High Country Golf Magazine 2014

2014

your guide to golf courses in the Rocky Mountains

The Rocket:

Steve Sands:

Olympic Golf:

5-year-old Jessy Huebner is Breckenridge's upand-coming talent

The voice of the Golf Channel

Inside the mind of Rio 2016 course designer Gil Hanse

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CONTENTS

23

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF GUIDE

Your guide to golf courses in the High Country.

Features

10 | HOPKINS GOLF

20 | THE ROCKET

Retirement turned into renewed entrepreneurship for Greg Hopkins, who manufactures custom wedges.

Jessy Huebner, 5, is already winning championships around the country.

BY JOE MOYLAN

46 | STEVE SANDS

16 | OLYMPIC GOLF

A conversation with Gil Hanse, designer of the 2016 Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro.

BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

The voice of the Golf Channel chats Vail, celebrities and what it's like to do his job.

50 | MINI GOLF

A tongue-in-cheek guide to the Putt & Play Junction in Breckenridge.

Departments EDITOR'S LETTER | 06 EQUIPMENT 08 | Training aids for a better game 44 | Fashion on course INSTRUCTION 12 | Tips from the pros 48 | Best course etiquette INDUSTRY & TRENDS 22 | New option for injury recovery 41 | Maintaining courses in winter EXTRAS 51 | What to do off-course LAST SHOT 56 | Learn the lingo

ON THE COVER Breckenridge Beaver Course, hole #8 COURTESY OF BRECKENRIDGE GOLF CLUB

Sponsored By

Photo: John Kelly

FROM THE EDITOR

May — September | 2014 Volume 9

T

here are myriad reasons to come to the High Country after the snow has melted, and among them is golf. This is not surprising, in an area known for heart-melting vistas and abundant natural beauty. Each golf course comes with its own impressive pedigree, designed by masters such as Jack Nicklaus, and played by pros from all over the world. It also doesn’t hurt that the high altitude lets your ball go further, as though reminding you that you’re here for vacation, to relax and have a good time.

This summer’s High Country Golf Magazine is full of faces. You’ll get a glimpse into the booming industry of custom wedges through Greg Hopkins, CEO of Hopkins Golf, formerly retired and currently happily re-employed (pg. 10). Steve Sands rests his voice — made famous by The Golf Channel — to enjoy some tee-time at Vail (pg.

46), while Gil Hanse, of Hanse Golf Course Design opens up about what it’s like to design the first Olympic golf course in 112 years (pg. 16). Plus, get a sneak peek at future glory with Jessy Huebner, a 5-year-old rising golf star from Breckenridge (pg. 20).

Once you’re properly inspired, take the time to look over the various instructional articles, from general tips on how to get out of a sand trap and the many steps of finesse between your long and short game (pg. 12), to a few reminders about golf course etiquette (pg. 48), to ensure that everyone out there has a memorable and pleasant experience. Next, you can dive behind-the-scenes into how golf courses are maintained for winter and geared up for summer (pg. 41), as well as some advances in the health field designed to minimize pain brought about by old golf injuries (pg. 22).

Finally, if you or someone you’re with is ready to take a break from the green, we have an entire section on what to do off the course (pg. 51), including dining options and other fun outdoor activities.

So whether you’re serious about making improvements and bettering your form and your score, or just looking for a relaxing time in a location known the world over for its fresh air and natural beauty, High Country golf courses have it all for you.

Happy golfing!

PUBLISHER Matt Sandberg msandberg@cmnm.org MANAGING EDITOR Jessica Smith jsmith@summitdaily.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Maggie Butler mbutler@summitdaily.com ADVERTISING DIRECTORS Patrick Connolly pconnolly@vaildaily.com Jason Woodside jwoodside@summitdaily.com DESIGN TEAM SUPERVISOR Afton Groepper ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Malisa Samsel DESIGN TEAM Darin Bliss, Ashley Detmering, Carly Hoover CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jasmine Listou Bible, Katie Coakley, Sebastian Foltz, Chris Freud, Joe Moylan, Jessica Smith CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Sebastian Foltz, Joe Moylan, Jessica Smith, Dominique Taylor

CMNM GENERAL MANAGER Jim Morgan jmorgan@cmnm.org

JESSICA SMITH managing editor high country golf

VAIL DAILY MAGAZINE GROUP GENERAL MANAGER Susan Ludlow sludlow@vaildaily.com

Summit Daily News Vail Daily COLORADO MOUNTAIN NEWS MEDIA 200 Lindbergh Drive P.O. Box 1500 Gypsum, Colorado 81637 p. 970.328.6333 | f. 970.328.6409 Copyright ©2014 Colorado Mountain News Media All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

7

EQUIPMENT

DON’T WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED DOUGH

ON CLUBS, GIMMICKS The key to golf is practice and chances are good your gear is just as good as what’s on the market

BY JOE MOYLAN

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

T

here are few things that excite a golfer more than the coming of spring and the promise of a new season.

But if there’s one thing that revs a golfer’s engine more than opening day at his or her favorite track, it’s opening day with a golf bag overflowing with the season’s latest gear.

The golf industry arguably is the best at marketing its products, perfecting its message over time to appeal to the character of those drawn to one of the few truly individual sports ever created. The American golfer may even be more independent than the rest, given their propensity for handing over hard-earned cash in exchange for products promising to unlock the secrets of a painfully frustrating game.

Examples of the golf industry’s marketing brilliance are many, from a new driver

promising greater distance, irons that are forgiving and accurate, even on mis-hits, to balls that guarantee PGA Tour-level precision, as long as that ball is struck perfectly.

The marketing genius has also overflowed into the golf training aid market, where famous golfers and golf instructors parade a bottomless sea of gadgets, gizmos and gimmicks guaranteed to fix a golfer’s slice or hook, help generate more club head speed for greater distance or produce a buttery smooth putting stroke.

The cold, hard fact, however, is that the millions of people who flock each year to golf outlets to trade in their one-, two- or three-year-old clubs for the season’s latest and greatest, would be better served to take a small portion of that money and invest it in lessons.

The game’s most prominent governing entity, the United States Golf Association, regulates all facets of equipment from materials to the size, length, shape, weight and depth of balls, clubs, shafts, grooves and everything else under the sun.

Furthermore, the three biggest changes in the USGA’s rules on equipment were implemented in 2006 when officials adopted new limits on club head moment of inertia, or MOI, and in 2008 when the USGA adopted limits in the size and sharpness of club grooves and also set regulations on the adjustability of woods and irons.

In other words, even though golf equipment manufacturers have a little room to experiment within the guidelines of the USGA, the most significant innovations to the golf equipment industry in the last several years have primarily been cosmetic in nature.

Think about it.

How many golfers went out last year and dropped $300 on a TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2 driver simply because Jason Day promised it would be even more

“Rocketballz-ier” than the Stage 1 released in 2012?

How many times did we bypass a sale on 2012 Titleist ProV1 golf balls to drop more than $50 on a box of 2013s because the alignment stamp changed and Titleist came up with only marginally prettier packaging?

Need more proof?

In April, Greg Hopkins, CEO of Hopkins Golf and a former 16-year CEO of Cleveland Golf, told High Country Golf that had it not been for his background in wedge and iron design coupled with his extensive knowledge about USGA equipment regulations, he never would have been able to strike out on his own and be competitive in a market already flooded with well known and trusted golf manufacturers.

However, because the USGA essentially controls product innovation, Hopkins was able to develop a series of products in a relatively short period of time that are on par with the rest of the industry. But he also went a step further to provide his customers a new level of service and has already stolen a significant share of the wedge market (see page 8).

The point here is not to organize a boycott of the retail golf industry entirely. There’s bound to be golfers out there playing with old hand-me-downs from the ‘90s or, god forbid, great grandpa’s blades complete with hickory shafts. If you’re a golfer in that boat and you have the funds for an upgrade, then by all means splurge.

However, if you're a golfer who already owns clubs released this side of the new millennia, don’t waste your money on a set of empty promises. There’s a strong chance the clubs in your bag are just as good as what’s currently on the rack.

Instead, take a small portion of that money and invest in your game by setting up a series of lessons with your local pro.

In the spirit of being neighborly, Ben Walsh, director of golf at EagleVail Golf Club, shared with us three of his favorite drills to get yourself ready for the golf season. As an added bonus, all three drills can be done using items already found in every player’s bag, saving you more money on gimmicks, so you can take advantage of the next era of true golf club innovation.

PUTTING

PROPER ALIGNMENT One of the things most golfers forget, especially at the beginning of the season, is the importance of alignment in putting.

Ben Welsh, director of golf at EagleVail Golf Club, said he addresses alignment in almost every lesson he gives.

“I see too many people go out to the practice green and just hit balls before their round,” Welsh said. “People tend to forget alignment and practicing a routine are two important components in putting.”

It seems surprising alignment would go overlooked by a significant number of golfers considering everything the golf industry has done to make alignment as simple as possible. Nearly all modern golf ball manufacturers feature some type of a stamp — a dark line or an arrow — to help golfers line up their putts with the cup, Welsh said. Putters also have similar features to further assist golfers with hitting their putts online with the target.

THE DRILL: 1. Head out to the practice green and locate the flattest line to the hole 2. Take a couple of steps back and get a good read of the line 3. Place a ball on the green with the alignment stamp pointing toward the hole 4. Address the ball making sure the alignment stamps on your putter and ball are in sync and pointing toward the hole 5. Hit a putt and repeat — Welsh recommends practicing this drill from a distance between five and 10 feet.

— For those having a tough time getting their putts online, Welsh said players can pull a three or a four iron out of the bag, place it at their feet and use the shaft as a putting track.

CHIPPING BALL STRIKING

THE “TWO TEE DRILL” Ball striking is another area of the game golfers often struggle with at the beginning of the season.

Although some of those early season struggles are a result of rust, Welsh said a number of golfers also get too caught up in worrying about what their swing looks like, chasing the latest swing trends or trying to imitate their favorite PGA pros. What golfers often neglect, especially higher handicappers, is the importance of impact.

“If you watch some of the better players you can see that they hit the ball in the same place on the club just about every time,” Welsh said. “Focusing on impact is especially important for higher handicaps because at the end of the day, if they’re bringing the club face square at impact, it really doesn’t matter what the rest of the swing looks like.”

THE DRILL: 1. Head out to the practice tee and place a ball on the ground 2. Set your club head behind the ball and place two tees in the ground, one at the toe and one at the heel of the club (give yourself a little room for error) 3. Swing, concentrating on not disturbing the two tees 4. Repeat as necessary — If you hit the inside tee, that means you’re catching the ball on the toe of the club.

— If you hit the outside tee, you’re hitting the ball on the heel.

— Drill works well with every club in the bag.

THE “FLAMINGO CHIP” Proper weight distribution, a quiet lower body and “wrapping” your shoulders around the shot are all key components to chipping. But after a long winter, it’s easy for golfers to lose their feel.

It all starts with weight distribution, Welsh said, and the best short game players in the world generally subscribe to the practice of placing about 80 percent of their weight onto their front foot, which allows golfers to more effectively swing down on the ball.

“But, a lot of people struggle with weight distribution early in the season, which also results in too much hip rotation and an overly active lower body,” Welsh said. “Chipping, like putting, requires a pretty quiet lower body.”

For those struggling with too much hip rotation or too much leg action, Welsh has people practice “flamingo chips.” Although the widely preferred stance calls for about an 80/20 weight distribution, the flamingo rights chipping wrongs in a hurry because it calls for golfers to place all of the weight on their front foot.

THE DRILL: 1. Head out to the chipping green 2. Stand on and shift all of your weight onto your front foot 3. Drop your back toe onto the turf for balance 4. Chip, focusing on striking down on the ball and using your shoulders to facilitate the shot — The lower body doesn’t need to be completely stiff, but there should also be significantly less movement in the knees, hips and legs than on shots requiring full- or even half-swings.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

9

what can HOPKINS GOLF do for you?

New kid in the retail golf biz delivers tour-level quality through groundbreaking UPS partnership

BY JOE MOYLAN

T

here’s a new kid in town in the highly competitive retail golf market and after just a few short months the crew at Hopkins Golf has already shaken up the hierarchy in the wedge category of the industry.

“I don’t think I’m a threat to the top two companies, but I’m shockingly bigger than people think,” said Greg Hopkins, CEO of Hopkins Golf. “Consumers get what we are trying to do and although we’re new, we’re certainly not the smallest wedge company out there. We’ve already passed some pretty big names.”

To be fair, Hopkins is neither a “kid” nor is he a newcomer to the retail golf

business. Before launching Hopkins Golf around September 2013, Hopkins was a 16-year CEO at Cleveland Golf where he specialized in wedge and iron design.

