Why you should Live or Retire in a Golf Friendly City like St. George, Utah

Whatever your age is, you should choose to live in a place where you can enjoy life. This means that you should choose a place where the community is nice and accommodating and where the people are friendly and approachable. And also, a place where you can do the things that will make you feel rejuvenated and youthful.

St. George, Utah is one of the best places to live or retire in. Because the place has a golf friendly community and lots of activity clubs to join, you will surely love living in here and doing various things that will help you grow, whatever your age may be.

If you’ve never been here before, stay at St. George Resort Rentals and check the city out.  You won’t be disappointed.

Why Live In St. George Utah

There are many reasons why you should live or retire in a golf friendly city like St. George, Utah. Aside from the golf community club that you can join, there are also lots of reasons why you should choose to live or retire here.

• Golf Community

If you live in St. George, Utah, you will have easy access to the game of golf. Residents who are interested in staying young and youthful play golf to keep them rejuvenated. So if you are planning on keeping your body and mind young, you should check out St. George and see what the golf friendly community can do for you.

• Various Activity Clubs

Aside from golf, there are also activity clubs that you can join in St. George. Many residents in the community have created activity clubs of almost all interests and hobbies to keep everybody active, particularly the elderly residents who don’t have much to do.

• Cleanliness and Orderliness

Another reason why you should live or retire in a golf friendly city like St. George, Utah is because of the place’s cleanliness and orderliness. Every resident keeps their yard, house and property clean and well-maintained. This makes the whole community free from decay that is often seen in other communities.

• Great Homes

St. George Utah’s community offers various home floor plans and designs so that residents will have a variety of choices. The houses can also be customized according to the resident’s needs so that the quality of living in the community is at its best.

The houses can be built according to the wishes of the homeowners to make the residences suit the needs and lifestyle of the residents, making the homeowners have their dream home.

• Safe Environment

Another reason why you should live or retire in a golf friendly city like St. George, Utah is because of the safety of the environment. Every resident in the community watches out for their neighbors and make sure that they offer any kind of help that could give relief and comfort in time of distress. This is a great characteristic of a community that everyone wants to live in.

If you want to live in a community where everything seems perfect; the neighbors are kind and helpful, the environment is safe and clean and there are so many activities do to, you should choose St. George as your new home.

Why you should Live or Retire in a Golf Friendly City like St. George, Utah

Seattle Times Talked Positively About St. George in Their Travel Section

St. George, Utah was featured on Seattle Times’ Travel Section in November because of the magnificent views that the place features. From the well-manicured and very spacious golf course to the thrilling cliffs in Zion National Park, St. George features both ambient and thrilling environment on a single place.

• Sand Hollow Golf Resort

St. George’s golf resort is quite a spotless expanse of ample green terrain which makes the place a year-round golf destination. Without almost any trees or water, it eliminates the chances that would frustrate golfers for lost balls and wet shoes. Sand Hollow is a great place for challenges because of its vast terrains, patches of deserts, high red bunkers and four sets of tees.

This golf resort is considered the best golf destination in the area. With its advantageous high elevation and dry fairways, golfers will enjoy more enjoyable and farther shots.

• Angels Landing

Aside from the rolling terrains on the golf course, St. George also boasts of its high cliffs that are really heart-thumping. The trail that tourists are going to pass on the high cliffs of Zion National Park will really give chills down the spine.

But though the cliffs are high and the trails are narrow, the breathtaking scenery after the 5.48-mile hike is worth it. Hikers could see the 360 degree view below from where they stand – a small summit just a size of a small lot. But even though the summit is small and the trails are narrow, many people from around the world are already lining up to take the challenge and experience this breathtaking adventure.

The St. George City junior golf program (JAG) registration began last week.  This a great summer program for your aspiring young golfers.  All the St. George natives I know either learned to golf in this excellent summer activity, or honed their stroke.

There is a cost of $40, but it’s well worth it.  The fee includes golf discounts at city courses, instruction, tournaments, t-shirt, and towel.

