Sun Valley Resort

Widely known for its incredible winter season skiing and activities, the historic Sun Valley Resort in Idaho is definitely no one trick pony offering up a dizzying array of outdoor summer fun including 45 great holes of golf set in the shadow of the Sawtooth Mountains.

SKI RESORTS AREN’T JUST FOR WINTERTIME

The alpine village styled resort, completely updated in 2015, features 435 guest room, cottage, and condo accommodations options, a full-service spa, shops, restaurants, three heated pools, a theater, bowling, tennis courts, horseback riding, fishing, and ice skating – yup, summertime ice skating. All rooms are air-conditioned and feature WiFi, refrigerators, coffee makers, free newspapers, and flat-screen TV’s.

Guests can select from among several on-site dining options here, including The Ram )the resort’s original restaurant) which serves up dishes like angus ribeye, lamb shank, rosemary chicken, and miso glazed ling cod. Other great options include Village Station, Gretchen’s, Sun Valley Club, Duchin Lounge, Poolside Café, Elkhorne Clubhouse Grill, The Roundhouse, and Averell’s. Satisfy your sweet tooth at Konditorei or The Chocolate Foundry.

PLENTY OF CREEK BEDS, DON’T LIE IN THEM

Trail Creek: The resort’s signature course, the par-72, nearly 7,000-yard championship Trail Creek alpine-style course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. presents players with a true test, albeit a truly enjoyable one at that. The course features a bevy of carries over the creek (seven of them on the front nine), as well as strategically-placed bunkers and hazards. Be on your game to score well here.

White Clouds: The par-36, 3,605-yard links-style nine-hole layout offers some incredible scenery of the Wood River Valley, tricky side hill lies, penalizing bunkers, and several risk-reward shot options.

Elkhorne: The par-72 course stretches out to 7,214 yards from the tips presenting a great challenge to any golfer. Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed the hilly front nine while Robert Trent Jones, Jr. tracked the back nine which runs along the creek and presents water trouble on almost every hole. Definitely take a minute to admire the incredible views from this course, but don’t lose sight of the task at hand or you could find yourself in one of the more than 100 sand traps and bunkers protecting it.

Buddy Trip Cost

$1000-2000

Travel (by car)

3 hours from Boise, 5 hours from Salt Lake City, 6 hours from Helena

Accommodations

Entertainment

Dining

Scorecard

Design

Trail Creek: Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (1980)
White Clouds: Donald Knott (2008)
Elkhorne: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (1974)

Sun Valley Resort