At Mountain Sky Ranch, leave your number (and your troubles)

North of Yellowstone, in the heart of Montana, lies a course you've probably never heard of. To play there, you need to book a week's stay at the resort ranch built by billionaire tycoon Arthur Blank.

You will love every second of it.

Rising Sun Golf Course may only have 1,000 golfers a year, but last year I was one of them, playing in an amazing place where the grounds staff often outnumber the players.

Rising Sun is part of the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, a small resort (and working vacation ranch) located an hour outside of Bozeman, Montana. The goal of this ranch is simple – inherit the old western ranching lifestyle and combine it with luxurious modern touches to create a stress-free getaway.

(There's little service or WiFi on the ranch, but you'll notice quickly. You'll be content using your phone as a camera.)

In today's world, it's often difficult to completely break free, and Mountain Sky excels at providing a space to escape, explore and relax. The most peaceful moments in life are when we can disconnect from our daily lives. That's part of the beauty of golf, getting away from everyday life and playing a silly game for a few hours.

Standing on the 16th tee of the Rising Sun Course, I found that sense of peace. The entire round is filled with stunning views of the Emigrant Mountains, but the 16th tee box is so beautiful it could be worthy of a magazine cover. They call it “Paradise Valley,” which makes sense because you start in the valley below and the scenery gets better and better along the way until the epic climax on the 16th.

My favorite rounds are the ones where the course encourages you to work with the land rather than trying to conquer it. There's no doubt that Rising Sun is a difficult course, but that doesn't take away from the immense pleasure I had in trying to solve the problems it raised.

There's plenty to do after the tournament, including fly fishing, archery, skeet shooting, horseback riding and even learning how to herd cattle like a “Yellowstone” character. (Not to mention top-notch dining.) The staff is involved with your stay from start to finish, ensuring you leave with the same love and appreciation they do. Most come back, too—only about one in 10 is here for the first time.

The best thing about smaller resorts, and courses reserved exclusively for guests, is that you can potentially go a full circle without seeing anyone else on the course. After finishing one round, want to play nine more? The T-shirt is yours. Pressed for time? Skip to number 16 for the postcard ending. There is also a new short course that you must check out. If you feel unwell, professional teaching staff are also on hand to provide you with express lessons.

Your time at Rising Sun and Mountain Sky Ranch is highly customizable. My recommendation? Play as much golf as you can because once you leave, you'll figure out how to get back. Everyone else does it.

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