Promontory - the Ranch Club, Dye Canyon Course, Park City, Utah - A Pete Dye Mountain Golf Course That's Big on Views and Yardage, But Designed for Family Play

Pete Dye has a reputation for designing some of the most challenging golf courses in the world. Some have even been called "diabolical.'' And, at first glance, the Dye Canyon Course at Promontory - the Ranch Club might seem to fit that label, but Dye claims he designed the Canyon course to play "receptive golf'' and called the course "very playable.''

The 18-hole, par-72 course, which opened in 2002, plays to a whopping 7,696 yards from the longest tees, with a USGA rating of 75.6. But, because of the high mountain elevations - from 6,000 to 7,100 feet above sea level - and the elevation changes on the course, it's been said that you can "throw out the yardage book'' when playing the Canyon course.

The course plays through rolling hills and features some spectacular canyon views, giving players the feeling that they're standing atop a mountain looking down for miles. In describing the land and the course, designer Dye had this to say:

"When I walked Promontory for the first time, I was amazed at how well the land lends itself to golf. With rambling sage brush and meadows on the front nine and beautiful canyons at the turn, I have created a great golf experience everyone will enjoy.''

The course has also been described as "well-defined,'' the fairways well-manicured and the greens so large they should be measured in acres rather than square footage. The green complexes are also particularly stunning on this course, often with a lot of movement from surrounding canyon walls, crests and sloping aprons stocked with bunkers.

The front nine holes play along a hillside and offer panoramic views of Park City, Deer Valley, the Wasatch Range, and the Olympic Sports Park in the distance. The back nine plays through scenic mountain canyons and meadows at the highest elevations of Promontory. The holes tend to play somewhat tighter on the back nine, but the canyon walls tend to redirect errant shots back toward the fairways.

Some of the most noteworthy holes include No. 3, which plays to an unheard-of 720 yards from the back tees. The hole plays downhill, however, dropping 80 feet from tee to fairway, and another 54 feet to the green, while playing through an arroyo that narrows considerably near the green.

On the back nine, Hole No. 15 is a par-4 that plays to 447 yards from the tips. This hole features a bit of target golf, with tee shots playing over the natural terrain to a fairway that's 77 feet below the tee. A total of 11 bunkers guard this hole, including four around the green.

Since its opening, the Dye Canyon Course has receive many accolades, including from Dye himself, who predicted the course would eventually be ranked in the Top 10 in the country. Golf Inc. Magazine named it the 2003 Golf Development of the Year, and Estates West Magazine said "Altogether, it's a stunning and memorable course.''

Practice facilities include a driving range and short-game practice area. The Dye Canyon Course Clubhouse is one of five clubhouses at Promontory, and features a golf pro shop, locker rooms, private lounges, and the Hearth restaurant.