The new Black Desert Resort in southern Utah.
Brian Oar
Black Desert Resort will host a new PGA Tour event in Fall 2024.
Brian Oar
Overview
Black Desert Resort in the arid desert of southern Utah, surrounded by horizons of red rock mountains, was the last golf course Tom Weiskopf was involved in building (he was diagnosed with cancer as construction was beginning). Opened in 2023, the public course is a stunning juxtaposition of wavy fairways chiseled out of fields of black lava rock that had to be blasted into golf formations. Phil Smith, Weiskopf’s longtime design partner, completed the visually arresting design that will host the PGA Tour’s new Black Desert Championship in the fall of 2024, and another LPGA event the following year. Black Desert Resort is located outside the golf-rich area of St. George, Utah. The PGA Tour will host a new event at Black Desert in 2024, marking the first PGA Tour event in Utah in more than 60 years.
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Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
Reviews
Review
“The aesthetics of Black Desert are a prominent feature with red rock mountains as a backdrop and black lava rock winding between the holes. It is a beautiful place to play. The course has a ton of variety from a double green to significant movement in green complexes. One hiccup this creates is collection areas that become littered with big divots and tons of isolated foot traffic can become hardpan - but this nuance can be remediated with a little earth work in the future to spread out the areas where balls end up. While the course was still making tweaks to bunkers and cart path areas, the course is a challenge and simultaneously fun with the variation in hole length and elevation. You'll likely want to have a caddie or a local with you during your first couple of rounds as a number of tee boxes can leave you feeling a bit lost on where to hit it or where the fairway may open up behind the black lava rock outcroppings!"
Read More2025
Review
“Black Desert Resort provides a stern test over a beautiful layout with the mountain backdrops along with lava fields coming into play on most holes. The course shines in terms of conditioning, with pristine, fast conditions throughout, aesthetics with beautiful backdrops throughout, challenge with many holes requiring exacting shots to avoid penalty areas and layout variety with a nice variety of shorter and longer holes. The holes that stood out to me were the par 3 3rd hole with the bunker in the center of the green, par 4 4th with its length, requirement of an exacting tee shot and challenging green, short par 4 5th hole with options from the tee, par 3 8th with lava outcroppings on the left side of the green, par 5 9th with requirement to keep approaches to the green left with canyon short right, par 4 11th with dramatic downhill tee shot to well guarded green, par 5 13th with pond left, lava right from the tee to well guarded green, short/strategic par 4 14th, short postage stamp par 3 17th and finally a getable par 5 finishing hole. Black Desert was constructed to both challenge the best in the world and make for a fun and exciting round for resort guest."
Read More2024
Review
“A beautiful course with 360 degree desert views are stunning and add to this lovely setting of black lava, green fairways and white bunker sand. Everyone stops at hole 11 to have tacos and beer!! This course might be intimidating for players who spray shots since the lava areas are numerous and all ways near by and impassable to enter."
Read More2024
Review
“They put a golf course in the middle of a lava field! The stunning views of the surrounding desert cliffs and vistas are accented by the black lava fields,green fairways, white sand bunkers resulting in a visual delight."
Read More2024
Review
“Stunningly beautiful track routed thru a lava field. Wide fairways off the tee create angles to attack flags.There are many opportunities to cut doglegs, with appropriate risk/reward if you do. This is a second shot course as the fairways are rarely flat, and the green complexes are severe. Fast, true greens are a highlight, as are the firm, bouncy fairways. Nice mix of long and short holes, uphill and downhill, and doglegs in both directions. Fun to play."
Read More2024
Review
“A gorgeous course that has better scenery than playing characteristics. The fairways are woven throughout black lava fields, which is visually awesome but creates some rather narrow and one-dimensional holes. The high moments are very good but there are a few very poor holes and a few transitions that aren't great (i.e. 13 to 14). A few of the water hazards feel extremely unnatural. Favorite holes: #1, #4, #7, #8, #11, #13, #14 Least favorite: #2, #3, #5 #6"
Read More2024
Review
“A very scenic course with outstanding variety of holes located in a beautiful setting with the surrounding lava and huge red rocks. A must-play in Southern Utah. Green fee includes drinks and food on the course."
Read More2024
Review
“Phil Smith and Weiskopt did an excellent job of routing an outstanding variety of memorable holes with relatively wide playing areas despite the difficult Inva terrain. Nonetheless, the unplayable lava lining the fairways and the lava outcropings in the fairways of certain holes diminish shot options and playability. The course is located in a beautiful setting with huge red rock backdrops. Although most of the resort amenities are located on the perimeter of the course, the resort hotel and new condos being built are still visible on certain holes and diminish esthetics and ambiance. Course conditioning is firm and excellent."
Read More2024
Review
“Beautiful surrounding area with great views Really challenging to play - difficult layout, blind shots, and very unforgiving. A fun experience, but I’d be curious how many people come back because of the difficulty of the golf course."
Read More2024
Review
“I have to admit to being really pleasantly surprised by Black Desert, which is like no other Weiskopf design I have played. The setting is spectacular, of course, but the golf is fun! There are many half-par type holes, including some real risk-reward par fives and two fun drivable par fours. The greens are interesting and fun, and the black lava setting is really pretty unique. What a great crowning achievement for Weiskopf's design career."
Read More2024
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