I'm back...
Welcome Colorado Mtn Golf.com,
BillV/Redanman has given you a pretty comprehensive view of many courses in the Colorado mountains. I will give you my own, which in some cases diverge somewhat from Bill's. Also, as mentioned above I'm curious where you're drawing the line--The Broadmoor really isn't "mountain golf" in my view. If you include it you gotta include a lot of other front range/foothills courses, which I don't think is your MO. But since you asked I'll review the Broadmoor.
Broadmoor East and West: These courses must be reivewed together, because they both feature 9 holes by Ross and 9 holes by RTJ (they split up the original Ross course when they added the RTJ holes). East is located on the lower, flatter land and has a more classic look and feel. The Ross holes are great, even though they've been redesigned some and the course routing has been changed over the years. The RTJ holes on the East don't measure up. For the most part they're bland and lack the strategic interest and bunkering of the Ross holes. I really like the West more than the East in some ways and not in others. The West is harder IMO, with some very solid par 4s (eg #6, one of the hardest holes I've ever played--460 uphill dogleg to a very severe green) and more mountain type holes. The challenge at the Broadmoor is the greens, which have severe "mountain break" (big time grain/break away from the mtns) requiring local knowledge, much like Bermuda in Hawaii. They can be extremely difficult when fast, and due to their slope they are always difficult.
Broadmoor South (now the Mountain Course) is a Palmer/Seay fiasco. One of those courses that should never have been built. The terrain is not conducive to a golf course (at least not THIS one), with ravines running through many (too many) holes. If iron layups to fairways with flags denoting landing areas are your bag, you'll love this course; otherwise, this is a DNP--do not play.
Moving to more traditional mountain courses:
Breckenridge is one of my favourite courses, mountain or elsewhere. Nicklaus's first--if not only--public muny course has it all. A great routing with variety through woods, open areas and wetlands in a terrific setting. Holes that move both ways, which is unusual for the fade-happy Jack. Par 5s and par 3s of different length and style. The only problem is that what once was an idyllic round has become a round through housing--what's up with that?
Keystone Ranch. RTJ II. I was quite disappointed with this course, which I haven't played in years. Knowing what I know now, I'd feel even worse about it. Just a lot of very boring holes on what is an ideal setting for a spectacular golf course. Any one of us on this site could do a better job with this property than what's there, guaranteed.
Hurdzan's River Course at Keystone opened last year. I've not played it; mixed reviews from those who have whose opinion I value.
In Vail, the Vail Municipal course is strictly for those who have nothing better to do. Not much excitement, with a lot of straightaway holes or doglegs that are only straightaway holes at an angle.
For some reason I prefer RTJ II's Beaver Creek GC to his Keystone Ranch effort. It plays severely downhill through a valley for 7 holes, across the valley for three holes, and then up the valley for the remaining 8 holes. Maybe I appreciate that RTJ II didn't have much golf land to work with here, and made the most of what he had. It's resort golf, for sure, so don't play it expecting "Championship golf," but I found it sporty primarily due to the greensites and contours of some of the greens, like the 10th and 16th.
Eagle -Vail, like Broadmoor South, is DNP for me. Condos encroach on many of the holes, and it is totally schizoid in design. Maybe one or two holes worth playing, but don't waste your time.
Sonnenalp, formerly Singletree, site of the 2001 Colo Open, is an OK Morrish-Cupp design. I like several holes on the front side, including the short par 4 4th and the 8th, which has fairway bunkering that can require choices. In many ways, this course, like RTJ II's Keystone Ranch, smacks of what I call "80's nice design," by which I mean it has some features like green contouring or bunkering that are interesting and well done on some holes but they are not sustained throughout the course (for those in Cali, I'd categorize Half Moon Bay Ocean as of 1995 like this). It's the kind of course that I suspect is not bad playing once in awhile, but you'd grow tired of playing regularly.
Country Club of the Rockies. Jack Nicklaus on streroids. Probably one of the most over the top Nicklaus designs, with huge artificial mounding and artificial contours on the greens. A couple of nice holes along the Eagle River, but unless your into sado masochism or are Jack himself, not a lot of fun to play. The good news is it's nearly impossible to get on.
Cordillera Mountain. I'd not played this course until 2001. Hale Irwin design credit, and I gotta say I was really disappointed. Had heard a lot of hype that this was the quintessential mountain course. I expected and had heard that the elevation changes were WOWs here. Not really. I thought it was boring, predictable and not really much fun. Would I pay $250+ to play this course? No way. I'd like to see what a Jim Engh could do wiith this site.
Cordillera Valley. Tom Fazio. BillV/Redanman's review above is quite negative re this course. I didn't find it quite so bad, and agree that #2 a par 4 to a very nice green perched on a hillock is the best of the course. There is a lot of "framing," but I liked several of the shortish holes, like the par 4 7th and 9th, and the par 4 5th is very fine hole with a great green perched above a stream. I was less impressed with the backside, where there some long cart drives that could (should?) have been golf holes. And the 18th is just a bad finishing hole.
The Nicklaus Signature Cordillera Summit Course opened in late 2001. I'm sure it will be a candidate on beauty alone for GD best new upscale public in 2002. Matt Ward (if he comes out this way) and I hope to play it this year unless the Cordillera folks read the foregoing and ban me from the premises...
Aspen Municipal. See Vail Municipal.
Snowmass Golf Club. Thankfully NLE. Jim Engh is totally redoing the course. I think it reopens in 2003.
There are many others in the Colo mountains that I could cover, like The World's Highest Golf Course (Mt. Massive in Leadville) and the quirky Fox Acres in Red Feather Lakes (which has an exact replica of the 14th green at Augusta National--what a totally cool treat to play!), but I'm outta gas. I'm happy to tell you more if you want to mail me.
All The Best,