Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club
Overview: Jackson Hole, Wyoming is one of my favorite places on the planet. World class skiing by winter, outdoor sports and leisure paradise in the summer. When the snow melts the grass greens and the wild flowers begin to bloom, the golf courses in the Jackson open for a relatively short golf season. The valley itself is not home to many golf courses: five in total, two public and three private. Without a membership or knowing a member in the area, options are somewhat limited. A round of golf on a Jackson crisp blue sky summer day (which there are plenty of) is a special experience. The two courses in the Jackson area that allow public play at certain times are Teton Pines and Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club. I have never played Teton Pines but driven by it on many occasions and it looks like a beautiful layout. The course sits directly below the Teton mountain range and borders Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The other public course in the area is Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club.
First views from Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club practice area are nothing short of spectacular
Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club sits just four miles from the Jackson airport and about a fifteen minute drive from the town of Jackson. The course sits on a mostly flat property in the valley of Jackson. From the time you set foot on property, as is the case with most places in the valley, the views are nothing short of splendid. Sprawling shots of the Teton mountain range first come into view you when you set foot on the practice green and you know it is going to be a special day of golf. The club website has a live daily web cam similar similar to the above view and I found myself watching it daily leading up to our round.
Green view of number 1: I found this course hard to rate and review in aspects because I was so captivated by the views
The club is a semi-private golf course. Daily tee time windows are open to non-members. It operates a short golf season opening once the snow melts in May and closing once it begins to gather in late fall during October. Tee times for non-members are a pretty penny, running anywhere from $175/golfer in the early season to $300/golfer in the peak season. Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club comes in number five in the state on top100golfcourses.com. It’s worth noting that the top five courses in state of Wyoming are in the Jackson or surrounding area. Keegan Bradley’s dad is the course pro here. As we were teeing off, the starter noted that Keegan holds the course record. I do not remember the exact score, but it was low. The course was the first full 18-hole golf course in Teton County. It was once owned by Lawrence Rockefeller, who hired Robert Trent Jones II for the course’s renovation. A large course investment of $15 million was put in years later by current ownership Vail Resorts, which included implementation of a beautiful practice facility, pictured above.
Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club has four sets of tees and plays to a slope rating of 137 from the tips, relatively low for the 7,005 yards it carries from the blues. At least six holes have direct views of the Tetons and all are uniquely named after various parts of Jackson Hole. The eleventh hole is a majestic one that runs parallel to the Gross Venture River and is a classically great golf hole. Number seventeen provides a great view of Sleeping Indian, and is named accordingly. Much of the round is about taking in the beautiful surroundings where the course is set.
There is no wrong answer when it comes to views at Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club. Summer days bring cool mornings and evenings but perfect temperatures with low humidity and usually big blue skies. It’s a dream setting for a day of golf.
Signature Hole
Number 13, Par 3, 169 Yards, Teton Trace
The signature hole at Jackson Hole is one that will always be etched in my memory. The hole named Teton Trace provides one of the best views of this rugged mountain range. Even though it ranks as the second easiest hole on the golf course, it still plays as a challenging par three where the key to a successful hole is making sure you clear the water which plays very close to the green.
The signature hole, number thirteen, is an unforgettable golf hole
In Summary: One of the two courses accessible to the public in Jackson, Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club is well worth the steep greens fee when in one of the most magical places in the world. No matter how you play, a well-done course plus incredible views make for a great day on the links. Try not to focus on breaking Keegan’s course record.