Swenson Foundation wins 20th Anniversary Tourney

by Jeff Simon
Hideout Golf Club PGA Professional
It was a birthday party, golf style, on Saturday, October 1 as many members of the community came together for the final golf tournament of the year to celebrate the first 20 years of the Hideout Golf Club.
Between rain storms, the Swenson Foundation team made up of Blanding’s Jim Swenson and Rob Wilcox and Monticello’s Josh Keyes and Trez Perkins, won the 20th anniversary tournament with a score of 15-under-par 57. One shot back was Manuel Torres, Jeff Nielson, Brian Sturdevant and Rafe Saunders.
But it was more of a day to celebrate having one of the top golf courses in the country that just happens to be located in Monticello.
The Hideout was named the #1 public golf course in Utah by Golfweek Magazine this summer. It was also rated #36 by the publication in its top 100 golf courses the public can play in the country.
The Hideout, completed in 2002, is often called a hidden gem by those who come from near and far to play the 18-hole layout.
Golfers from Florida and New York have played the Hideout this summer as well as golfers from Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Korea, and England. It’s a destination for golf enthusiasts.
Forrest Richardson who designed the course along with Jack Snyder, was asked years ago what makes the Hideout so special.
He said the par threes on the course are as unique as any he’s ever designed. He also said the slopes and angles on each hole make them all different from each other, a goal that many golf course architects strive for, but rarely achieve.