CLIENT FEATURE

Ranch and River Courses Keep Golf in the Forefront at Keystone Resort

For bookings call (888.697.0785) or visit www.keystoneresort.com

By David R. Holland and Shane Sharp,
TravelGolf.com Senior Writers

KEYSTONE, CO -- Poor, little ole golf. At a resort that boasts world class snow skiing, boating, rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, ice skating and fly fishing, going on Mark Twain's proverbial "good walk spoiled" could be the last thing on guests' minds.

That is, unless the resort in question is home to two award-winning championship courses designed by prodigal son Robert Trent Jones Jr. and the underrated architectural team of Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. Truth be told, Keystone Resort's Ranch and River Courses are so solid, so scenic, and so sought after by traveling golfers that they could easily be the singular purpose for a visit to this Rocky Mountain haven.

"A lot of our golf is driven by conferences and minigroups that are looking for a mountain resort with conference space and meeting opportunities on the greens," says Keystone Resort director of golf Steve Corneillier. "But we've become a popular golf getaway for those looking to loose the heat. Both courses peak at around 9340 feet of elevation, and our humidity runs between ten and 20 percent."

And both courses are more than worth the trek to this famous resort area located just an hour west of Denver in Summit County. Once a stagecoach station on an eastbound route into Denver, Keystone has blossomed into a world-class ski resort and a quaint, pedestrian friendly village that is the envy of city planners across the country.

The Ranch Course

The Ranch Course opened in 1980 to critical acclaim and remains one of the most highly decorated tracks in the state. The course's front nine is a high altitude version of a Scottish Links style course, winding its way through the high-meadows and sagebrush of a former Ute and Arapaho Indian Buffalo hunting ground. The back nine quickly morphs into a traditional Colorado mountain course, with awesome views of the Continental Divide, Buffalo Mountain and the Tenmile Range.

"The Ranch Course is a true test of traditional golf, and it is a test of shotmaking," Corneillier says. "The key to the Ranch Course is to be humble and pay attention to the shotmaking because there is some very strategic placement. It is narrow and there is not much room for error on the front nine. The back nine is much more forgiving, and you can attack the pins on most of the greens."