Coal Creek Reopens with an Ace

After 21 months of flood recovery and renovations, the “new” Louisville course makes a memorable debut

Jon Rizzi

Nearly two years after the flood of September, 2013 nearly washed it away, Louisville's Coal Creek Golf Course will officially reopen to the public June 29.

Those players will find a much different golf course than the one Dick Phelps layout that opened in 1990.

But they won't be the first ones to play it. That distinction belongs to the VIPs invited by the City of Louisville—including Parks & Recreation Director Joe Stevens, representatives from Herfort Norby Golf Course Architects and Lanscapes Unlimited, as well as dozens of influential supporters—to play in a shotgun tournament, June 28.

New course records were set from the four new teeing distances commemorating Louisville's mining heritage: TNT, Pick & Shovel, Coal Car and Lantern.

And, most signficantly, Colorado's newest 25-year-old course saw its first ace.

On the par-3 11th hole, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent Alex Kosel pured a 9-iron 150 yards from the Pick & Shovels, and watched it hit the well-guarded green and roll into the cup. 

“It's my first hole in one,”  Kosel said, adding that having his dad, Bill, in his group to witness it made the occasion extra special.

When asked whether he had cut the hole on that green, Kosel laughed and said he had not.

Kosel works for Golf Course Superintendent David Dean, with whom he also worked at The Raven Golf Course at Three Peaks in Silvethorne.

Head PGA Professional David Baril congratulated Kosel (see photo above) during the après-golf festivities at the clubhouse's new restaurant, The Mine.

Although the course has its liquor license, Kosel didn't have to buy a round for everyone. But everyone had something bigger to celebrate: Coal Creek is open… and it's an ace of a course.