Gene Bates

Worley, ID

Gene Bates design winding through wetlands and Palouse grasses at Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort

Killington, VT

Green Mountain National Golf Course, opened in 1996 and designed by Gene Bates, offers a memorable mountain golf experience in Killington, Vermont. Bates, known for integrating courses with their natural surroundings, crafted a par-71 layout stretching up to 6,589 yards. The course blends natural beauty with thoughtful design, featuring gently sloping fairways, generous landing areas, strong green complexes, and distinct elevation shifts. It provides a private-club feel while being open to the public. Set on a rugged mountain property near the Killington ski area, the course winds through woodland terrain with memorable vistas, including a panoramic view from the 16th tee. Green Mountain National is a strategic course where accuracy and positioning are key, rewarding smart play over raw power. It offers a mix of reachable par 5s, downhill par 3s, and strong par 4s, with undulating and multi-tiered greens that demand precise iron play, making it both playable and rewarding for all skill levels.

Seaside, CA

Bayonet is one of two courses at Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, California, built in 1954 on land that was part of the Army's Fort Ord training base. It is named for the 7th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Bayonet Division, and was originally shaped under General Robert McClure. The city of Seaside purchased the complex in 1997 after the base closed. The course was substantially renovated in the 2000s by architect Gene Bates, who added new bunkering and reworked the front nine while keeping the tree-lined character of cypress, oak and pine. A stretch of holes 11 through 15, known as Combat Corner, is known for its sharp doglegs. Bayonet is now a public course of roughly 7,100 yards and has hosted rounds by touring pros and dignitaries over the decades; it operates alongside the companion Black Horse course at the same complex.

Bolivia, NC

Carolina National Golf Club in Bolivia is a 27-hole public facility designed by Fred Couples with Gene Bates, opened in 1998. The three par 36 nines are the Egret, the Heron and the Ibis, played in any pairing. Egret/Heron is the longest combination at 7,017 yards from the back tees (74.2 rating, 140 slope). The course sits in an Audubon certified sanctuary along the wetlands and marsh of the Lockwood Folly River, and several of the best holes run beside the river. The Heron is more open with firm fairways, while the Ibis has narrower fairways and smaller greens. It is about 45 minutes from Wilmington and 20 minutes from Oak Island.

Last verified 2026-09-29

Shelton, WA

Salish Cliffs Golf Club is owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe on land near Shelton, Washington, adjacent to the Little Creek Casino Resort. The course was designed by architect Gene Bates and opened in 2011, routed through more than 240 acres with rock outcroppings and elevation changes of up to 200 feet. The layout emphasizes the region's natural surroundings, with forested corridors and views that reflect the Squaxin Island Tribe's heritage; it was the first course in the world to earn Salmon-Safe certification. Championship tees play to roughly 7,269 yards. Salish Cliffs is a public course available to both resort guests and outside golfers, with a log-and-cedar clubhouse, restaurant, GPS-equipped carts and full practice facilities.

Last verified 2026-09-17

Clifton, VA

Westfields Golf Club is located in Clifton, Virginia, in the Northern Virginia countryside outside Washington, D.C. The course occupies its own dedicated acreage without residential lots lining the fairways, and it is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Fred Couples designed the course with Gene Bates, and it opened in 1998. Dense tree-lined fairways, undulating greens and well-placed bunkers with fingerlike sand projections define the layout, which plays more open than it initially appears from the tees. Five sets of tees allow the course to range from about 4,600 to over 6,900 yards, and a Civil War-era burial site sits near the 13th fairway. Westfields operates as a semi-private club offering memberships alongside public tee times, along with practice facilities, instruction and event space for weddings and outings.

Midway, UT

Olympic venue turned public golf: Gene Bates's 7,598-yard Heber Valley layout with Timpanogos views.

Centerville, OH

The Golf Club at Yankee Trace sits on about 150 acres in Centerville, a suburb south of Dayton, Ohio, within a natural preserve along Yankee Street. The city-owned facility opened its first 18 holes in the spring of 1995, with a third nine added in 2002, giving the property 27 holes across three nine-hole courses: Heritage, Vintage and Legend. All three nines were designed by architect Gene Bates, who returned in 2002 to route the additional holes through the surrounding community. The layout combines rolling terrain with water features and bunkering typical of a modern daily-fee course, with multiple tee sets for a range of abilities. Yankee Trace is a public course operated by the City of Centerville, with a large clubhouse for dining and events. Golfers can play any of the three nines in different 18-hole combinations, and the course is open year round with seasonal hour changes.

San Clemente, CA

Talega Golf Club is located in the hills above San Clemente, California, overlooking the city sometimes called the Spanish Village by the Sea. It opened in 2001 after a construction delay caused by environmental issues affecting the final six holes. The course was designed by Brian Curley and Lee Schmidt with input from Fred Couples, featuring around 92 bunkers, water in play on four holes, and several forced carries over canyons. It plays to a par of 72 at up to 6,951 yards from the back tees. Talega is open to public daily fee play, with a discounted players club program also available, along with a Spanish colonial style clubhouse and driving range.

Virginia Beach, VA

Heron Ridge Golf Club is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on a site with tall oaks, beech and elm trees, wetlands, and natural depressions that create uncommon elevation changes for the area. The course opened in the spring of 1999. It was designed by architect Gene Bates working with 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples. Fourteen of the eighteen holes have lakes, water hazards, or natural wetlands in play, and the layout can stretch to just over 7,000 yards from the back tees at a par of 72. Heron Ridge operates as a semi-private club, with public tee times available alongside memberships, a pro shop, and a grass driving range.

