Living at the links of golf and the good life.

• Author: Zimmerman, Ann Getz
• Position: Golf & Home Guide

GOLFING IS ACTUALLY MORE POPULAR

with visitors to Utah than skiing. According to the Utah Travel Council, five to seven percent of Utah's visitors golf during their visits, making it the third most popular activity after hiking/biking (first) and hunting/fishing (second). The Utah Golf Association directory lists 107 clubs, stretching through Utah from Tremonton to Hurricane. During the last decade, the rustic ski cabin has evolved to luxury mountain homes with ski-in, ski-out access. Have golf developments in Utah made similar changes?

Surprisingly, neither the number of golfers nor that of holes played nationally is growing, says Toni Guest of the Utah Golf Association. But, according to Jon Kemp, Research Coordinator at the Utah Travel Council, golf's popularity in Utah is on a two-to three-year upswing. "Our research shows the upsurge is primarily in the resort communities in Summit, Wasatch and Washington counties, where golfing is one of many recreational activities in upscale resorts," Kemp adds.

David Terry of the St. George Golf Division, which operates four municipal courses in Washington County, notes, "The growth of the St. George area has been paralleled by the growth in golf. Golf is very important to us. Economists estimate that with multipliers, golf brings $200 million into the area." The expanding number of courses in the St. George area is good news to budget-conscious golfers, because the competitive environment means green fees remain relatively stable despite increased operating costs. At the same time, it is difficult to open new stand-alone clubs. Terry notes that the area's new courses have been incorporated into residential communities where the costs of the dub are supported by the residential development.

One of these facilities is Sun River in St. George, a public course in a community of homes that marketing director Mike Green explains are primarily intended for retirees. Sun River is designed to be more than just a golf community, he adds, pointing out that less than 50 percent of the residents golf. "The course is secondary to the community," he says. "The heart of the development is a community center with a fitness center, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a recreation program that includes aerobics, basketball, bingo and organized outings." In Sun River, both golfers and nongolfers own carts for the convenience of getting around (carts are allowed on roads there), and the homes have garage storage areas...