Salt Lake City UT Golf Weekend
Research by Fat Guy
Golf in Salt Lake is stupid-affordable, so if you happen to be here for business or you're looking for a good value golf weekend destination in the Northwest, it's a great place to tee it up. And contrary to the stereotypes, not everyone in the state is a teetotaling polygamist Mormon. You can get plenty of beer, booze, and good food at various bars and restaurants.
Where To Play: Salt Lake's best public course is Stonebridge GC (West Valley City, $55, www.golfstonebridgeutah.com), just five minutes from the airport and ten minutes from downtown. With 27 holes laid out on the flat valley floor, this awe-inspring Johnny Miller links skirts plenty of water (and namesake stone cart bridges), with vistas of the surrounding mountains so gorgeous they almost look fake. Eaglewood (North Salt Lake, $38, www.eaglewoodgolf.com) is a recent target layout routed through hilly terrain and a housing development. Salt Lake's 7 munis (www.slcgov.com/publicservices/golf/) had run into hard times by 2011 with the economic downturn, with deteriorating conditions in need of an overhaul and sticky local tax subsidy issues. But SLC muni greens fees remain super-affordable, topping out at $40-$44 prime time, including cart.
ESPN.com's Salt Lake City Guide:
• Nightlife areas: Keys On Main (242 S. Main St., Salt Lake City; 801-363-3638) -- dueling piano bar. The Red Door (57 W. 200 South, Suite 102, Salt Lake City; 801-363-6030) -- eclectic martinis and cocktails. Gracie's (326 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City; 801-819-7565) -- a gastropub and a step above the normal "bar scene." Poplar Street Pub (242 S. 200 West, Salt Lake City; 801-532-2715) -- eclectic twist on bar food, and deceptively spacious. The Sandbar (122 Pierpont Ave., Salt Lake City; 801-819-7575) -- a taco bar until 10 p.m., then tables are moved to open up a dance floor.
• Sports bars: SkyBox Sports Grille at the Gateway (Four S. Rio Grande St., Salt Lake City; 801-456-1200). Green Street (602 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City; 801-532-4200). Green Pig (31 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City; 801-532-7441).
• Restaurants: Squatters Pubs & Beers (147 W. Broadway, Salt Lake City; 801-328-2329) -- innovative restaurant with world-class beer. Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana (260 S. 200 West, Salt Lake City; 801-322-3556) -- wood-fired pizza. Market Street Grill (48 W. Market St., Salt Lake City; 801-322-4668) -- Salt Lake City's trendy seafood restaurant, it has earned numerous culinary awards. Desert Edge Brewery (602 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City; 801-521-8918) -- located in historic Trolley Square, features hand-crafted beer and handmade, pub-style food. Bambara (202 S. Main St., Salt Lake City; 801-363-5454) -- a stylish American restaurant located in the luxurious Hotel Monaco downtown.
• Cheap eats: B&D Burger (222 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City; 801-582-7200) -- a favorite burger joint of University of Utah students.
• Attractions: Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude ski resorts; Utah Olympic Park; Clark Planetarium; Utah Museum of Fine Art; Utah Museum of Natural History.
Esquire digs The Bayou (645 S State St) as one of their Best Bars In America. "All SLC bar treks lead to the Bayou. Though it's not much to look at -- the brick rectangular building is as architecturally inspiring as a three-car garage -- it's rightfully nicknamed Beervana, offering more than 200 kinds of bottled beer from across the planet. Start with Delirium Tremens (a Belgian blond beer) and work your way around the globe. Live jazz and excellent pub grub (sweet potato fries) draw a mix of local businessmen and artists, sunburned après hikers, and beer connoisseurs who swear they’re going to sample every bottle on the menu. Not an unworthy goal. You're having: Kiltlifter, a Scotch-style ale."
Salt Lake is the last place you'd expect to find a real life Fight Club, but Dave Attell of Comedy Central's Insomniac says Salt Lake's Club 90 is where guys take to the ring to "punch out their frustrations from dealing with Mormons all day." Smoke-filled and packed with drunks, be sure not to miss the part where 2 foxy lasses give oil-wrestling demos. This ain't no Playboy Channel pillow fight, these girls really throw down. Kickboxing in Donny and Marie's home state--who knew?
Zane Lamprey's Drinking Made Easy Guide To Salt Lake City:
Salt Lake City, the capital city of Utah, was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young and his Mormon followers. Economic growth powered by mining booms and the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, led the city to be nicknamed “Crossroads of the West”. Today it’s known simply as Salt Lake, or SLC. Utah played an important role in the repeal of Prohibition, becoming the critical 36th state to vote against the 19th amendment to end Prohibition. Following the public spotlight on SLC and its religious –based liquor laws after the 2002 Olympics, the state government made sweeping changes to the liquor laws in 2009, which are currently in effect. If you’ve heard things about the liquor laws un Utah, you might be surprised that today it’s as easy to get a drink as just about anywhere else, if you’re of legal drinking age.
STIGMA
Before we go any further, let’s break down some of Utah’s biggest drinking myths:
What are the regulations in drinking establishments?
Bars (formerly known as “Private Clubs”) offer a full range of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol per drink is limited to 1.5 oz of primary alcohol per drink. Beers of all types and strengths are available as well as wine. Bars cannot serve more than 1 cocktail per patron at a time. It is illegal to consume alcohol behind the bar. Membership is not required, however I.D. is required if you appear to be younger than 35 years of age.
