Grand County, CO - Headwaters Golf Club

[Jason Hines]

I recently learned that I will be spending a lot more time in Grand County, CO.  Has anyone played or heard much of a Headwaters Golf Club designed by Michael Asmundson?  I played Pole Creek down the road a long time ago and I know there are a couple more courses in the area.

They have a website, but not much detail.  Just curious if anyone else had played Headwaters or any other course designed by Asmundson.

Jason

[Adam Clayman]

Jason, Can't be of any help to you on Headwaters. But I did find this Ron Whitten article on Haggin Oaks. A supposed Mackenzie(Ron prefers the lower case) that included some interesting tidbits that might help with a discussion of CPC penultimate and home holes,

What he did notice on the old Sacramento Muny plans was that Mackenzie took pains to identify a number of grand old oak trees that he wanted to preserve. Those trees are still in existence today, but when Asmundson first visited in 1999, he could hardly find them. Over the years, so many eucalyptus and beefwood trees had been planted (many as the result of a tree-planting campaign) that they obscured the old oaks, and in some cases, were choking them out. In accordance with Asmundson's plan, hundreds of trees were removed in order to highlight the massive umbrella oaks and to get more air and sunlight to tees and greens.

Only six holes follow corridors from Mackenzie's original design. They include the fifth, sixth and seventh, over and along Arcade Creek. Curiously, these holes bear remarkable similarity to holes at Ohio State University's Scarlet Course, another course Mackenzie didn't design. (Well, he did do a plan for Ohio State before his death in 1934, but construction didn't start until five years later.) The similarity is probably sheer coincidence.

There are any number of very fine holes at Haggin Oaks, but the most dramatic is undoubtedly the 631-yard par-5 11th, headed north along the western boundary. Directly in front of the green is a cluster of squat cork oaks. The fairway branches into two small avenues around them. To reach the green, you either go left, right or over the stand of trees. It's a novel hole with novel strategy, and I'm sure many who play it will shake their heads and think, "Wow! What an architect that Mackenzie was." But it's not a Mackenzie hole. It's a Mike Asmundson original. And he'll never get credit for it.

[astavrides]

I liked Grand Elk (Tripp Davis with Stadler).  Nice conditioning, and firm and fast when I played it.  

Grand Elk is literally across the road from Headwaters.  I visited Headwaters, but didnt play it.  It is in a beautiful setting, but I can't say anything either way for the design.  Supposedly, Nicklaus is going to redesign one of the nines.  Can't remember exactly why, but it had something to do with routing and walkability.

[Tim Leahy]

I also played Pole Creek, and heard about the Stadler course down the road. Pole Creek also has 27 holes, don't know if it did when you played it.
I live in Sacramento and don't believe what you read about Haggin, it is Mac in name only and the eleventh is the worst new hole added. The grove doesn't come into play and due to the bad position of the green is just a head scratcher as to why it's even there. Bad course except for the club house snack bar which contains memorabilia from Mac and history of Sacto golf.

[Jason Hines]

Thanks Guys,

I have heard the course is laid out on nice rolling terrain, interesting about a Nicklaus redesign.  I will get to see the place in a couple of weeks, but it will be buried in snow.

Thanks,

Jason