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Way Over Par: A lob wedge and a sand wedge will do at the Barn By
Wade Denniston
PLEASANT VIEW -- If your upcoming summer plans include playing the 18-hole Barn Golf Club, don't worry about taking any beach necessities with you. "Now why would I bring those to a golf course?" you may be thinking right now. Don't worry, it's not the sun tan lotion, sunglasses, or beach towels you don't need. Rather, your lob or sand wedge. That's right, the 6,037-yard (from the middle tees) Barn doesn't have any sand traps to fret about. Despite that, though, the course is still long and challenging. Located just below Weber High School (a couple of streets down), the par-71 Barn features five, rather long par-5 holes, averaging a shade under 497 yards each. Two of the first three holes you encounter are par-5's, and can prove to be tricky when playing the course for the first time. Hole No. 1 (an even 500 yards) is a dogleg right with a pond to the left (for a right-handed golfer), and trees dotting the right*just off the tee block. Keep your tee shot straight and you'll be in great position to put your second shot on, or close enough to the green for a simple chip shot. After what seems to be a 90 degree dogleg right par-4 second hole, you come to the longest hole of the Barn*the 521-yard par-5 third. While this hole is much more difficult to reach the green in two shots than the first hole, a birdie is definitely not out of the question here. Keep your first and second shots more toward the center/right side of the fairway, thus allowing yourself a better view of the green to shoot at. If you go left, you'll have to deal with rather large trees blocking the view of the green, as well as most of the small pond in front of it. Before finishing the 36-par front nine with the 435-yard par-5, you'll have to contend with three par-3's and two par-4's. Although this doesn't seem too difficult*and it's really not*keep in mind on the 405 par-4 fifth, there's no room for error. You don't want to hook your drive because you will more than likely land OB, as white stakes separate the course from the condos dotting it. The toughest of the par-3's you'll have to contend with on the front is the 172-yard eighth hole. Once again, if you hook your ball, you will probably land in the back yard of one of the condos. Alas, if you totally duff your tee shot and slice it, there is a pond awaiting your wayward ball. So, keep it straight and long, and you'll be sitting pretty for a birdie chance. You'll finish the front on the easy par-5 ninth. Just one obstacle stands in your way and that is a pond jetting across the fairway around 235 yards from the tee block. Unless you really crush your drive, you'll be sitting pretty (if you stay left, considering a large willow tree is on the right side of the pond) to put your second shot on the green for an eagle putt. The back nine at the Barn (par-35) proves to be a little more easier as you have just two par-5's to deal with*not difficult at all, either. Perhaps the toughest hole you'll have to deal with when coming in is the 13th. The 355-yard par-4 is a dogleg right and you must hit your drive straight to put yourself in perfect position for your chip to the green. If you slice the ball, the danger that awaits is a number of trees that appear to swallow your ball up. The trees really don't, but once you see what kind of a second shot you may have, you may be wishing they had. The following hole is the 144-yard 14th (a simple par-3). But don't let the yardage throw you off because the shot is virtually uphill. One you've selected the club you think you need, club down and give yourself the opportunity to land your tee shot on the green, rather than landing your ball on the up slope. You'll finish your day at the Barn with an easy, 158-yard par-3 17th (virtually straight), then move onto the second longest hole of the course, the par-5 18th (517 yards). There's not much to playing the final hole, just keep your drive straight and down the middle of the fairway, giving you a chance to at least go for the green on the second shot. The Barn (once known as the White Barn Golf Club, but had to change its name because they wanted to paint the actual barn a different color) is open to the public, seven days a week. Green fees are $18 for 18 holes. For those interested in playing there, the phone number is 801-782-7320. The Barn is at 305 West Pleasant View Drive.
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Archived Months:
January
1999 January
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