The Reserve at Moonlight Basin Golf Club Review and Photos
- Weather: Warm, sunny
- Price: Private
- Summary: The back nine of Moonlight Basin opened in 2008, but the struggling economy quickly derailed plans for the other nine holes and the course went bankrupt, as did many others during the recession. What is known as the front nine opened in 2015 with a ceremonial first shot from the game's greatest golfer, Jack Nicklaus, who designed the course. Nicklaus said of the course, “I think it’s the most scenic golf course I’ve ever seen. It’s also the hardest blasted golf course I’ve ever seen!”
- The golf course feels like it is far from any civility with the only structure in sight being the relatively small club house. I think Moonlight Basin has the coolest tee-markers I've ever seen at a course. They are deer sheds and they aren't artificial - they are real. Notice that each tee marker/shed is different in the pictures. Bring your oxygen, because the course's elevation is about 7,500 feet.
- All photos of The Reserve at Moonlight Basin
Moonlight Basin features a fun 4-hole short course with the first tee next to the putting green as seen in the pictures below. There are no tee boxes, but each hole is between about 65-95 yards. It was a fun way to warm up and I'm sure a great way to settle a tie after a long match on the 18 hole course. In the bottom right picture below, the pro-shop is shown in the background behind the 4th hole of the short course.
Every cart is equipped with bear spray. We didn't see any bears when we played, but I'm glad we had the bear spray just in case.
Hole #1 - 427 yard par 4. (Please note, all yardages for this review are from the Jack Creek set of tees, which are second from the back with a length of 7,387 yards. The back tees are called Mill Creek at 8,000 yards exactly)! The first hole starts off with a bang with over 200 feet of elevation change.
Hole #2 - 425 yard par four. The second hole is another down hill par four, though not as dramatic of an elevation change as the first hole. To carry the bunker on the right is only 241 yards, but there is no need to try because the best play is about a 270 yard drive left of the bunker.
Hole #3 - 190 yard par three. The third consecutive downhill hole is a par three. Don't make the mistake of going long like I did.
Hole #4 - 434 yard par four. This is the #1 handicap and it lives up to the difficulty ranking. From the tee, it looks like there is very little room to land your tee shot, but there is actually a lot more room right than it appears. Don't be intimidated with the semi-blind tee shot and the rest of the hole isn't too terribly difficult. This hole is also the first of many with the incredible Loan Peak in the background as seen in the tee box photo below.
The picture below is after driving from the 4th green to the 5th tee. You'll be glad you took a cart about right now, though the pro told us that some of the members do walk the course. They would have to be in incredible shape.
Hole #5 - 393 yard par four. I just took a 3-iron off this tee and kept it about 15-20 yards left of the bunkers, which resulted in about a 150 yard approach to this awesome infinity green.
Hole #6 - 595 yard par five. The first par five of the day is breathtakingly beautiful. If you have ever wanted to play golf and feel like it's just you, the golf course, and nature, you'll feel that on this hole. The hole offers some unique options as well. It is reachable in two due to the down hill elevation and the fact that you are 7,500 feet above sea level. The second shot is pretty risky over a grove of pines and an elevated green. There is no need to play it safe, though. You're in Big Sky - go BIG!
Hole #7 - 150 yard par three. See previous hole's description about you, the golf course, and nature. Same feeling on this hole as well.
Hole #8 - 477 yard par four. Pretty tight tee shot, but just bust it over the bunker on the right with a baby draw and you'll be perfect. Note: easier said than done!
Hole #9 - 616 yard par five. A good three-shoter unless you happen to be named Dustin Johnson or Tony Finau. Uphill tee shot and downhill 2nd and 3rd shot.
Hole #10 - 443 yard par four. Tough hole to start the back nine with a creek/bunker near the landing area. Great view of Lone Peak again on this tee shot.
Hole #11 - 172 yard par three.
Hole #12 - 392 yard par four. This hole presents some fun options. As seen in the trail map below, if you want a short 2nd shot, you can aim for the left split fairway. You'll have to be able to carry it pretty far though. Otherwise, just hit a 200 yard club off the tee down the right fairway. Three of the four of us in our group took the left fairway route off the tee. We all made it, but next time I play this hole, I'm going to just hit a 200 yard shot down the right fairway because even though I only had about 60 yards left for my second shot, it was to a green that was about 30-40 feet above the level I was standing on, so it was an extremely difficult shot.
Time to refuel at the comfort station. It seemed like they had any kind of snack you could think of.
Hole #13 - 568 yard par five. The thirteenth hole is a pretty straightforward par five that is slightly uphill on the tee shot and dog-legs right.
Hole #14 - 248 yard par three. This is the longest par three on the course and there is nothing easy about the hole. If you can get out of here with a par, you'll be feeling really good. From the tips, this hole plays 286 yards.
Hole #15 - 572 yard par five. A fun par five that is downhill, but feels like about a 1% downward grade compared to the 17th hole.
Hole #16 - 184 yard par three. I landed my tee shot about 10 feet left of the pin and about 20 feet past the pin, but the ball ended up about 3 feet from the pin due to the steep slope behind that pin location.
Hole #17 - 739 yard par five. We were all looking forward to this hole and decided to play it from the back tees - 777 yards! It plays much shorter than that because the 2nd shot is about straight down hill. I wasn't close to getting there in two, but I accomplished my goal of getting there in three shots. That view behind the 17th green is a good one.
Hole #18 - 325 yard par four. I can't think of a better finishing hole that I have ever played. I love the split fairway that gives you different options. I would even recommend playing this hole from one set of tees up, which makes the hole drivable at 282 yards. The conservative play is about 215 off the tee to the left fairway which will leave you about 100 yards with a nice angle into the green.