The Links at Sleepy Ridge

OREM — Golf course designer Matt Dye believes in laying out a course that satisfies two parties — the course owner and those who play it.

To make the golfer happy, a course must have holes with a challenging and difficult look but that are still somewhat forgiving to an errant shot. In other words, Dye said, holes should have "more bark than bite." A player who hits good shots should have a decent chance for birdie or par and feel really good about the accomplishment. But at the same time, a player shouldn't be over-penalized for a few missed shots.

To please a course owner, the layout must include all of the aesthetic, challenging features that golfers like but be designed in a way that does not increase maintenance costs. Dye feels his latest course design, The Links at Sleepy Ridge in Orem, accomplishes both of his philosophies.

"My goal was to make this course look a lot more challenging than it really is," Dye said. "I wanted to make the holes look dramatic but player-friendly and maintenance-friendly."

Set to open in mid- to late July, Sleepy Ridge is set on 120 acres that weave their way through wetlands near the shore of Utah Lake between 1000 South and 500 South in Orem — north of Powell Slough and a few miles straight south of the former Geneva Steel plant.

The course idea originated more than four years ago as a golf/sports park project between Orem and officials from Thanksgiving Point. But as the project was delayed 18 months by wetlands issues involving the Army Corps of Engineers, Thanksgiving Point backed away and Golden Holt, a former landscaping expert with Thanksgiving Point, stepped in.

Now, Holt and the city have a 30-year deal where the city basically provided land for the course and Holt the money to build it. Eventually, after Holt recoups his $7 million investment through adjacent real estate development, the city could share in any revenues the course generates. The city also has an advisory committee that provides input on course operations. Sleepy Ridge's green fees also must remain within 10 percent of the county average.

The front nine was seeded more than a year ago and the back nine last fall. The course is built on 120 acres of playable grass. Holt ensures that no corners were cut to squeeze more land into the real estate side of the development.

"We routed the course where we thought was best," Holt said.