Hopkins is quick to credit his design background and extensive knowledge of United States Golf Association regulations, which govern every conceivable aspect of equipment specifications, to his ability to quickly produce and market quality products that are on par with the industry’s big boys. But beside every successful man there is usually a great woman and the company never would have come into existence if not for some gentle nudging from Hopkins’ wife, Linda.

After announcing his retirement from Cleveland Golf in May 2012, Hopkins, now 59, thought he was settling into a life of relaxation. He quickly discovered he was about to embark on a journey back to the workplace in the same style of what is becoming a modern day American entrepreneurial fairy tale.

We've already passed “I was driving my wife crazy,” Hopkins said. “In those first couple of months I must have cleaned out the garage three times, and when I wasn’t doing that, I was either laying on the couch watching ESPN or out on the course playing golf.”

The retirement fantasy faded almost as quickly as it began as Hopkins searched for more productive ways to occupy his time.

Getting back into the golf business was a logical idea considering that’s where he spent his entire career, but Hopkins had 10

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

little interest in returning to upper management after 16 years serving as CEO for one of the industry’s giants.

The next logical consideration was to go into business for himself, but in order to compete with the big boys Hopkins knew he was going to need strong partnerships and a brand new product, or a least a uniquely creative spin on an old product.

“I wanted to create a new golf company because, number one, golfers love that, but it’s almost impossible to launch a new company in golf and be successful,” Hopkins said. “I knew I was going to need to sidestep the big chains and provide a direct-to-consumer product to be successful in a market that no one is profitable in right now.”

The light bulb finally lit one night over dinner with family and friends, Hopkins said. The conversation soon turned, naturally, to golf’s changing retail landscape and an opportunity to fill a void in the marketplace by providing the weekend golfer with a PGA Tour player experience through fully customized equipment, particularly in the wedge sector of the industry.

“Everyone knows wedges featuring custom grinds is golf’s dirty little secret,” Hopkins said. “I decided I wanted to give consumers a product experience only previously enjoyed by tour players and having come from Cleveland, wedges are right in my wheelhouse.

“The selling point for me was knowing

Leaning on old relationships built while at Cleveland, Hopkins pitched his product idea to the top brass at UPS. During the course of the negotiations, Hopkins was not only successful in landing UPS as a shipping partner, but also convinced them to house his club assembly facility inside the UPS hub in Mira Loma, Calif., and taught UPS employees how to build clubs.

Today, consumers can place an order on www.hopkinsgolf.com, where they can fully customize their wedges by choosing from three club head finishes and an array of loft, grind, shaft, grip, color and personalization options. Those orders are sent directly to Mira Loma, where UPS employees build, box and ship orders all from the same facility.

PHOTOS COURTESY HOPKINS GOLF

some pretty big names." wedges featuring custom grinds benefit all players, from the 18 handicapper to a pro like Vijay Singh.”

Hopkins vision was to offer wedges in 11 different loft options, from 46 degrees up to 64 degrees, plus seven different custom grinds. Although he had a solid product idea in place, Hopkins knew he was going to need some serious inventory space or to find a partner that would allow him to provide delivery direct from the manufacturer to the consumer — enter the United Parcel Service.

~Hopkins

“I save a considerable amount of time and money building clubs that way,” Hopkins said. “But the biggest benefit of partnering with UPS is that I can put custom made golf clubs in the consumer’s hands in as little as 48 hours.

“It definitely beats trying to manage multiple facilities and hundreds of employees. Now I can do what I love to do — design clubs, kick back and enjoy life.”

Hopkins wedges start at $109 each and range up to about $150 when fully loaded with all the most expensive custom options.

Hopkins also recently unveiled two golf ball models — the VL Speed, a two-piece ball starting at $9.99 per dozen that has similar performance characteristics of a Titleist DT SoLo, Callaway Supersoft or a Nike Power Distance 8, and the VLPro, a $19.99 per dozen three-piece ball similar to a Titleist NXT Tour.

In May, Hopkins plans to release his first complete iron set, which is still yet to be named, but is modeled as a performance cavity back. Game improvement irons will follow in the fall.

“There’s a new sheriff in town and I think people like that,” Hopkins said. “But in reality, we’re just trying to blend the old school way of doing things with a new school way to deliver it. If nothing else, I am giving people a choice.”

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

11

INSTRUCTION

START OFF SLOW AND EASY

from starting the season to fine tuning Local pros sound off on some tips to refine your game

BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ

W

hile it may not be based on any verifiable, quantitative scientific research, there’s a good chance golf is the most humbling, expletive-inducing sport in the history of the world.

It may come as some consolation that even a pro golfer like Sergio Garcia can plunk two consecutive balls into the same water hazard in rapid succession, as he did last year at the PGA Tour Players Championship.

With that in mind we took some time to talk with area pros about tips to fine-tune our golf games for the season. They gave suggestions on everything from shaking off that early season rust to working on the short game and salvaging a shot in the rough.

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

When starting any golf season, first and foremost: “Don’t have high expectations,” says Breckenridge head golf pro Erroll Miller, when pulling those clubs out for the first time.

While we’re a society that teaches kids that everyone’s a winner, let’s be honest, the PGA Tour won’t be calling, at least not most of us.

Both Miller and Mark Nickel, golf director of the Raven in Silverthorne, recommend starting the season slow.

So don’t take the driver out of the bag right away. Consider sticking to irons for the first time back at the range, specifically, a mid-range club like a 6 or 7-iron.

Nickel also recommends resisting the urge to be John Daily or Tiger Woods and go for big drives. Instead, work on short game first and build gradually. He said aim at a closer pin on the range. This helps golfers loosen up swing motion and find the rhythm of their swing, so the swing will be better when reaching for the big boys in the golf bag.

Miller also suggests not hitting too many the first time out for the season.

Just like skiing, muscles need to adjust to the motion again after a long off-season.

Working on your core muscles through activities like yoga, bicycling or training with a weight ball can also be a big help, Nickel said. Core muscles are essential to a full and balanced swing.

One of the biggest things he sees on the range, especially early in the season, is “people over arm swinging,” meaning they’re concentrating on using their arms to try to muscle through a swing. This often results in swinging harder through the swing rather than having a smooth consistent follow-through. He urges remembering that a golf swing is a fullbody motion. Golfers may have a tendency to forget about their legs and hips.

Nickel compared it to a coil. Motion starts in the legs and hips and progresses up through the shoulders to the arms. It’s “what a lot of people don’t think about,” he said. Legs and hips stay ahead of shoulders through the swing.

Now if you, like me, find yourself topping two or three balls in a row, pay

attention to your stance. Coaches often say, keep your head down on the ball.

Nickel corrects that idea. It’s not just the head, but rather a tendency to raise up one’s whole body through the swing. It’s important to keep your stance consistent through your swing. Keep “head up, spine in line,” Nickel said.

Now if you’re hitting a divot further than the ball on the other hand, he encourages practicing “clipping the grass” with a swing.

Finally, Nickel reminds golfers not to overthink — focus on one aspect of the swing at a time.

Miller also emphasizes three things that can throw off a swing the quickest — balance, alignment to the ball and grip.

Early season basics behind us, next we will take a look at some of golf ’s finer points.

SCORE BETTER WITH PUTTING

Everyone wants to hit a drive 300 yards like Tiger. That’s probably why the driving range at any golf course is guaranteed to be more crowded than the practice green. But neglecting the short game can create a fatal flaw for any golfer.

“Putting is half the scoring of the game of golf,” said Miller. And it’s often a neglected skill.

First and foremost, Miller said, “practice, practice, practice.” Repetition will lead to comfort and confidence.

“Distance control is the most important thing to work on when putting,” Nickel said. With your first putt on a green, “you want to get close enough to two-putt,” he told High Country Golf.

Nickel said he believes that not properly gauging distance is a common putting

mistake that can quickly add strokes to a golfer’s score. If you’re far away, you want to putt to get close.

Miller echoes that notion, pointing out that par on a course is determined by averaging a two-put on the greens.

Both suggest starting practice with short puts and then adding distance.

“If you can’t make putts from three feet, what makes you think you can make it from 10 feet?” Miller said.

Form is also a big consideration in a player’s putting game. Zak Himmelman, a golf coach at Breckenridge, reminds his students to keep their wrists straight through the entire swing. Putting is not a wrist motion. He also suggests having a silent “one, two” count. Backswing on “one” and follow-through on “two” to keep a smooth swinging motion.

Caleb Kehrwald, course general manager at The Raven, stresses keeping your head down through the swing. Not doing so is a common mistake that will throw off your putt.

To practice, Himmelman suggests putting off of a penny, then seeing whether the penny is heads or tails up.

PHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ

DRILLS TO CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING YOUR ROUND:

Taking the time to hit the practice green before a round is critical. It’s an opportunity to get a feel for the greens and gauge whether they are playing fast or slow. It’s also an opportunity to get a feel for how your ball will break on the course.

Toe-to-toe putting drill: Breckenridge golf pro Himmelman said one great way to gauge how to play a green is to line up a putt on a flat surface and make a smooth swing from your back foot to your front foot. He says it will give you an accurate way to measure how far a putt will go with a given swing. You can then determine how strong you need to swing a putt with that metric in mind.

It makes it easier to know whether to swing harder or softer. Then, he suggests, practice putting with a slope to see how the ball will break. Himmelman also 2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

13

INSTRUCTION

If people focus on 150 yards in, I think they’ll see their scores improve dramatically.

mentioned that a softer putt will tend to break more.

Ladder Drill: Miller recommends lining up three balls at increasing distances from the pin — 6, 12 and 18 feet, for example.

Then start at the closest ball and putt in order until you get to the farthest. This drill can build confidence with distance. Both Miller and Nickel recommend starting by putting close, then working farther away.

REFINING THE SHORT GAME

We’ve already mentioned how often people focus on distance shots at the driving 14

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

range and neglect the putting game. The same can be said of the short-iron approach game, pitching and chipping shots.

Typically there aren’t nearly as many golfers working on their chipping and pitching shots at the range as there are practicing driving.

“Most people go to the range and hit full swings,” Nickel said. He believes that they ignore the short game in part because it will emphasize the flaws in their swing.

Conversely, practicing and perfecting partial swings and pitch shots will improve form on full swing, he said.

Kehrwald added that, “if people focus on 150 yards in, I think they’ll see their scores improve dramatically,” Tim Spring, course pro at Copper Creek, affirmed the notion. “For an amateur, the short game is a major stroke saver.”

He said the best way to improve is practice.

“It’s more of a feel shot. The more you practice the better you’ll have a feel for it,” said Spring.

All three experts encourage taking advantage of the practice green and also working with shorter irons at the range.

They suggest that golfers should pick closer targets at the range to practice short game accuracy.

Miller echoed the sentiment.

“What they (golfers) should work on is

PHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ

~Caleb Kehrwald, course general manager at The Raven in Silverthorne

landing their golf ball in a particular spot,” he said. Working on shot accuracy will drastically reduce swings in a round.

Nickel believes, “The biggest mistakes are distance control.” If golfers have a better feel for where they are hitting it will also cut down on strokes.

The pros all say golfers don’t focus enough on accuracy and the short game.

Beyond repetition, it’s about good form and balancing practice between chipping and pitching shots.

For form, remember that a chip shot has more in common with a putting swing than a full golf swing. It is a shorter-range shot that causes the ball to roll more after landing than a pitch. The swing is a much shorter motion that emphasizes keeping the wrists stiff. The lower the club angle, the more the ball will roll when it hits the green. So a chip shot with a 7 iron will create more roll than a chip shot with a 9 iron.

Pitch shots create more loft and cause the ball to roll less when it lands. The pitch swing has the same motion as a drive, but incorporates varied swing length. Pitch shots are essential from beyond 20 yards out. A good pitch shot will create much less roll when the ball lands.

The pros say that form is key. A golfer needs to be aware of their personal shot range. That’s where the emphasis on practice comes in.

ROUGHING IT

For those of us not blessed with pinpoint accuracy, playing from the fairway rough is another inevitability. While cursing might be the initial impulse, Nickel suggests taking a minute to analyze your situation.

While every lie is different, he, along with Breckenridge Golf Club assistant pro Robbins Manley, offered some suggestions for handling the high grass.

Perhaps first and foremost, be grateful you’re not at a PGA tour event, as you would have even tougher roughs to contend with. On a standard course, roughs are usually only about 2 1/2 inches tall.

Next, “take an evaluation of how the rough is,” said Nickel. “If you’re lucky, you’re on top of the rough like a tee,” then there is little need for adjustment.

On the other hand, “if the lie is terrible, your first goal is to get back to the fairway,” said Manley.

“Take a shorter club, don’t be as greedy,” Nickels suggested.

