St. George, Utah – Black Desert Resort Golf Course in St. George, Utah welcomed Colby Cowan as the club’s new general manager on Wednesday, May 1st. Cowan will oversee club operations, including golf, agronomy, golf-related food and beverage, and marketing for the award-winning property set amid ancient black lava fields of Southern Utah. He will also play a key role in planning and executing the upcoming Black Desert Championship, a PGA TOUR event set for this fall, and an LPGA Tour tournament in 2025.
Cowan has 30-plus years of experience in the Utah golf industry and most of it has been in Southern Utah. He most recently served as director of golf operations for St. George City, a position he has held since 2012. Prior to working with St. George City, Cowan served as the head golf professional at Sand Hollow Golf Course in Hurricane. He has also served as the director of golf at The Ledges Golf Club in St. George, head golf professional at Coral Canyon in Washington, and as an assistant professional at Bloomington Country Club and Cedar Ridge.
Cowan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Southern Utah University in Cedar City and is a Class a member of the PGA of America. He is the former president of the Utah Section of the PGA and has been honored by Section numerous times, including the Horton Smith Award winner in 2004, Merchandiser of the Year in 2008, and the Section’s Professional of the Year in 2014. He is also a two-time winner of the Bill Strausbaugh Club Relations Award in 2013 and 2021. He enjoys sports, traveling, and spending time with his family.
“Colby embodies excellence, vision, and a strong commitment to the Black Desert Resort and Troon brand,” said Bill O’Brien, senior vice president, Troon. “He has an impressive track record in the hospitality industry, and brings a wealth of care and a passion for delivering unparalleled, but very approachable, luxury and quality experiences. His leadership style is rooted in leading by example, managing by walking around, actively listening to others, and ensuring that every team member feels valued and heard.”
Surrounded by red rock mountains and carved amid ancient black lava fields, Black Desert opened for play in May of 2023 and is the last golf course designed by the great Tom Weiskopf prior to his passing away from pancreatic cancer in August of 2022. The course is characterized by the presence of ancient basalt rock formations seamlessly integrated into the landscape, creating a visually stunning contrast against the lush green fairways. Recognized as one of the Best New Courses of 2023 by Golf Digest and one of the Top Resort Courses in the U.S. by Golfweek, Weiskopf’s 19-hole golf course will host a PGA TOUR event this fall and an LPGA Tour tournament in 2025. Tickets for this year’s Black Desert Championship will be available in the coming months. Register for ticket notifications at https://blackdesertchampionshipmens.com.
To learn more about Black Desert, visit https://www.blackdesertresort.com.
About Black Desert Resort
Reef Capital Partners is developing Black Desert Resort. Upon buildout, the property will offer 3000+ hotel rooms and residences; a concert venue; miles of trails through ancient lava flows; a waterpark; a wellness spa; and more than 250,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. In addition to the 19-hole, Weiskopf-designed golf course, guests of Black Desert will enjoy a 36-hole illuminated putting course for day or night play. The resort’s 19th Hole, an amphitheater-style lakeside-gathering place terraced into the black lava, will be the ultimate venue for winding down after a day of golf. To learn more about Black Desert Resort, visit www.blackdesertresort.com.
About Troon
Troon manages the golf operations at Black Desert Resort Golf Course. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 875-plus locations in 45-plus states and 35-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, TroonMagazine.com.
Media Contact:
Rob Myers
Troon
480.477.0506
