Provo city officials are renaming the recently reconfigured East Bay Golf Course back to its former name of Timpanogos Golf Club, Mayor Michelle Kaufusi announced via Facebook Live Wednesday.
“It is my honor today to preserve this beautiful piece of our history for many more generations to come,” Kaufusi said. “Today we reveal a redesigned course and a name that brings our golf past together with generational vision of our golf future.”
The course, which reopened all 18 holes on Sept. 30 after over a year of reconfiguration work, originally opened in 1923 as the Provo Golf and Country Club. After officials renamed it in 1927, it was known as Timpanogos Golf Club for nearly 60 years. It wasn’t until 1986 that the course was renamed East Bay following an extensive expansion project.
Speaking after Kaufusi at the renaming ceremony live streamed from the course, head golf pro Brett Watson shared a few insights into the recently finished reconfiguration project. Following a 2018 land acquisition that included part of the course’s front-nine holes, Watson and golf architect Kevin Atkinson immediately started working on design plans, and felt the need to change the course's name from the get-go.
“We realized that East Bay had always been a great fixture in the community, but it needed a name change,” Watson said. “We started thinking for names, and it just kind of came back that Timpanogos was the only option.”
Watson went on to explain how nervous he was once they settled on the name, feeling he and his staff had some “big shoes to fill.” Motivated by the new name, Watson and Atkinson angled several of the new tee shots towards Mount Timpanogos in hopes of 'changing the golf experience in the state of Utah.”
“For those of you who have played it, I don’t think you’ve played anything like it, certainly in the state of Utah,” Watson said. “That was one thing that we were incredibly excited about.”
A number of Utah residents have already shared their stamp of approval on the redesigned course via social media. Fairways Media president Randy Dodson said there is “really nothing like it anywhere in Utah.”
“Got a sneak peek round in today of the brand new 18-holes at East Bay GC. WOW!” Dodson wrote in a Sept. 29 Facebook post. “A challenge for all golfers. Par 5’s are legit. Holes signs and tee markers are very cool. Another year of growth and after construction scars heal, the golf course will be killer.”
Deseret News columnist Dick Harmon, who joined Dodson for their preview round, shared his enthusiasm for the new course via Twitter.
“Historic Day! First foursome to play brand new front 9 at @EastBayGC,” Harmon wrote on Sept. 29. “And wait to you see the island green! Fun, distinctive, great change ups and the par 5s…oh, my…”
The reconfigured par-72 course features five par-5 holes, eight par-4 holes and five par-3’s. The course is 7,056 yards long from the tips and, as Harmon mentioned, includes an island green on the 14th hole.
In addition to the fresh 18-hole course, Timpanogos Golf Club also features an expanded 9-hole par-3 course with lights as well as a lighted driving range. The golf club also sports two new chipping and putting greens.