by Craig Lemley | Apr 22, 2020 | 19th Hole
Source: GCSAA
While the ‘Rona continues to wreak havoc on the entire planet, there are some bright spots (in the golf world, at least). Hope remains for a salvaged 2020 Tour schedule, including the Masters, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, and more and more states and municipalities are opening courses.
Interestingly enough, golf was one of the few *non-essential industries that never really came to a halt due to the pandemic. Up to 23 states had some kind of restrictions in place on courses — some allowing local municipalities and counties to decide, some forcing shutdowns statewide, and many others remaining open. As of Wednesday the majority of the country is open to play, with most of statewide closures concentrated east of the Mississippi. But the trend is shifting, thankfully.
Speculate all you want about the longterm impact on the game, it’s hard to know what we’re really in for. Right now all we know that it’s going to be different — you can already tell.
On the course, things feel almost the same. Almost. Hanging out with the crew is as good as always, but it’s weird not being able to share a bowl, a bottle, or even a cart together. Honestly it kind of feels like you’re a single that’s been paired with another group, even though they could be some of your best friends. I never considered a golf cart to be such an important social space until they took the keys away from us. You miss out on conversation, camaraderie and all the little stupid shit you take for granted. Really, without the social aspect provided by golf carts, it’ feels like a completely different game.
It’s also weird seeing packed parking lots but not being able to walk through a lively clubhouse to check-in, and depressing to see the starter shack shuttered on a Sunday morning, with no one around to ask about the pin locations — very ghost town-esque. We’re told we can’t show up any more than 10 minutes before our tee time — no range, no pro shop or anything else. The cups are modified so we don’t touch the flagsticks, scorecards are gone, etc, etc.. Basically, once you tee off it’s just you, your clubs, a ball, and the course. Call me cliche, but the simplicity of it all is pretty relaxing — something we all need a little more of right now. There’s also something about walking the course that makes the game feel more intimate. I’d never once walked CGB’s home course, King’s Deer Golf Club, before all of this, but fee like I know the layout even better now. You have A LOT more time to think about your game, course management and the highs and lows of it all between shots. It’s an experience all golfers should have in their lifetime (mandated or not).
All that said, we should be thankful we’re allowed to play at all. It’s a luxury many other hobbyists can’t enjoy. But there are, of course, things to consider before you head to you local club.
Make sure to call or check the course website before you book your time for specific restrictions and rules in place — things are changing daily so you want to make sure you have some idea of what to expect when you get there. If you’re new to walking, I’d highly recommend enlisting a lightweight golf bag with comfortable straps, or your own push cart to make the transition a bit easier. Viruses and bacteria can stick around on the surfaces of a golf cart for quite awhile, and the cost to disinfect each one after each round would be exponential, so it’s hard to bank on cart availability. Next, keep pace. It’ll never not be an issue in the game, but when everyone’s walking it’s all the more important. Play ready golf, we’re not on Tour here. On the flip side, be patient, aka don’t be a dick. That’s an easy one. Lastly, support your local courses and the staff. Frustrating as it may be, they’re trying their best in order for us to be able to keep playing. Take care of the course, order food and drinks to-go, buy gift cards and anything else you can do to support them, and do what they say so they can stay open.
I miss seeing the pro shop and restaurant staff and messing around with the cart barn guys. I miss the bev cart and golf carts — and I even somehow miss post-round handshakes. That will all come back, for now it’s long walks down the fairway, and just being outside with my friends that I look forward to most. I’m just glad to be playing once again and savoring the experience more than ever.
by Craig Lemley | Jul 1, 2019 | Destinations, Golf Courses, Reviews
TPC Colorado showcases everything Colorado Golf has to offer. (Photo by Jeff Kelly)
Less than a year since opening, the gorgeous TPC Colorado (2375 TPC Parkway, Berthoud) in northern Colorado is opening the door for the Centennial State to become a fixture for top-level competition once again. The state’s first from-scratch course development in 10 years is already making a name for itself as a premiere golf destination, and a worthy addition to the TPC network.
TPC Colorado covers nearly 8,000 yards of the picturesque landscape with stunning, sweeping views of Longs Peak, the front range and the gorgeous neighboring reservoirs. Though designed to be a long, challenging championship course for pros, Arthur Schaupeter Golf Course Architects have succeeded in creating a layout to be enjoyed by golfers of any level, with forward tees ranging from 4,000 to 7,600 yards in total. The course touts lush, undulating fairways winding their way along the shorelines to large green complexes guarded by strategically placed hazards. And with deep, stacked pot bunkers dotting the fescue-lined fairways, TPC Colorado definitely offers pros, members and guests a unique, mountain links-style challenge.