You can register your 7-17 year old kids at http://www.sgcity.org/golf/jag/

The Junior Association of Golf runs throughout the summer and hosts free instructional clinics and tournaments at local golf courses. The lessons are directed by a PGA professionals and encourage not only proper skill, but course etiquette and respect for the sport.

St. George Junior Golf Instructional clinics are held on these dates:
May 30th and 31st, June 6th and 7th 2012. Each instruction clinic will include putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play, and full swing. Each clinic is limited to 50 students.

St. George Junior Golf Tournaments

JAG Tee times will be available online and at the host golf course 1 day prior to the event. You must be registered for JAG before playing in any of the tournaments. Please arrive 30 minutes before your tee time.

  June 5th, Dixie Red Hills – Registration Open May 7th – May 29th
  June 20th, St. George Golf Club – Reg. Open May 7th – June 13th
  July 10th, Sunbrook Golf Course – Reg. Open May 7th – July 3rd
  August 1st, Southgate Golf Course – Reg. Open May 7th – July 25th
  July 25th, Match Play Qualifying – Reg. Open May 7th – July 18th

St. George Junior/Adult Golf Tournaments

The $40 is per adult/junior team. Each tounament price includes a meal and is a shotgun start at 5 p.m. on the day of. The tournament is limited ot the first 32 paid entries.

  June 12th, Southgate Golf Course – Reg. Open May 7th – June 12th
  June 26th, St. George Golf Club – Reg. Open May 7th – June 19th
  July 12th, Entrada Golf Club – Reg. Open May 7th – July 5th
  August 8th, Sunbrook Golf Course – Reg. Open May 7th – August 1st

Outside of the JAG program, the Valderra Golf Course at Ledges course offers state-of-the-art teaching techniques, which are now available to young players. Throughout the summer, club pro Nick McKinley will host a variety of instructional golf clinics for juniors 8 and over. The lessons cover all aspects of the game, from chipping and putting to proper grip and swing.  The city program is a better bang for the buck.

St. George City Junior Golf Program (JAG) Information: Tournaments and Clinics

You never know what you’ll run into while playing a round of golf in St. George, Utah.

For example, check out this YouTube video of a hot air balloon landing on St. George Golf Course in Bloomington Hills.  Note the beautiful St. George sun and chirping birds in the video.

There’s a few ballooning companies in Southern Utah.  Chances are the balloon was on a commercial flight and decided the golf course was the best place to land.  The flight crew walked the balloon back to Fort Pierce Drive before deflating after the course landing.

Hopefully the balloon didn’t land on the green.  I wonder what kind of divot that would make?

Smart Money Magazine Says St. George is a better place to retire than Park City, Utah.

“Forget Park City’s Hollywood prices. These three towns offer the best of the Beehive State — for less.”

St. George gives access to Utah’s greatest asset — the outdoors.

The St. George golf courses were a major draw according to Smart Money.

“And then there’s the golf. St. George is often referred to as “Utah’s golf capital” and anyone who has ever teed off looking out on the brilliant red rocks knows why. Duffers can play year round and there are 10 top-notch, affordable public courses in the area. Golf Digest ranked the 7,200-yard championship Ledges course as one of the best new public golf courses in the nation.”

So there you have it.  Forget Park City and the cold weather.  Come south and enjoy the best golfing around as well as much more affordable housing.

There’s more to St. George than just the amazing golf courses. One of the most spectacular parts of a golf trip to Southern Utah is the drive from Las Vegas through Mesquite, Nevada to St. George, Utah.

I love this route! It’s awesome.  It means I’m on my way to a vacation and lots of great St. George golf course time.

The Virgin River Canyon drive is 11 breathtaking miles. It would boggle the mind as to what it must have cost to build the winding highway more than 20 years ago.

The Virgin River Gorge is located between St. George, Utah, and Mesquite, Nevada.  the gorge is a long, winding canyon that has been carved out by the Virgin River.  The gorge itself is actually in the very northwest tip of the state of Arizona.

