Rarely does every single swing on every single hole leave you utterly awestruck. But nestled amid the endless mountains enveloping Big Sky, Montana, the 18 golf holes at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin manage to achieve precisely that.
We'd caught a glimpse of this course in one of those quirky celebrity showdowns featuring Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Bryson DeChambeau, and Phil Mickelson back in 2021. It looked like they were teeing off on another planet, so we were stoked at the chance to experience it ourselves.
Our favorite golf photographer and one of our best friends, Luke Leesburg, generously extended an invitation to this golfing wonderland that seemed straight out of a dream.
As you pass through the gates of Moonlight Basin, it's truly surreal. You wind your way along the side of a mountain for about 15 minutes before catching sight of the clubhouse and driving range.
A few handshakes and greetings as we meet the legends who keep the place ticking (they're definitely getting a Single Fin care package), only slightly settles our nerves. A couple of shitty shots at the driving range, and a little detour to the 5th green when we should've been headed to the 1st tee, pretty much confirmed that we were out of our element.
Playing from the back tees, it's an 8000-yard beast – yes, you read that right – with a mind-boggling 777-yard par 5 – yes, you read that right too. The first tee demands a mid or long iron shot that is expected to carry at least 275 yards, because you're hitting off the edge of a cliff down into a valley that seems hundreds of yards below your feet. It's a total mind bending gut wrencher to kick off your round. Words will never do justice to how tricky it is to gauge those elevation changes throughout every hole.
The course just keeps delivering jaw-dropping moments, from more hair-raising tee shots to nerve-racking chips around sprawling infinity greens. And let's not forget those delightful snack cabins stocked with everything your heart could crave. The boys got their fill of beef jerky and cheese, which led to some interesting smells in the car later that evening.
As the sun dipped behind the mountains and our round drew to a close, it was impossible not to reflect on the friendships and bonds forged through this wonderful game of golf that takes us to incredible places around the globe. And of course had us excited for whatever our next adventure holds.
-Single Fin
