Desert - Canyon Course at Ware River

[Deleted]

Theme: Desert
Designer: Justin Ciboch
Handle: CiB0RG

Course Name: The Canyon Course at Ware River

[CiB0RG]

  


     Naturally carved by the Ware River, this rocky canyon in Southern Utah is dangerous to all who dare to hike the cliff sides. In the mid-1800s a notorious group of bandits used the canyon as a hideaway. They built a refuge on the banks of the river to hide their loot. They robbed travelers, stagecoaches, railroad cars and banks. The outlaws would hide in the canyon for weeks, sometimes months at a time to keep away from bounty hunters or escape the noose. They survived by fishing on the river and boiling the fresh water to drink. The men had a planned escape route on both sides of the canyon. The route was marked by waypoints so they could flee safely if needed.

     The bandits had lots of down time in the canyon. To pass the time they would hike the cliff sides along their escape routes. They enjoyed using long rifles to hit little wooden balls to the next waypoint up the canyon wall. They would hold onto the barrel and use the stock as the club. They made a game out of it to see who could make it to the next waypoint with the least number of hits. The waypoints were marked by large sticks placed upright in the ground. They also carved out hazards in the rocky terrain with black powder explosives because nitroglycerine explosives were too loud and could have compromised their hideout. As modern golf was coming to shape in Europe at this time, the men did not know they were playing a very similar version of the great game. Even though the first 18-hole golf course was not built in America until 1893 these bandits are recognized by historians as some of the pioneers of American golf.

     The bandits’ refuge on the Ware River was destroyed in 1890 by federal law enforcement officers. The waypoint markers along their escape trail stood for nearly a century later. The land, originally Navajo territory, was placed under government control until 2015 when it was purchased by Justin Ciboch looking for a land development project. Mr. Ciboch learned of the rich history of the land he purchased and agreed to protect the historical significance which sparked an idea. He would begin construction on a golf course built where the bandits once played the game. The clubhouse would be built on the site that the hideout once stood near the river. The first nine holes of the course follow the exact trail the bandits would take to hike the up the North wall of the canyon and play their game. The greens are located where each waypoint was placed. The other nine holes will be built on the South side of the river following the criminal group’s alternate escape route.

     Construction on the clubhouse and course was started in September 2015. There are no roadways that lead to the canyon so players with a reservation will arrive at the clubhouse by helicopter. The construction is set to be complete in January 2018. Tee time reservations coming this December! Don’t miss your chance to play a round on this historic site!

(Mr. Ciboch has hired a team working with historical archives to discover other accounts of what took place on this land. He will inform the public as he learns to insure the new golf club does not obstruct the historical sentiment of the grounds.)


Disclaimer: The Canyon Course at Ware River Crossing is a PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK course. You will be asked to sign a waiver when reserving your tee time. For safety we will NOT have golf carts. You are to hike along the trail provided. Please make sure you will be physically able to complete the hike. Whiskey and Beer will be available at the Clubhouse. Please drink responsibly as you are responsible for your own safety while playing this course.

[CiB0RG]

Update:

    Mr. Ciboch went out yesterday to play the newly laid out front nine and test the challenge of the course. After playing hole three, a lengthy par 5, the heat of the desert was starting to get to him. He became dizzy as he tapped in his putt and walked to the next hole.

    He stepped onto the tee box on hole four and looked down the open dog-leg right fairway of the freshly excavated par 4. As he scanned the tee shot he gazed at the large dead tree that sits at the corner on the inside of the turn. As soon as he made eye contact with the tree it sent shivers down his spine, he chalked it up to dehydration and proceeded to hit his tee shot. The drive started up the middle of the fairway but faded too far right and the ball rolled underneath the tree.