A sea of bunkers and natural hazard awaits to make the 773-yard par 5 even more difficult. (Photo by Jeff Kelly)
Nowhere is that challenge more evident than the longest par 5 — by far — on the course. Playing 773-yards from the tips, hole 13 is, well, intimidating to say the least. A wide-open landing area for your tee shot is really the only reprieve you’ll find until you reach the green. Safely off the tee, you’re pretty much guaranteed to “lay up” with your second, shorter players should favor the right side of the fairway to avoid a sea of bunkers and natural hazard inside the elbow of the doglegging fairway, but longer players can cut some of the corner back to the fairway for a shorter approach. Lying two, and a little more than halfway there, another targeted *long* approach is key to reach the green in regulation, avoiding another pot bunker greenside and thick downhill rough on the backside. Did I mentioned this is only the second hardest hole on the card? The title of hardest hole at TPC Colorado goes to the 624-yard par 5 at no.5. The long “S” shape fairway and a rash of deep, troublesome bunkers dictate your club selection and distance control from the get-go, leading to a slightly elevated triangle green.
Course conditions at TPC Colorado are everything you’d expect from a tour quality venue, meaning thick, troubling rough, perfect fairways and pure, fast greens. The deep, sod-stacked pot bunkers found on nearly every hole are as beautiful as they are difficult — and the perfect setting for a social media post — and the massive, crystal-clear waterscapes complete the feeling that this course is something special. The par 3 at no.8 comes straight from a golf fairytale, with manicured turf cutting through the trees on its way to the large green set in front of the reservoir. It’s only when you’re walking down that sliver of turf that you realize you’re all but surrounded by the crystal-clear waters of the lake. The large tress lining the hole grow straight out of the incredibly still water, creating an unworldly setting you can’t help but admire on your way to the green.
The picturesque par 3 at no.8 is nothing short of extraordinary. (Photo by Jeff Kelly)
Gorgeous par 3s are something of a theme at TPC Colorado, evidenced again at hole 16. The elevated tee boxes behind the clubhouse tower over an island green, set against the reservoir once again to provide the perfect backdrop to a memorable golf shot. But beware, unlike its no.8 counterpart, 16 hosts a little bit of trouble with natural hazard and pot bunkers catching anything short, and more sand and tall fescue forbidding anything long, leaving nothing but a small bailout short left of the green.
The importance of shot placement becomes more than evident at the no.4 tee box, the longest, most challenging par 4 on the card. Reachable fairway bunkers call for a left side play off the tee, which brings another massive left greenside bunker into play on your approach. A stretch of depressed natural hazard cuts the fairway in two, though it shouldn’t be a factor if you can get off the tee. Playing too safe to the right side of the green on your second shot will find the front slope of the huge green complex and makes for a troubling up and down.
Mastering TPC Colorado calls for navigating the numerous sod-stacked bunkers and undulating fairways. (Photo by Jeff Kelly)
Challenging as it is, players of *most* any level can find scores at TPC Colorado — or at the very least they’ll want to come back to get the scores they left out there. The short 370-yard par 4 at no.6 has sub-par written all over it, as long as you avoid the twin greenside pot bunkers and can navigate the sloped green. Look for more scoring opportunities at the par.3 no.8 and after the turn at no.10, no.14 and no.16 (see above), just to name a few.
TPC is a tour caliber course designed for anyone to play, from Monday to Sunday, and whether competing for a spot on the leaderboard or not. With an expansive, full service clubhouse — and future additions currently being built — a eatery and patio boasting unparalleled views of the norther Colorado landscape, and the overall quality that comes with the name, a day at TPC Colorado is really hard to beat.
TPC Colorado may be built for pros, but it has plenty to offer anyone lucky enough to play it. (Photo by Jeff Kelly)
Nearing its one-year anniversary, TPC Colorado is set to host its most important pro competition yet. The TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes brings the Korn Ferry Tour, formerly the Web.com and Nationwide tours, back to the state for the first time since 1997. 156 players will compete for the $600,000 purse and their future on the PGA Tour July 8 – 14, bringing all that Colorado golf has to offer back into the mainstream.
by Jeff Kelly | May 30, 2019 | Destinations, Golf Courses, Reviews
The Max is nothing close to your average municipal course.
When you hear Laredo, Texas, the last thing that comes to mind is great golf. But believe it or not, built on the bluffs over-looking the Rio Grande — just a pitching wedge away from Mexico — the Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course has everything you need for an unforgettable getaway to wait out the Colorado cold season.
“The Max” as locals call it, is a Robert Trent Jones II Signature Design. This great facility is one of only six RTJ II designs you can play in Texas, with others including notable properties such as Horseshoe Bay, Mill Creek and Las Colinas.
The Max is not your run-of-the-mill municipal golf course — flat and featureless with holes stacked next to one another. Instead, the course weaves its way through what seems an endless mesquite tree forest, often leaving you with a feeling of seclusion during your round, and plenty of shade. The natural soundtrack of the Texas borderlands surrounds the course, and the wind fanning through the trees provides a cool respite from the Texas sun!
The design takes advantage of the gentle, rolling terrain to create The Max’s one-of-a-kind character — appealing to the eye from tee to green. Large, flat green complexes provide plenty of chances at the dance, but the Bermuda greens are quick, and the subtle breaks prove plenty challenging. Overall, the course is exactly what you would expect to find at an expensive country club, with manicured fairways, greens rolling fast and true, and (somewhat) forgiving penalty areas.
The course is designed seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, calling for decisive shot planning.
