For combining business with recreation, there is no facility in the Southwest quite like Black Desert Resort.
Golfweek ranks its PGA Tour-caliber golf course as the best in Utah, and although the course is just three years old, Golf Digest already has it ranked 35th nationally on its list of America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses.
On the hospitality side, Black Desert won Silver in the Stella Awards for best golf resort in the Southwest; these awards recognize “dynamic and innovative meeting experiences.” Black Desert has 45,000 square feet of meeting space, from a 10,000-square-foot ballroom to cozier breakout rooms, from 800 guest rooms and suites to a wide selection of dining and non-golf recreation, from 21 tournament-grade pickleball courts to national park excursions, custom designed by an in-house adventure team.
Brandon Hendricks, VP of sales & marketing at Black Desert Resort, says the best courses consult with organizations to understand their goals and plan tournaments and contests that golfers of any level can enjoy.
“Every group or event has a desired outcome they are looking to achieve,” says Hendricks. “That could be fundraising, launching a new product, coordinating companywide changes, strategy sessions, teambuilding, the list is endless. … That collaborative approach we take with each and every group is the secret sauce.”
Our list focuses on public-access golf courses that have extensive experience hosting special events.
Six of Southern Utah’s best courses for business
Black Desert Resort (Ivins): Can accommodate anything from a full-blown executive retreat to a high-end corporate outing. Hosts a PGA Tour event every October and recently hosted the LPGA Tour’s marketing summit. Has three restaurants, each with spectacular views of the lava fields and red rocks that distinguish the property, in addition to a sports bar, a café, and a cocktail bar.
Copper Rock Golf Course (Hurricane): Copper Rock has done a masterful job building networking events around the LPGA professional golf events it has hosted over the past five years. GolfHER, a St. George program designed to help more business women become golfers, was hatched at a networking event there hosted by the Women’s Leadership Initiative. Copper Rock’s outdoor hospitality tent can accommodate large groups.
Coral Canyon Golf Course (Washington): This golf lovers’ course with staggering views of Bryce Canyon and Zion hosts more than 100 groups a year of 16-plus players. It also hosts five to 10 nonprofit fundraiser tournaments each year, with a general manager and food and beverage team that provides all the fixings. Can be a more budget-friendly option than the massive resorts.
The Ledges of St. George (St. George): Clubhouse overlooks the dramatic cliffs of Snow Canyon State Park and is ideal for events; the staff is experienced at running tournaments and making them fun for golfers of all levels.
Sand Hollow Golf Resort (St. George): Known for the Instagrammable views on its back nine, Sand Hollow offers stay-and-play packages for corporate retreats, as well as facilities and dedicated staff to help plan single-day meetings.
Sunbrook Golf Club (St. George): Called the crown jewel of St. George municipal courses — with three nine-hole layouts surrounded by red rock and black lava — it ranks right up there with the swankier privately owned courses in Golfweek’s top 10 list of Utah courses. Hosts one-day chamber of commerce and industry association events, and is famous for its par-3 island hole.