With the clubhouse online and close to 40 weddings on the calendar before it even opened its doors, Holt and Holdaway believe their long-term financial goals are on solid ground.

With no debt service to pay for land, Sleepy saved a bundle. Cedar Hills, a course always in the headlines, has a $6.5 million debt to pay and every household is nicked $300 a year whether any member of the family is a golfer or not. And still no clubhouse.

This month, The Ranches, owned by Ames Construction, offered to give the golf course to the town of Eagle Mountain as a donation, free and clear.

"This state is filled with great golf courses, it's tough to compete," said Holt. "If you want to draw in players, you have to do something different. We decided from the start, at the top of our first 21 things, was customer service. We'd do things to make players want to come back, to feel welcome."

That's evident.

"Rather than put money in our pockets, we've invested it back in the golf experience. The GPS costs us about $7 per cart per month," said Holt. "I don't know why our competitors don't have it. It saves time, speeds up play and makes it a more enjoyable experience. So do the free range balls, edged cart paths and what we've done with this clubhouse."

Orem resident LeGrande Young, 87, who started golfing in 1937, is happy with the changes.

"It's wonderful, the prettiest clubhouse in the state without question," he said. "It's such an expensive undertaking I don't know how they'll pay for it. This week I played Hobble Creek, East Bay and Soldier Hollow.

"I wouldn't bad-mouth any of them, they're awfully good courses. Hobble has the best terrain, but the grass at Sleepy is more luxurious than any."

Jerry Tanner, 79, Provo, said he plays East Bay in south Provo but Sleepy Ridge is his favorite course to play.

Pete Karp, 62, and Mike Buckley, 64, both of Cedar Hills, have Sleepy at the top of their list. Karp likes the old link style and sitting on the patio of the clubhouse sipping coffee. He said it is now a complete experience.

Both complained of mosquitoes, evident before sunrise and at dusk, and this year it is especially bad. Holt told them abatement spraying takes place three times a week but mosquitoes, who only live about one day, can travel three miles. "We're working on a plan with the neighborhood to spray a larger area so we're not just chasing them."

Buckley said Sleepy Ridge's emphasis on customer service stands out. "They are very, very friendly and good to the players," Buckley said. "They have a great deal for seniors. We got a punch card for 12 rounds of nine holes (walking) and we figure it came to $7.75 a round. Plus, they gave us a complementary round the day we bought our card, just because. The only place with a better price than that for seniors is Fox Hollow."

Orem City's agreement with Holt and Holdaway makes them hold Sleepy green fees within 10 percent of the county rate.

The sugar comes free.

e-mail: dharmon@desnews.com