Aside from the fantastic course conditions, The Max’s variety of holes demands players’ attention throughout the round. From beautifully framed par 3s to reachable par 5s and drivable par 4s, each hole provides a new and interesting challenge. The par 3 at no. 15 is a perfect example, with strategically placed trees obscuring your view of the the bunker-protected green. From the right angle, the twisted, ancient looking mesquites frame the flag perfectly, and add a an opportunity to get a little fancy with your ball flight — get your cameras ready.
The par 4 no.18 couldn’t be a better finishing hole. A wide open landing zone from the tee sets the stage for an interesting approach, the fairway shrinking to a sliver as it doglegs left around a vast natural hazard. Regardless of your tee shot distance a layup could be as risky as challenging the hazard and cutting the corner — two green side bunkers will make you second guess your approach, no matter where you’re playing from.
Hole 18 ensures you won’t forget your experience at The Max anytime soon.
After you finish the round, the great experience only continues. The Max’s new stunning clubhouse, a rustic adobe-inspired structure, fits seamlessly into the Texas landscape, as if it’s been there for decades. The main level is dedicated to the bar and Las Islitas Grill, dishing out delicious clubhouse favorites and chef specials before, during and after your round, and making it’s own mark on Laredo’s food scene. (See everything else Laredo has to offer here.) The upstairs event space, meanwhile, boasts the best views of the Rio Grande River in all of Laredo and the perfect place for weddings, corporate events and any type of private party you can think of. When the space isn’t booked, The Max hosts a variety of public events including yoga and live entertainment nights, making the most of one of the best overall venues in the city.
The Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course is truly a treasure for the people of the City of Laredo. The friendly staff, outstanding course design and conditions, delicious food with hearty portions and world class views to be expected from such a unique setting truly makes this place a worthy golf destination. The city cares about this municipal track and recognizes everything it brings to the community — as every muni course should — and it shows. The Max promises a unique, high caliber golf experience you may never have considered, and one you’re sure to remember.
by Jeff Kelly | Apr 4, 2019 | Golf Courses, Reviews
This list of awards and accolades for one of the newest courses in the state immediately sets this facility apart from nearly every other in Colorado:
#33 in Golfweek‘s Top 100 Modern Courses (2018)
#4 in Golfweek‘s Top 100 Residential Courses (2018)
#111 in Golf Digest‘s Top 200 Greatest Courses (2017-18)
2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship Host Site
2013 Solheim Cup Host Site
2010 Senior PGA Championship Host Site
Clubhouse of the Year – Golf Inc. Magazine (2013)
Best New Private Course – GOLF Magazine & Sports Illustrated (2007)
Colorado Golf Club‘s prestigious layout is routed through the rolling plains, ponderosa pines and rugged barrancas affording players amazing views of the Rocky Mountains. The duo of Coore/Crenshaw did a brilliant job designing this incredibly difficult test of golf, further bolstering their reputation as some of the best modern course designers in the game.
As far as service goes, Colorado Golf Club exceeds all expectations — every single club employee we encountered was helpful, friendly and invested in ensuring all of our needs were met during our visit. We were visitors to the facility and we were all treated as though we had been founding members of the club! The impression the staff made on all of us was a lasting and positive testament to how well the club is managed.
Colorado Golf Club stands as truly and elite Colorado golf facility. Colorado Golf Club is slowly climbing the list of enviable private club invites for those in the know.
Colorado Golf Club
Parker, CO
Designers: Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw
Opened for play in 2007
Private Golf Course
www.coloradogolfclub.com
Hole #12 Tee Shot – Broadmoor East Course
#12 tee shot
Hole #16 Tee Shot – Broadmoor East Course
#16 Tee shot
Hole #17 Tee Shot – Broadmoor East Course
#17 Tee shot
Hole #18 Approach Shot – Broadmoor East Course
#18 approach shot
by Jeff Kelly | Apr 4, 2019 | Golf Courses, Reviews
Just south of the ever spreading Denver sprawl sits one of Colorado’s most iconic golf courses:
Arrowhead Golf Club. The reason this course is where all of the golfing locals take their out-of-town guests is 300 million years in the making. You won’t find many courses anywhere in there world that is routed through looming red rock formations that stand in stark contrast to the green grass and the Colorado blue bird skies.
From the very first tee shot players will face extreme elevation changes, abundant wildlife, and thousands of feet of ancient red sandstone rocks towering majestically above the fairways. Arrowhead is one of the top-10 most photographed golf courses in the world, and has been voted the #1 public golf course in the Denver area, as well as one of America’s “Top 75 Public Courses” by Golf Digest.
Since its opening in 1972, the Robert Trent Jones Jr./Sr. design has been a course to brag about playing, and will continue that reputation for many years to come. Thankfully, Arrowhead remains fully accessible to the public, allowing anyone to share in the truly amazing golf experience. The unique design could easily have been hidden behind the veil of privacy reserved for only the wealthy, but that doesn’t mean the experience comes cheap. This one-of-a-kind golf experience is going to be on the high end of the daily fee scale but well worth the price of admission!
Arrowhead Golf Club
Littleton, CO
Designers: Robert Trent Jones Sr./Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Opened for play in 1972
Daily Fee Golf Course
www.arrowheadcolorado.com
