Colorado Golf’s Secret Garden

CommonGround's Kid's Course hosts programs, prodigies and more than 1000 free rounds per year.
CommonGround’s “Kid’s Course” hosts programs, prodigies and more than 1,000 free rounds per year.

For most, the corner of Havana and Alameda conjures up images of car dealers, gas stations and fast-food restaurants. But the next time you pass this intersection, take a minute to glance west. You might be surprised by what you see.

Tucked away at the south end of CommonGround Golf Course’s driving range is a par-3 course known as the “Kid’s Course,” which annually provides more than 1,000 free rounds of golf for boys and girls under the age of 18. It also serves as the outdoor “gym” for Colorado Golf Association program partnerships with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Special Olympics of Colorado, Denver Boy Scouts as well as Aurora Veterans Home.

“The Kid’s Course is where it all happens,” notes CGA Director of Programs Erin Gangloff. “Whether it is a field trip, training caddies for the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy or hosting one of our many program partners, the Kid’s Course is at the heart of it.”

Built in conjunction with the CommonGround Golf Course renovation completed by Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design in 2009, the Kid’s Course was constructed with discarded materials and old irrigation supplies from the former Mira Vista Golf Course. With significant help in the form of a $175,000 grant from the USGA Grants and Fellowship Program (the largest ever awarded by the organization) the Kid’s Course has cemented the CGA’s primary mission in owning and operating a golf course—to provide affordable access to the game to those who would not otherwise have the opportunity.

CommonGround Kids Course

“I just love driving by the course and seeing kids out there,” CGA Executive Director Ed Mate says. “What a great billboard for golf and for the Colorado Golf Association, and what a great place to serve as the home of our Community and Wellness programs. We are very proud to engage non-profit groups in the community who want to use golf to enhance their organizational programming, and the Kid’s Course makes all that possible.”

The Kid’s Course is also home base for participants in the CGA’s Hale Irwin Elite Player Program. Comprised of some of the state’s top junior players, the program annually selects 10-14 boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18. After submitting a golf-centered cover letter, résumé, and grade report, the players are interviewed by the Hale Irwin Elite Player Committee—a process more rigorous than application to some colleges. Those selected then receive free access to the facilities at CommonGround and partake in monthly meetings throughout the year.

“Watching these young players set goals and embark on a journey to reach them is extremely rewarding,” Gangloff reflects. “When they reach a goal like Mary Weinstein did when she was crowned the 2016 CHSAA 5A Girls State Champion and the smile on her face makes you realize just how special this program really is.”

“When I met Meg Mallon during the 2013 Solheim Cup I asked her what was the most important skill young players needed to develop to achieve their full potential,” remembers Mate. “Without hesitation she said, ‘distance control inside of 100 yards.’ Well that is exactly what the Kid’s Course provides and that is where we encourage our Hale Irwin kids to spend the majority of their time.”

So the next time you find yourself at the corner of Havana and Alameda take note of the secret garden that’s a pitching wedge from Big Mike Naughton Ford and Kaiser Permanente. Better yet, stop in sometime—everyone is welcome, and you might find yourself paired with a future PGA or LPGA star!

For more information on the CGA Community and Wellness programs or the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, please contact Erin Gangloff at [email protected].

This article appears in the August 2016 issue of Colorado AvidGolfer. Subscribe today!

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Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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