FEATURE STORY
On the road in Colorado: Downhill glory, towering drives highlight ski town golf venues
By David R. Holland,
Senior Writer
VAIL, Colo. (July 14, 2003) -- There are scant opportunities today in the 21st Century to drive through a city or town anywhere in the world and have an opportunity to meet its first resident.
But anyone who knows Dick Hauserman, 87, can make that statement about Vail, the center of one the best ski resort areas on the planet.
Hauserman is one of the founding fathers of Vail. On Jan. 9, 1960, when Pete Seibert gathered a group of nine initial investors for the first board of directors meeting -- a ski dynasty was formed. The dream ultimately became Vail Resorts Inc., America's largest ski company.
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"I was a recreational skier," said Hauserman, a marketing executive who moved to Vail from Cleveland, "but first and foremost I was a golfer."
The Hauserman Building was the first in town -- home to Vail's first ski shop. In that initial year of construction he faced muddy roads in the spring and no television.
Vail was so much in the boondocks that the early settlers, many hardcore sports fans, had to drive all the way to Glenwood Springs to see the NFL games. Some even climbed the ski mountain with antenna, TV and generator to search for reception.
With his golf background, Hauserman didn't waste time letting the board know that they needed to think about summers.
In 1963 Robert Trent Jones and son Robert II made a
visit, followed by Press Maxwell of Dallas, but it is
Ben Krueger, who got credit as architect of what is
today's Vail Golf Club, the first of the ski town golf
courses in the Vail Valley. It opened in 1966 and
Hauserman, Siebert and Rod Slifer all contributed to
the design.
"Also, few people today realize that in the summer of 1968 there was the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy located in what is now EagleVail. It drew more than 500 boys between the ages of 12 and 17," said Hauserman.
Palmer said it was five years ahead of its time. It didn't last.
What did last and prospers to this day is world-class golf. "Unbelievable," is what Hauserman says today as he thinks about the Vail Valley's ever-growing list of quality golf courses. The story is told much better by Hauserman in his book "The Inventors of Vail".
Even Tiger Woods came here as an 11-year-old to play in the U.S. Junior Amateur at Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards. And you too can take an amazing golf vacation along the I-70 corridor from Denver into the spectacular mountains of Colorado. Ski town golf courses dot the landscape along this interstate.
Start the trip with a look at award-winning Jim Engh's newest opening -- Fossil Trace Golf Club in Golden, which is your foothills departure point westward from the Mile High City into the Rockies.
Looking for ritzy? Don't miss Beaver Creek's Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, where you can get preferred tee times at the exclusive Red Sky Golf Club's just-opened Norman Course and the two-year-old Fazio Course. The fun Robert Trent Jones Beaver Creek Golf Club is also handy.
Another option is to continue down I-70 past the Vail Valley through remarkable Glenwood Canyon to Glenwood Springs where non-members can play Ironbridge Golf Club, the brand-new Arthur Hills-designed private beauty on the banks of the Roaring Fork River. You must stay in The St. Regis in Aspen for this opportunity.
Here's a capsule look at the majesty of the Rockies and a few of its golf options.
Fossil Trace Golf Club in Golden
Situated in the shadows of Table Mountain, imagine the
chimney of a brick kiln that was left in the middle of
the fairway on the par-5 No. 1 right in sight-line of
your second stroke.
Better yet, imagine a fairway with 20-foot tall pillars of sandstone dotting the green pathway of the par-5 12th. Here is a reminder of the property's quarry heritage -- clay mining equipment remains on the site where 64 million years ago fossils of palm fronds, other leaves, bird tracks and triceratops footprints were cemented in time. A split-rail fence near the green leads you to the viewing area for the fossils.
Located minutes from the Adolph Coors Brewery, this 6,831-yard, par 72, is another example of the excellent municipal golf courses being built today. Avoid the 10-foot deep squiggly bunkers, pumped up by thick-grass muscular mounds that are found throughout the layout along with other pot holes and even a punchbowl green. Engh is known for steep, thick-grass green rears, but this one even has a couple of low-lying collection areas behind the putting surfaces.
Breckenridge Golf Club in Breckenridge
It's Jack Nicklaus' only municipal in the world and
cart-path only has created one of the best conditioned
27 holes in the mountains. Perfect fairway lies are
needed because the Elk Nine is a definite challenge
with big forced carries across creeks and rocky
ditches and through alpine meadows. You must even
avoid a beaver pond in sight of the Ten Mile Range.
The journey begins at the Clubhouse situated at 9,324 in elevation and climbs into aspen groves and fairways lined with lodgepole pines, unforgiving native grasses and sagebrush. The Beaver and Bear Nines opened in 1987 with the Elk opening in 2001.
Daytime temperatures will cool you, but the Nicklaus Tees on the Beaver-Bear 18 plays to a tough 7,276 yards with a course rating of 73.3 and a slope of 150 -- one of the sternest in Colorado. Don't expect a pushover, do expect to pay attention all day on this tough layout.
The Raven at Three Peaks in Silverthorne
Tom Lehman consulted with Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry
on this remake of the former Eagle's Nest Golf Club.
The magnificent views include the Three Peaks in the
Gore Range, Buffalo Mountain, William's Fork Range and
Ptarmigan Wilderness, Highline Creek and the Blue
River
just a short drive from the ski areas of Copper
Mountain, Keystone and Breckenridge. The Alister
MacKenzie-like bunkers, some with thick grassy edges,
will remind you of the olden days of traditional golf.
