Adam,
I am a superintendent in Colorado. My course is fairly new, having opened in 2002. I have been here since the construction. The course is a Tripp Davis design, and he did a great job with a relatively restricted site.
A couple of things we've been working on to enhance playability:
1. We've changed a lot of fairway mowing lines, bringing fairways right into bunkers, bringing bunkers into play, making golfers really think about their tee shots, as well as approaches. Some of these new fairway areas have created entirely new angles of approach into some greens, angles that were not there when those areas were thick rough.
2. We've begun phasing into an organic approach to fertility and cultivation. We've reduced fertilizer and pesticide inputs dramatically, as well as reduced the amount of irrigation we put on the turf. We have a much more aggressive thatch removal and topdressing program, leading to healthier overall turf, as well as firm and smooth conditions.
3. The above has begun a transition into an overall fast and firm maintenance program. Areas that have been over irrigated in the past have been identified, and addressed through adjusting of the irrigation scheduling. We've been much more tolerant of brown spots on the course (although our members are still trying to grasp this concept) rather than just trying to keep everything emerald green.
The above changes have really brought out the architectural features throughout the course. It's not a long course, only 7k at 8000 feet, so its defense is bunkering and strategy around the greens. These features have been enhanced by the fairway changes and the firmness of the course. We plan to keep moving in this direction, and I'm not quite sure at what point I'll be entirely satisfied with the process, but it sure has been a lot of fun to do.
JS,
Dairy Creek, I'm assuming you're a Poly grad? I grew up in SLO, both my parents and my sister are Poly grads, however, I'm not, having moved to CO just out of high school.