Colorado Golf

[Bill_McBride]

If one were going to be spending a weekend playing golf at Ballyneal next summer, flying into and out of Denver International, what would the treehouse recommend as the best accessible, affordable golf not far off that route?

I've already been to The Broadmoor so don't want to get off the main highway very far.

Thanks for suggestions.  Yes, Common Ground is indeed interesting!

[Brad Tufts]

Hi Bill,

You no doubt will get alot of good info, as there is a great CO, and pro-CO contingent here.

After spending 3 weeks in Denver over the past three years, I feel as though I have a decent perspective.

As you know, there is little outside of Denver to the Northeast along 70 towards Ballyneal.

So, you need something near the airport or in greater Denver.  I played CommonGround last September (holy crap it was cold...and it was 75 in 9/08 for shit's sake).  It was really cool.  I'm looking forward to trying it again in 9/10.  You will not remember many vistas or be hit over the head with architecture, but it is solid and wide.  There are a few other publics in Denver that are also worth seeing, but I have yet to give them a shot.  I plan next September to hit Riverdale Dunes, Murphy Creek, and a couple others.

If access isn't an issue, I would heartily recommend both Colorado Golf Club or Pradera down in Parker, about 20 mins south of the city.

I felt I had to respond considering the Avery Brewing Company (Ft. Collins, CO) "Keiser" beer I am drinking right now during the Bruins-Leafs tilt....if you find this beer in a store, buy immediately!!

[Bill_McBride]

Hi Bill,

You no doubt will get alot of good info, as there is a great CO, and pro-CO contingent here.

After spending 3 weeks in Denver over the past three years, I feel as though I have a decent perspective.

As you know, there is little outside of Denver to the Northeast along 70 towards Ballyneal.

So, you need something near the airport or in greater Denver.  I played CommonGround last September (holy crap it was cold...and it was 75 in 9/08 for shit's sake).  It was really cool.  I'm looking forward to trying it again in 9/10.  You will not remember many vistas or be hit over the head with architecture, but it is solid and wide.  There are a few other publics in Denver that are also worth seeing, but I have yet to give them a shot.  I plan next September to hit Riverdale Dunes, Murphy Creek, and a couple others.

If access isn't an issue, I would heartily recommend both Colorado Golf Club or Pradera down in Parker, about 20 mins south of the city.

I felt I had to respond considering the Avery Brewing Company (Ft. Collins, CO) "Keiser" beer I am drinking right now during the Bruins-Leafs tilt....if you find this beer in a store, buy immediately!!

Thanks, Brad, I'm looking forward to hearing from those CO guys.

So Keiser is better than Coors?   

[Kalen Braley]

Bill,

You access whore!!!   

Murphy Creek is definitly worth a play in my book and isn't too far off the beaten path...East of Denver.  Has some really fun holes even though the back 9 is a little spoiled with all the housing.

[Adam Clayman]

Bill, In Sterling, about an hour west of Ballyneal, there's Pawnee Pines. Formerly the Sterling CC.
It may not win any architectural awards, but, it's on great ground with plenty of quirk to make it fun, if not challenging. I mention it because of the parameters of your query. Easy access from the route you'll take. Our Scott Szabo is/was a long time member. The course gets tons of tradition points having held the only real amateur competitions in the region for many years. I think it dates back to 1918, maybe '28.

[Jay Flemma]

Fly into Denver and play a couple Engh courses.

[Paul Jones]

I felt I had to respond considering the Avery Brewing Company (Ft. Collins, CO) "Keiser" beer I am drinking right now during the Bruins-Leafs tilt....if you find this beer in a store, buy immediately!!

Blue Moon is still my favorite !!!!

[Bill_McBride]

Fly into Denver and play a couple Engh courses.

Where?  Which ones?

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

You access whore!!!   

Murphy Creek is definitly worth a play in my book and isn't too far off the beaten path...East of Denver.  Has some really fun holes even though the back 9 is a little spoiled with all the housing.

Please refer to the "accessible and affordable" language in my initial post.  Which words did you not understand?   

[Tim Pitner]

Bill,

Reasonably close to DIA, I would recommend CommonGround (I couldn't tell if you've played it already or are just familiar with it) and Riverdale Dunes, in that order.  They're clearly the top 2 choices, in my view.  Riverdale Dunes was my favorite public in Denver for many years until CommonGround was built--I really enjoy CG.  

For something different (more mountain-like golf), I would recommend Bear Dance, but it is located south of Denver on I-25 about halfway to Colorado Springs.  It is a little pricey in peak season.  

I'm not that high on Mr. Engh's work, but if you want to sample it, the public options are Fossil Trace in Golden and Red Hawk Ridge in Castle Rock.  Fossil Trace is the choice there.  Logistically, both of these courses are a little out of your way--Golden is west (though not too far) and Castle Rock is south (not as far as Bear Dance).  

[Jason McNamara]

Bill -

If you really want the cheapest and most convenient, the one I have seen discussed on here that would be right on your way is Buffalo Run.  http://www.buffalorungolfcourse.com/  (K. Foster)

Riverdale - Dunes is only a couple miles off the track, but does not get a direct link from me, due to unnecessarily loud and stupid sound effects on the home page.  

(Aside to the owners/operators at Riverdale:  Please note that everyone checking your site at work just got a really obnoxious loud noise flung at them.  Please go yell at your web designers, and tell them to not make your home page sound like the set of the original Star Trek.)