The Virgin River rises on the Colorado Plateau and created the topography of both Zion National Park and the Virgin River Gorge. The Gorge connects the southwestern rim of the Colorado Plateau and the northeastern edge of the Mojave Desert.  The gorge is in the NW corner of AZ, SW corner of Utah, on Interstate 15. Quite unexpected when you approach from the south heading north, as it cuts right through a mountain range. One actually drives down into the gorge vice climbing the mountains to pass.

Interstate 15 runs through the canyon and crosses the Virgin River several times. The Virgin River Gorge section of Interstate 15 is one of the most expensive parts of interstate highway ever constructed.  Due to the winding of the interstate, the canyon is also noted for its tricky driving conditions.

Modern day engineering miracle, 10 years in the making, the Virgin River Gorge on I-15 is amazing and something you need to experience.

Drive to St. George Through Virgin River Gorge on I-15

AARP has included St. George, Utah in their “10 Great Sunny Places To Retire” 2012 list.  We’re not surprised as we’ve long known St. George was a favorite of those wanting to enjoy a beautiful, low-cost city in their remaining years.  Saint George has always been on the A-list for retirees seeking scenery and sunshine.

The list of to-notch golf courses in St. George helped the city make AARP’s list.  The American Association of Retired Persons considers St. George Utah a “golf capital”.  Read the St. George golf course reviews now to find out why the city courses are so esteemed.

AARP criteria included a distinct cultural identity, a range of activities for retirees, proximity to top-tier outdoor attractions and other livability criteria, including low crime, a robust economy, healthy lifestyle and recreational amenities.

If you like open space, dry sunny air and can live without the sophistication of a major city, St. George is calling. Tourists come to revel in the stunning red-rock scenery at nearby Zion National Park, but most of the people who have settled here came from elsewhere in Utah: some 70 percent of residents belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

If you just want to visit and get a feel for the city, St. George vacation rentals are a good place to rent a condo and stay for a while.

St. George (population 71,000) saw frenetic growth during the housing boom but has cooled significantly, and the hills are now dotted with foreclosed condos. This makes for a buyers home market – you can get a great deal on a condo in St. George right now.

St. George boasts a menu of arts and culture, including the St. George Art Museum, a regional center for landscape photographers and visual artists. The Eccles Fine Arts Center hosts plays, recitals and exhibits. And the 1,920-seat Tuacahn Amphitheatre in nearby Ivins showcases broadway plays and touring artists.

For nature lovers, the city is within an hour’s drive of Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Glen Canyon, and the north rim of the Grand Canyon are easy day trips. There’s skiing at nearby Brian Head Resort and several lakes big enough for boating and fishing.

Most of these places are set within Dixie National Forest, which covers nearly 2 million acres of southern Utah and is wide-open for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

St. George is considered highly safe and healthy. And enjoys the medical facility resources of the Dixie Regional Medical Center. The community residents have long life expectancies.

Saint George is in the southwest corner of Utah, 110 miles northeast of Las Vegas, in a part of the country renown for arid sunshine. Summers are hot, and winters are mild and usually snow-free.

The other cities on AARP’s list include: Asheville, North Carolina; Grand Junction, Colorado; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Sarasota, Florida; San Diego; San Luis Obispo, California; Bend, Oregon; and Fort Worth, Texas.

This is a sign of a golf real estate developer that did an awesome job – the home owners association wants to buy the golf course itself.

I know, I’ve never heard of that before either.

In this economy, there’s a lot of private golf club country clubs that are having a tough time attracting or even retaining new members and home owners.  Not Entrada.  The golf course and real estate are doing relatively well.   In fact, Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club has become a model for how master-planned golf course development is supposed to work.

The equity members of Entrada voted in December to approve the purchase of the remaining unissued memberships from The Entrada Company, the original developer of the upscale golf community.  This means the home owners association gains control of the beautiful golf course and club.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the support of our members,” said John Browne, President of the Board of Trustees. “We have had a number of new people moving into the community and it seemed that the time was right to take over control of all of the memberships from the original club developer.”

