The Powder Horn Golf Course (Mountain)

Overview: This entry represents the Mountain Nine at The Powder Horn in Sheridan, Wyoming, one of three distinct nine-hole components in the private 27-hole golf community at the base of the Bighorn Mountains. Dick Bailey's Mountain Nine is the open, rolling part of the property, with broad views, native grasses and a more exposed character than the wooded Stag Nine. The landscape gives the holes a high-plains and mountain quality at the same time: the horizon is wide, but Little Goose Creek, ponds and the surrounding rises bring the course back into a defined natural setting. The directory record for this exact nine lists par 36 and 3,443 yards.

History: The Powder Horn land was homesteaded in 1879 by Peter and Theresa Gerdel. Their irrigation ditch and spring house remain part of the property's story. The Hosford family later ran the ranch, and Homer and Janet Scott began shaping the golf-community vision after discovering the land in 1993. The first home site was sold on October 1, 1995, and the original 18 holes opened for play in June 1997. A third nine, Eagle, followed in 2002, creating the 27-hole facility that exists today. Dick Bailey designed all three nines, with each one given a distinct landscape identity.

Did You Know? The Mountain Nine includes a small replica of the Swilcan Burn Bridge at St Andrews, an unusual nod to golf's oldest famous links setting. The Powder Horn's official description also notes that the property covers about 900 acres and includes trout-stocked ponds and nature trails, so the Mountain Nine is part of a much larger landscape than its nine-hole designation suggests.