Idaho's premier resort golf destination — Wood River Valley alpine courses where Hemingway used to play
Sun Valley is Idaho's most prestigious resort town — built in 1936 by Union Pacific as America's first destination ski resort, beloved by Hollywood (Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Hemingway, who is buried in the Ketchum cemetery), and still the gold standard for high-end Idaho leisure. Skiing made it famous; golf keeps it busy in summer. The Wood River Valley around Sun Valley and Ketchum has 8+ courses ranging from the historic resort track to modern championship designs.
This is alpine golf at 5,800 feet elevation. Surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks of the Sawtooths and Pioneers. Cool mornings, warm afternoons, dry air, and conditioning that rivals any resort area in the country. The ball flies even farther here than McCall — 10–12% farther than sea level. The scenery is spectacular. The prices are higher than the rest of Idaho but lower than Coeur d'Alene's marquee.
From Star, Sun Valley is 2.5 hours northeast (Highway 20 over Mountain Home and through Fairfield). It's a longer drive than McCall but a more polished destination once you arrive. Worth the extra mileage for a special trip.
Best: Mid-June through September. Reliable warm weather, all courses fully open, peak alpine conditions.
Spring (May–early June): Variable. Lower courses (Big Wood, Bigwood) open earlier than higher-altitude options. Mornings cold (35–50°F).
Fall (September–early October): Aspens turn gold, fewer crowds, cooler temps. The locals' favorite season — and probably the most photogenic.
Winter: Snowed in. Sun Valley becomes a ski resort. Courses are buried.
High-altitude alpine valley golf. Wood River runs through the valley. Cottonwoods, aspens, and pine forests frame fairways. Mountain backdrops on every hole — Bald Mountain (where the skiing is) to the north, the Pioneers and Sawtooths on the horizon. Cleaner, drier, more dramatic than McCall.
Sun Valley/Ketchum is a celebrity town that knows how to handle wealth without being obnoxious about it. Pace of play is relaxed but the courses are well-managed. Tee sheets fill in July and August weekends, especially at the resort courses. Book ahead. Conditioning is consistently excellent — this is a place where courses have actual budgets.
Sun Valley Resort itself is the historic option (Sun Valley Lodge built 1936). Ketchum (the town adjacent to Sun Valley) has hotels, condos, and rentals at all price points. The valley extends south through Hailey and Bellevue, where prices drop and locals live. VRBOs and Airbnbs are abundant.
| Your Situation | Best Course | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The historic experience | Sun Valley Resort Golf Course (Trail Creek) | 1937 original. Hemingway played here. $145–$215. The legacy round. |
| Best mountain course | BIGWOOD Golf Club | Slope 130, $99–$149, dramatic alpine layout, locals' choice for fun |
| Championship challenge | Valley Club (private — see also Note) | Hale Irwin design. Private. If you have a connection, take it. |
| Best value | Bigwood Public 9 | Slope 113, $35–$55, walkable, casual |
| Two-course day | Trail Creek (morning) + Bigwood Public (afternoon) | The premier + the casual round in one day. Doable in summer. |
| Bringing non-golfers | Sun Valley Resort area | Trail Creek is on-resort with everything else nearby |
The historic resort course. Built 1937. Hemingway played here. Idaho's golf heritage.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Trail Creek Rd, Sun Valley, ID |
| Type | Resort (public play) |
| Holes / Par | 18 / 71 |
| Slope | 130 |
| Yards (tips) | 6,565 |
| Green Fees | $145–$215 (peak summer); $115–$165 (shoulder) |
| Cart | Included |
| Phone | (208) 622-2251 |
The Experience: The Sun Valley Resort course is one of the oldest mountain courses in the American West. Built in 1937 (the year after the resort opened), it was originally designed by Bill Bell and significantly redone by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1980. The course winds along Trail Creek with the Sawtooths visible to the west and Bald Mountain to the north. Slope 130 is moderate-challenging — the routing is classic, with strategic bunkering and small old-school greens. Conditioning is consistently excellent. The signature 5th hole (par 3 over Trail Creek) and the 14th (uphill par 4 toward the mountains) are both worth the round.
The history: Ernest Hemingway lived in Ketchum from 1959 until his death in 1961 and played this course regularly. Gary Cooper played here in the 1940s. Bobby Kennedy was a frequent visitor. This is the closest thing Idaho has to a heritage course — and unlike many "historic" courses, it still plays beautifully.
Worth the price? Yes, especially if you stay at Sun Valley Resort and book a stay-and-play package. The on-property experience is part of the value. Standalone, it's still worth playing once for the history alone.
Best For: Heritage golf, resort experience, special-occasion rounds, anyone who appreciates the connection to Hemingway and old Hollywood.