As part of this purchase, the Entrada At Snow Canyon Country Club offered special pricing to current Associate and Social Members to become Full Equity Members. As a result of the deal, golf memberships grew by a total of 31 new members plus an additional 10 limited and fractional members upgraded their memberships for a total of 41 Full Equity Golf Memberships.

Entrada also reported to its members that The Board of Trustees approved the 2012 dues level to remain the same as in 2011 at its Dec. 19 meeting. “This means a zero dues increases in all membership categories for the coming year,” the board reported. “The decision was supported by a positive financial analysis for 2012 based partly on the members who took advantage of the special offer associated with the approval of the Membership Sales Agreement by the Equity Members on Dec. 10, 2011.”

Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club is a unique blend of elegant home sites and leisure activities including The Inn at Entrada, a small luxury resort of 40 Casitas, centered around the Johnny Miller Signature Golf Course.  Entrada’s course offers a challenging round of golf that weaves through Southern Utah’s majestic scenic beauty against a backdrop of red sandstone cliffs, rolling dunes and black lava beds.  You can read an Entrada golf course review, Entrada course information, and Entrada vacation rentals.

Entrada is located in St. George, Utah, 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, and 303 miles south of Salt Lake City on Interstate 15.

 Golf is a sport that can be played and enjoyed by a wide variety of people from many age groups, but there are special considerations for the over 50 set. The scenery is often peaceful and serene with long, green fairways and trees, deserts, or even oceans forming the backdrop. It may be easy to forget for a moment that golf is a physically strenuous sport, and special care must be taken to avoid injury.

Even if you use a golf cart, and don’t walk the 18 holes, the majority of the exertion in golf comes from the swings. Taking a few minutes to properly warm up and stretch may save you some injury and missed games down the road.

There are many illustrated guides available to show you exactly how to perform some basic stretches, but always remember not to bounce or force your body roughly into a stretch position. Warm up first with a few minutes of light activity, such as walking and ease into your stretches gently and gradually. Hold each position for about 20-30 seconds, and always remember to perform the same stretch on both sides of your body! Adapt your stretching routine according to your own body and needs. You may want to focus on calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, back and shoulders. If you hold two clubs together, the heavier weight may help to loosen up your swing.

Most of the injuries sustained by golfers are the repetitive motion type- caused by many years of performing the same motions over and over. That is a special consideration for more senior golfers, especially if they have been playing for a long time- the effects of the repetitive motions may take years to show symptoms and begin to be an issue.  Some of the common problem areas include the back, from repeated one-sided twisting motions, the shoulders from the swing motion,  and wrist injuries from the forceful “snap” motion needed to deliver a clean stroke.

“Golfer’s elbow”, not to be confused with “Tennis elbow”, presents with pain on the inside of the upper arm area, near the elbow.  The muscles in the shoulder area are also susceptible to injury from the constant wear and tear on the rotator cuff. Hand and wrist injuries are common as well, including tendonitis. Be aware of any pain, numbness or tingling since carpal tunnel injuries can develop over time. Your hands come in direct contact with the club during the swing and sustain some impact damage on contact with the ball. A lot of the energy may be absorbed by the club, but some is transferred to your hands.

If you have any pre-exsisting knee conditions, be sure to take plenty of breaks and sit down between holes if possible. Any new clicking sounds or swelling should be looked into.  Although new injuries to the hip are rare in golf, any old or unhealed previous injuries should be treated with care.

If you notice any pain, swelling, tingling, stiffness or sharp pain at any point during your game, stop immediately and rest. If appropriate, ice or over the counter pain relief medication may help temporarily until you can seek professional medical help. Better to miss the last nine holes of one game than to be out for an entire season if you leave problems unattended.