The biggest problem they both see is with a golfer’s swing.

“Where people go tragically wrong is trying to lift the ball and not let the club do the work,” Manley said. It’s one of the most common mistakes in a variety of shots, according to both Nickel and Manely. From the rough, they recommend golfers have the ball a little further back in their stance, so that the club hits on a descending angle.

“Make the club do the work,” said Robbins.

Nickels reminds golfers to keep grass between the ball and the club. “Take a pretty good divot,” he suggests.

Manley also points out that, generally, for the average golfer, a shot hit from the rough will tend to roll more than a shot from the fairway, because of a lack of backspin. So, “take less club and let it roll,” he said Nickel also frequently advocates a hybrid club for light rough. “Your consistency will go way up,” he said.

Hitting through the rough has a tendency to close a golfer’s clubface, especially with irons, leading to less accurate shots.

Hybrid clubs offer a larger club head that will swing through rough more effectively, keeping the clubface straight. Their large sweet spot also creates more of a margin for error.

Hybrid clubs — a cross between a wood and an iron — have become increasingly popular over the last decade. They provide good lift, and their shorter shafts make it easier to maintain a smooth swing through the ball.

“Almost every pro has a hybrid or two in their bag,” said Nickel.

But if you are deeper in the rough, Manley still suggests a short iron.

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15

CREATING A COURSE 2016 Rio Olympics golf course designer Gil Hanse discusses the ins and outs of his approach to creating a challenging course BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ

F

or most of us, the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are still two years away, but for golf course landscape architect Gil Hanse of Hanse Golf Course Design, it’s already an Olympic year. That’s because when golf is reintroduced as an Olympic event in 2016 — after what will have been a 112-year absence — the world’s finest golfers will be teeing off on a brand new course that Hanse designed and built.

The University of Denver and Cornel graduate recently took the time — between work in Rio on the Olympic course and a visit to Dubai to oversee construction on a course he’s building for Donald Trump — to chat with High Country Golf Magazine.

Hanse gave us a little insight to his process as a designer, what makes for a challenging golf course, his work with Mr. Trump and what we can expect in Rio in 2016.

Hanse told High Country Golf that the sandy base of the Rio course site (pictured under construction) makes for optimal course construction material.

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

WHAT DREW YOU TO GOLF COURSE DESIGN? M y grandfather introduced me

to the game in my teens. From day one I was smitten by the golf landscape and how beautiful and peaceful it was. I just never really thought that there was a career there. It was an interest, sort of a hobby, doodling golf holes on pieces of paper.

Until I arrived at Cornell (for graduate school) the reality of this being a profession and potentially a career for me never crossed my mind.

It was one of those things where I got really lucky. I studied political science and skiing at D.U. (laughs) I actually started at Cornel thinking more about city and regional planning with a parks and recreation bent to it.

WHAT CHANGED? I met a fellow at Cornell who was applying his degree solely to being a golf course architect, so I switched into the landscape architecture department.

WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS IN DESIGNING A NEW COURSE? Our goal is always to maximize the natural potential of a site. From our standpoint it’s always important to make our golf courses look like they belong where they are. To build a course in the mountains in Colorado and make it look like a Scottish links would be the wrong thing to do.

Having that indigenous character and feel is really important to us. I had the great fortune to spend a year in Great Britain. Those old classic golf courses really relied on the

The Rio 2016 course under construction.

natural topography to create their strategy and interest.

I think that lesson really resonated with me.

We want the course we built in Boston to look different than the course in California, and the course in California to look different than the course in Rio. We try to extract every natural advantage we can out of the site. Ultimately that’s going to make things interesting and more unique.

SPEAKING OF UNIQUE, YOU’RE WORKING ON A COURSE IN DUBAI FOR DONALD TRUMP. HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT? Our site in Dubai has zero natural potential. We have to shape every square inch of it to give it some interest and some character. We went out into the desert and studied the dune formations out there and we’re trying to create something that’s believable in that context.

That is not your first project with Mr. Trump. You recently rebuilt the Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral in Miami, Fla. — site of the annual PGA World Golf ChampionshipsCadillac Championships. WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING FOR MR. TRUMP? He’s been great. He really has.

Obviously he’s very passionate about everything he gets involved in; also he really loves the game of golf. I think people overlook that when they look at his golf course projects. First and foremost he’s a passionate golfer.

TELL US ABOUT THE WORK AT DORAL. It started as a renovation and turned into a complete rebuild. Donald Trump has got quite a vision for things.

As opportunities presented themselves more and more with the project, he was excited to let us keep pushing the envelope.

So by the time we got finished it was a pretty much a brand new golf course.

HOW DID THE PROS RESPOND TO IT THIS YEAR AT THE CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP?

HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON A PAR AND THE COMBINATION OF HOLES?

The reception was great. It was really well received by the players. The golf course played the way we wanted it to.

It’s really based on the land.

A lot of people think par 72 is the standard — anything below it is not as good — but when you look at the top 10 list of any course in the U.S. or the world, most of them are par 70.

I think it’s more based on what’s the best combination of golf holes that you can find on that property, and when you add the scorecard up it needs to be 70 or above, 69 would raise some eyebrows.

Whether it turns out to be a combination of five par-3s, three par-5s or whatever it turns out to be, it’s really more just finding the best set of golf holes.

WHAT GOES INTO MAKING A PGA CALIBER COURSE? There’s no requirement. It’s more of a feel of what you need.

There’s really no standard. The thing we like to focus on is if there’s variety in the yardages on the golf course. That’s more important, that variety is better than shooting for a particular yardage number.

When you’re designing a golf course like a Doral or a TPC Boston — when you know that there’s going to be a tour event there — then obliviously length and difficulty become a big part of the equation. But when you’re building a golf course for an everyday player, you’re just really more focused on what’s the best golf course we can build.

WHAT’S GOES INTO MAKING A COURSE ‘PLAYABLE?’ I think width is really the key criteria. You have to make sure you give people room to get off the tee. Thirty-yard-wide fairways are not really a good playable corridor for the average golfer. I think you need to make sure you have enough width to get people around (40-50 yards).

Once you have width then within

Trump National Doral Golf Club, Miami, Fla., Blue Monster course, hole 15.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY HANSE GOLF COURSE DESIGN

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

17

those corridors you can start to make the challenge more appropriate to different skill levels. Really the critical aspect of making a golf course playable is to make sure it’s wide enough.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAKE A GOLF COURSE CHALLENGING? Having just watched the Masters, I think Augusta is really the perfect example of what a golf course can be. You make golf courses playable for everybody. But to score on those golf courses, that’s where you really have to pay attention to angles and strategy. Augusta has really wide fairways but to actually score you have to hit the proper side of the fairway and you have to deal with topography and slope to get there, so that you now have the proper angle to attack the hole location.

The most difficult thing for any golf course architect to do is make it playable for a 30 handicapper and challenging for Phil Mickelson.

It’s getting whatever hazard you decide works on a golf hole in the appropriate position for the accomplished golfer and yet still give the other golfer room to maneuver through the property.

TELL US ABOUT THE SITE FOR THE 2016 OLYMPIC COURSE IN RIO DE JANEIRO AND YOUR PLANS FOR THE COURSE The site itself is very nice.

It’s very flat — the complete opposite of a High Country course — maybe about 20 feet of elevation change. It’s pure sand. That’s the best medium you can work in, number one from a drainage standpoint, number two it gives you a chance for courses to play firm and fast.

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

From an aesthetics standpoint we like that exposed sand look and feel. The golf course itself sits on that landscape pretty well. We didn’t try to over build it. It’s fairly low key.

Since Brazil has very few golf courses and sort of a limited palette of what golf courses look like, the picture we wanted to paint (to the Olympic committee) was the Australian sand belt, because the vegetation looks very similar. The ground itself fits in with that model. The climate is also fairly similar. I think so far the translations are working out pretty well.

YOU WERE COMPETING AGAINST SOME BIG NAMES FOR THE RIO BID — GARY PLAYER, GREG NORMAN, JACK NICKLAUS. HOW DID YOU WIN IT? No one has ever told me definitively how it happened (laughs). I wish somebody would.

They’ve been pretty coy about it.

THEN WHAT DO YOU THINK WON IT FOR YOU? When our group came out of the room, I felt really good about it. I felt like we nailed the presentation, and I think the committee heard it. That’s always good when you feel like you’ve left the room and you’ve given it your best.

I think ultimately at the end of the day the commitment we made — my wife Tracy our daughter Caley — the commitment to move down to Rio to actually live there for a significant part of the construction

part of it, I think that was a clincher. They realized you can’t commit yourself any more fully.

Our message was good. I think our design was as good as anyone else put out there, and I think our commitment to being on site was what really clinched it for us.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND MOVING FORWARD? I think the challenges have been fairly well documented.

The good news is that things are picking up down there. Irrigation is pretty close to being turned on which means we can start planting grass and do the finish work that we need to.

We feel good about what we’re building. We’ve enjoyed

Trump National Doral Golf Club, Miami, Fla., Blue Monster course, hole 6.

a certain level of success doing things the way we believe and so we should probably just continue down that road.

The pressure from an Olympic standpoint, we’ll feel that a lot more when the tournament is on — when the players are there. We’ll see when you get the best players in the world in a significant competition, there’s a lot of pressure. You hope that the golf course will perform as you envision it.

You’ve worked on courses in the Front Range — restoration work at Lakewood Country Club and Denver Country Club — WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT A PROJECT UP HERE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY? My wife would be the happiest person in the world.

She loves to ski and loves Colorado. We would be thrilled for someone to think of us to do a project in Colorado.

WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES WOULD THAT BRING? Obviously you’re dealing with the altitude and the considerations in length and the way the golf courses play. Unless you have a valley setting, you’re dealing with challenging topography with respect to how do you get up and down the sides of mountains without the golf holes being too challenging, too difficult.

I think one of things that architects have to be careful about is to make sure the site is actually conducive to

building a golf course. There are probably some sites that you would find in mountain areas that would mean that some of the playing corridors are fairly narrow or the topography is fairly steep. I think it’s incumbent on us as golf course architects to say, ‘hey this doesn’t work.’

I would hate to see golf courses that get shoehorned or forced onto a piece of property. When you have more severe topography or more impactful natural areas, you really have to be careful in advising properly or making sure you have enough room to make sure the golf course is number one playable, number two enjoyable.

When you have such a short season it’s even more critical that you build something that’s going to be a success. You really don’t have a lot of time to get people out there to play it.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME GIL. WHAT’S ONE TIP YOU COULD LEAVE US WITH? I think that golfers really — we all as a group— think we’re better than we really are. Having a little bit more humility when it comes to the selection of where you’re going to tee-off from is really a critical element in enjoying the game of golf.

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2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

19

the

ROCKET

BY JASMINE LISTOU BIBLE

H

e skis, plays tennis and competes in national and international golf tournaments. Sounds like the average Summit County resident, except that Jessy Hayden Huebner is only 5 years old.

This golfing prodigy from Breckenridge is turning heads and taking home trophies. Two years ago, at the age of 3, Jessy proclaimed, “I want to play golf,” and his parents, Jessy and Lena Huebner, happily obliged. They bought him his first set of clubs and he quickly became a regular at the putt-putt course on Peak 8 in Breckenridge. A natural athlete, his skill rapidly advanced and when his game surpassed his dad’s, they decided it was time for a coach.

In September of 2013 he competed in his first tournament, bringing home a third place trophy. His love of the game and love of winning was solidified, and he hasn’t stopped. Since then, he's competed in about 14 tournaments, with more approaching. He’s competing at a national and international level.

In each of these tournaments, he is awarded points based on his ranking and has already racked up 22,000 points. By May 2014 he was ranked as the #2 golfer in the Coed 6 & Under Division by the Gold Coast Junior Golf Foundation.

Jessy's surprising ability to focus and concentrate on the task or sport at hand is impressive. He loves watching professional golfers on TV and can’t wait to get back out on the course the next day. During tournaments, he’s able to remain calm and

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

capability to consistently drive the ball 130 yards has earned him the nickname “The Rocket” and he giggles when asked if he likes playing with spaceships and rockets. He does.

With such maturity and dedication it’s easy to forget that he’s still just a kiddo. An adorable, giggly and outgoing one at that.

“Greeeeeeeen!” he squeals when asked his favorite color. He hams it up for the cameras and adores the spotlight. His family surrounds him with love and support and he beams with confidence.

He likes music and dancing and recently performed an Elvis-inspired dance in the Spring Musical. You’ll regularly hear him singing along to his favorite song, “Counting Stars” by Onerepublic. He attends Montessori full time and speaks two languages fluently — English and Russian. He was raised speaking both at home, as his mother is from Russia and speaks the language with him predominantly. Jessy’s grandmother,

who is also from Russia, now lives with the family and has shared famiy traditions with him, like hunting mushrooms.

