2009 Best of Colorado Golf

Call it our Seven Year Itch. After citing the best courses every year in virtually the same categories, we decided to mix it up a bit. Even with all the new construction this decade, things don’t really change that much from year to year. So, we tried a different tack—and came up with categories with greater relevance to you, the golfer. We hope you have as much fun reading this year’s best list as our panel did putting it together.

Disagree with our panelist selections? Go to coloradoavidgolfer.com or write letters@coloradoavidgolfer.com. We just might publish them in our next issue.

 

Best New Course*

Public/Resort: Four Mile Ranch, Cañon City

Bunkers? Jim Engh don’t need no stinkin’ bunkers. His magical mystery tour of a  course employs as hazards the shale hogbacks formed by the rugged piedmont near  the Royal Gorge. 

 

Private: Cornerstone Club, Montrose

With all 18 holes now open, Greg Norman’s “least disturbance” design atop the incomparable Uncompaghre Plateau is as striking, ballsy and riveting as the Shark himself.

*Unlike national magazines, which judge 2008 courses opening between April 30,2007 and April 30, 2008, Colorado AvidGolfer considers only courses that debuted in the 2008 calendar year.

 

Best Course Conditions

Public/Resort: The Broadmoor Golf Club/Fred Dickman, Colorado Springs

Kudos to Dickman and his ace crew for the treacherous rough, tight fairways and slick greens that held 2008 U.S. Senior Open winner, Eduardo Romero, to a mere six under par.  

Honorable Mentions: Murphy Creek Golf Course/John Magnuson, Riverdale Dunes Golf Course/D’Ann Kimbrel

Private: Cornerstone Club/Tom Huesgen, Montrose; Cherry Creek Country Club/Matt Lombardi, Denver

Huesgen, who sharpened his mower blades at Pebble Beach, and Lombardi, who came to Colorado by way of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, have, respectively, grown in one of the state’s most challenging new courses and revived one of the Front Range’s more testing turfs.

Honorable Mentions: Castle Pines Golf Club/Marshall Fearing, -cherry-hills-country-club" target="_blank">Cherry Hills Country Club/Mike Burke, Adam’s Mountain Country Club/Glenn Samuelson

 

Best Service

Public/Resort: The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs

Ninety years of catering to the world’s elite pays off with a solicitous golf staff, gracious caddies and a refreshingly un-resort-like pace of play.

Honorable Mentions: The Golf Club at Bear Dance, The Ridge at Castle Pines North

Private: Colorado Golf Club, Parker

The site of the 2010 Senior PGA Championship distinguishes itself with free valet parking and shoeshine; an unparalleled caddie corps; and club-cleaning, divot-filling range attendants who replenish your unlimited ball supply.

Honorable Mentions: Castle Pines Golf Club, The Golf Club at Ravenna, Maroon Creek Club

 

Toughest Tee Shot (par three)

Public/Resort: Cougar Canyon Golf Links (#16), Trinidad

Unforgiving desert terrain and a sheer 25-foot cliff surround Cougar Canyon’s 163-yard version of the island green at the TPC at Sawgrass’ 17th. 

Honorable Mentions: Breckenridge Golf Club (Bear) #7, Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks #14, Redlands Mesa Golf Club #17, The Homestead Golf Course #17 

 

 

 

Private: Green Gables Country Club (#14), Denver

Gorgeous but deadly, this 223-yard beast requires a perfect shot. Right will find water. Err left and you’re in one of two bunkers hitting back towards the lake.

Honorable Mentions: Inverness Golf Club #3, Castle Pines Golf Club #11, Plum Creek Golf and Country Club #17, Pinehurst Country Club #17

 

Most Fun Shot

Public/Resort: Mariana Butte Golf Course (#14), Loveland

Breathtaking views of the Mummy Mountain Range, Longs Peak and even Pikes Peak call for a camera. A 50-foot drop and constantly swirling winds require luck and local knowledge. 

