John Fought, ASGCA (John Fought Design), an All-American collegiate player at Brigham Young University, is returning to Utah to design a state-of-the-art practice facility and renovate some of the existing holes at Alpine Country Club.
Alpine Country Club was an original design from William Neff, ASGCA. The $6.8 million renovation project, part of a three-phase, 10-year plan at the Club, is scheduled to begin in July 2025 and be completed in Fall 2027.
Fought returns to the golf-centric Club, where he redesigned holes 11, 12, and 13 in 2008 and rebuilt the bunkers in 2018. Construction on the new practice facility, which includes a driving range, will begin next year with the current one to be closed for 22 months. Other than nearly three months during the winter when the course is closed, the 18-hole championship layout will remain open to the membership during the renovation, according to Jake Ebner, Superintendent, who was the 2021 Utah Section PGA Superintendent of the Year.
The new practice facility will measure 68,000 square feet, a significant increase over the current 19,000 square feet. The new short game area will grow from 7 to 10.25 acres, and include five artificial, target greens on each side of the fairway to allow members to practice their distance control.
“I love Alpine Country Club and the work we’re doing here will be nothing short of dramatic,” Fought said. “When this project is completed, I’m confident the membership will be amazed by the improvements we’re making.”
To allow for the expansion of the practice facility, a handful of holes will be redesigned by Fought. Other aspects of the project include irrigation pond relining, landscaping, and a border fence.
“It’s great to have someone like John, a BYU graduate who understands the area, take on this project,” said Michael Bickett, who assumed the Club’s general manager duties in January. “He has already done work on the course here and he and Jake have a great rapport, which is very beneficial.”
Fought led the BYU Cougars to four Western Athletic Conference championships during his collegiate career. Fought is not only well known in Utah for his collegiate prowess but he also designed the Championship Course at Sand Hollow Resort in Hurricane near St. George. The course opened in 2008 and just three years later was named a “Top 100 Resort Course” by Golfweek magazine.