[Kyle Henderson]

Murphy Creek (Ken Kavanaugh) is very convenient to the Denver Airport and a worthy track.

[Greg Chambers]

Bill,

I had the opportunity to play CommonGround this fall, and it really is worth taking a look at.  I thought it may be a little over-hyped here due to the fact that it's a Doak, but it surpassed my expectations.  The old course there was the first course I worked at when I broke into the business, and it was cool to see how the land was transformed into something really great.  Out near the airport is a public that doesn't get a lot of mention here-Green Valley Ranch.  It's a solid layout (Perry Dye) and is really fun to play.  It's not as great now with the housing around it, but it's still good.  I'm a little biased on that one as I was part of the construction team that built and grew it in.  It is very reasonably priced.  I would skip Buffalo Run, it's pretty boring and the last time I was there the staff was just downright rude.  Riverdale is good, but it tends to play on the soft side and it is definately a track that deserves to be fast and firm.  Another that doesn't get much publicity here that I think is a very fun and solid layout is Omni Interlocken (Graham-Panks) in Broomfield.  They have 27 and the Sunshine and Vista nines are really good.  It's a little higher priced I believe than the others (though I wouldn't know since I have a pass to play due to being on the grow-in team of that one as well ) but it is worth taking a look at.

[Jay Flemma]

Fly into Denver and play a couple Engh courses.

Where?  Which ones?

Play Pradera, (in fact, walk it), Fossil Trace, (to see the fossil monuments), and Red Hawk Ridge.  Maybe go check out Harmony Club if you get a chance.

[Scott Szabo]

Fly into Denver and play a couple Engh courses.

Where?  Which ones?

Bill,

Engh has a new course a few minutes southeast of Fort Collins called the Harmony Club.  It's the only course of his I've played but I did enjoy it quite a bit.  It is private but if you'd like to give it a try PM me and I'll try and get that set up for you.

Also, as Adam mentioned, you will go through Sterling on your way to Ballyneal, and I'd be happy to show you around.

There are numerous quality public layouts in the Denver area - many have been mentioned alread.

Scott

[Bill_McBride]

Thanks, all.  This is greatly helpful.  Lots ol good options in the area!

I'm curious about how tough it is to get a tee time at Common Ground.

[Matt_Ward]

Bill:

CG is not that hard to access -- either from DIA or from a tee time perspective. You should include it for no other reason than it's that nearby to the airport.

In regards to other comments -- if you can access the Parker area and have a few contacts -- be sure to play Pradera and Colorado Golf Club.

If you only have public access issues -- then a round at Bear Dance -- in Larkspur about 45 minutes south of CG is well worth a play.

Closer to Denver you have Riverdale Dunes, Murphy Creek and a host of others.

On the Engh side of things -- Harmony is a good choice but it's private and in Windsor near Ft Collins -- if you need a public option in the area try Highland Meadows -- well done by Art Schaupeter and gets little attention here.

[Jerry Kluger]

Bill: Those other courses are very cool and a lot of them are an hour in the opposite direction so if you are willing to go that far, you might as well go a little further.  Get on 76 and then 80 and go past Holyoke and on to Goethenburg to play Wild Horse - it's another 2 hours but who cares - it's worth the effort. 

[Adam Clayman]

Bill, If you have not been to Wild Horse, Jerry's suggestion is by far the best. It is the best value in the counrtry if you like to play the U.S. version of links golf. You might want to see it ahead of Ballyneal because afterwards might lead to links envy, and not accentuate the design elements compared to Holyoke. The logistics are not horrible, (Wild Horse to Ballyneal 2.5 hrs.) but if you are pressed for time.... Make more!

[Mike Policano]

Bill, if you have a few days, then Common Ground and WH are great additions to a trip to BN.  But if you only have a weekend, play CG on the way to BN and then stay at BN for the duration.  WH may be too much driving for a weekend trip.  BN won't disappoint. 

Cheers, Mike

[Bill_McBride]

Bill, if you have a few days, then Common Ground and WH are great additions to a trip to BN.  But if you only have a weekend, play CG on the way to BN and then stay at BN for the duration.  WH may be too much driving for a weekend trip.  BN won't disappoint. 

Cheers, Mike

Mike, my thoughts as well.  I am thinking Common Ground or Murphy Creek on arrival, but turns out my flight can't arrive earlier than 1:15 so it's probably moot anyway.

How you been?  That was a great weekend at Mountain Lake!

[Doug Wright]

Bill,

If you were hankering to play upon arrival, Riverdale Dunes is the best bet--only 15-20 minutes from the airport and very close to I-76, which will take you to Holyoke. However, if you haven't been to Ballyneal, my suggestion would be to head straight there and play some holes there before dinner etc. It's worth it. 

[Brad Swanson]

I would be hard pressed to turn down the double-Doak of Common Ground and Ballyneal (though Riverdale Dunes has a fair bit of Doak as well).  CG is pretty easy to access from the airport, its just in the wrong direction if you are heading to Holyoke.

Brad

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

If you were hankering to play upon arrival, Riverdale Dunes is the best bet--only 15-20 minutes from the airport and very close to I-76, which will take you to Holyoke. However, if you haven't been to Ballyneal, my suggestion would be to head straight there and play some holes there before dinner etc. It's worth it. 

Looking at the flight schedules from here to Denver, nothing arrives before 1:16, that looks like the best plan.  Thanks.

[cary lichtenstein]

The Engh courses to play are:

Sanctuary
Lakota Canyon
Redlands Mesa