Black Desert Resort opens in Utah with Tom Weiskopf’s final design

Black Desert Resort opened on May 27 in Ivins, Utah and features the last course designed by renowned golf course designer Tom Weiskopf before his death last August.

Weiskopf worked with Phil Smith to design the course, which is nestled in the black lava fields among the area’s famous red rock mountains. They designed the course with maximum playability in mind and the resulting fairways range from 70 to 100 yards wide. The course also features two driveable par four holes, something of a Weiskopf hallmark, bringing a risk/reward element into the game. A final nineteenth hole, an 85-yard par-3 located by the lake, will open later this year.

Troon will manage agronomy and golf operations for the entire facility. Amenities will include a snack bar specializing in finger foods, a text service for on-demand food and drink delivery, and high-tech carts with GPS and well-stocked coolers. The entire resort complex will include a 150-room hotel, 1,050 residences, miles of walking trails, a wellness spa, and 80,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. The resort is also constructing a 36-hole illuminated putting course for day or night play.

Prior to his passing, Weiskopf narrated a flyover of the course’s holes that can be found on the club’s YouTube channel.