Jessy also thrives at tennis, having played since he was two years old. His parents are both active Colorado folks, and encourage Jessy to take advantage of the mountain lifestyle. Growing up in Breckenridge at their family’s log home at the top of Mount Baldy, an appreciation for the great outdoors isn’t hard to achieve. When the summer fun comes to an end, he loves watching the autumn leaves turn yellow, because he knows ski season will soon arrive.

The Enchanted Forest trail at Peak 9 is his first pick when hitting the slopes. You can see adorable videos of Jessy cruising through the trees and swinging his arms, dancing to his own melody on his website www.jessyhuebner.com His site, updated by his parents, keeps fans and family updated on his tournament schedule and standings.

The future is bright for this shining Summit County star and we can’t wait to watch what Jessy does next.

PHOTOS COURTESY THE HUEBNER FAMILY

steady. He’s naturally competitive in all sports and this competitive streak keeps him working towards improving his game and winning tournaments. At a mere 46” tall and weighing only 50 pounds, his 30 pound golf bag takes up almost as much room on the green as he does. Luckily his coach and caddy aid him along the links.

He carries 11 clubs in his bag and his driver is his favorite. His

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

21

INDUSTRY & TRENDS

H

arvey Latson, a resident of Edwards, is ex-military, a former physical education teacher and an avid golfer. Despite being in good physical shape, last year he found himself dealing with pain from damage to his right knee and a partially torn Achilles tendon.

Since the tendon wasn’t fully torn, Latson, 67, wanted to explore options outside of surgery. He found doctor Scott Brandt of ThriveMD in Vail, who uses stem cell therapy as regenerative medicine.

REGENERATIVE HEALING

Brandt has lived in Vail for 12 years.

Prior to opening ThriveMD in 2012, he spent 20 years doing image-guided

ThriveMD

56 Edwards Village Blvd., Ste. 113 Edwards, CO 81632 (970) 766.8245 www.thrivemdvail.com

TAKING A SWING AT PAIN MANAGEMENT interventional pain procedures. He attended medical school at Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., and went on to specialize in anesthesiology, with further specialization in interventional pain management. He sees stem cell therapy as the future of his field.

“Stem cells are in every tissue. It’s how we heal any damage that’s done,” he said. “We just unfortunately can’t get good access for those cells in high volumes to get through damaged areas like tendons, joints or discs.”

Tendons, joints and discs are the areas that most of Brandt’s patients see him about. The reason for that, he said, is because those areas are nonvascular, which means they don’t get a lot of natural blood flow, and therefore healing takes longer. The basic idea behind this regenerative therapy is using the patient’s own stem cells to heal the damage.

“They’re your own cells, so there’s no chance of rejection,” Brandt said.

Brandt’s process requires three basic ingredients — cells from fat tissue, 22

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

cells from bone marrow and plateletrich plasma. The cells act as the healing elements, while the platelets are the “fertilizer,” Brandt said. All three make up what he calls a “perfect soup” which is then injected into the damaged area via x-ray guidance, all in an outpatient procedure that takes only a few hours.

Every patient is assessed beforehand to make sure that the stem cell therapy is what they need, rather than general pain-relieving procedures or surgery.

“You should exhaust the simple things,” Brandt said, before resorting to stem cell therapy or surgery. “If something’s truly broken, this isn’t the answer. If there’s a tendon or a ligament that’s 100 percent torn, this isn’t the answer. Surgery definitely has a place.”

BACK IN THE GAME

Latson was pleased with his results, particularly the recovery time.

“Within to months, I was back on the ski slopes, feeling good, and as soon as the courses and the driving ranges opened in April, I started hitting the golf ball again and I felt

pretty good,” he said. “I could get a full rotation on my golf swing and the knees weren’t hurting.”

Stem cell therapy for athletes isn’t anything new, Brandt pointed out.

Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning have both been known to take advantage of such treatment.

“But the beauty of it is it’s equally as available to the weekend warrior,” Brandt said. “We see it in every sport, but golfers especially, when they get an elbow or a shoulder, or low back issue, it can mean putting them out of the thing that they love to do the most.”

Brandt, who is also a golfer, is looking forward to this type of regenerative healing becoming more mainstream and widely known.

“The biggest thing is letting people know that this option is out there, because so much of the public at this point isn’t aware,” he said, “and they’re in that place where they’ve been hurting for a long time but they don’t want a knee replacement and they don’t want a major surgery and they don’t know there are these minimal procedures available.”

PHOTO COURTESY THRIVEMD

Dr. Scott Brandt with ThriveMD in Vail offers regenerative medicine through stem cells to repair injuries and prevent pain BY JESSICA SMITH

HIGH COUNTRY

GOLF GUIDE

SPONSORED CONTENT

MAP OF HIGH COUNTRY GOLF COURSES Garfield County 1

Lakota Canyon Ranch & Golf Club

Eagle County 2 Cordillera Courses 3 Sonnenalp Golf Club 4 EagleVail Golf Club 5 Gypsum Creek Golf Club

1

6 Vail Golf Club

Lake County 7 Mount Massive Golf Course

Summit County 8 Copper Creek Golf Club 9 Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks

The River Course at Keystone 11 Keystone Ranch 12 Breckenridge Golf Club

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

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2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

25

GARFIELD COUNTY

HOLE

9 18

SIGNATURE HOLE

• PAR 5/6, 557 YARDS Lakota Canyon's signature hole, features a ravine that runs directly down the center of the hole. This creates three carries to a green that is tucked into the mountain side. It is a risk/reward hole as some of the bigger hitters can take their chances at the green in two. A par 6 for the ladies.

PAR-72

LAKOTA

CANYON RANCH

& GOLF CLUB

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OCATED IN THE GROWING COMMUNITY of New Castle, Colorado, 10 miles west of Glenwood Springs on Interstate 70.

Lakota Canyon Ranch Community features an 18-hole championship golf course designed by James Engh, plus a recreation center and outdoor pool.

LAKOTA CANYON RANCH & GOLF CLUB 1000 CLUBHOUSE DR NEW CASTLE, CO 81647 LAKOTACANYONRANCH.COM RANGE OF GREEN FEES: $69-$99 TYPE: 18 Hole Daily Fee Championship Golf Course, Public DRESS CODE: Collared Shirts Required DESIGNER: James Engh INFO: Please call the golf shop with all questions, 970-984-9700 DIRECTIONS: West 9 miles on I-70 from Glenwood Springs.Exit 105 New Castle.

Continue North on Castle Valley Blvd 1.5 miles. Turn right into Lakota Canyon development. Follow Clubhouse Dr. 25 miles. Destination on right.

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

THE LAKOTA EXPERIENCE Lakota Canyon Ranch opened for play in 2004, offering 18 holes of world class golf with stunning views of rugged Western Colorado canyons and natural terrain. Designed by nationally renowned architect James Engh, Lakota Canyon provides a rare opportunity to enjoy amazing golf at the doorway of some of Colorado's most breathtaking mountain vistas. Located in New Castle, Colorado, just below the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, and easily accessed right along the Interstate 70 corridor, Lakota Canyon is one of the most spectacular golf courses in the state. The 7111 yard layout promises to be enjoyable for all golfers.

HOLE

18 Exciting features players face at Lakota are the elevated tee boxes on occasion dropping more than 100 feet to the fairway. Our PGA certified staff provides an experience that is unforgettable.

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THE MOUNTAIN 7,413 YARDS | PAR 72 | ELEVATION 8,250 FEET | OPEN END OF MAY TO OCTOBER Inspired by the undulating terrain and postcard setting, the Mountain Course is a Hale Irwin signature design. Capturing the feel of the landscape was important to Irwin, a Colorado native and three-time U.S. Open Champion. Formerly a working ranch, the land spans ridges, generous meadows, and forests, bringing a variety of challenges into play. Also located at the Mountain Course are The TimberHearth Restaurant and practice facilities.

THE SUMMIT 7,530 YARDS | PAR 72 | ELEVATION 9,000 FEET | OPEN JUNE TO SEPTEMBER This Jack Nicklaus signature design course has been crafted on 190 mountaintop acres, and takes advantage of the natural, rolling terrain of the sage- and sprucecovered hills Stunning, 100-mile views of the Rockies await every player.

C

ORDILLERA’S RENAISSANCE CONTINUES under Troon Prive, the private management arm of Troon golf. Cordillera is the only 54-hole championship complex in the High Country, including the Tom Fazio-designed Valley Course, the Mountain Course, by Hale Irwin, and Jack Nicklaus’ Summit Course.

However, one describes it, Cordillera provides a plethora of exceptional golf experiences with the renowned Troon touch for services and amenities.

655 CLUBHOUSE DR. CORDILLERA COLORADO, 81632 THE CLUB AT CORDILLERA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION SUZANNE MORGAN 970.569.6418

THE VALLEY 7,005 YARDS | PAR 71 | ELEVATION 7,200 FEET | OPEN APRIL TO OCTOBER The Valley Course is a Tom Fazio signature design with high mountain-desert topography and wide-open fairways.

Dramatically different than the Mountain and Summit Courses, the Valley Course is lower in elevation by 2,100 feet and blessed with primarily southern exposure, so it benefits from an extended playing season.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

27

EAGLE COUNTY

SEMI-PRIVATE COURSE

SONNENALP GOLF CLUB PAR-71

J

OIN THE CLUB OR SIMPLY BELONG The Sonnenalp Golf Club is a semi-private member facility, pleased to invite resort guests and local players limited access to the majestic links of our golf club. Golfers of all levels will enjoy the everyday playability of the course and the challenge it offers to those who seek it. At the Sonnenalp, we are known for having some of the fastest and most truerolling greens in the Vail area. Here, an award-winning layout takes you to elevated tees with inviting fairways framed by spectacular mountain views.

Impeccably maintained grounds add a velvet touch of green to the natural beauty of the surroundings.

The private club ambiance which prevails here, affords you the opportunity to enjoy an uncrowded, unhurried day spent in the company of friends.

With our location on the sunny side of the valley, The Sonnenalp Golf Club is one of the first to open and last to close. With one of the longest golfing seasons in the Vail area, we offer plenty of opportunity to get green fees for a great value from course opening in early April through June 14, and again from September 16 through the end of October. Rates in peak season can be had starting at $85. Come experience what the members have known for years.

Sonnenalp Golf Club is the best club around.

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

SONNENALP GOLF CLUB WWW.SONNENALPGOLFCLUB.COM

GOLF SHOP: 970.477.5372 MEMBERSHIP: 970.477.5375 DINING: 970.477.5353 EVENTS: 970.477.5388

FACILITY INFORMATION 18 hole semi-private golf club Designed by Bob Cupp and Jay Morrish Par 71, 7 different tees ranging from 5900-7100 yards Former home of the Colorado Open

GREENS FEES During peak season, as low as $85 includes cart and range balls.

MORE THAN A TEE TIME...

An opportunity of a lifetime.

An established club.

A course with charm and challenge.

An extraordinary family atmosphere.

A legacy of service.

MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE: Golf Membership Junior Golf Membership Social Membership One-Year Trial Golf Membership *financing plans are available

AMENITIES • Driving Range • Short game practice facility • Full service restaurant and snack bar • Rental clubs • PGA certified lessons • Lockers • Tennis courts * • Fitness facility* • Swimming facilities* *members only

BALATA RESTAURANT Come enjoy the Creative Neighborhood Kitchen after your round of golf or anytime.

Balata Restaurant is a feast for the senses with panoramic views of the mountains and golf course, the expansive covered and heated deck wraps around the restaurant to offer the most distinctive setting in Edwards. Balata offers fresh local and seasonal ingredients in both our club classics as well as innovative special cuisines. Whether you are looking for a casual summer lunch on the patio, a relaxing dinner, or night out at our pub, Balata has something for everyone. The inspiring views that stretch over the golf course and up the valley, provide an unparalleled venue for your special event. We offer full services for groups of all sizes, from corporate luncheons and birthday parties, to cocktail receptions and weddings.

Call for details or reservations: 970-477-5353

SIGNATURE HOLES

No. 15 Bombs away with your driver - the rough to the right of the fairway should kick your ball back towards the center. Don't try to cut the corner of this slight dogleg - all you'll find is scrub, trees and the first pond on the left. Go strong at the pin with your approach shot as the green slopes from back to front. Missing right is better than left, as all three ponds can come into play, adding unwanted penalty strokes.

