Golf course of the week

THE RESERVE AT EAST BAY

Location: 1860 South East Bay Blvd., Provo

Directions: Exit I-15 at University Ave., go east approximately 1/2 mile

Head professional: Troy Watkins

Superintendent: Jerry Preisendorf

Course designer: William Howard Neff

Year opened: 1987

Cost: $22, $34 (with cart) $1 more on weekends

Reservations: 373-6262, one day in advance, Thursday for weekends

Easiest time to get on: Weekday afternoons

Course record: 63, Steve Schneiter

Course description: The name describes this layout which is almost surrounded by water as if in the middle of a bay. While water comes into play on 13 of the 18 holes, it is mostly on the sides of holes with few holes requiring a shot over the wet stuff. The course was built just south of the longtime Timpanogos course, but six years after opening, the course had to be re-designed when Novell took some land on the northwest side. The course is fairly flat with a few doglegs and several bunkers. A nine-hole par-29 executive course with just one water hazard sits in the middle of the East Bay property. The annual Provo Open golf tournament will be played on the 18-hole layout later this week.

Holes to remember: The par-4 No. 4 hole, a dogleg left, is daunting from the tee with water and wetlands to hit over to reach the fairway. You can take a driver and try to cut the corner or play a 5-wood or iron and play it safe. The latter play, while smart, will leave you with a challenging approach shot to the green, which is guarded by a bunker on the left. No. 10 is a dogleg right with water on both sides of the fairway. Long hitters can cut off some on the right side, but you need an accurate tee shot here.

Difficulty: OOO

Layout: OOO

Scenery: OOO

Enjoyability: OOO

Hole Par Yards*

1 5 478

2 4 360

3 3 140

4 4 390

5 4 330

6 4 360

7 3 146

8 4 375

9 5 475

Out 36 3054

10 4 380

11 3 141

12 5 450

13 5 430

14 3 171

15 4 348

16 5 430

17 3 110

18 4 376

In 36 2836

TOTAL 72 5890

*Middle tees