A professional golf coach may be a worthwhile investment once in a while to make sure that you are gripping and swinging the club properly. Many injuries can be reduced or avoided by using proper techniques, and we all know how easy it is to slip into bad but comfortable habits.

So, take a few minutes to warm up and stretch,  grab your clubs and head out to the fairway. Maybe you can enjoy some beautiful local scenery while you are getting ready to tee off!

Senior Golfers Should Avoid Injury When Playing Golf in St. George Utah

  There are many tips for staying safe in the sun, and many tips for how to improve your golf game, but what if you would like to do both at the same time? Golf is a sport that is played outdoors in many different settings, climates and weather conditions around the world, so what is useful and practical in Florida, may not be very helpful in Scotland, for example.

Golf in the desert can be a unique and rewarding experience, so read on for some general sun safety tips when playing golf and  some desert specific tips if you happen to be playing in the St George area- there are plenty of fabulous courses to choose from!

The first rule of sun safety is to try and avoid being directly exposed during the peak periods, so if you can tee off early in the morning, later in the afternoon or even early evening, you limit your exposure and risk during the highest UV periods.  Wear a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 and always remember to apply it at least half an hour before you head to the first tee. For easy reference, you should use an amount of sunscreen equal to about the size of a golf ball- this should be adequate for many people to cover exposed skin, especially if long sleeves and long pants are worn.  (While you are considering your clothing choices keep in mind the dress code for the particular course you are planning to play at.)

Now that you have protected your skin, don’t forget to wear a hat,  sunglasses and even lip balm. Lip balm  comes with different SPF factors, so check out the labels when you are shopping.  Different materials  used in making clothing have various UV-blocking capabilities, so bear that in mind- just because your arms are covered by fabric doesn’t necessarily mean that you are completely protected. Tighter weaves offer more protection. And you can probably find some suitable material in your favorite golf print, so you won’t have to sacrifice style for safety!

In between shots, you can seek shelter under some nearby trees, a handy umbrella, or even a cart roof if you happen to be driving around the course in style! There is usually a patch of shade to be found somewhere nearby. Be creative!

Although bringing your own refreshments in is generally not allowed at golf courses, a bottle of water may be an exception. Keeping well hydrated with water is one of the best things you can do to stay safe when enjoying a few holes on a summer day. Drinking other liquids, especially alcoholic beverages should be limited- save your celebratory beverages for the Clubhouse after you are out of the sun, but take a few sips of water at every hole if possible.

The human body is generally very good at protecting itself and maintaining a healthy balance, but under extreme heat conditions, often when they are prolonged, the body can lose its ability to compensate, and a potentially life -threatening situation can develop in the form of heat stroke.  Generally heat exhaustion will occur first, when the body is still compensating, but is under stress. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include cramping, headache, nausea and fatigue. This can progress to the more dangerous heat stroke which can have symptoms including rapid pulse and breathing, hot, dry, red skin, confusion and even loss of consciousness. Seek medical help immediately in this case, but it is best to avoid it by staying protected and well-hydrated.

In addition to general golf sun safety, there are some desert specific tips which may be useful. Some desert courses have a “desert rule” which means simply that desert area is considered a water hazard and is played accordingly with penalty strokes. Speaking of water, if you are hot, it may be tempting to refresh yourself in a water hazard, but this is not advisable- bring along a wet towel instead to stay cool.

When taking your shot, if you are on uneven or rocky ground in the desert be especially aware of your footing and plan your shot in a way that keeps you safe first of all- slips and falls will not take any strokes off your game!

A desert golf course can be a beautiful experience, but be mindful of each courses rules concerning driving carts in desert areas- if in doubt, stick to marked paths and take a sight-seeing tour after the 18th hole in a local tourist site.  And there are many unusual species of flora and fauna in desert areas, but not all of them are friendly, so err on the side of caution when encountering unfamiliar creatures or plants.

With a bit of preparation and attention to safety, playing in the desert sun can be a “par”-fectly wonderful experience, so grab your sunscreen, water and clubs , and head on out!