Riverton, UT

Riverbend Golf Course follows the Jordan River through Riverton in Salt Lake County, Utah, at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley. Elevated tees and overlooks give golfers views across surrounding wetlands and riparian habitat along the riverbank. The front nine is largely flat with several water hazards and bunkers, while the back nine dips toward the Jordan River through trees, including numerous Russian olives, and passes near wetlands that draw local wildlife such as deer and foxes. Riverbend is a public course owned and operated by Salt Lake County, with a full practice area, pro shop and restaurant on site. It offers senior and junior discounts and can host golf outings and tournaments.

Last verified 2026-09-17

Salt Lake City, UT

Utah's landscape includes the Uinta and Wasatch Ranges of the Rocky Mountains, with peaks, valleys, canyons, lakes, rock formations, and forests. The Basin and Ridge area extends from the Great Salt Lake west to the Bonneville Salt Flats, then south to "Utah's Dixie," home to Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Zion Canyon. Public courses in the southwest include Sand Hollow Resort, Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club, and The Ledges in St. George. Near Salt Lake City and Provo, top courses are Valley View, Thanksgiving Point Golf Club, Hobble Creek, and Soldier Hollow. Other public courses include The Hideout near the Four Corners and Moab Golf Club near the Arches.

Destin, FL

Fred Couples designed this course along Choctawhatchee Bay. It is consistently rated the best non-resort course in the Destin area. The course features waterfront holes.

Midway, UT

The Silver Course at Soldier Hollow Golf Course is part of a 36-hole public complex within Wasatch Mountain State Park in Midway, designed by Gene Bates and opened in July 2004. Built on roughly 460 acres near the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics cross-country skiing venue, the Silver Course plays to a par of 72 and can stretch beyond 7,300 yards from the back tees. It is operated by Utah State Parks alongside the companion Gold Course.

Park City, UT

Mountain resort course at Park City with ski resort views

Washington, UT

Green Spring Golf Course is a public 18-hole course in Washington, Utah, designed by Gene Bates that opened in 1989. The par-72 layout plays to roughly 6,800 yards from the back tees across the red-rock terrain of Utah's Dixie region near St. George. It was among the early Gene Bates designs to establish southern Utah as a golf destination.

Friant, CA

Eagle Springs Golf and Country Club is an 18-hole course in Friant, California, in the foothills north of Fresno. Designed by Johnny Miller and opened in 1990, the course is routed along Millerton Lake and through oak trees and granite rock outcroppings in the Sierra foothills. It is a non-walking course, meaning carts are required for play. The club operates under the Table Mountain Rancheria and offers daily tee times to the public alongside its country club membership program.

Vernal, UT

Dinaland Golf Course is an 18-hole public course in Vernal, Utah, near Dinosaur National Monument. It opened in 1950 as a nine-hole course, and a second nine was added in 1993 to bring it to its current par-72 layout of about 6,773 yards, designed by Jim Macphilmomy. Trees line the open fairways, water hazards including ponds and streams come into play on several holes, and the course offers views of Split Mountain. The par-4 signature 12th hole plays between lakes on both sides of the fairway to a well-bunkered green.

Green River, UT

Green River Golf Course is a public course in Green River, along the Green River. The 18-hole layout plays over high-desert terrain, a friendly course that serves the Green River area.

Gadsden, AL

Twin Bridges Golf Club is located in Gadsden, Alabama, along the Coosa River. The riverside setting includes wildlife and views across the water from several holes. The 18-hole course was designed by Gene Bates and opened in 2002, playing to a par of 72 at roughly 6,800 yards from the back tees. It features TifEagle Bermuda greens, strategically placed bunkers and seven sets of tees for a range of skill levels. Twin Bridges is a public course with a pro shop and annual membership options. It offers weekday and weekend rates for both 9 and 18 holes, plus twilight pricing.

Payson, UT

Gladstan Golf Course is a public 18-hole course in Payson, Utah, in the foothills of the Wasatch Range about 75 minutes south of Salt Lake City. Designed by Bill Neff and opened in 1988, with a later renovation by Gene Bates, the course mixes flatter holes on the front and closing stretch with a middle section that climbs through canyons with elevation changes and ravines. From the back tees it plays 6,981 yards at a par of 72, with numerous bunkers and water hazards on several greens. The course has a pro shop, grill and rentals, and tee times are bookable online; a collared-shirt dress code is recommended but not required.

Nampa, ID

A golf course in Nampa, ID. RedHawk Public Golf Course offers a pleasant golfing experience.

Yorktown, IN

A public 18-hole course designed by Gene Bates, winding through the Woodland Trails neighborhood in Yorktown. Bent grass covers greens, tees and fairways across a layout measuring 6,934 yards from the championship tees, with water in play on seven holes.

Covington, KY

Devou Park Golf Course sits within Devou Park in Covington, Kentucky, tucked into rolling hills just minutes from downtown Covington and Cincinnati, with several holes offering views of the Cincinnati skyline. The front nine was built by golf professional John Brophy when the course opened in 1922, and architect Gene Bates completed the back nine in 1995, giving the course a mix of older and modern hole design. The layout plays to roughly 6,000 yards from the back markers over zoysia fairways and bentgrass greens, and it is certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. It operates as a city-affiliated public course open to daily play, with tee times booked online or by phone, and the clubhouse includes the 19th Hole Bar & Grill for golfers and park visitors alike.