No. 12 This tricky par 4 seems short, but a grassy ditch across the fairway and a steep uphill climb to the green present very challenging obstacles to par. Local knowledge - only the very biggest hitters can think about clearing the ditch on the drive. Lay up and be sure to land on the left side of the fairway to take the huge trees that shade the bridge out of the equation. Take an extra club or two on your approach as it is farther uphill to the green than you think. Play this hole intelligently, with shorter and more accurate shots throughout, or you'll find yourself with an unwanted big number on your scorecard.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

29

EAGLE COUNTY

EAGLEVAIL GOLF CLUB PAR-71

HOLE

11

F

ROM THE VERY START OF YOUR DAY at EagleVail, you know you’re playing mountain golf. The course is bookended by par-5s with elevated tee boxes and in between meanders along the Eagle River and Stone Creek before winding up in an isolated aspen grove.

The back nine features three par-5s, which can be scoring opportunities, but locals will tell you that the 15th and 16th, both par-4s to elevated greens guarded by water will likely make or break your round.

Don’t try to overpower EagleVail. It’s a stern test of all facets of your game.

EAGLEVAIL GOLF CLUB 970.949.5267 WILLOW CREEK PAR-3 970.845.PAR3 (7273) WWW.EAGLEVAILGOLFCLUB.COM

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

FACILITY INFORMATION

GREENS FEES

Championship 18-course as well as Willow Creek Par-3 Public daily fee course Designed by Devlin/Von Hagge design team

Peak season (June 20-Sept. 7): $79-99, with twilight ranging from $45-$79.

BLUE TEES: 70.7 rating/133 slope, 6,538 yards WHITE TEES: 69.1/128, 6,189 YELLOW TEES: Men, 66.7/115, 5,492; Women: 71.4/147, 5,492 RED TEES: 68.2/130, 4,739

Value season (Opening-June19; Sept.

8-close): $59-$79 with twilight ranging from $40-$65.

Season passes and punch cards are also available. Please check out the club’s website, www.eaglevailgolfclub.com.

HOLE

3

STAFF Ben Welsh, head professional Dave Thompson, assistant golf professional

COURSE NOTES Don’t think that this is easy loop because of the comparatively-shorter distances on the card to other courses in the valley.

Accuracy and course management scores and EagleVail’s greens will test the best green reader.

AMENITIES • The Willow Creek Par-3, a nine-hole course, a perfect place for families and children to learn the game or for players to work on their short game.

• A full practice facility, including a driving range, two spacious putting greens and a chipping area with a bunker in case your sand game needs work.

• Private lessons with the course’s PGAcertified staff.

• A newly-built swimming pool.

• The EagleVail Pavilion, perfect for weddings and social gatherings.

WHISKEY HILL GOLF GRILL When you’ve completed your round, EagleVail’s staff is ready to take care of your clubs and welcome you to the Whiskey Hill Golf Grill, a perfect place to recount your great shots, sample pub fare and watch sporting events on several flat screen televisions.

SIGNATURE HOLES

No. 9, par-4, 446/425/298

yards

From the blue and white tees, this is a blind tee shot and driver is often not the best option. The safe option off the tee is a long iron or hybrid which goes 220 yards or so that will catch the fairway and give you some roll for your approach. This is a slight dog-leg right, so one can cut the corner, but it’s a risky shot as homes line the right side of the fairway.

On your approach, keep in mind that the green slopes away from the fairway. Start your second shot out the left side, not only to avoid the greenside bunkers to the right, but to take advantage of a favorable roll into the putting surface.

No. 10, par-3, 197/133, 125 yards First off, get your camera out — this is not your average par-3. Then club down on this cliff shot.

The blue tees are 197 yards, but drops 185 feet in elevation and will play more like 150-155 yards. The whites, yellows and reds play like a 100yard shot. Enjoy the flight of your shot and do avoid the back and right bunkers.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

31

EAGLE COUNTY

SIGNATURE HOLE

15

• PAR-5, 555/497/475/460 YARDS As you enter the home-stretch feeling like you have the game under control, you will be tested one more time. This par-5 hole is a doozy and will challenge you from tee to green. Off the tee, play as aggressively as you dare. There are three landing areas along the way as you navigate the ravines that cast their shadows across the fairway. Pull your most trusted long club and favor the right side of the fairway to allow for the sloping landing area. The entire hole is surrounded by sagebrush, which has a nice aroma, but not if you are looking for your ball! Once in the fairway, place your approach shot carefully and all will be well on the scorecard. A bogey here is fine. A par is fantastic. Declare a national holiday if you birdie this hole but most of all, enjoy the journey.

HOLE

15 PAR-72

CYPSUM CREEK G GOLF COURSE

W

ELCOME TO THE ‘HOLE IN THE SKY.’ The Gypsum Creek Golf Course prides itself as having the longest season and best value in Eagle County.

530 COTTON RANCH DRIVE GYPSUM, CO 81637 WWW.GYPSUMCREEKGOLF.COM 970.524.6200 RANGE OF GREENS FEES: P$54-68 with cart; twilight $37-42 TYPE: Public, 18 holes, par-72 TEE TIMES: Available on line at www.gypsumcreekgolf.com or by calling 970-524-6200.

DRESS CODE: Collared shirt, no cutoffs denim or sweats, spikeless shoes.

DESIGNER: Pete Dye INFO: BLACK TEES: 72.8 rating/133 slope, 6,980 yards BROWN TEES: 71.4/121, 6,468 yards GOLD TEES: 69.0/115, 6,048 GREEN TEES: 70.3/122, 5,197

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

DIRECTIONS: Take I-70 to exit 140 (Gypsum). Pass through one roundabout, cross the river and turn right at the traffic light at Valley Rd. Proceed 1.1 miles to Cotton Ranch Dr and turn right.

THE EXPERIENCE Gypsum Creek Golf Course is nestled in the beautiful Gypsum Creek Valley, just minutes from Vail and Beaver Creek. The front nine meanders along a mountain stream and the back rolls across a high alpine wooded mesa.

Truly a stunning and unique golf experience that welcomes golfers as well as wildlife!

This 6,900 yard Pete Dye design is fun and challenging for all skill levels. After your round, you’ll enjoy lunch or dinner at the Creekside Grill, and the rest of our beautiful clubhouse with outside wraparound decks and views of Castle Peak. Bring the whole family, there is also an outdoor 25 meter swimming pool that’s open to the public from June to August.

EAGLE COUNTY

VAIL

PAR-71

GOLF CLUB

SIGNATURE HOLE

7

• PAR-3, 182/163/99/93/87 YARDS One of two dropping par-3 on the course — the other is the 15th — No. 7 plays about a club-and-a-half shorter from the upper tees than the distance says. The left greenside bunker is always trouble.

And as with every hole at Vail, note the pin position. If you’re above the hole, welcome to Three-Putt City. This par-3 starts a majestic stretch of seven holes, which march toward the Gore Range.

SIGNATURE HOLE

11

• PAR-4, 419/396/358/295/ 220 YARDS

T

HE ORIGINAL COURSE IN EAGLE COUNTY, the Vail Golf Club is a public 18 with a private feel. Nestled at the foot of the Gore Range and its surrounding aspens and constantly crossed by Gore Creek, Vail is a scenic pleasure in any season. The course boasts seven sets of tees to provide a challenge for the most experienced golfer as well as newer players. Vail is a proponent of pace of play with its 4:07 policy, allowing players to get into a good golfing rhythm, while at the same time allowing its guests to enjoy the attractions of the area with the rest of their day.

SUNBURST DRIVE VAIL, CO 81657 WWW.VAILREC.COM/VAIL-GOLF-CLUB 970.479.2260

PHOTO BY JACK AFFLECK

RANGE OF GREENS FEES: Opening-June 26: $64 Peak season, June 27-Sept. 4: $109 Fall season: Sept. 5-Oct. 5: $69 Aerification season, Oct. 6-close: $50 TEE TIMES: Available online at www.vailrec.com/vail-golf-club and by phone at 970-479-2260.

DRESS CODE: Collared shirt, no cutoffs, denim, or sweats, spikeless shoes.

DESIGNER: Ben Krueger INFO: BLACK TEES: 6786 yards, rating 77.8/152; 74.1/132 BLACK/BLUE TEES: 6480, 76.3/150; 70.1/129 BLUE TEES: 6326, 75.3/147; 69.4/129 GOLD TEES: 5861, 72.5/140; 66.9/124 GOLD/GREEN TEES: 5489, 70.2/134; 65.2/115 GREEN TEES: 5163, 68.3/129; 64.0/114 RED TEES: 3901, 61.2/111; 60.2/103 DIRECTIONS: I-70 to exit 176, turn on to South Frontage Road (east), travel east

No. 11 is as challenging as it is beautiful.

Stop at the tee box to take in Gore Creek in front and to your right as well as the Gore Range in the distance. Life doesn’t get much better than this. Then decide how close you want to cut your tee shot.

Sending it right gives you a shorter and better approach shot, but Gore Creek will punish the slightly errant shot. A classic risk-reward hole.

approximately 1.5 miles, then turn right on Vail Valley Drive. Follow this road approximately 0.5 miles until you arrive at the Vail Golf Club.

JUNIOR GOLFERS TEE IT UP New! Vail Junior Golf Academy June 23-26 or August 11-14 Vail Junior Golf 2-Day and 3-Day Clinics // June – August First Tee of Eagle County June – August 2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

LAKE COUNTY

PAR-36

MT. MASSIVE 6 GOLF COURSE

SIGNATURE HOLE • A 535 yard Par 5.

HOLE

6

N

ESTLED IN A TRULY SPECTACULAR SETTING near the headwaters of the Arkansas River. Surrounded by the towering, snow-capped Sawatch and Mosquito mountain ranges, over two dozen 14,000 foot + peaks are visible from the course, including Mt Elbert and Mt Massive, the highest and second highest in the entire Rocky Mountains. The course blends links-style open meadows with tree-lined holes. 13 strategically placed bunkers dot the layout, and though water comes into play on several holes, there are no forced carries. Although priced well below the nearby resort courses, our community owned facility is professionally operated and maintained. Our dedicated staff takes pride in providing excellent course conditioning and genuinely friendly customer service. Our putting greens consistently garner high marks and praise from guests that compare them to more costly venues. Just up the road, Turquoise Lake sparkles in the thin air. 3 miles east, beautiful downtown Leadville offers Victorian architecture, museums, shopping, dining and lodging in one of the largest National Historic Districts in the west..

259 COUNTY ROAD #5 LEADVILLE, 80461 WWW.MTMASSIVEGOLF.COM 719.486.2176 RANGE OF GREEN FEES: Rates vary according to season and time of day. Prime time mornings (June 21-August 24) are higher than off prime and afternoon rates. Rates noted do not include motor 34

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

carts; carts are an additional $13 per nine holes (per cart, usually shared) 9 holes - $16-$22 18 holes - $28-$40 We offer very low rates for those under 18, including free afternoon golf for those under 12 when accompanied by a paying adult.

We also offer special rates for residents of Lake, Summit, Eagle, Park, Chaffee,

It plays from an elevated tee directly into the face of Mt. Massive, our namesake and the second highest peak in Colorado. There are water hazards near the tee, it doglegs slightly left, and features a large spruce on the right side of the fairway 230 yards off the tee that penalizes a poorly hit or improperly placed tee shot.

Our resident ducks, foxes and frogs often gather by the water to watch golfers play their tee shot.

Pitkin & Garfield Counties, including a complimentary greens fee every 5th round.

Call or check mtmassivegolf.com for details.

TEE TIMES: Available 14 days in advance to our guests. We prefer phone and inperson bookings; for convenience on-line reservations are available through our website, mtmassivegolf.com DRESS CODE: Our fashion police have left town! We do require shirts, pants and shoes (or sandals).

DESIGNER: Adolph Kuss and David Schutte, 1972

THE EXPERIENCE

A relaxed, casual atmosphere prevails.

We think golf should be fun! With no homes, freeways, condos or development within several miles, golf at Mt. Massive is truly a walk in the woods. Carts are definitely not required - we encourage walking the course. Walking or riding, our aim at Mt. Massive is to send our guests home to tell their friends, “Hey, you’ve got to put America’s Highest on your golf course bucket list. Totally awesome place, and the golf is pretty good too!”

SUMMIT COUNTY

SIGNATURE HOLE

13

• 504 YARDS, PAR 5 • 3 SAND TRAPS • BREATHTAKING VIEWS • BEST VIEW AT COPPER CREEK One of Copper Creeks two signature holes. A par five with the Ten-Mile Range framing your view will take your breath away. A good tee show will allow you to go for the green in two. Heavy bunkering around the green will catch errant approach shots.

With a ridge down the middle of the green, hitting the proper side of the green is imperative. Hitting the wrong side could lead to an undesirable bodgey.

