorable experience. Good golf and a natural outdoor stroll in a stunning environment. And all of this for $33 during the peak season? No better deal around.

It’s true the course can be a little scruffy on the conditioning and the eyewash factor. It also has overhead power lines and a wastewater treatment plant for a neighbor. But the greens are very good and the folks that play here appreciate good affordable golf much more than lush country club pretension. In fact, this course has quite a bit in common with the old links of the UK. Besides being a rolling, sand-based track that is an easy walk, it is built in a beautiful setting that has little other economic use. When you look down from the canyon rim, you think “Yes, that should be a golf course.”