Honorable Mentions: Arrowhead Golf Club #13, Devil’s Thumb Golf Club #13, Fossil Trace Golf Club #12

Private: The Golf Club at Ravenna (#16), Littleton 

From a tee box perched atop the Dakota Ridge Hogback you’re forced to carry a deep wooded ravine to a multi-level green 240 yards downhill. (What might be even more fun is the blind tee shot from behind the trees on the optional betting tee midway between tee and green.)

Honorable Mentions: Sanctuary #1, The Club at Pradera #16, Castle Pines #17(approach)

 

Best View

Public/Resort: Arrowhead Golf Club (#10), Littleton

In a state known for the most beautiful scenery on earth, it would take another 300 million years to create a view like the one from the par-four tenth tee. 

Honorable Mentions: Telluride Golf Club #17, The Golf Club at Bear Dance #16, Keystone River Course #18, City Park Golf Course #5, Red Sky Golf Club (Norman Course) #16, Breckenridge Golf Club (Beaver) #9

 

 

Private: Aspen Glen Club (#6), Carbondale 

With the glacial white of Mount Sopris hovering from behind the green, there isn’t a more postcard-worthy embodiment of golf in the Rockies.

Honorable Mentions: The Club at Cordillera (Summit) #5 green, Cornerstone #10 (from the fairway), Lake Valley Golf Club (clubhouse patio), Red Rocks Country Club #18

 

Best Hole to Hit a 400-yard Drive

Public/Resort: Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks (#9), Silverthorne

During the winter months this precipitous par four resembles a black diamond ski run. Summertime brings record-setting drives enhanced by a pitched fairway and 200-foot drop. 

Honorable Mentions: The Ridge at Castle Pines North #9, The Golf Club at Bear Dance #12, Pole Creek Golf Club (Ridge) #9

Private: Castle Pines Golf Club (#1), Castle Rock 

This lengthy par five stretches to more than 640 yards. It’s still reachable in two, however, thanks to a steep plunge from tee to fairway. 

Honorable Mentions: The Club at Pradera #16, Sanctuary #1

 

Funkiest Green

Public/Resort: Thorncreek Golf Course (#15), Thornton

Unless you’re within tap-in distance on this rolling green, you’re likely to encounter some wicked break, especially when the pin tucks into the back right corner.

Honorable Mentions: Fossil Trace Golf Club #11, Antler Creek Golf Course (Elk) #3

Private: Bear Creek Golf Club (#4), Denver

Landing on the wrong tier on Bear Creek’s ferocious 454-yard par four could lead to, well, tears. Two putts are all but impossible if you wind up above the hole. 

Honorable Mentions: Castle Pines Golf Club #16, Harmony Club #7

 

Toughest Bunker

Public/Resort: Highland Meadows Golf Course (#16), Windsor

A menacing 12-foot deep greenside abyss puts the kibosh on driving this short par four, which measures only 297 yards to the green’s front edge. 

Honorable Mentions: Fossil Trace Golf Club #7, The Golf Club at Bear Dance #6                        

Private: The Club at Pradera (#18), Parker

A prime example of Jim Engh’s treacherous grass-faced hazards, Pradera’s zipper-shaped bunker runs more than 80 yards down the middle of the wide fairway.


Honorable Mentions: Castle Pines Golf Club #5, Rolling Hills #14, Valley Country Club #18

 

Best Risk/Reward Hole

Public/Resort: Green Valley Ranch Golf Club (#18), Denver

Step one: Bl ast a perfect tee shot to the apex of the dogleg. Step two: Clear more than 250 yards of protected wetlands or lay up down the left side. 

Honorable Mentions: Saddleback Golf Club #16, Murphy Creek Golf Course #12, Cougar Canyon Golf Links #15, Vista Ridge Golf Club #17

Private: Ironbridge Golf Club (#13), Glenwood Springs

You’re going to have to challenge the deep canyon on this 600-yard par five at some point. Might as well be on your second shot, right? 

Honorable Mentions: Hiwan Golf Club #7, Castle Pines Golf Club #10, Catamount Ranch and Club #6

 

Best Logo

Public/Resort: Pelican Lakes Golf and Country Club, Windsor

A few inspired squiggles capture this unusual course’s defining elements—water, a pelican, golf hole and wind.

Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Run Golf Course, Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, Devil’s Thumb Golf Course

Private: Castle Pines Golf Club, Castle Rock

Is there anything more iconic than the pair of hummingbirds that for more than 25 years have epitomized top-flight golf in Colorado?

Honorable Mentions: Colorado Golf Club, Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club

 

Best Name

Public/Resort: The Mad Russian Golf Course, Milliken

Pugnacious settler Ted Blehm originally called his field of dreams Jack Rabbit Trail Golf Course. In 1986, a new owner rechristened it in Blehm’s honor, branding it with a Cossack dancing with a rifle and golf club.

Honorable Mentions: Conquistador Golf Course, Walking Stick Golf Course, Devil’s Thumb Golf Course, Sumo Golf Village

Private: Kissing Camels Club, Colorado Springs

Nestled in the magnificent Garden of the Gods, the course takes its name from the fabled rock formation suggesting a pair of lip-locked dromedaries.

Honorable Mentions: The Club at Flying Horse, Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club

 

Best Value

Public/Resort: Riverdale Golf Course (Dunes), Brighton

Under new management, this outstanding Pete Dye design will still only set you back $45—tops—for a round.  

Honorable Mentions: Fox Hollow Golf Course, Grandote Peaks Golf Club, Devil’s Thumb Golf Course, Lakota Canyon Ranch and Golf Club

 

Private: The Club at Cordillera

A $115,000 initiation fee equals golf on three of the state’s best mountain courses—the Summit designed by Jack Nicklaus, the Mountain by Hale Irwin and the Valley by Tom Fazio—and the deceptive Dave Pelz Short Game Course. 

Honorable Mentions: Meridian Golf Club, The Ranch Country Club, Harmony Club, Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club

 

Best Charity Tournament Site

Public/Resort: The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Castle Rock

Well-oiled, seamless orchestration combine with superb food and course c onditions to create an experience few public courses can match.

Honorable Mentions: The Golf Club at Bear Dance, Pelican Lakes Golf and Country Club

Private: Sanctuary, Sedalia

The exclusive setting, Escher-like course, immaculate conditioning, baronial clubhouse and gourmet cuisine all guarantee a full field and repeat attendance.

Honorable Mentions: Inverness Golf Club, Lakewood Country Club, Castle Pines Golf Club, Columbine Country Club

 

Best Overall Clubhouse

Public/Resort: Black Bear Golf Club, Parker

Built in more the dormered style of a New England clubhouse, the 45,000-square-foot structure is both spacious and intimate, with stone accents and a pair of distinct dining experiences.

Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Run Golf Course, Vista Ridge Golf Club, The Ridge at Castle Pines North

Private: The Club at Flying Horse 

Lorenzo di Medici couldn’t have created a more impressive redoubt than this turreted Tuscan-style castle. To top it off, there’s another building with a state-of-the-art gym, pool, basketball court, spa and day-care center.

Honorable Mentions: Adam’s Mountain Country Club, The Club at Pradera, Lakewood Country Club, Roaring Fork Club, Blackstone Country Club, The Pinery Country Club, Valley Country Club

 

 

 

Best Pro Shop

Public/Resort: The Broadmoor Golf Club, Colorado Springs

There isn’t really anything else quite like it, is there? Spacious yet bursting with appare l and gear from every possible manufacturer, and products ranging from the mundane (“B” ball markers) to the arcane (ostrich golf shoes). 

Honorable Mentions: Murphy Creek Golf Course, The Golf Club at Bear Dance

 

Private: Castle Pines Golf Club, Castle Rock

The hummingbirds alight on virtually every item, conferring status on even a tie clip. The club’s predo minantly male membership doesn’t prevent the r acks from holding a strong selection for women. 

Honorable Mentions: Roaring Fork Club, Sanctuary, Rolling Hills CC

 

Best Après-Golf Experience

Public/Resort: The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Castle Rock

After a late afternoon round, plant yourself on The Ridge’s sprawling patio and take in unparalleled views of Pikes Peak while savoring Billy Bob’s oversized buffalo wings. 