SIGNATURE HOLE

17

• 167 YARDS, PAR 3 • 3 SANDS TRAPS The second signature hole at the Copper Creek Golf Club is the par three seventeenth. Lined with towering pine trees this par three offers golfers a beautiful yet challenging golfing experience. The green is well protected by three strategically placed bunkers positioned to catch any errant shot.

The green features a two-tier design that demands golfers put the ball in the proper position to have any chance at an elusive birdie. Riddled with subtle breaks, making birdie here takes a combination of skill and luck to tame one of Copper Creeks finest golf holes

TOTAL YARDAGE – 4445-6080

COPPER CREEK GOLF COURSE AT

COPPER MOUNTAIN

A

MIX OF LINKS AND MOUNTAIN STYLE HOLES designed by the venerable Pete and Perry Dye, Copper Creek accommodates the novice golfer from the forward tees while still providing a great test for the accomplished golfer. Spellbinding views of the 10 Mile Range provide the perfect backdrop for any golf outing and Copper Creek's outstanding service is sure to impress.

COPPER ROAD COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO 80443 WWW.COPPERCOLORADO.COM/GOLF 866.286.1663 RANGE OF GREENS FEES: Peak Season Pricing: $72 Copper Creek has the lowest prices in Summit County and offers twilight rounds TEE TIMES: Available online or over the phone DESIGNER: Pete and Perry Dye INFO: Spellbinding views of the 10 Mile Range provide the perfect backdrop for any golf outing and Copper Creek's outstanding service is sure to impress.

THE COPPER CREEK EXPERIENCE The front nine winds through natural alpine terrain, towering pines, numerous lakes and streams, all leading to rolling emerald greens that demand your best concentration. The back nine changes in character as the fairways cut through the forest and the scant remains of a 19th century mining town. Pete and Perry Dye's incorporation of the natural alpine terrain, unique use of railroad tie bulkheads and elaborate mound systems presents you with thought-provoking challenges and scenic pleasures.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-70 to exit 195 (Copper Mountain) 2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

35

SUMMIT COUNTY

HOLE

16 PAR-72

THE RAVEN GOLF CLUB AT

J

THREE PEAKS

OURNEY THROUGH TOWERING PINES, quaking aspens, crystal clear creeks and trout filled lakes at the Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks. Overload your senses with Colorado’s mountain beauty.

The Raven is located in the majestic Gore Mountain Range and offers panoramic vistas at every turn. Stretching from 5235 to 7413 yards, the Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks offers a challenge for golfers of all abilities as well as an appealing blend of traditional and contemporary architectural course design styles.

2929 N. GOLDEN EAGLE ROAD SILVERTHORNE, CO 80498 WWW.RAVENATTHREEPEAKS.COM 970.262.3636 RANGE OF GREEN FEES $60-$169 Price of Golf Includes Green Fees, Cart Fee, Range Ball, and GPS unit on cart Visit www.ravenatthreepeaks.com to book tee times on-line or call 970.262.3636

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

SUMMIT COUNTRY RATES AVAILABLE: To qualify for Summit County Rates you must reside in summit county or own property in Summit County

DESIGNER: Tom Lehman/Hurdzan Fry

COURSE INFORMATION: • 18 Hole Regulation Length Course • Semi-private Golf Course • 72 Par, 7413 Yards, 74.2 Rating, Slope 146 • Open Mid-May through Mid-October (weather dependant)

HOLE

17 THE RAVEN GOLF CLUB EXPERIENCE The course can challenge players of all abilities. Front he 1st Tee to the 19th Green you will find a golf course that rewards you for your good shots. From the backdrop of the mountains as you hit to the 6th green, to the dramatic tee shot on the par 3 8th hole, the steep elevation change on the 9th hole, the challenging Par 3’s of the back 9 on holes #12 and #14 you will truly experience all that mountain golf has to offer. As you walk of the 18th green you will truly realize that playing golf at the Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks is an experience that is not soon forgotten.

Total Yardage – 5235 - 7413

OUR EXCLUSIVE OFFER Book your tee time on-line at www.ravenatthreepeaks.com and enter the promo code GG1 to receive exclusive pricing

COURSE NOTES: Playing the correct set of tees will only enhance your experience at the Raven Golf Club. The Raven Golf Club offers an appealing blend of traditional and contemporary architectural course design styles. Our unique finger bunkers are patterned after legendary golf course architect Dr. Alister Mackenzie.

Native grasses frame the bunkers and offer a dramatic visual contrast to the emerald fairways. While they may look intimidating, the bunkers are placed as guide posts to show the golfer the way or to save errant shots.

AMENITIES: • Food and Beverage Available • Rental Clubs • Driving Range

STAFF: Caleb Kehrwald – General Manager Mark Nickel – Director of Golf David Dean – Golf Course Superintendent

SIGNATURE HOLE: #16 – KING SOLOMON – PAR 5 The signature hole embodies all of the traits of the Raven Golf Club. While you are standing on the tee box you will experience stunning views of the valley below. As your tee shot flies down the middle of the fairway you could be rewarded with a little extra distance as there are several tiers in the fairway almost always enabling you to have a flat lie after tee shot. Your may be tempted to go for this green in two as your second shot will be downhill to a green guarded on both the left and right side by a generous bunkers. The large green has several mounds that will challenge even the most experience golfer.

RULES/NOTES: • Collared shirt • No cutoffs, denim, sweats • Soft spikes/spike less shoes required.

MEMBERSHIPS: The Raven Golf Club has membership opportunities available. For more information on our Membership program, or season passes information visit www.ravenatthreepeaks.com or call 970.262.3636.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

37

SUMMIT COUNTY

TWO CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES,

IN ONE SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN DESTINATION

T

WO AMAZING COLORADO GOLF COURSES. Thirty-six incredible, championship holes. These have made Keystone one of the nation¹s most respected golf resorts. Imagine teeing off from what is seemingly the edge of the world, launching your ball into the light, clear, Rocky Mountain air.

At Keystone, you¹re in for some of the greatest golfing of your life in one of the most spectacular settings you¹ll ever experience.

2014 SEASON DATES (weather dependent)

THE RIVER COURSE: May 16th - October 5, 2014

KEYSTONE RANCH: May 30 - June 1; June 6 September 28, 2014

GOLFKEYSTONE.COM TEE TIMES, SEASON PASSES: 970.496.1520

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

KEYSTONE RANCH GOLF COURSE PAR 72 Challenge yourself and take your game to a higher level on this classic mountain golf course. Winding through lodgepole pines, around sage meadows and across a nineacre lake, this par-72 golf course features slight elevation changes and many bunkers. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Keystone Ranch Golf Course follows the legendary links-style of a Scottish course on the front nine, while the back nine presents a traditional mountain valley layout. Total yardage is 5,582 - 7,090.

"We use our vision to reveal and sculpt the course inherent in each site so golfers can enjoy the challenges and wonders of the game." - Robert Trent Jones, Jr (Designer of the Keystone Ranch Course)

KEYSTONE RANCH GOLF COURSE DINING • Keystone Ranch Clubhouse Serves light continental of croissants and pastries, lunch and Happy Hour from 3-5pm. Enjoy some of the best views in Summit County on our deck overlooking the back nine.

• The Keystone Ranch Restaurant Experience our extraordinary modern artisan interpretations of Colorado Cuisine in the rustic elegance of this original 1930's ranch homestead overlooking the Keystone Ranch Golf Course.

It won¹t take long to see why the Ranch is a AAA Four Diamond restaurant and a

STAY, PLAY & SAVE when you bundle golf and lodging.

To book, call (855) 826-5297 Wine Spectator DiRoNa winner, as well as recognized as one of the Best Restaurants in Colorado by the prestigious Zagat Survey®.

Reservations are required.

Call 800-354-4FUN (4386)or visit OpenTable for reservations.

GOLF SHOP & PRACTICE FACILITIES Our golf shop is fully-stocked with signature golf apparel, golf clubs, and accessories from top manufacturers.

Practice facility access, practice balls and golf cart rental are included in the fees for all guests. Our practice facility includes a putting green, practice bunker and driving range.

THE RIVER COURSE AT KEYSTONE PAR 71 This par-71, Hurdzan-Fry course brings an element of drama to your game.

The par-35 front nine is oriented around the path of the Snake River and the par36 back nine winds through a lodgepole pine forest. Impressive elevation changes, variable bunkers, water hazards, and five sets of tees on each hole combine to challenge golfers of all abilities.

HOLE

5

The 16th hole features a 194-foot elevation drop from tee to green and the scenic 18th hole offers 12 bunkers and spectacular views of Lake Dillon. Add to that the magnificent views of snowcapped peaks and wildlife and it¹s easy to see this is a golfing experience unlike any other. Total yardage is 4,762 - 6,886.

KEYSTONE RANCH GOLF COURSE

"Our philosophy is to design golf courses that stir the spirit, exceed expectation and defy understanding. In doing this, golf becomes a complex puzzle requiring strength, skill and strategy - set in an environment of unquestioning beauty, yet subject to the irrepressible forces of nature." - Dr. Michael Hurdzan (Designer of The River Course)

THE RIVER COURSE CLUBHOUSE The River Course clubhouse features the Golf Shop and The Grill.

• The River Course Grill The River Course Grill is open daily during the golf season for breakfast, lunch, and apres golf - come by after your round for a happy hour drink at the bar or on our sunny patio.

HOLE

7

THE RIVER COURSE AT KEYSTONE

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

39

SUMMIT COUNTY

PAR-72

BRECKENRIDGE

GOLF CLUB

SIGNATURE HOLE

THE BEAVER NINE

8

• 580 YARD PAR 5 • BEAVER POND WATER HAZARD

• NUMEROUS WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS • MOUNTAIN VIEWS

HOLE

8

T

HE TOWN OF BRECKENRIDGE can boast that it is the only municipality in the world to own a Jack Nicklaus designed, 27-hole golf course. The golf course is situated in a beautiful mountain valley. The clubhouse sits at an elevation of 9,324 feet. At this elevation the golf ball flies farther and straighter than at lower elevations, as there is less air resistance. From the Nicklaus Tees on the Beaver/ Bear rotation, the course plays 7,266 yards and has a course rating of 73.9 with a slope rating of 147. A challenge for even the best golfer.

Each set of tees plays to a par 72.

200 CLUBHOUSE DR. BRECKENRIDGE, CO 80424 WWW.BRECKENRIDGEGOLFCLUB.COM 970.453.9104 RANGE OF GREEN FEES: Peak Season: 18-holes $132, $122 with internet prepay, $81 twilight at 2:30, and $30 Happy Hour 9-holes.Call for additional rates.

TYPE: Public, 27 holes, par 72 TEE TIMES: Available online DRESS CODE: Collared shirts, no cut-offs, denim acceptable DESIGNER: Jack Nicklaus INFO: The Breckenridge Golf Club is perfect for anyone including large and small groups, beginners to pros, and kids too. Also offers summer Men¹s and Women¹s league play

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

DIRECTIONS: Take I-70 to exit 203, and follow Hwy 9 south for seven miles.

Turn left on to Tiger Road and proceed to Highlands Drive, turn right and proceed to Clubhouse Drive. The course is about two hours from DIA.

THE BEAVER NINE The second nine to open, in 1987, was the Beaver. The Beaver nine has the narrowest fairways of any of the nines.

Accurate drives, although not necessarily long drives, are a requirement for you to shoot your handicap on these nine holes.

A venture to the left of holes 6, 7, and 8 and you will notice rock piles, tailings as the miners called them, leftover from the days of gold mining in the area. The miners were not the only creatures to leave their mark on the topography. The Beaver nine takes its name from the beaver ponds that are scattered along holes 6, 8,and 9.

These holes have active beavers that helped create the challenges that await you on these holes. Don¹t blame Jack Nicklaus for this design work. The beavers created the habitat and Nicklaus left it in place for your enjoyment. Enjoyment can also be read as frustration. The beaver ponds on the eighth hole seem to have a ³magnetic pull² on the golf ball. Although this nine finishes with a par three, par is tough to come by. The change in elevation along with the swirling breezes makes this one of the toughest tee shots on the nine.

Good luck! The large rounded mountain that frames the ninth hole is Buffalo Mountain, part of the Gore Mountain Range. Buffalo was the last active volcano in this mountain range, long before the Scots dreamed up the game of golf.

THE UNLIMITED PACKAGE Unlimited golf with cart (includes one range bucket per day). Priced at $460.

Valid for a period of 6 consecutive days. Offered exclusively to customers of our lodging partners. (The high season daily rate for 18-holes, with cart and range balls is valued at $132).

This package offers exceptional value for the golf fanatic.