    He walked to his ball lying in the rough partially shaded by the branches of the dead tree. He grabbed his wedge to prepare for a recovery shot and approached the ball. He stepped into the shadow of the tree and all of the sudden felt ice cold. His heart started thumping as his arms were seemingly paralyzed. Unable to swing his club he began to have trouble breathing. In a gasp for air he managed to yell "STOP!". At that moment he could move again. He took a second to catch his breath and quickly hit his ball out into the fairway an fled from the tree.

    Mr. Ciboch finished out the hole and decided it was time to head back to the clubhouse. He assumed he was severely dehydrated and it was starting to mess with his head. On his return to the clubhouse he called a meeting with his associates. The agenda was to make plans for water coolers on the paths between holes so guests could get water after every hole to stay hydrated. As he revealed the plans to his team, Robert Jensen, one of his historical archivists entered the conference room and stood to the side waiting for the meeting to adjourn.

    The meeting came to a close in agreement with Mr. Ciboch's plan. "Mr. Ciboch, can I have a word with you for a minute." said Robert. "Yes, of course, Robert. Step into my office" replied Justin. The two sat down and and Robert pulled out an old document. It was an antique newspaper article from May, 1856.

    Robert explained that he had found a new piece of History tied to the site of the golf course. "Mr. Ciboch... someone was killed on the grounds. Early in the years of the bandit's refuge, a thief who went by the nickname Two-Faced Tom was one of the frequent smugglers to the river. His colleagues heard rumors that he made deals with local Native Americans selling out some of their loot for affairs with the women of the tribe. He was spotted returning from a Navajo camp and was apprehended by four of his own men and taken up the canyon away from the hideout. They found a large tree near a corner of cliffs and hung Tom right there on the spot. The rumors of his treachery were never proven. Legends say he had never embezzled from his group and that he was simply in love with a Navajo woman, but tried to keep it a secret. Whatever the truth was, it didn't matter... his corpse was found hanging in the tree a few months later by a search party looking for a missing child. The story reached the newspapers after one of the men who killed Tom confessed before being hung himself."

    Robert pointed to the spot on the map where the tree was. He pointed to the inside corner of the dog-leg on hole four. "This is where the tree once stood!" Exclaimed Robert. Sitting silently for a few seconds, Justin's heart began to pound. He looked up and said "...It's still there."

    Mr. Ciboch and the development team dubbed hole number four as "Hangman's Turn". Plans were made to add a beautiful display of plants at the base of the dead tree to honor the memory of Two-Faced Tom. "All though the tree is now dead, life will surround it." said Justin as he proposed the idea in hopes that future guests will not experience any paranormal discomfort if their ball ends up under Tom's Tree.


(Photos of opening holes and Tom's Tree coming soon.)

[CiB0RG]

(This one's a work in progress... Trying to make it look like a boulder came rolling off the hill and left a trench... forcing the course builders to divide the fairway)





HANGMAN'S TURN:


TOM'S TREE:


(I built a little cross so it casts a shadow just underneath the tree... eerie, right?)

[CiB0RG]

A lot of the surrounding scenery is still rough and un-sculpted and I haven't added borders to some of my fairways yet... but the idea is there in these pics. I've been messing around with a heavy rough but nothing looks good. I think leaving it raw with some planting gives that beautiful yet unsettling feel of this strange canyon.

Maybe next week I'll post some pictures of the clubhouse and helipad.

[Deleted]

Wow, there are some really fascinating ideas in here! Great work so far!

[CiB0RG]

Update:

    With all 18 holes constructed it is time to clear out some of the land to make the course more playable for the public. An excavation crew was working near the 17th green. Mr. Ciboch was reviewing course layout plans at his desk in the clubhouse.

    Robert Jensen (historical archivist) enters the office, “Justin, I’ve found something else.” Robert closed the door behind him. “This information is classified, I stumbled upon some military documents that I don’t think I’m supposed to know about.” Robert talked quietly, telling Mr. Ciboch that something unknown had supposedly crashed on the other side of the river in the 1970s.