Honorable Mentions: Vista Ridge Golf Club, Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks, Pole Creek Golf Club

Private: Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club, Holyoke

Settle bets on the bocce ball lawn ( formerly a putting green), continue wagering at the card table, or just ref lect upon the day’s round on the upper patio, which overlooks Ballyneal’s stunning dunes. Don’t miss Rich Cummings’ pheasant sausage. 

Honorable Mentions: The Club at Pradera, Castle Pines Golf Club, Roaring Fork Club

 

Best Practice Area

Public/Resort: Broken Tee Golf Course, Englewood

Broken Tee’s facility has a trio of putting greens, a three-green chipping area with bunkers, a larger driving range and a nine-hole par-three course. 

Honorable Mentions: Murphy Creek Golf Course, South Suburban Family Sports Center

Private: Cornerstone Club, Montrose

Mark Wood, one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers, designed Cornerstone’s 30-acre practice facility for members to “have an area where they can simulate real golf–any shot, anywhere.” 

Honorable Mentions: Bear Creek Golf Club, Meridian Golf Club, Colorado Golf Club, Castle Pines Golf Club

 

Best Place to Hang 

Public/Resort: Vista Ridge Golf Club, Erie

A private-club experience without the dues, Vista Ridge features a patio with a fire pit, the Masters’ Grill and rooms to play cards, catch a game on TV or just watch sunlight drain from the sky.

Honorable Mentions: Pelican Lakes Golf and Country Club, The Ridge at Castle Pines North

Private: Red Sky Golf Club (Member Clubhouse), Wolcott 

Looming above the Norman Course’s eighteenth green, the log cabin-style clubhouse offers members a place to retreat and enjoy a libation in the upstairs dining room and lounge. 

Honorable Mentions: Lakewood Country Club, Cherry Creek Country Club, Castle Pines Golf Club

 

Best Bar

Public/Resort: Vista Ridge Golf Club, Erie

Good round? Bad round? Have another round. A full gt; arsenal of craft brews, good wines and top-shelf liquors and single malts makes this wood paneled room the 19th hole of choice.

Honorable Mentions: The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Fossil Trace Golf Club

Private: The Club at Pradera, Parker

Any place with Led Zeppelin on the practice range has to have a rocking bar scene. Pradera knows its members like to kick it and lubricates them with a worldly selection of potables.

Honorable Mentions: Cornerstone Club, Inverness Golf Club, The Pinery Country Club

 

Best Dining Experience

Public/Resort: West Woods Golf Club, Arvada

Forsaking the familiar, West Woods’ fare comes with a Southwestern flair that attracts many non-golfers: Tableside burnt salsa, fried squash blossoms, Coyote Quesadilla and an enchilada torte layered with refried beans, meat and topped with sour cream, avocados and pico de gallo.

Honorable Mentions: Vista Ridge Golf Club, The Ridge at Castle Pines North, River Valley Ranch Golf Club

Private: Castle Pines Golf Club

It’s more than just the milkshake. A national membership expects a nationally recognized chef, and that’s Dan Mattoon. Known for his Crown Roast of Colorado Lamb carved tableside. As Ernie Els said, “If I had only one meal left, it would be at Castle Pines.”

Honorable Mentions: Cornerstone Club, Denver Country Club, Cherry Hills Country Club

 

Best Snacks

Public/Resort: The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs

Located on the turn of the East Course, The Broadmoor’s “Oasis” has an outstanding selection of sand wiches, beer, pop, baked goods and fresh fruit. Would you expect any less? 

Honorable Mentions: Wellshire Golf Course, Fox Hollow Golf Course

Private: Cornerstone Club, Montrose

Comfort stations on the course have mini stainless steel fridges and freezers packed with goodies, like Clif Bars, wee Ben and Jerry’s ice cream cartons and an array of beverages. 

Honorable Mentions: Red Sky Golf Club, The Golf Club at Ravenna