Mountain Shadows, Paradise Valley. Forrest Richardson, 2017.
Richardson entirely redeveloped the 1961 original course that his mentor Arthur Jack Snyder had built here, but which had fallen into disrepair, as part of a revitalization of the resort as a whole. The new course offers 18 par-3 holes plus a par-2 putting wager hole following the 17th. There are flip wedge holes and a Biarritz that stretches to nearly 200 yards, waterfalls, a dell hole, and great views.
It seems like just the model that should work for both casual golfers who are at the resort with some time to kill and serious students of the game who can appreciate the quirk of a fun and unique par 3 course as well. Short courses are seemingly in vogue right now, but most are attached to regulation courses or resorts with multiple offerings. That may make Mountain Shadows are harder sell, but hopefully visitors will come to see an afternoon round here as essential as a trip around the Sandbox at Sand Valley.
[2017]
ardentgolfer.com 