What CGA Membership Means

We are so pleased to present our final membership profile of 2016. E.J. Carr is one of the state’s best photographers in the state and his final pictures and interview with Curt Marceau make us look forward to spring as we close the books on the year.
 

My last installment in this featured club member series began when Curt Marceau invited me to play a 9-hole event with the men’s club on a Monday evening at Heritage Westmoor. I received a history lesson on the course and its men’s club while enjoying time with the guys and the views of the golf course and the Front Range. A panorama that includes Longs Peak, the Flatirons and to the southwest, Pikes Peak as a backdrop for the Denver Skyline, it was truly an experience.

Curt has been a member of Heritage Westmoor since its opening in 1998 and hasn’t looked back. He describes his experience with the course, the management and the men’s club with such pride; it makes me wonder why I’m not a member, yet! Brian Carlson, fondly referred to as “Bubba” by his membership, makes that claim. Brian is the head pro at the club and has been since its opening. His mission has been to make it an experience that is hard to forget and valued above all else. Brian shared, “As a public golf club in the Denver Metro Area, Heritage Westmoor offers players and members an experience that can’t be had anywhere else, short of Ballyneal in Eastern Colorado.”


Brian shared how Curt’s leadership has been very important to the men’s club and the strength of the mission of golf in the community. The club is growing membership every year and this currently stands at 400 members. Events are played between Heritage at Westmoor and Legacy Ridge every weekend throughout the year and on Monday evenings they host nine-hole tournaments. Members, non-members, and women alike are invited to participate in their events, with a focus on supporting the entire community. If you decide to keep your handicap/GHIN number at either facility in Westminster, you automatically become a member of the men’s club with no additional fee other than the CGA membership cost. Curt has been a member of Heritage Westmoor since its opening in 1998 and hasn’t looked back. He describes his experience with the course, the management and the men’s club with such pride; it makes me wonder why I’m not a member, yet!

The Heritage at Westmoor men’s club is actively involved in community and charitable projects throughout the year. Recently they have supported programs for Wounded Warriors and Folds of Honor as well as various USGA, CGA and CWGA events. This past summer they hosted the USGA Junior Stroke Play Qualifier, with 70 junior players in attendance. The club hosted the Colorado Senior Open on three occasions and rumor has it the trophy may still be somewhere on the property! Although, it was noted by more than one member that the rumor has never been confirmed. Brian takes pride in his approach of creating an exceptional experience and excellent service for all ages as demonstrated by the open-door policy he has for all levels of players from middle school through college. “All are welcome to use the facility free of charge, Brian shared, with the condition that “everyone plays fairly in the sand box” i.e.; share the space equally and fairly.” 

Part of the appeal to Heritage at Westmoor is the beautiful landscape of the Front Range in Colorado while enjoying the experience of playing a challenging course. Brian was quick to note that, “We have 215 acres on property, 90 acres of maintained golf course and 125 acres of beautiful Colorado nature.”

 
Curt, the men’s club president has held the position for the past five years and is going strong. Curt began began playing golf with his father who introduced him to the game in his mid-20’s and at that point “he was hooked from the start.” He remains active in the game as I saw him at the end of the season caddying for a junior golf competing in the Junior Ryder Cup event at CommonGround Golf Course. 
 

His leadership and friendship with the other members is quite evident in the time I witnessed on the course and inside the clubhouse. My playing partner and I came in second and asked that the winnings be placed in the ‘bucket’. This is a tradition where winners often put their earnings in a collection urn whenever they want to contribute to various charitable causes the men’s club identifies throughout the season. 

 
Heritage at Westmoor has hosts one of the USGA U.S. Open Local Qualifier almost annually including this year, and hosted the CGA Senior Match Play Championship in 2011. The course is excited to play host to one of the pre-eminent junior events in Colorado the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior in June 2017. As you can see from the photos, the course is a true gem in Colorado Golf.

Visit the Hertiage at Westmoor Website


MORE ABOUT E.J. CARR

EJ studied at The Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh and the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. He has guest lectured at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. His fashion and portrait photography has included prestigious television, recording and fashion clients such as Warner Brothers Records, EMI Christian, Reprise, NBC, ABC, CBS, USA Today, USA Networks, Neiman Marcus, Lane Bryant, Marzotto, Tamotsu, Levis, and Donald Trump. His celebrity portrait client list is extensive. Recently E.J. worked with Colorado AvidGolfer, USGA and on behalf of the CGA he captured Jack Nicklaus at the Century of Golf Gala on the 18th green of The Broadmoor the site of Nicklaus’ victory in the 1959 U.S. Amateur Championship. See more of E.J.’s work at www.ejcphoto.com or contact him at ej@ejcphoto.com.