PGA Tour Fact Check: Is Black Desert Championship Venue Really Built on Lava?

The golf world is currently gushing with excitement as the Black Desert Championship gears up for its debut. This event, the third in a series of five PGA Tour Fall Season tournaments, is all set to mark a historic moment. How, you ask? Well, it’s going to be the first PGA Tour event held in Utah in over 60 years. But wait—there is more to it. The place where this championship is going to be held is no ordinary one. Before you start guessing, it’s taking place at the stunning Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. This setting is indeed going to offer a lot more than expected to both the players and the viewers.

Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the Black Desert features exquisite scenery enough to captivate both players and viewers. The course presents a striking blend of nature’s contrasts, with vibrant green fairways set against the dramatic backdrop of red rock mountains. And true to its name, the course has black lava, making its way way along almost every fairway. The design is created in a way that creates a challenge for golfers to find their way, through, around, and even right over the lava.

But is this design specifically made to elevate the challenges for golfers on the field? Not at all. The field is strategically designed by Weiskopf and Neil Smith, providing ample space off the tee so that the players can easily navigate the wind and avoid the black lava fields that frame the property.

Black Desert is regarded as the final masterpiece of the architect and former golfer Tom Weiskopf. Unfortunately, his work on the course was cut short when he passed away from pancreatic cancer in August 2022 at the age of 79. Though he didn’t live to see the finally built course, the Black Desert course is crafted closely in line with how Weiskopf imagined it to be. While the course will forever be remembered for its uniqueness, it also carries a profound reason behind its inception.

The Black Desert is a tribute to Weiskopf’s victory

Throughout his career, Weiskopf designed over 70 golf courses, with the Black Desert standing out among them. But before becoming a renowned architect, he was a passionate golfer himself. In 1973, he won the first and only title of his golf career at the Open Championship held at Royal Troon. Interestingly, the field of the Black Desert pays tribute to the very course where he celebrated his greatest victory.

As per pgatour.com, Weiskopf has deliberately designed the 17th hole at Black Desert as a tribute to the eighth hole at Troon. Weiskopf’s attempt to resonate with Troon has truly paid off. The new course features greenside bunkers that protect the small green, surrounded by runoff areas on all sides. Adding to the challenge is the strategically positioned tee box, which sits just above the green, giving players a ‘postage stamp’ experience right from the start. The course is strategically designed to keep the thrill and excitement intact in the game. Smith noted, “The trick is making sure no matter where you are on the green, you can access the hole.”

Moreover, the spacious green has a gentle slope that runs from back to front. This is made keeping in mind the struggle of golfers while making the putt. The slope provided offers an opportunity for the golfers to putt regardless of where their shot lands. Weiskopf’s efforts are indeed commendable, and a little history attached to his last course adds an interesting angle to his creation. What do you think about Weiskopf’s idea? Let us know in the comments.