Modern alpine design. The locals' favorite. Best pure golf in the valley.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | 240 Cottonwood Dr, Ketchum, ID |
| Type | Public |
| Holes / Par | 9 (full course) / 36 |
| Slope | 130 (combined 18-hole rating) |
| Yards (18) | 6,200 |
| Green Fees | $99–$149 (18 holes); $59–$79 (9 holes) |
| Phone | (208) 726-4024 |
The Experience: BIGWOOD is a quirky but excellent 9-hole course (played twice for 18) just north of Ketchum. Designed by Robert Muir Graves in 1989, it sits along the Big Wood River with cottonwoods, aspens, and dramatic mountain views. Slope 130 reflects challenging design — narrow fairways, water hazards, and elevated greens. The 7th hole (par 3 over the river) and the 9th (uphill par 5 with the mountains as backdrop) are both excellent. Conditioning is excellent. Pace is good. The 9-hole format means you can play 9 in 2 hours or 18 in 4. Locals love it for the value compared to the Resort course.
Best For: Locals' choice, value-conscious quality round, when you want challenging mountain golf without the resort markup, 9-hole rounds, evening play.
Robert Trent Jones Jr. design. Adjacent to Sun Valley Resort but separately operated.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | 1 Elkhorn Rd, Sun Valley, ID |
| Type | Semi-Private (public play available) |
| Holes / Par | 18 / 72 |
| Slope | 132 |
| Yards (tips) | 6,800 |
| Green Fees | $95–$155 |
| Cart | Included |
| Phone | (208) 622-3300 |
The Experience: Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Elkhorn in 1974 as part of the Elkhorn Resort development just southeast of Sun Valley. The course features dramatic elevation changes, water features, and the same alpine setting as Trail Creek. Slope 132 is moderate-challenging. Conditioning is good. The course was renovated in the 2000s and still feels fresh. Pace is relaxed.
How it compares to Trail Creek: More modern routing, slightly more difficult, less historic significance, slightly cheaper. If you're playing only one resort-tier course in Sun Valley, play Trail Creek. If you're playing two, add Elkhorn.
Best For: Second resort round, RTJ Jr. design fans, slightly cheaper alternative to Trail Creek.
The casual, walkable, affordable option.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Adjacent to BIGWOOD, Ketchum area |
| Type | Public |
| Holes / Par | 9 / 27 (par-3 / executive course) |
| Slope | 113 |
| Green Fees | $25–$45 |
The Experience: Note: This is sometimes confusing because of the naming. Some sources list a separate, more casual 9-hole or par-3 course adjacent to or part of the BIGWOOD operation. Worth confirming with the pro shop. When you're traveling with a non-golfer or want a quick walk-and-play round, this is the budget option.
Best For: Quick rounds, beginners, walking, when you want golf without the production.
Valley Club (Hailey, 12 miles south) — Private. Hale Irwin design. One of Idaho's top private courses, ranked #1 by some publications. Very limited public access. If you have a connection, take it. Otherwise, it's the great unobtainable round of the Wood River Valley.
Mountain View Country Club (Bellevue, 20 miles south) — Semi-private with limited public access. Affordable, locals-friendly, good conditions. Worth checking if you're staying south in Hailey or Bellevue.
The River Run / Warm Springs Bigwood Trail — Not a golf course, but worth knowing: the paved trail along the Big Wood River from Ketchum south is one of the best urban bike paths in the country. Take a non-golf morning to bike or walk it.
Friday afternoon: Drive Star to Sun Valley (2.5 hours via Highway 20). Check into Sun Valley Resort or a Ketchum hotel/Airbnb. Dinner downtown.
Saturday: Sun Valley Resort Course / Trail Creek (the historic round). Lunch downtown. Afternoon: walk through Ketchum, visit Hemingway's gravesite at the Ketchum cemetery (it's understated and worth the visit).
Sunday: BIGWOOD Golf Club (the locals' choice). Lunch. Drive home.
Total: 2 rounds in 2 days, the Sun Valley golf classic experience.
Day 1: Drive up. Late afternoon at BIGWOOD (warm-up).
Day 2: Trail Creek morning (the marquee). Afternoon: lunch, hike Bald Mountain, river time.
Day 3: Elkhorn morning. Lunch. Drive home.
3 rounds in 3 days, all premium courses.
Book a Sun Valley Resort package — 2 nights at Sun Valley Lodge with 2 rounds at Trail Creek + spa access + dining credits. Premium experience, premium price (around $800–$1,400 per person depending on season), but the on-property experience is unique. The resort's history, the lodge itself, the lake out back, the ice rink, the bike trails — it's a complete vacation, not just a golf trip.
Sun Valley/Ketchum is one of the best summer family destinations in Idaho. Kids can swim in the pool at Sun Valley Lodge, hike Bald Mountain, ride the gondola, fly fish, mountain bike Galena Summit. Plan one round per day (morning), then meet the family in town. BIGWOOD's 9-hole format is perfect for shorter golf windows.
Sun Valley is Idaho's premier resort golf destination. Trail Creek is the heritage round — a course where Hemingway played, beautifully maintained, surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks. BIGWOOD is the locals' favorite for value and pure golf. The valley as a whole is one of the best summer vacation spots in the American West. If Coeur d'Alene is the bucket-list trip for the floating green, Sun Valley is the bucket-list trip for the heritage and the alpine experience.
Take a long weekend in September. Stay at Sun Valley Lodge if you can swing it. Play Trail Creek and BIGWOOD. Eat at Pioneer Saloon. Visit Hemingway's grave. Drive over Galena Summit at sunset. There's no better Idaho golf trip.
Where Hemingway played. Where Idaho golf began.