Denver area golf recommendations

[Tim Pitner]

Brent,

I doubt you'd tire of CommonGround.  If you must play an Engh course, I'd recommend Fossil Trace over Red Hawk Ridge.  Personally, I'd play Riverdale Dunes over those two in a heartbeat.  (And probably Heritage at Westmoor, Buffalo Run, Murphy Creek and maybe even Green Valley Ranch too). 

I can understand a desire to see something different.  You'll get that in an Engh course.  To me, it's funhouse golf.  I get my fill of it very quickly.

[Brent Hutto]

Tim,

For me it would be simply to have experienced Engh's "funhouse" style in person for once, having seen it discussed here for years.

[Tim Pitner]

Brent,

Understood.  Both FT and RHR are on far less than stellar sites.  Engh pulled out all the stops at FT--it doesn't really work for me, but the holes have more variety than at RHR. 

[Scott Sander]

Brent-

I have not seen CommonGround, but I adore Front Range golf in general.
On my next trip, I will absolutely play CommonGround.
But if this likely to be your only visit to that area soon or ever, I would think that doubling up anywhere would be a wasted opportunity.

At Murphy Creek, you can see one of the all-time great muni par 5's and face some really fascinating choices, particularly off the tee, throughout.
At Riverdale, you can try to identify, in a very interesting canvas overall, the individual brushstrokes of several -very- different craftsmen, including MR. DYE, mr. dye, and Mr. Doak.
At Green Valley Ranch, you can play "What would the guys on GCA say about that!?!
At Redhawk Ridge, you can play pinball with a golfball and have a ball.
At Fossil Trace, you can do the same while also laughing frequently.
At Fox Hollow, you can play 27 holes that serve as a Cliff's notes of the various styles modern architects have tried around Denver.
At Black Bear (Cabnterberry when I lived there), you can see fantastic use of natural arroyos and, to me, perhaps the best nearby embrace of the "scope" of the high skies and transitional terrain.
At Wellshire, you can pretend you actually see remaining traces of Donald Ross.
At South Suburban, you can play a course called South Suburban and think to yourself "Wow, that deserves a better name than South Suburban."

And there are several more with similarly distinct personalities.  
So if you are thinking CommonGround x2 so that you can really learn it and ruminate on it, GREAT!  
But if you are considering that just to make certain you don't pick a dud, I'd encourage you to take the risk instead.  There is a LOT of good public golf there.

-Scott

[Brad Tufts]

Doubling up at CommonGround would leave some fun stuff out.  CG is good and all, but like Wellshire it could exist in many cities all over the US.

I would try an Engh or two, as that's as close to "only in CO" as it gets in Denver.  Arrowhead works for this too, but it's the scenery that's great, not the course at all.Then Riverdale and Murphy Creek is a sort of toss-up to me.  Similar, flat, but interesting.

Play Fossil Trace to be near the mountains and try a fun/wild Engh experience....CommonGround, GCA-approved, near the city, can go to the nearby Air over the Rockies Museum before/after...and Murphy Creek for some prairie-ish golf, as half of CO is prairie!  Riverdale is prairie-ish too, so that would work.

[Brent Hutto]

Wow, you guys know a lot about Denver golf!

[John Kirk]

RIVERDALE DUNES
BEAR DANCE

+1 ^ 100000000

Though it looks very impressive, +1 ^ 100000000 = 1

The Math Police

[Rick Phelps]

Brad,

Quick answer to your Colorado Springs question... beyond Broadmoor, Country Club of Colorado is just down the hill below it. A mid-70's Pete Dye track that is very solid, although not exactly awe-inspiring.  It's private/resort, but access is likely not an issue.

Otherwise, Flying Horse, on the north side of town, is a much newer Weiskopf design that is also very good and nicely entertaining.

Finally, if you can get on it, the Eisenhower Blue (at the US Air Force Academy) is an RTJ design from the late 50's that is virtually untouched, if you are in to that vintage and style.

Rick

[Brad Tufts]

Thanks Rick...if I had guessed three, those might have been it!

I have heard Walking Stick is decent too...I visit Pueblo on business briefly each year.

[Rick Phelps]

I haven't seen Walking Stick in a long time, but "decent" would certainly fit. They replaced the irrigation system a few years ago, so I am guessing it would be in good condition.

[Tim Leahy]

I've played pretty much all the decent publics around Denver by now...still have not done Ridge @CPN or Bear Dance, so they are for the next trip I suppose.

Count me as an Engh-fun fan...I always think of it like many of the holes inspire a slow head shake and smile as opposed to slow head shake and a frown.   I played Red Hawk Ridge and Murphy Creek (not an Engh) for the first time on my last trip, and really enjoyed both, despite poor weather. 

I liked Fossil Trace even though it took 5 hours to play on a Wed. afternoon.  My only beef was that the green on the canyon (with the excavators up top) hole was too strange for the pin position they had that day.

Here's a question....after seeing all the Broadmoor courses, and Four Mile Ranch an hour south...what's next to play in CO Springs?

Beardance is my favorite near that area. Beautiful views and fun to play.

[HarryBrinkerhoffDoyleIV_aka_Barry]

Though it looks very impressive, +1 ^ 100000000 = 1

The Math Police

...

[Pete Blaisdell]

Murphy Creek is fun and the staff is great. You'll find new friends there.

We conducted the USGA Public Links Championship at Murphy a few years back and it was a great week .

I remember I had lost my USGA moneyclip  and called the pro shop at 7pm that night and told them . They found it on the floor just under my locker door and it was waiting for me the next morning. Just great people at Murphy Creek. Go play!! You'll enjoy it.