Colorado Golf Club – Played Summer 2024
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 8000 Preservation Trail, Parker, Colorado
- Year: 2007
- Original Architects: Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
- Additional Work By: Dave Axland & Todd Schoeder
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts & Caddies Available
Score Card Information:
- Championship: 7,647 yards, Par 72
- Championship/Black: 7,446 yards, Par 72
- Black: 7,300 yards, Par 72
- Black/Paintbrush: 7,095 yards, Par 72
- Paintbrush: 6,929 yards, Par 72
- Paintbrush/White: 6,507 yards, Par 72
- White: 6,228 yards, Par 72
- White/Wild: 5,534 yards, Par 72
- Wildflower: 5,187 yards, Par 72
Colorado Golf Club was my final stop on this trip. I was lucky enough to get selected to play in the No Laying Up Summer Festival. This allowed me to see some old friends and gave me the opportunity to make some new ones.
Colorado Golf Club was built in 2007 by the dynamic duo of Coore & Crenshaw. Since its inception, it has hosted the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, the 2013 Solheim Cup, and the 2019 US Mid-Amateur. The course is situated a little outside of Denver, playing at an average altitude of 6,100 feet. That’s a bit higher than the Mile High City.
I was taking in the day and enjoying the course, so I didn’t get a shot of every hole. Despite that, I think you’ll get a feel for the place. Let’s get into the tour of Colorado Golf Club.
Hole 1 – 623 yards – Par 5
The event was a shotgun, so this wasn’t our first hole. However, most players will see this downhill par five as the first hole. Don’t get too freaked out by the yardage; you have to remember that you’re at more than a mile of elevation. Make sure to stay out of the bunkers.
The greens were running fast and bouncing for our round.
Hole 2 – 128 yards – Par 3
Danger lurks all around the green on this short par three. The green has severe slopes. Long is dead here.
Hole 3 – 425 yards – Par 4
This was one of my favorite holes at Colorado Golf Club. The landing area is mostly blind, and the hole curves to the left before the vista opens up to the green.
Hole 4 – 435 yards – Par 4
On a day when the driver isn’t working, Colorado Golf Club is a beast. That was my predicament. This hole is a brute even when you’re playing well. It plays straightaway. On the approach shot, make sure not to miss to the left as the ball will run down the slope on that side.
Hole 6 – 205 yards – Par 3
This hole plays a bit more downhill than it looks. A draw fits the hole nicely. Be aware of the trees on the right, though, because they are in play if you drift that way.
Hole 7 – 539 yards – Par 5
The correct line on the tee shot is crucial on this dogleg right. A good drive can put you in a position to challenge the green that is fronted by a creek. The architects provide you with a little bailout area short and right of the putting surface.
Hole 8 – 287 yards – Par 4
This hole is a green light situation. It plays uphill and straight with a cool green, which we’ll get to in a moment.
I liked the way this bunker cuts into the green to provide some defense on the short par four. You can still make a good score from there, but it’s not an easy birdie.
Hole 9 – 427 yards – Par 4
I missed the tee shot here, but it plays uphill, and the landing area is blind. Once you crest the hill, this is your view on the approach shot. With the hill in front of the green, don’t come up short, or your ball will be rolling for a while.
Hole 11 – 174 yards – Par 3
The pin position here makes all the difference. Front locations give you a chance to attack, but the bunkers are there if you miss.
Hole 15 – 550 yards – Par 5
This is another blind tee shot on a hole that bends to the left. All kinds of options await you on your second shot. Keep the creek in mind when making your decision.
The photo below shows the severe downhill grade here.
Hole 16 – 527 yards – Par 5
This was our actual starting hole of the day. In the normal course of play, you have back-to-back par fives. The split fairway here gives you options. The right side is more direct, but narrower. The left provides a bigger target for the more conservative play.
Hole 17 – 177 yards – Par 3
As you can see, misses left and long are not suitable here. There is ample room on the right, and a draw should run out towards any left pin positions.
Hole 18 – 418 yards – Par 4
The finishing hole plays tough up the hill with a generous fairway. Be careful if you cheat left with your drive because the bunkers over there are no joke.
Take a look at all the slopes on this green in the next two photos.
That’s it for the main golf course, but Colorado Golf Club also has a short course. It features a lot of pitch shots and short iron shots to some wild greens, as seen below.
There’s something about playing golf in the Rockies. The vistas are incredible and the scale is quite large. Coore and Crenshaw managed to blend toughness and fun at Colorado Golf Club to make a course that will keep you engaged from start to finish.