Measuring 7,413 yards, par 72, from the back tees, the routing will challenge you as it provides awesome scenery, aspen groves, brooks, lakes, dramatic downhill strokes, the flight of an eagle overhead and the huge osprey nest at the end of the third hole.
Red Sky Golf Club's Norman Course in Wolcott
Greg Norman's first Colorado design opened this summer
with a foursome of The Shark, John Elway, Dan Marino
and Denver Broncos' head coach Mike Shanahan. It's
just over a ridge above the Fazio layout that opened a
year ago.
Measuring a brawny 7,580 yards from the tips at par 72, this belle traverses aspens and junipers, uphill and downhill, past red-rock outcrops, through deep barrancas, boulder-strewn water features and presents tightly-mown bentgrass areas encircling perplexing contoured greens.
Norman's layout, with views of Vail's back bowls and Castle Peak, is considered tougher than the Fazio layout, but not by much. Fazio's is friendly tee-to-green, but is three-putt city. Have fun with Norman's 283-yard downhill par-3 16th. Midwesterners hitting an 8-iron from the Gold Tee's 210 yards can boast when they return to flat land. This one has sideboards left of the green that will propel your ball toward the hole.
"What's unique about the Norman Course is that everyone will hit at least one heinous shot during their round that turns out good because of the contours," said assistant pro Don Kara.
Guests of Vail Resorts play on the "designated guest course" which alternates between the two courses. The Club is also distinguished by separate Member and Guest clubhouses. Give it another year for maturity. Also check out the Chuck Cook Golf Academy.
Ironbridge Golf Club in Glenwood Springs
This new routing, a hefty 7,224 yards at par 72, was
laid over seven holes of the old Westbank Ranch Golf
Club with a meadows front nine that skirts the
trout-laden Roaring Fork River and a rugged back side
that climbs into ravines lined with piñons and
junipers 300 feet above the river valley.
No. 10, 457 yards from the back tees, requires a forced carry for all except the ladies over a huge rocky gorge to a fairway receptive to a draw. The four alpine holes are stunning and fun to play. And you will be amazed at the perfect conditions for a new course.
Named for the historic old iron bridge crossing the river nearby, Ironbridge includes five lakes, two streams, 19 bridges, three tunnels, and more than eight miles of continuous cart path. Don't even think about walking the back nine which includes cliff-dive teeing grounds and red-hued mountain vistas.
Where to play
3050 Illinois St.
Golden, CO 80401
(303) 277-8752
fossiltrace.com
Breckenridge Golf Club
0200 Clubhouse Drive
Breckenridge CO 80424
(970)453-9104
townofbreckenridge.com/golf/
Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks
2929 Golden Eagle Rd.
Silverthorne, CO 80498
(970) 262-3636
ravengolf.com
Red Sky Golf Club
Norman and Fazio Courses
376 Red Sky Road
Wolcott, CO 81655
(970) 477-8400 or (877) 973-3759
redskyranch.com
Ironbridge Golf Club
410 Ironbridge Drive
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
(970) 945-4300 or (970) 384-0630
ironbridgeclub.com
Other golf options near the I-70 corridor
Beaver Creek Golf Club, (970) 845-5775,
beavercreekclub.com/golf.cfm
River Valley Ranch, (970) 963-3625, rvrgolf.com
Copper Creek Golf Club, (970) 968-2882,
coppersummer.com
Keystone Ranch Golf Course, (970) 496-4250,
keystonesummer.com
Keystone River Course, (970) 496-4444,
keystonesummer.com
Cordillera, The Summit Golf Course, (970) 926-5300,
cordillera-vail.com, also check out Cordillera's
Mountain, Valley and Short Course
Vail Golf Club, (970) 479-2260
Eagle-Vail Golf Club, (970) 949-5267 or (800)
341-8051
Sonnenalp Golf Club, Edwards, (970) 477-5370
Eagle Ranch Golf Club, Eagle, (970) 328-2882 or (866)
328-3232
Cotton Ranch Golf Club, Gypsum, (970) 524-6200 x2,
cottonranch.com
Where to stay
The rustic Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch on Beaver Creek Mountain is your pass to golf at Red Sky Golf Club. It was recently named to the Conde Nast Traveler "Hot List" of new hotels. The 237-room resort offers panoramic mountain views and unlimited year-round activities such a skiing, golf, hiking, mountain biking and cultural events.
After a day in this Rocky Mountain lodge-styled playground, relax and rejuvenate in the 21,000-square foot Bachelor Gulch Spa. Service and food at Remington's is unparalleled. Call (800) 576-5582 for information and packages. Log on to vailresorts.com for other options and discover fractional ownership opportunities on ritzcarlton.com.
In the Glenwood Springs area stay at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Carbondale and don't miss playing River Valley Ranch, just minutes away. Call (800) 228-5150 and ask about their golf packages. Complimentary continental breakfast is included.
The Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center in Breckenridge has golf packages for Breckenridge Golf Club. Call (800) 288-1282 for information and reservations. Located on the ski slopes, your room includes a great view, sitting area, small refrigerator and kitchen ready to prepare your own meal.
Where to dine
Breckenridge Brewery, Breckenridge
Gore Range Brewery, Edwards
Remington's, Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek
Grouse Mountain Grill in the Pines Lodge, Beaver Creek
Dusty Boot Steakhouse & Saloon, Beaver Creek
David R. Holland is an award-winning writer who travels the world for TravelGolf.com, winner of Forbes Magazine's Best of the Web Award.
