With prophetic accuracy, the worlds of The good Doctor (and others) collided with Joe Kennedy's realization that the next wave of wealth would be created by those in government.
Just outside of Colorado Springs, Antler Creek, a Rick Phelps design is scheduled to open July 1, of this year. Sitting at 7000 ft of elevation this 8100 yard project, is the model for when architects should triple their fee.
When we turned onto the access road, Rick explained the road seperated two different housing projects that were collaborating on the golf course to help sell some of the
already built 300+ homes. The biggest obstacle for Mr. Phelps was the logistics in getting the two enities face 2 face. Geographically seperated by half the continent, getting everyone "on board" was difficult, to say the least.
The site is relatively flat and every natural feature was used to great effect. Mostly Washes and native areas create the angular width and deception Rick prefers. At 645 yds, the first is a an interesting, if not intimidating, introduction.
Starting out where Black Mesa left off, the first tee shot is played to an angleing fairway, from short left to long right.
Waste bunker guards the left while the wash runs along the entire right.
The greens are mostly "moderate", as Rick puts it, with a few exceptions. Varying in size and shape, placement of one's shot, in the fairway, is crucial to not only ease the nexts shot demand, but also just to get a view of the putting surface. Rick rewards those who choose to venture towards the blind, is a vey cool design element. IMO
Holes of note were the 510 yard par 4 3rd. and the 435 yd. 12th. The home hole is another mind bogler, with a split fairway, tempting the big hitter to challenge the leftside, which also houses the arroyo.
The difference between this course and many of the housing courses I have seen is the recoverability aspect.
If one should find themselves victims of the ever present wind, or just an errant shot, the native grasses are sparse
and the corse sand (everywhere) works well for all forms of recovery.
Having golf Devils Thumb, Rick's ability to create "new" art, is a credit not only to him, but his entire family.
p.s. The engineers went nuts with red rocks trying to shore up the areas where water could erode the course. I think they used the milenium flood model.
