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| Rustic Perfection: Welcome to Colorado Golf Club--Home of Jet Lag Open II |
As I drove through the gates at the Colorado Golf Club, I
couldn’t help but gawk at the sheer massiveness of this property. As the road
winded through what are some truly magnificent homes constructed over-looking
the Coore-Crenshaw course, one gets a sense of true space when you realize that
this cozy little enclave covers more than 1,800 acres.
It’s big. It’s grand. And so was the driveway of the home that I pulled up into waiting to unload my bags when I realized that it wasn’t the Clubhouse. As I got back into my car and continued down the path towards the real clubhouse, the moment I just had was eerily symbolic of many of the Clubs developed during the latter-part of the previous decade. It represents a period where developers were making bold gambles in the belief that the game of golf and robust economy would continue down its explosive path of growth and would be forever-sustainable.
Following the crash of 2008, the Colorado Golf Club fought market conditions as it successfully hosted the 2010 US Senior PGA Championship. After the tournament, it soon became victim like many other fine clubs in the states of the economy and went through a transition of ownership.
With this fall came renewal. A stronger ownership group and a commitment to the Club’s health has Colorado Golf Club running to its next chapter. In 2013, the club will host the Solheim Cup, which will allow for the rest of the world to enjoy what is another masterful design by Coore Crenshaw.
As many readers enjoyed last year, LC was on its second annual Jet Lag Open. Its a one-day affair whereby great golf and architecture (and a little work mixed in) is followed by round trip flights in one single day. If you haven't made this type of crazy journey before, I recommend all golfers put this act of defiance on their list.
It’s big. It’s grand. And so was the driveway of the home that I pulled up into waiting to unload my bags when I realized that it wasn’t the Clubhouse. As I got back into my car and continued down the path towards the real clubhouse, the moment I just had was eerily symbolic of many of the Clubs developed during the latter-part of the previous decade. It represents a period where developers were making bold gambles in the belief that the game of golf and robust economy would continue down its explosive path of growth and would be forever-sustainable.
Following the crash of 2008, the Colorado Golf Club fought market conditions as it successfully hosted the 2010 US Senior PGA Championship. After the tournament, it soon became victim like many other fine clubs in the states of the economy and went through a transition of ownership.
With this fall came renewal. A stronger ownership group and a commitment to the Club’s health has Colorado Golf Club running to its next chapter. In 2013, the club will host the Solheim Cup, which will allow for the rest of the world to enjoy what is another masterful design by Coore Crenshaw.
As many readers enjoyed last year, LC was on its second annual Jet Lag Open. Its a one-day affair whereby great golf and architecture (and a little work mixed in) is followed by round trip flights in one single day. If you haven't made this type of crazy journey before, I recommend all golfers put this act of defiance on their list.
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| Split Fairways on the Par 5 16th |
It’s a HUGE property. The overall acreage offered at
Colorado Golf Club leaves the PGA and any future suitors with limitless options
for expansion to continue to improve strategy. The overall yardage from the
back shows 7,389, but the elevation will leave the guest from non-elevated
areas feeling as if they are playing at 6,800. Make no mistake—Coore and
Crenshaw didn’t draw up a little walk in the park. This lay-out demands
attention from the first tee to the 18th green. If you decide to
lose focus during the round or do not properly commit to one of the many
options presented by the architects, you will pay the price.
The course features all of the familiar sights and sounds of C&C’s designs including drivable par 4’s, horseshoe greens with a bunker stuck in the middle ala Sand Hills #8, plenty of strategic design elements, and a turf management program that is allowing the design to accept shots in the fashion that Coore-Crenshaw intended. Between the layout, the scenery, and the massive amounts of room exhibited throughout the acreage, Colorado Golf Club is a perfect venue for future tour events, and will undoubtedly provide an amazing match-play set-up given the final stretch of holes and the benefits of playing at elevation.
In looking back at my experience, the Club truly delivers a wonderful golf experience. Although the majority of the membership is local, the Club also has on-site guest cottages (ah hem….let’s call them homes!) on site that would make for the perfect setting with a group of guys on a trip. With that said, I really felt that the massive clubhouse which was built goes against the overall look and feel of the golf experience. Although the USGA/PGA demands facilities to cater for their events, I would have skipped the “mega clubhouse” with all of the unnecessary staff running around and rooms for a smaller, more pure setting that matches the intent.
