[Mark Saltzman]

On a recent trip to Denver, GC at Bear Dance was recommended as one of the better public options in the city.  Overall, it is a fun but difficult cartball golf course.  While there are some very good holes on the golf course, there are also several snoozers. 

The par 4s are the highlight with a good variety of lengths, shapes and elevation changes, while the par 3s are the low-light, with not a memorable hole in the bunch (OK, maybe 17, but meh).  The par 5s are also quite good, though 18 is an uninspired finisher.  The course also suffers from a fairly boring set of greens with little undulation and dull shaping.





Hole 1






Hole 2






Hole 3






Hole 4








Hole 5










Hole 6






Hole 7




Hole 8








Hole 9

No tee shot photo - tee shot is straight up and you are basically just looking at a hill

[Mark Saltzman]

Hole 10




Hole 11








Hole 12




Hole 13









Hole 14








Hole 15










Hole 16 - damn that house really ruins the visual






Hole 17








Hole 18

[Doug_Feeney]

Thanks for the review Mark!  Almost played there this May but they got a foot of snow so had to change plans

[Derek Dirksen]

Thanks for the photos. 

[Howard Riefs]

Thanks for the photo tour.

[Doug Wright]

Mark,

I'm surprised at your comment about the greens at Bear Dance ("fairly boring set of greens with little undulation and dull shaping"). I haven't been to Bear Dance in awhile but the course has always been known for its difficult greens. They were deemed "over the top" when the course opened and many have been softened, but I don't recall that post-reworking they were boring and lacked undulation (eg. #11, #17). I think you've been spending too much time on some golf courses with radical greens  if you thought Bear Dance's were boring!

Regarding the dull shaping, FYI the course was "home grown," designed and built by the owners of the property, which may explain this.

I agree with you regarding #18, a poor finisher.

 

[Tim Leahy]

I have played there twice and the greens were very quick. Like the course alot. Great views of Pikes Peak.

[Mark Saltzman]

Doug,

It is possible that my opinion of the greens was tainted by recently played courses.  But, the greens were pretty slow the day I played.  As a result, green tilt (as opposed to contouring) will more easily go unnoticed.  For example, the first par 3 on the back, hole 12, has a pretty good cant left to right.  My playing partners said if you land the ball on the front left it would roll all the way down to the day's pin location right-centre.  Two of us landed there and the ball didn't move more than a couple of feet.  That slope I noticed because it was severe.  Less severe tilt went unnoticed.

So, there may be more movement in the greens than I give them credit for.

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