INDUSTRY & TRENDS

THE ART OF GOLF COURSE

MAINTENANCE Pray for snow, if you love golf in the High Country

PHOTOS BY JOE MOYLAN

BY JOE MOYLAN

B

eginning in March, while most of us were still chasing powder days, employees of High Country golf courses were shifting their attention from wintertime responsibilities to making preparations for the upcoming season.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

41

INDUSTRY & TRENDS what we can to mitigate it because it is the agronomical equivalent of, well, use your imagination,” Buzbee said. “The point is once you have it, once the spores settle into the turf, it’s there forever.”

There are products on the market,

“Regardless of what the winter brings, you’re always going to face challenges when trying to prepare the course for the season. ~Caleb Kehrwald called fungicides, that aid in preventing snow mold growth. They come in spray and granular forms and must be applied in the fall before the snow starts flying.

In that sense, preparations for the start of the new golf season really begin at the conclusion of the previous one.

But because fungicide also is expensive, superintendents generally only use it on the most vital sections of the golf course, namely the greens and tee boxes.

Last year Buzbee made the decision to

apply both spray and granular fungicides to his tee boxes and greens. In hindsight, he lucked out in doing so because modern fungicides come with an expiration date and will only effectively prevent snow mold for a specific number of days.

“We’re kind of lucky over here on the far side of Eagle County because we have a longer season and we can generally wait until November to put fungicide out,” Buzbee said. “This winter was a nail biter though because I think we set a record with 103 days of consecutive snow cover. It really tested the longevity of the product.”

Although the debate about snow clearing predominantly revolves around fungicide efficacy, David Dean, superintendent at the Raven, said weather also plays a big role in determining when course employees remove snow from tee boxes and greens.

Although clearing snow while fungicides are still actively preventing snow mold growth is a priority, a sudden return of winter could shock exposed grass into dormancy, resulting in brown greens and tee boxes at the start of the season.

A perfect example came last year when Summit County received 25 percent of its total 2013 snow accumulation in the month of April.

“Last spring was particularly tricky

XXXXX

AS SPRING SLOWLY REARED its head and temperatures began to rise, so too did a friendly debate among course superintendents over the best time to clear greens and tee boxes of the still lingering snow.

Surprisingly, the same snow that provides High Country residents with epic powder days also brings with it a unique set of benefits, as well as some challenges, for local course managers, said Caleb Kehrwald, general manager of Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne.

On the plus side, snow is a pretty good insulator, Kehrwald said, and when there’s a thick blanket of it, the grass doesn’t shift into dormancy, it can stay green all winter and it may even grow an inch or two. Snow’s insulating qualities also keep ground freeze to a minimum, which reduces the number of potential problems with irrigation.

However, the combination of snow and sunshine can create a sort of ozone effect on the surface of the turf, said Tom Buzbee, director of golf at Gypsum Creek Golf Club, which creates ideal conditions for snow mold that can have a detrimental effect on course conditions.

“At 6,300 feet, we don’t have exactly the same concerns about snow mold as courses at the higher elevations in Eagle and Summit counties, but we do

42

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

XXXXXX

and we probably cleared our greens too early,” Kehrwald said. “There’s a lot of science that goes into the process, whether it’s trying to predict how long the fungicide will last to trying to predict the official start of spring, but at the end of the day you really have to rely on your gut.”

With so many variables to consider, one might think a dry winter would benefit local golf courses.

Although less snow often means an earlier start to the season, the lost insulation causes a whole host of other issues.

Without snow, the ground tends to freeze at deeper levels, causing expensive damage to a course’s irrigation system. Deeper ground freezes also cause grasses to transition into a state of dormancy, and although the surface is exposed to springtime elements, it takes significantly longer for soil temperatures to warm to the point that the grass reactivates itself.

“Regardless of what the winter brings, you’re always going to face challenges when trying to prepare the course for the season,” Kehrwald said. “I’d take snow every time because it protects the grass and allows it to recover more quickly.

“By June 1, our customers expect us to be caught up with the Front Range in terms of course conditions and quality. That’s always our goal and on average by June 1 we’re ready to go.”

Where do High Country golf courses get their water?

Unlike the Front Range, the High Country is blessed in the sense that every course receives the majority of its water from mountain runoff.

Although superintendents face certain challenges during years when Colorado is in a state of drought, like in 2001, agreements between golf courses and their municipality or senior water rights have always ensured High Country golf courses have enough water to keep their fairways green, without over doing it.

RAVEN GOLF CLUB AT THREE PEAKS Mark Nickel, director of golf at Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks, said the course in Silverthorne receives 100 percent of its water from mountain runoff.

The course has numerous storage ponds and lakes throughout its 18hole layout, with six designated as water retention areas, but only uses one to actively irrigate the course — the big lake on Hole 11.

The storage capacity of the lake on Hole 11 wasn’t clear by press time, but course general manager Caleb Kehrwald said it’s about 12 feet deep and has enough water to sustain the course for about three days.

But even during times of drought, Kehrwald said they’ve never reached the point where the Hole 11 lake was in danger of running dry.

“We’re fortunate to be on this property and to have the water rights that we have,” Kehrwald said. “We take a good amount of water out of the lake when we need to, but it’s constantly being fed by runoff. As long as there’s snow on the peaks and water running off, we're going to be good.”

When times are flush, Kehrwald said they’ve gone weeks without having to pull water out of storage.

“In 2013 we didn’t water the course for 45 days straight thanks to

those late afternoon storms we get here in the High Country,” Kehrwald said. “We never received any huge storms last year, but the rains were consistent and well timed.”

BRECKENRIDGE GOLF CLUB Jim Byers, superintendent of Breckenridge Golf Club, said they also use 100 percent surface water, primarily from the creek running along Gold Run and Gold Run Gulch roads.

Unlike the Raven, Byers said his 27-hole layout demands two active ponds for irrigation, the biggest being between holes 1 and 9 on the Elk Nine, and the second located near the tees for Hole 2, also on the Elk Course.

Byers estimated the two ponds hold about 20 to 30-acre feet of water. An acre-foot is equal to 324,000 gallons of water.

Although he doesn’t even want to think about the hypothetical situation of not receiving any surface water to replenish his ponds, Byers said Breck Golf Club has enough water to keep the course looking green for about a third of the summer.

In addition to receiving water from the creek on Gold Run Road, Byers said Breck Golf Club also can pump a limited amount of water from the Swan River if needed. The town of Breckenridge has senior water rights and there are restrictions in place about how much water the Breck Golf Club can use, but Byers said they’ve never come close to reaching their limit.

“We had issues a couple of Septembers ago, but we’ve never had to pump much water from the Swan anyway,” Byers said. “We’d never reach a point where we would have to empty our ponds either because of where the irrigation pumps are installed.

“But, we also wouldn’t want to because we’ve stocked fish in them.”

Even though it appears the Breck Golf Club has few worries about keeping its fairways lush, Byers said the club is installing a new irrigation system on the original 18 holes — the Beaver and Bear nines — that will be more efficient and significantly reduce the amount of water used on the course.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

43

EQUIPMENT

high country golf

BY JASMINE LISTOU BIBLE

L

adies, put a little sass in your swing with this vibrant and colorful outfit. We’ve selected the hottest styles in the most flattering cuts to keep you feeling confident on the links.

THE CADET CAP BY CALLAWAY is a fresh take on golf visor. The pilotinspired style is universally flattering and the semi-structured front tends to flatten hair less. The opening in the back allows you to adjust for the perfect fit, and slip your ponytail through the opening if you choose. The lightweight microfiber fabric will keep you shaded and cool, while the moisture wicking headband keeps any perspiration at bay. ($30.99)

» www.callawaygolf.com On cooler days the WOMEN’S CREW STRIPE GOLF SWEATER

BY PUMA will keep you warm and on trend. This piece is perfect for layering or wearing on its own. Its cotton construction is both breathable and comfortable against skin. The ribbed collar, cuff and hem keep the sweater exactly where you want it, allowing you to focus on your swing, not adjusting your outfit. ($75.00)

» www.puma.com Once the summer sun heats up, turn to the OAKLEY SHORT SLEEVE MORGAN POLO for the ultimate in fit and style. This flattering cut makes it appealing for all body types and ages.

The collar is feminine and allows you some breathing room. The O Hydrolix™ fabric pulls moisture to the surface, keeping you cool and dry, while the anti-bacterial technology keeps odors to a minimum. An added bonus is the UV protection. ($55.00)

» www.oakley.com 44

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

WOMEN Keep things feminine with the adorable GARNER SKORT BY OAKLEY. The built-in shorts keep you covered and comfortable while the skirt keeps you looking cheeky. The grapefruit color is bright and fun, and the O-Form fabric stretches four ways, allowing you full range of motion. The breathable and moisture wicking fabric helps you stay cool and dry, with UV protection built in. ($75.00)

» www.oakley.com Skip the plaid in favor of these LADIES TOUR CLIMACOOL LOW-CUT SOCKS from Adidas. The ClimaCool mesh panel will keep your feet dry from the first hole to the last. Classic Adidas stripes in punchy purple are designed to look athletic and chic on and off the course. The snug fit won’t shift during play, and the anti-odor technology is woven into the fabric. ($12.99)

» www.adidas.com GLOVE IT is a company that isn’t afraid to have fun. They have a full collection of women’s golf apparel and accessories in vibrant colors and patterns. Created by women, for women, this company knows that when a woman feels better, she performs better. We had a hard time narrowing down our favorites, but the SILVER WILLOW COLLECTION won our vote. The full finger glove is available in various sizes for either hand. ($19.95)

» www.gloveit.com

PHOTOS COURTESY CALLAWAY GOLF, PUMA, OAKLEY, ADIDAS AND GLOVEIT

Fashion

The snow is gone in the High Country and it’s time to hit the green. Dress to impress this season with a fresh new look. We’ve gathered our favorites in golf fashion that are sure to keep you looking stylish on and off the course.

G

entleman, it’s time to up your style game while you lower your score. Golf apparel for men isn’t hard to come by, and it’s easy to show up to the course with a basic outfit. So let’s make this season fun. Get out of your comfort zone and into some truly wild pieces.

Check out our favorites. Be bold and rock the whole look, or choose one of these pieces to throw into your collection.

Remember, this is a game, and it’s supposed to be fun.

Let’s start things off right with the

DUAL-TONE GOLF CAP FROM GOLF KNICKERS. This classic cut gets fun with a pop of orange and white.

The comfortable fit will keep your eyes shaded and head cool. Two-tone not quite crazy enough? Visit the site for a full argyle explosion. ($29.95)

» www.golfknickers.com

PHOTOS COURTESY GOLF KNICKERS, OGIO, NEXBELT, LOUDMOUTH GOLF AND PUMA

The CLUTCH GOLD POLO SHIRT FROM OGIO manages to be retro and hip at the same time. The throwback style pocket and buttoned collar are crisp and clean. This piece works perfectly with our wilder outfit, but would also work well in a more subdued wardrobe. The moisturewicking fabric will keep you dry and the anti-roll collar will keep you looking fresh all day. ($80.00)

The brand name says it all —

LOUDMOUTH APPAREL is making golf clothes for those who aren’t afraid to make a statement. The BENT GRASS-A GOLF PANTS certainly do just that. We adore the bold and groovy pattern. Fellow golfers will notice the pattern, while you notice the comfort. Cut to be fitted but not tight, the 97% cotton and 3% spandex fabric gives just enough stretch to give you full range of motion. Two front pockets, two back pockets and a tour slit at the bottom hem aid in the ease. Wear these on the green, then down Main Street in Breck. They’re a perfect conversation starter and chicks will dig your carefree attitude. ($69.00)

» www.us.loudmouthgolf.com The MEN’S MONOLINE PERFORMANCE GOLF GLOVE from Puma will add an extra touch of flair and bring the whole outfit together. The punchy orange glove features Puma’s recognizable cat logo on breathable lycra. The cabretta leather palm and fingers provide the grip you need, and the ultra-quiet hook and loop closure keep you stealthy. ($19.99)

» www.puma.com

MEN

» www.ogio.com NEXBELT’S MEN’S COLOUR GOLF BELT in Dublin green is swanky in all the right ways. This richly textured belt features contrasting white stitching and chrome buckle. And the best part?

The buckle folds down to reveal a hidden “X” marker, convenient for marking your ball on the green. Available in seven stylish colors. ($55.99)

» www.nexbelt.com 2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

45

STEVE SANDS

INSIDE THE GOLF CHANNEL WITH

BY CHRIS FREUD

I

n the course of two weeks in April, the Golf Channel’s Steve Sands has covered the Masters and flown out to Vail for a week of spring skiing with his family.

Not a bad gig.

“It is a very good life,” he said at Vail Cascade Club. “I’m incredibly lucky. It’s been a great ride.”

