Reasons to visit Utah for a golf holiday

Utah is a destination of extraordinary contrasts. Red-rock desert, vast canyons and towering mountains sit alongside lively cities, five national parks and golf courses shaped by some of the most distinctive scenery in the American West.

For golfers, that variety opens the door to far more than a few rounds in the sun. A Utah golf holiday can form part of a wider road trip, combining memorable desert golf with national parks, outdoor adventure and even a few nights in Las Vegas. Golfbreaks already features St George as the main golfing hub in southern Utah, with courses including Black Desert, Sand Hollow and Copper Rock.

If you want a golf trip where the journey between courses is every bit as memorable as the golf itself, here are some of the best reasons to visit Utah.

Utah is home to five national parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands. Together, they cover an extraordinary range of landscapes, from sandstone arches and narrow canyons to towering cliffs and desert plateaus.

Zion National Park is particularly easy to incorporate into a trip around southern Utah. Its immense sandstone cliffs and canyon scenery provide a memorable change of pace between rounds, with everything from relaxed walks to more adventurous hikes available.

A visit to one park could easily become a longer journey through Utah’s “Mighty 5”, making the state especially appealing for golfers who want to build a wider American road trip around their time on the course.

Golf in southern Utah has a look and feel of its own. Green fairways cut through desert terrain, with red cliffs, lava fields and distant mountains creating a backdrop you simply do not get on a traditional parkland course.

The St George golf scene is at the centre of it all. Golfbreaks offers courses including Sand Hollow Resort, Black Desert Resort and Copper Rock Golf Club, giving golfers several distinctive desert layouts to combine during one trip.

Black Desert is surrounded by lava rock, red canyons and mountain scenery, while Sand Hollow is particularly well known for its dramatic desert setting. For more help choosing where to play, our guide to the best golf courses in St George covers the standout options in more detail.

Utah is a destination worth exploring rather than simply flying in, checking into one hotel and staying there for the week.

A road trip gives you the freedom to combine golf around St George with Zion and other national parks, desert towns and scenic drives before continuing further into the state. Golfbreaks also offers dedicated USA golf tours for golfers who want to make the journey itself a bigger part of their holiday.

With such dramatic changes in landscape as you travel, the time spent on the road becomes part of the experience rather than simply a way of getting to the next tee.

Southern Utah also works particularly well as part of a two-state golf trip with leaving Utah to head to Nevada.

Las Vegas and St George can be combined into one itinerary, giving you desert golf and national parks in Utah alongside the courses, restaurants and entertainment of Vegas. Golfbreaks' Nevada & Utah Golf Tour does exactly that, combining golf in Vegas, Mesquite and St George, with Zion National Park included as an off-course experience.

You could begin with a few nights on a Las Vegas golf holiday before heading into southern Utah, or save the bright lights of the Strip for the end of the trip.

For some inspiration, take a look at the Bob Does Sports Utah & Nevada travel blog, following their road trip through southern Utah and Nevada with rounds at courses including Sand Hollow, Wolf Creek, Cascata and Reflection Bay.

Travel north and Utah changes character once again.

Salt Lake City sits alongside the Wasatch Mountains, combining the restaurants, bars and attractions of a major city with remarkably easy access to the outdoors. The surrounding mountains offer hiking during the warmer months and a major winter sports scene once the snow arrives.

It makes Salt Lake City an interesting addition to a longer Utah itinerary, particularly for travellers who want to experience the contrast between the red-rock landscapes of the south and the mountain scenery of northern Utah.

There is plenty to do in Utah when the clubs are back in the bag.

Hiking, mountain biking and exploring the national parks are natural additions to a trip through southern Utah, while winter brings skiing, snowboarding and other mountain activities further north. Utah’s tourism board promotes outdoor recreation across the seasons, with Salt Lake City providing access to several mountain areas nearby.

That variety makes Utah particularly well suited to groups who want more from their holiday than golf alone. You can make the rounds the centrepiece of the trip while still leaving plenty of space for exploring away from the course.

Best time to visit: Spring and autumn are particularly good times for a golf holiday in southern Utah, when temperatures are generally more comfortable for playing and exploring outdoors. Summers around St George can be very hot, while winter can provide another option for golfers looking to escape colder conditions elsewhere. If national parks such as Zion are part of your itinerary, consider the conditions for hiking and sightseeing alongside your golf plans.

Where to stay: St George is the main base for a golf trip to southern Utah, putting you close to several of the region's standout courses as well as Zion National Park. Popular options include:

• Black Desert Resort - A distinctive golf resort surrounded by black lava fields and the red-rock landscapes of southern Utah.
• Sand Hollow Resort - A great base for combining memorable desert golf with the wider outdoor attractions around St George.
• St George - Staying in the wider St George area gives you the flexibility to play several courses while exploring Zion and southern Utah between rounds.

For a longer road trip, consider combining St George with Las Vegas. Our Nevada & Utah Golf Tour brings the two destinations together, making it easy to experience different courses and landscapes on the same holiday.

Booking tips:

• Plan your route first - If you want to visit Zion or other national parks, work these stops into your itinerary before choosing where to stay each night.
• Combine courses - St George has several excellent desert layouts, so make the most of your journey by playing a selection rather than staying on one course.
• Consider Las Vegas - Pairing Utah with Nevada can add another dimension to the trip, combining the red-rock scenery of St George with golf and entertainment in Las Vegas.
• Choose the right season - Spring and autumn are popular for combining golf with outdoor activities, while the warmer and cooler months may suit travellers with different priorities.

Q: Where is the best place to play golf in Utah? A: St George in southern Utah is one of the state's main golf destinations. Courses such as Sand Hollow, Black Desert and Copper Rock combine desert layouts with the red-rock scenery that makes this part of Utah so distinctive.

Q: What are the best golf courses in St George, Utah? A: Some of the standout options include Sand Hollow Resort, Black Desert Resort and Copper Rock Golf Club. You can find more inspiration in our guide to the best golf courses in St George.

Q: Can I combine golf in Utah with a visit to Zion National Park? A: Yes. Zion National Park is within easy reach of St George, making it straightforward to include hiking, sightseeing or a day exploring the park between rounds of golf.

Q: Can I combine Utah and Las Vegas on one golf trip? A: Absolutely. Southern Utah and Las Vegas work particularly well together as part of a road trip. Golfers can combine courses around St George with Las Vegas and other Nevada golf destinations, as featured on our Nevada & Utah Golf Tour.

Q: What else can I do in Utah besides golf? A: Utah offers plenty away from the course, including national parks, hiking, mountain biking, scenic drives and city breaks. Further north, Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains add another side to the state, particularly for travellers planning a longer itinerary.

Q: How many national parks are there in Utah? A: Utah has five national parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands. They can be incorporated into a wider road trip, with Zion being particularly convenient for golfers staying around St George.

Utah offers much more than memorable golf. Its red-rock courses, national parks, mountain landscapes and open roads make it an ideal destination for golfers who want to turn their holiday into a wider American adventure.

Base yourself around St George and you can play courses such as Sand Hollow, Black Desert and Copper Rock before swapping the fairways for the trails and viewpoints of Zion National Park. Add Las Vegas to the itinerary and there is even more variety within one trip.

Whether you are travelling primarily for the golf or looking for a road trip where golf is part of the adventure, Utah gives you plenty of reasons to stay a little longer.