Privé
The Unretirement Community
Everything in Play at Utah’s Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club
By Tom Mackin
Spectacular scenery and equally impressive weather, plus easy access to a number of nearby national parks, have long made St. George, Utah, a favorite destination for visitors and residents alike. So much so that it’s become one of America’s fastest-growing communities in recent years. Witness to it all has been Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club, which opened in 1996 and has recently undergone a renovation project that has elevated this already vibrant member-only community to new heights.
The club’s latest initiative is a $2.8 million renovation and re-imagination of its food and beverage offerings at the main clubhouse, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
“The undertaking was not a remodel but really a reimagination of the dining spaces, including a relocation and expansion of the bar as well as a thorough rebuild of the kitchen space,” said Jim Cleary, general manager since 2023. “It has been a complete enhancement of both the capacity and capability of the dining experience for our members. It’s truly a night and day transformation.”
Along with the installation of a more contemporary, lighter, and brighter aesthetic, the project also brought a name change to the dining outlet (now known as “Sol Mesa”) along with a variety of new menu offerings, including Pecan Crusted Trout, Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms, Greek Cucumber & Couscous salad, and Bird is the Word (a breaded and fried chicken sandwich). A variety of perennial member favorites have been retained, such as the Yakisoba Noodles, Thai Peanut Salad, and Bourbon Salmon. The new “Cactus Rye” bar area is the place to indulge in cocktails such as a Toasted Pecan Old Fashion, Prickly Pear Margarita, and Double Oh 7.
Other recent changes include an expansion of popular pickleball courts from eight to 12, and a refreshening of The Wellness Center. The stunning golf course continues to receive an exceptional standard of maintenance, with ongoing landscaping and transition initiatives throughout the 7,065-yard layout.
Jim Behnke, a club member since 2014, has watched the course closely since it reopened in April 2022 after a thorough $8 million transformation led by course architect David McLay Kidd. “I will say it is a very fun course to play with multiple shot options throughout each hole. The greens will get your attention as they are in great condition and are currently playing at 12.5 on the stimpmeter. I don’t say this lightly because I have played over 1,400 golf courses, but the greens here are as good as any I have played on. Kidd accomplished exactly what we wanted from the renovation.”
Benhke’s unofficial name for the layout, where holes 15, 16, and 17 flow through a lava field, remains the “Come on Course.” “My definition of fun when it comes to golf is, does the course make you want to watch your ball longer?” he said. “With our course now being a ground game (featuring ‘kicker mounds’ placed throughout by Kidd), you hear it all the time when someone is watching their ball: ‘Come on, come on, come on.’ When the ball moves just that little bit more to give you a positive result, it makes the game so much more fun. Members are learning more and more how to use the surrounds to give them various shot options to get the golf ball closer to the hole.” The facilities also include a 16-station Toptracer program on the driving range and a putting course.
“Well over 70 percent of our members are local within the Entrada community, which means there is always plenty of activity both on and off the course here,” said Cleary. Residents are very close to a vibrant roster of activities available in the St. George area, including events at the 2,000-seat outdoor Tuacahn Amphitheater at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts; Center for the Arts at Kayenta; the Electric Theater Center; and the St. George Opera House and Social Hall.
As for national parks, Zion is an hour’s drive to the northeast, while Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon (North Rim), Capital Reef, and Great Basin are farther away but very worthy drives. Even closer are Snow Canyon State Park and Sand Hollow State Park.
It has definitely been an interesting time for private clubs since 2020, including Entrada, according to Cleary. “COVID certainly kind of accelerated the rising up of member expectations in terms of the quality and variety of experiences,” he said. “That inspired our recent renovation project and I’m confident there will be more projects in the coming years that will be designed to meet the needs of our members.” ▪
Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club
St. George, Utah
435-986-2201
www.GolfEntrada.com
