[Brent Hutto]

So let's say I found myself in Denver, CO with two days to kill. The days of November 7 and 8, to be exact. What are the odds of golfable weather that time of year? By "golfable" I mean temps above freezing, no snow on the ground and golf courses open. If it's less than 50/50 there's no use fighting the airline hassles and surcharges to schlep golf clubs. Actually, with the situation nowadays for a single round I'd rather try to find some lefty rentals anyway.

Second question, how far from downtown Denver (the Hyatt Regency city center) do you have to travel to find a decent golf course? Not necessarily a course of architectural distinction but just some place worth its green fee. Hey, while I'm dreaming maybe even one that will let me walk. We're not going to have a rental car but I suppose I can rent one for a day just to go play golf. But I'm not up for any 100-mile each way day trips.

[astavrides]

Occasionally there is  a snowstorm that time of year, but barring that, the weather will be fine for golf.  Try weather.com if you want to know the averae temperature at that time of year.

There are quite a few good, reasonably priced courses within a 30 minute drive of downtown.
There have been multiple threads which discuss them.

[Brent Hutto]

Murphy Creek has been mentioned as perhaps better than some other publics in the area. Looking at a map there are several courses closer to downtown. Is Murphy Creek worth a little extra travel time?

I think I'll call them regarding (lefty) rental club availability. This sounds like the kind of trip where it's worth trying to play golf, weather allowing, but perhaps not worth the airline golf club hassles.

There's also the Riverdale courses north of town. Once again a fair drive from city center but apparently there are two courses there. It seems the "Dunes" is the one worth playing.

[Kirk Gill]

Brent, the weather that time of the year is unpredictable. It typically snows on Halloween (for some unknown reason) but by the dates you mention it could be anywhere between snow and 75 degrees and sunny. You said that you're looking to rent clubs, so at least you won't be on the  hook for shipping those around.

The public offerings near downtown are spotty, from an architectural perspective. There are the Denver municipal courses which I grew up playing - only Wellshire (Ross) has a high-end pedigree, but others would be better able to speak to what of Ross is still there on the ground (see thread referenced below).

The other munis might not appeal to anyone who has traveled the world and played the world's finest golf courses, however without knowing your interests, it's  hard to say.  The Tom Doak team's re-do of the old Mira Vista course, now called CommonGrounds, is not slated to open until next spring, although the pictures on the CGA site are looking good: 

http://www.commongroundgc.blogspot.com/

Once you get out to the 'burbs, then Murphy Creek, Riverdale Dunes, Buffalo Run, Fossil Trace, and others come into play, but are more of a drive.

Here's a fairly recent thread on this very subject:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,34428.0.html

Obviously, if private courses are in your wheelhouse, there are several that are close to downtown, particularly Denver Country Club, a wonderful, under-appreciated course and club.

[Jay Flemma]

My best guess is hit or miss...it depends.

Brent, how cold can you take it?  I had to wear fleece and a light long sleeve sweater in a snowstorm last labor day...and the two days later it was shirt sleeves, but november is a different matter altogether.

I'd say give it a shot...but be prepared for extreme cold.

Second question...not far at all.  mere minutes.  play fossil trace or red hawk ridge, Pradera if you can get on it.

[Brent Hutto]

I'm fine at 40F and breezy but it has to be pretty much dead calm for me to play in, say, 35-36F. And if we're talking 20mph+ winds it probably needs to be over 40F to be comfortable. But generally I play most any time the ground isn't frozen unless it's also raining or the wind is howling. So in South Carolina I only miss 2-3 weekends in a typical winter.

FWIW I played the Ocean Course for the first time in 36-38F, 10-15mph breeze and steady rain, heavy at times. And had a blast! But I had a caddy that day and that helps a lot. It was kinda cool being the only person to play the course that day...

[Tim Pitner]

Brett,

Your chances of playing golf in Denver in early November are very good, over 50%.  With that said, we usually get at least one big snowstorm in September/October so you never know.  I'd guess average temperatures for that time of year are near 50. 

IMO, Riverdale Dunes is the best public course in the Denver area and the best time to play it might just be in the late fall/early winter.   

[Brent Hutto]

The more I've read through searched-up Denver threads here it seems Riverdale Dunes would be the best combination of easy access, inexpensive and worth seeing. Murphy Creek is another good choice.

It's possible I may at least look into the private side and see where I might be able to play via a call from my club's professional and a polite request. But I must say, on these tag-along trips with the wife it's kind of nice to stick to the public/resort side and just make it a simple retail transaction with little-to-no up front arrangement making.

[John Kavanaugh]

Brent,

Since I peg you as an intellectual, in a good way, I would suggest that the drive to Ballyneal is worth the effort with no more that a request to walk the course.  Snow or no it is going to be a treat well worth 4 hours in a car.

[Jay Flemma]

Barney, that was a SUPERB idea...worst case scenario he had a long drive back and forth...

[Joey Smith]

If you can gain access, Colorado Golf Club (C & C) is worth the effort. 

Murphy Creek is fun,  needs wind to show its teeth.

Ballyneal is worth the drive...

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