Holes of Note:
Hole 2, Par 3 154 Yards
It immediately reminded me of the 2nd at Prairie Dunes. The green-site was discovered and shaped perfectly into a hill-site. Classic C&C bunkering along with a massive back-to-front complex makes this shot a stunner early into the round. Take one moment off in our swing and I guarantee you are staring at double.
Hole 4—Par 4, 428 yards
A blind tee shot over a sandy dune on the right hand side leaves the player with a forced carry over a canyon to an open green protected by a large bunker of the right and a shave down area on beyond. Once again, the overall shot value from 150 is spectacular, with recovery options limitless in creativity should you miss the green.
Hole 5—Par 4, 466 Yards
An absolute beast of a hole. A demanding tee shot into a prevalent south wind will leave the player with a long iron or hybrid into a green that is perfectly carved into a hillside and is properly protected by bunkering. Make par here and give yourself a MAJOR pat on the back.
Holes 8 & 14—Par 4’s, 311 & 329 yards
Both are drivable par 4’s and are absolutely the textbook example of C&C’s fundamental dominance in strategic design. These will be pivotal holes during the Solheim Cup and make for exciting television. The horseshoe bunker of the 14th with a bunker in the middle is a terrific option given the elevated tee and the salivating 329 yards.
There are at least 6 more holes such as the solid 16th with dual fairways and a fast/firm approach to a slanted green which were world-class. The Colorado Golf Club not only exceeds expectations for major events such as the Solheim Cup, but will provide its membership one of the better layouts that LC personally feels is superior for match play format.
The course features all of the familiar sights and sounds of C&C’s designs including drivable par 4’s, horseshoe greens with a bunker stuck in the middle ala Sand Hills #8, plenty of strategic design elements, and a turf management program that is allowing the design to accept shots in the fashion that Coore-Crenshaw intended. Between the layout, the scenery, and the massive amounts of room exhibited throughout the acreage, Colorado Golf Club is a perfect venue for future tour events, and will undoubtedly provide an amazing match-play set-up given the final stretch of holes and the benefits of playing at elevation.
In looking back at my experience, the Club truly delivers a wonderful golf experience. Although the majority of the membership is local, the Club also has on-site guest cottages (ah hem….let’s call them homes!) on site that would make for the perfect setting with a group of guys on a trip. With that said, I really felt that the massive clubhouse which was built goes against the overall look and feel of the golf experience. Although the USGA/PGA demands facilities to cater for their events, I would have skipped the “mega clubhouse” with all of the unnecessary staff running around and rooms for a smaller, more pure setting that matches the intent.
Holes of Note:
Hole 2, Par 3 154 Yards
It immediately reminded me of the 2nd at Prairie Dunes. The green-site was discovered and shaped perfectly into a hill-site. Classic C&C bunkering along with a massive back-to-front complex makes this shot a stunner early into the round. Take one moment off in our swing and I guarantee you are staring at double.
Hole 4—Par 4, 428 yards
A blind tee shot over a sandy dune on the right hand side leaves the player with a forced carry over a canyon to an open green protected by a large bunker of the right and a shave down area on beyond. Once again, the overall shot value from 150 is spectacular, with recovery options limitless in creativity should you miss the green.
Hole 5—Par 4, 466 Yards
An absolute beast of a hole. A demanding tee shot into a prevalent south wind will leave the player with a long iron or hybrid into a green that is perfectly carved into a hillside and is properly protected by bunkering. Make par here and give yourself a MAJOR pat on the back.
Holes 8 & 14—Par 4’s, 311 & 329 yards
Both are drivable par 4’s and are absolutely the textbook example of C&C’s fundamental dominance in strategic design. These will be pivotal holes during the Solheim Cup and make for exciting television. The horseshoe bunker of the 14th with a bunker in the middle is a terrific option given the elevated tee and the salivating 329 yards.
There are at least 6 more holes such as the solid 16th with dual fairways and a fast/firm approach to a slanted green which were world-class. The Colorado Golf Club not only exceeds expectations for major events such as the Solheim Cup, but will provide its membership one of the better layouts that LC personally feels is superior for match play format.
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