Entrada at Snow Canyon — The Complete Guide for Groups

Entrada at Snow Canyon is a private golf course in St. George, Utah that you cannot book yourself. Designed originally by Johnny Miller in 1996 and completely rebuilt by David McLay Kidd in a $7-million redesign reopened in 2022, it plays through red sandstone cliffs, ancient black lava fields, and desert arroyos adjacent to Snow Canyon State Park. The only way to play it is to stay at the Inn at Entrada — and we handle that for your group.

This guide covers what makes Entrada one of Utah's most exclusive golf experiences, what the McLay Kidd transformation changed, how to actually get your group on the course, and how to build a St. George trip around it.

Why Entrada Is Different From Every Other St. George Course

Entrada is the course your group can't Google and book. It's a private country club managed by Troon, surrounded by a gated community, with a 22,000-square-foot clubhouse that won "Clubhouse of the Year" from Golf, Inc. The members-only restriction means the course is immaculately conditioned, never crowded, and plays at a pace that public courses can't match.

Here's what that means for your group: you're playing a ranked Utah course that most golfers in St. George have never set foot on. While everyone else is fighting for tee times at Sand Hollow and Black Desert, your group is walking fairways that only members and inn guests ever see. That exclusivity is Entrada's biggest draw — and our ability to arrange it is one of the reasons groups book through us.

The David McLay Kidd Transformation

In 2022, Entrada reopened after a 17-month, $7-million complete redesign by David McLay Kidd — the architect behind Bandon Dunes, Gamble Sands, and Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley. Golf Digest named it their "Best Transformation" winner for 2022. Every hole was rebuilt from scratch.

Kidd widened fairways, redesigned every green complex, resurfaced all putting surfaces with bentgrass, re-contoured bunkers, and introduced his signature "kickers and bounces" — ground-game features that let players of all abilities find creative routes to the green. The original Miller design was known for being penal and punishing to average golfers. Kidd's version rewards thoughtful strategy and keeps everyone in play. Members call it a completely different course.

The redesign swapped the pars on holes 14 and 15, creating an intimidating driveable par 4 followed by a long par 3 that introduces the black lava rock stretch. Holes 15, 16, and 17 now flow through an ancient lava field — a landscape feature unique to Entrada and unlike anything on any other course in the region. Members have nicknamed it the "Come On" stretch because you can't stop watching your ball bounce through the lava-framed contours.

Playing Entrada: What Your Group Should Know

It's Private — Here's How You Get In

Entrada is a private country club. The only way non-members can play is by staying at the Inn at Entrada — a collection of luxury casitas along the course with fireplaces, full kitchens, and desert views. Booking the inn gives your group full playing privileges, access to the practice facility, and the clubhouse dining experience. We handle the entire reservation — rooms, tee times, and coordination with the club. You don't need to call the pro shop or navigate the booking process. Just tell us your dates and group size.

A Links-Style Desert Course

Kidd brought his links philosophy to the desert. The course rewards the ground game — you can bump-and-run approaches, use sideboards near greens to funnel shots toward the pin, and play creative recovery shots that wouldn't work on most American courses. For groups used to target golf (fly it to the pin, stop it), Entrada asks you to think differently. That's part of what makes it so memorable.

The Course Plays Easier Than It Looks

Don't let the dramatic scenery fool you. At slope 127, Entrada is the most playable of St. George's top courses — significantly easier than Sand Hollow (137), Black Desert (138), or Wolf Creek (154). Kidd's redesign specifically aimed to keep higher-handicap players in the game. Wide fairways, multiple tee options, and green complexes that allow run-up approaches mean your entire group can enjoy this course — not just the low-handicappers.

The Lava Holes Are Unforgettable

The finishing stretch through the black lava fields (holes 15-17) is Entrada's signature sequence. Ancient basalt lava flows frame the fairways, greens, and bunkers — creating a visual that exists nowhere else in Utah golf. The par-5 16th green is completely surrounded by black lava rock. It's the most photographed hole on the course and the one your group will talk about at dinner.

Standout Holes

Hole 2 (Par 4): Water guards the approach on this early test. The Kidd redesign introduced a lake feature that demands accuracy on the second shot. A birdie here sets the tone for the front nine.

Hole 9 (Par 5): The most dramatically changed hole from the Miller original. It boomerangs right around a desert wash with a completely reimagined routing. Kidd called the original version one of the holes that "tormented average golfers" — the new version is strategic, fair, and visually stunning.

Hole 14 (Driveable Par 4): Kidd swapped this from a par 5, creating one of the most exciting risk-reward holes in Utah. Long hitters can reach the green off the tee, but missing the target brings trouble. It's the kind of hole that sparks a 10-minute debate in every group.

Hole 15 (Long Par 3): The gateway to the lava stretch. The tee shot introduces the black basalt that defines the closing holes. The green sits in a frame of lava rock with the desert mountains behind it. A par here feels earned.

Hole 16 (Par 5): The signature hole. The green is completely surrounded by black lava rock. The original Miller design infamously required a 7-iron off the tee on this par 5 — Kidd's version is a proper three-shot hole with options and drama at every stage.

When to Play Entrada

The Inn at Entrada: Where Your Group Stays

The Inn at Entrada features luxury casitas spread along the course — not a hotel block, but private standalone units with full kitchens, living areas, fireplaces, and desert views. They're spacious enough for groups to gather between rounds, and splitting a multi-bedroom unit makes the per-person cost more reasonable than the "luxury" label suggests.

Staying at the inn gets your group full access to the 22,000-square-foot clubhouse, recently renovated dining facilities (a $2.8 million F&B renovation completed in 2024), the practice facility, and the kind of member-level service that public courses simply can't offer. Your group will be treated like they belong — because as inn guests, you do.

Building a Trip Around Entrada

The 3-Day Exclusive Experience (2 Nights, 3 Rounds)

Day 1: Arrive, settle into the Inn at Entrada, play a twilight nine to learn the course.
Day 2: Full 18 at Entrada — morning tee time for pristine conditions. Afternoon at Snow Canyon State Park (5 minutes away).
Day 3: Sand Hollow Championship (25 minutes) for the cliff-edge back nine before heading home.

The 4-Day Ultimate St. George (3 Nights, 4 Rounds)

Add Black Desert Resort and The Ledges for four nationally recognized courses in four days. This is the definitive St. George golf trip: a private course (Entrada), the #1 ranked course (Black Desert), the #1 public course (Sand Hollow), and the most scenic cliff-top layout (Ledges). Your group will have played courses that 99% of visiting golfers never access.

The Two-Destination Epic (4+ Nights, 5+ Rounds)

Start at Entrada in St. George, then drive 40 minutes to Mesquite for Wolf Creek and Conestoga. Private desert luxury followed by canyon-carved spectacle — two completely different golf worlds. See our 4-Day Itinerary Guide for the full breakdown.

Beyond the Course

Snow Canyon State Park is literally next door — world-class hiking through sandstone canyons and lava tubes, 5 minutes from the inn. Zion National Park is 45 minutes away. The St. George dining scene, including the new Entrada clubhouse restaurant, gives your group excellent dinner options. Check our St. George Trip Guide for dining and activity recommendations.

Entrada vs. Other Top St. George Courses

Entrada is the lowest-slope course on this list — the most playable for mixed-ability groups — but the exclusivity, the Kidd redesign, and the lava-field finish give it something no other course in the region can match. For groups seeking bragging rights, Entrada delivers: you played the course your buddies can't book.

Frequently Asked Questions