Taverns offer only beer. Draft beer must contain no more than 3.2% Alcohol by Weight (ABW) or 4.0% Alcohol by Volume (ABV). There is no limit on strength of bottled beer.
Restaurants serve alcoholic beverages with dinner in the dining area or in the restaurant’s bar area, but the purchase of a food item is required in order to consume alcoholic beverages in the bar area.
Brew Pubs offer craft beers made in house. There is no limit to strength of beer that they can sell in bottles, as long as they have the proper license. Beer on draft is limited to 4.0% ABV. Some brew pubs will also have a bar license to sell liquor and wine.
Where and when can you purchase beer, wine and liquor?
State Liquor stores are closed on Sundays. But alcoholic drinks are available at bars on Sunday and 4.0% ABV beer is available at convenience and grocery stores on Sunday.
Beer containing an alcohol content of 4.0% ABV and below can be purchased at convenience & grocery stores, as well as bars, taverns, private clubs, restaurants & brew pubs. Beer above 4.0% ABV can only be purchased at Liquor stores, bars, restaurants, private clubs & Brewpubs with the proper licensing. There is no set limit to the ABV that bottled beer can contain. Kegs are not available for purchase by the public and the brewing of beer and wine at home for personal consumption is legal.
Wine is available for purchase only at wineries, liquor stores, state run wine stores, restaurants, bars and brew pubs with the proper license.
Liquor is available for purchase only at distilleries, liquor stores, bars, restaurants and brew pubs with the proper license.
UTAH BREW
Contrary to popular belief, Utah is actually home to many craft breweries and brew pubs. Laws prevent the service of draft beer that is higher than 4.0% ABV (or 3.2% Alcohol by Weight), but there are no limits on ABV in bottled beer.
One of the more notable breweries in Salt Lake City is Squatters Pub Brewery. Founded in 1989 in SLC, they now have two other locations: Park City and the Salt Lake International Airport. From year round brews like the GABF Gold Medal-winning Provo Girl Pilsner and Chasing Tale Golden Ale, to seasonal brews like Hop Head Red and Espresso Stout, Squatters serves up cutting edge craft beer. Limited release brews like their 10.5% ABV Russian Imperial Stout, Outer Darkness, and their award-winning Saison, Fifth Element, are only available for purchase in bottles in Squatters pubs. Visit the brew pub for unique brews and gourmet pub fare.
Squatters Pub Brewery | 147 West Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 | (801) 363-2739
Just outside of SLC, in the mountain town of Park City, you’ll find the Wasatch Brew Pub and Brewery. Named for the mountains that rise just east of Salt Lake City, it was founded in 1986 by Greg Schirf. It was Schirf who fought the Utah Legislature in 1988 to make brew pubs legal in the state and today there are 12 of them. With distinguishing names like Polygamy Porter and the Devastator Double Bock, Wasatch is the first active brewery in Park City since Prohibition. After several years of friendly rivalry, competing to be Utah’s best brewery, in 2000, Wasatch and Squatters created a partnership call the Utah Brewers Cooperative. Together, they have increased their share of Utah beer sales, competed against national brewing giants, and in 2010 they won the award for the Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival.
Located in the heart of downtown SLC, Red Rock Brewing Company was established in 1994 out of an old dairy warehouse. Offering an arsenal of international brewing styles, from Belgium and Germany to England and Ireland, they are an award-winning brewery with famous beers like the Nut Brown (their most-celebrated beer) and the Amber Ale (their most popular). You can also find one of their brew pubs in Park City, which opened in 2005.
Other popular local brews are those made by Uinta Brewing Co. Named after an east-west mountain range located in northeastern Utah, many of their beers have names withhistorical significance or are inspired by Utah’s diverse landscape. For example, their flagship ale, Cutthroat Pale Ale is named after the state fish and their King’s Peak Porter is named after Utah’s highest peak. Having been in business, brewing some of Utah’s best beer since 1993, their beers range in ABV from 4.0% to 10.0%. Uniquely, they also offer organic and kosher products.
HISTORY
Located in Huntsville, about an hour north of Salt Lake, the Shooting Star Saloon opened in 1862 as a trading post and later became a bar, in 1879. It boasts having been “openly open” during Prohibition and is said to be the oldest continually operating bar in the state. Its history has helped to create a rustic feel: a jukebox that plays 45’s, dollar bills on the ceiling and the head of a 300 lb stuffed St. Bernard preside over this one-room establishment. Their food is one of the top draws, with a menu of delicious burgers, like the famous Star Burger, that come with a warning: no substitutions. They also offer beer on tap and beer in the bottle and until 1949, they made their own whiskey.
Shooting Star Saloon | 7350 E 200 S
Huntsville, UT 84317 | (801) 745-2002
The oldest bar in Salt Lake City can be found in South Salt Lake at The Bar in Sugarhouse. With a capacity of just 25, this Swiss chalet was transported from the mountains and now rests in a tiny spot on Highland Drive. Established in 1947, it’s a no frills, hole in the wall neighborhood bar where the drinks are cheap and the beer is cold.
The Bar in Sugarhouse | 2168 Highland Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84106 | (801) 485.1232