With the seasons just about to switch from fall to winter, the weather in Colorado hasn’t been ideal for taking advantage of some of the outstanding golf courses the state has to offer.
But, if local golfers need any reminder, a prominent national publication recently provided us with some perspective.
Several of Golfweek’s “best of” lists of courses were released last week, and it should come as no surprise that numerous Colorado layouts figured prominently into the national rankings.
In fact, no fewer than seven Colorado sites were included in Golfweek’s list of the best residential courses in the U.S., and four made Golfweek’s best resort course national rankings.
Colorado Golf Club (above) — the Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw-designed layout that has hosted the 2010 Senior PGA Championship and the 2013 Solheim Cup, and is now on the schedule to hold the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur (READ HERE) — places most prominently.
The Parker-based club moved into the top five of Golfweek’s best residential courses, at No. 5. Also making the top 10 was another well-known Colorado layout, No. 9 Castle Pines Golf Club (left), which hosted the PGA Tour’s International from 1986 through 2006.
The East Course at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs was the top Colorado layout among the resort rankings, checking in at No. 44.
Here are the Colorado courses and where they placed in last week’s Golfweek rankings:
Golfweek’s Best Residential Courses — 5. Colorado Golf Club in Parker (designed by Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw); 9. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Pines (Jack Nicklaus); 41. The Glacier Club at Tamarron in Durango (Arthur Hills); 48. Golf Club at Ravenna in Littleton (Jay Morrish); 65. Redlands Mesa Golf Club in Grand Junction (Jim Engh). Next 100 (not ranked): Aspen Glen in Carbondale (Jack Nicklaus/Jack Nicklaus II); Cherry Creek Country Club in Denver (Jack Nicklaus/Jack Nicklaus II).
Golfweek’s Best Resort Courses — 44. The Broadmoor Golf Club, East Course, in Colorado Springs (Robert Trent Jones Sr./Donald Ross); 72. Red Sky Golf Club, Fazio Course, in Wolcott (Tom Fazio). Next 100 (not ranked): Red Sky Golf Club, Norman Course, in Wolcott (Greg Norman); The Broadmoor Golf Club, West Course, in Colorado Springs (Robert Trent Jones Sr./Donald Ross).
And here are how Colorado courses fared in some other prominent national and international rankings published earlier this year:
Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Courses — 40. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Pines (Jack Nicklaus); 54. Ballyneal in Holyoke (Tom Doak); 80. Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village (William Flynn).
Golf Digest’s Second 100 Greatest (in America) — 125. Colorado Golf Club in Parker (Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw); 149. Sanctuary in Sedalia (Jim Engh); 154. The Broadmoor Golf Club, East Course, in Colorado Springs (Robert Trent Jones Sr./Donald Ross).
Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses — 32. The Broadmoor Golf Club, East Course, in Colorado Springs (Robert Trent Jones Sr./Donald Ross); 79. Red Sky Golf Club, Norman Course, in Wolcott (Greg Norman) 86. Red Sky Golf Club, Fazio Course, in Wolcott (Tom Fazio).
Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses (1960-present) — 4. Ballyneal in Holyoke (Tom Doak); 33. Colorado Golf Club in Parker (Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw); 45. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Pines (Jack Nicklaus); 104. Country Club of the Rockies in Edwards (Jack Nicklaus); 143. Golf Club at Ravenna in Littleton (Jay Morrish); 186. Redlands Mesa Golf Club in Grand Junction (Jim Engh); 192. Sanctuary in Sedalia (Jim Engh).
Golfweek’s Best Classic Courses (before 1960) — 90. Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village (William Flynn); 154. The Broadmoor Golf Club, East Course, in Colorado Springs (Robert Trent Jones Sr./Donald Ross).
Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in the World — 78. Ballyneal in Holyoke (Tom Doak).
Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in the U.S. — 41. Ballyneal in Holyoke (Tom Doak); 72. Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village (William Flynn).
Golfweek’s Best Campus Courses — 25. Eisenhower Golf Club, Blue Course, at Air Force Academy (Robert Trent Jones Sr.).