    The military occupied the crash site for 6 weeks supposedly removing all of the evidence. Some information leaked that the government may have recovered extraterrestrial bodies to do experiments, but that may be a hoax. “Do we know exactly where?” asked Justin. “Yes, according to your layout, the crash site is near the green of hole 17.” said Robert. Justin stood up. “Holy smokes, Bob, I have an excavation crew working out there right now! Let’s go see if they’ve found anything.”

(To be continued...)

[CiB0RG]

The rest of the UFO story coming this week with pictures!

Small update for now:

Mr.Ciboch went for a test round on the back 9 today. He teed off from the tips on the driveable par four hole 10. Perfect tempo, straight down the pipe, carries the dangerous river bank and carries it to the front of the green and rolls. It comes to rest 1 inch from the hole. He scratched his head... he was sure the design was intended to be more difficult. He immediately makes a phone call to his contractors to get these tees moved further back! It may not be as wise to go for the green from the tips anymore!

[Terry Grayson]

Cool ideas and very interesting looking....

[CiB0RG]

   
Update: (Continued)


 Mr. Ciboch and Robert hiked to the 17th green to find the whole excavation crew standing around something. The lead engineer walked up to Justin and Robert, "We found a cockpit". "Like a UFO cockpit?" asked Robert. "No, it appears to be a plane crash site. We are contacting the authorities to report that we found it here." Justin and Robert approached the dig site near the green. Sure enough there was the front of an airplane sticking out of the dirt. Justin looked at Robert, "Well I guess this was just a plane crash and not anything to do with aliens... let's see what the government has to say about it. Maybe we will find out why the military occupied the crash site and then just left the plane here."

    The men returned to the clubhouse to hear the phone ringing in Mr. Ciboch's office. It was the Utah State Police. Justin answered the phone to find out the state did not have any reports of a lost plane anywhere near the region. "How could a plane get here if it's not a missing plane?" asked Robert. "Something is off about this." Several minutes later another phone call came in. This time it was from the U.S. Department of Defense. "Listen very carefully, Mr. Ciboch. The plane you reported finding was a private government jet that crashed. The aircraft has no identification numbers or any recoverable data. It would be best if you just leave it there or have it removed and forget about it." The phone call ends.

    Robert thought for a minute, "This still doesn't add up. Even private government jets have identification. I think they lied to us." "What are you trying to say?" Justin replied. "I think this is a cover up." Said Robert, "I think when the military was here, they took something from the site and buried an unidentified plane to cover their tracks. We will never know for sure because they keep stuff like this highly classified. If we raise questions we could get shut down."

    Justin sat in silence for a few seconds and replied "Okay, we raise no further questions. But what do we do with the plane? The course opens in a few days and we can't have a cockpit just sitting in the open without the golfers asking questions." "Well since there is no time to remove it, I suggest you just try and cover it somehow." answered Robert.

    Mr. Ciboch had a tent built over the top of the aircraft so at least it is somewhat hidden and the golfers might just think it is a novelty exhibit. The crash site can be viewed to the back left side of the 17th green.


    Tee times will begin as scheduled on February 1st.  

[CiB0RG]

These are the last WIP pictures I will post. Book your tee times, folks!

[Deleted]

Drooling...

[CiB0RG]

Published.


tgctours.proboards.com/thread/13992/canyon-course-ware-river-contest

[steamerandy64]

A nice playable course, although at 7,800yds off the back tees (which i played), this course appears to be designed to favour the big hitters with tour clubs.
A cross between wolf creek and the fantasy canyon course on another golf game, this course offers a variety of lines off the tee.
I've already had a hio on the 8th and have favourited it to play again.

[statelyowl]

Enjoyable course Justin, like some of the risk rewards, got a nice rock kick off one wayward tee shot for a 350 yd drive that kicked back into the fairway.

It is a refreshing different vibe than most courses, but while different still plays very well.

5-star effort, well done!