Sands, 45, has known Vail longer than the Golf Channel. He graduated from Colorado State in 1991. He’s been skiing at Vail before that. He knocks off chair numbers and ski runs like a local, though he’s bounced professionally through stops in Scottsbluff, Neb., and Martinsburg, W. Va., on his way to Orlando, Fla., and the home of the Golf Channel.

A CHANNEL FOR GOLF?

A network devoted exclusively to golf was still a bit of a novel concept even in 46

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

2001, when Sands arrived. ESPN and its assorted networks were established, but one sport for one network?

“I walked in here the other day and saw the Golf Channel on, and I couldn’t believe it,” Sands said of the Fireside Bar at the Cascade.

But the Golf Channel’s founder Joe Gibbs had figured out a magical and profitable idea.

“We’re all football fans, but most of us beyond high school don’t play football,” Sands said. “Golf ’s different.”

People who watch often play, and what better way to deliver an audience that’s ready to buy golf balls, clubs, clothes and every golf gadget known to humanity?

Sands works in the studios in Orlando, appearing on “Golf Central,” the network’s daily news show, and does the channel’s “Live From” show, pre- and post-round tournament shows from the PGA’s four majors and The Players Championship. (It’s also a Ryder Cup year, so Scotland is likely in the offing in September.) He describes the tour humorously as a “traveling circus.”

But it’s the travel that helps him interview tour players after a round of a tournament. Interviewing a guy who’s just won a major is easy. Interviewing the guy who just lost that tournament is another matter.

“You see everybody at the airports. You see everybody at the hotels,” Sands said.

“You see them at the restaurants. You see them on the range. You see them practicing. You see them at the pro-ams. You see them playing Thursday through Sunday,

for the most part. You get to know them.

Hopefully, they like you. Hopefully, they trust you. Hopefully, they talk to you.”

PHOTOS COURTESY THE GOLF CHANNEL

BRANDT AND TIGER

He certainly knows Brandt Snedeker, the 2012 FedEx Cup winner. At last year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y., Sands was live for pre-round coverage off to the right of the driving range when Snedeker decided it was time for a little target practice.

“All I heard was the ball coming. It grazed my foot on the ground and it made me jump on the air,” Sands said. “I was actually on camera at the time. I actually turned around, and sort of had a little fun with Brandt Snedeker after I realized he hadn’t killed me with a golf ball. Then he started hitting balls back (at me) again.”

As for Tiger Woods, Sands has not closed the book on the most prodigious player of this era. He was quick to point out that Woods won five tournaments last year and was the top-ranked player in the world as 2013 ended.

Woods is 38, and Sands thinks there’s still a lot of golf left in him, including Jack Nicklaus’ mark of 18 major wins.

“His body of work is not completed yet,” Sands said. “You could make fun of a lot of artists if you stopped their careers three-quarters of the way through. If he remains healthy, he has plenty of time to get Jack’s record.”

Sands admits the travel at times can be “a grind,” taking him away from his family. He makes it clear that lots of people travel for business under much more difficult circumstances with not as glamorous destinations. But it’s a part of covering live sporting events.

“One of the perks of the job is I get to see the world on the company’s dime,” he joked. “It’s fantastic. But there are certain times I’d love to not be in an airport for the 500th time.”

THE MASTERS

One bit of travel is never a tough one — going to Augusta National every April. Yes, he has teed it up on the

grounds of the Masters, saying he’s had “some good holes and some bad.”

And, yes, it’s even prettier in person than on television.

“I think it’s one of the golf courses … that you have to see it in person to believe how pretty it is,” Sands said. “I think television does it justice, but it doesn’t do it enough justice. It’s probably the prettiest place that does not have an ocean next to it to play golf.”

Sands, who travels to golf courses for a living and has played the Old Course at St. Andrew’s, says that if he had to pick one course to play, Augusta would be it.

Of course, he doesn’t get to spend the week hanging out at Amen Corner, eating pimento sandwiches.

“It’s a long week. We work a lot,” Sands said. “There are so many people that are behind the scenes that no one would recognize because they’re not in their faces on television, that put so many hard working hours into making that product as good as it is. It’s certainly a long week, but we love it.”

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

47

INSTRUCTION

Five keys to golf etiquette O EVENTUALLY WE ALL END UP IN A BUNKER. IF YOU’RE IN A GREEN-SIDE TRAP, CERTAINLY HIT BEHIND THE BALL AND TAKE SOME SAND LIKE THIS MAN DID. HOWEVER, DO RAKE THE BUNKER AFTER YOU’RE DONE.

ne of the worst things about golf is that it can be considered a snooty game.

Actually, it’s quite the contrary. After all, if you’re good enough, Joe Bob Smith of small town, whatever state, can qualify for the U.S. Open.

And during the recent economic downturn, the public courses, yes, the allegedly down-trodden munis — although publics in the High Country aren’t exactly average 18s — did better than their well-todo counterparts.

Golf is the people’s game, but there is etiquette to be observed. Fear not — this is not dinner at Buckingham Palace. These are just a few rules to keep in mind that will make your round more pleasant.

BY CHRIS FREUD

I

WHEN SOMEONE IS HITTING

On the tee shot, give the hitter some room. It’s not just etiquette — getting conked with a 460-cc driver will put a damper on the rest of your golf day.

Even at a safe distance, do not stand behind the hitter. He or she can see you peripherally, and that’s no good. Stand off to the side at a good distance, cease any conversation and stand still.

Also, try to track the shot.

Odds are everything you hit today isn’t going straight as an arrow. Others are hopefully tracking your errant shots; do the same for them.

II

IN THE FAIRWAY

By rule, the player the furthest away from the hole hits first. Again, it’s not only etiquette. It helps you not get smacked by a golf ball. When going to your ball, bring two or three clubs. This is ready golf, people. This covers you if your ball is further or closer to the hole than you thought when you left the cart, and saves you the time of running back to the cart.

If your shot has strayed, give a look for it, but while the rule book says you do have five minutes to search, don’t use all 300 seconds.

Always keep a couple of extra golf balls and be ready to drop 48

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

and take a stroke. If you’re not a scratch golfer, odds are good you’re going to be losing some golf balls during the day, especially on courses in the High Country.

If you’re fortunate enough to hit the fairway, take your next shot and then replace your divot and/or use the sand mix on your cart to fill said divot. (Check your respective course’s policy on this.) Be nice to the course, and it will be nice to you.

III AROUND THE GREEN

Again, furthest from the hole goes first. (By the way, if you’re in a green side bunker, please rake it after hitting.

Same goes for the fairway sand traps.) Along those lines, around the green bring your putter, your chipping club of choice and your sand wedge.

(Again, ready golf, people.)

Once on the green, fix your ball mark and one other. (The golf gods will smile upon you.) You may mark your ball with a coin or a ball marker.

That is particularly necessary when your ball is in the way of someone else putting.

When everyone in your group is on the green, take out the flag stick and move it a good distance from any putting. When everyone is done on the green, put the stick back in correctly for the approaching group.

While another is putting, please remain quiet, still and

PHOTO BY DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

Keep in mind a few rules and have fun

off to the side. However, while doing so, observe how the putt rolls and try to get a read on how your putt may go.

This is not the U.S. Open.

Take a look at your putt. Take a practice swing and then putt. You are not Bubba Watson putting for the Masters championship. Don’t spend extra time looking at your putt from all angles when it’s your turn. (If you can do so unobtrusively while someone else is putting, fine.) And please don’t stand over that 2-footer for triple.

IV CHECK YOUR EGO

While this isn’t strictly under the category of etiquette, realizing your abilities will help the pace of your day and

getting along well with your group. Unless you’re a scratch handicap, you shouldn’t play from the tips.

There’s a reason scorecards come with a slope rating and often tee recommendations based on handicap. Play from the right set of tees. Usually 6,000 to 6,500 yards of golf is enough for one day, even at altitude. Even if you’re playing with big bombers who crush it from the back tees, they will appreciate it if you play from a set of tees suited to your ability. You won’t be slowing the rest of the group down and you’ll probably score better.

And, yes, there are holes that have you for lunch. It happens. If you find yourself laying eight and still 200 yards out, pick up and call it a double-par.

V

CHECK YOUR EGO, PART II

As nice as the courses are in the High Country, if you were really good, you’d be on the PGA or LPGA tours.

As such, remember you are out on the course and meant to be having fun. You are attempting to hit a small white ball with oddly-shaped mallets into a tiny hole. Sometimes, it doesn’t work out.

Don’t lose your temper, throw a club or grouse about how the course is in bad shape, which is why you aren’t 2-under.

Again, this is meant to be fun. Keep a good attitude.

IRON SHOTS TAKE DIVOTS OUT OF THE FAIRWAY. THERE’S NO WAY AROUND THAT. BUT GOLF ETIQUETTE DICTATES THAT YOU REPLACE YOUR DIVOT, OR FILL IT WITH SAND MIX, DEPENDING ON THE COURSE’S POLICY.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN MCCARTY

Breckenridge Golf Club

Breckenridge Golf Club 200 Clubhouse Drive • Breckenridge, CO 80424 • (970) 453.9104

www.BreckenridgeGolfClub.com 2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

49

GUIDE TO MINI GOLF An overview of Putt & Play Junction in Breckenridge

BY JESSICA SMITH

I

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

This is a great course for mini golf rookies looking to get their first few games under their belts. More advanced mini golfers may sail through several of the holes but will certainly find a few challenges and may want to take the opportunity to brush up on their geometry skills. Frustrated golfers can take a break from the links to bounce their cares away on either of the course’s two inflatable bounce houses nearby.

ON THE GREEN

The first hole starts golfers off easy, with just one narrow kink between a determined golfer and a hole-in-one.

50

HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

PUTT & PLAY JUNCTION

Monday and Wednesday from 4-9 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Open from May 23 through Sept. 1 location: Stephen C. West Ice Arena, 189 Boreas Pass Rd, Breckenridge cost: $7 per person. $22 family admission (up to 4 people, 2 adults max). For groups of 10+, call for rates. A transferrable 10-Punch Pass is also available. for more information: visit www.Breckenridge Recreation.com or call (970) 547-9974 open daily:

Hole two, named for Baker Tank — the water dispensary tank on Boreas Pass — requires at least two strokes before sinking the ball. A replica of the tank straddles the green, providing a visual challenge.

Frustrated? Hold out for hole seven, one of the easiest of the course, offering a straight shot through a backdrop of the Breckenridge Train Depot.

The train history theme ends with hole nine, representing Engine #9, a late 19th century steam engine. Just be careful not to put too much steam behind your putt and end the first nine on a good note.

Don’t let the fluctuating narrowness of hole 10 affect your concentration as you attempt a fairly straight shot, through a painted replica of the 1909 Breckenridge schoolhouse, to the cup. Most golfers can pull off an A+ on this shot.

Trouble hits you next as you approach the dreaded hole 11, representing the Tiger Assay Office at Lomax Placer

Gulch. Golfers must roll the ball up a rounded metal sheet and into a gutter on a shelf, or attempt a pitch shot and hope the ball gains enough lift to reach the gutter. The “D” in “Pure Gold” on the sign is apparently the sweet spot.

While easily the most difficult, 11 is a high risk-reward hole, and can give up a hole-in-one if done just right.

With 11 behind you, feel free to relax for the rest of the back nine and enjoy the scenery. Shield your eyes from the glitter of Tom’s Baby, based off of the 13 pound piece of crystalline gold found in 1887. Take a moment to appreciate the impressive replica of the Summit County Courthouse on hole 17.

Finally, don’t worry about spooking the wildlife on the last hole, just do your best to aim between the moose hooves and avoid the droppings — who said mini golf wasn’t hazardous?

In the end, it’s all about the entire experience — getting out on the green, learning about Breckenridge history and spending quality time with friends and family. And if mini golf puts you in the mood for more expansive play, Summit County has plenty of options.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA SMITH XXXXX

n winter, the Stephen C. West Ice Arena’s outdoor rink in Breckenridge is the place to go for pirouettes, figure eights and triple axels. But when that summer sun shines, the ice melts away and is replaced by a carpet of green.

This summer marks the second year of mini golf at the arena.

Designed and constructed by the Breckenridge Recreation Department, the Putt & Play Junction features 18 holes, each with its own design, theme and hazards.

The mini golf course teamed up with the Breckenridge Historical Alliance to designate themes for each hole. The front nine, titled “The Tracks,” feature the impact of railroad in the High Country.

The back nine, appropriately called “The Kingdom,” represent the Breckenridge of the past, during its Wild West and mining heydays. Placards describing historical significance mark every stop, providing the golfer a mini history lesson with each mini putt.

TOP LEFT: SEAN BOGGS / VAIL RESORTS; TOP RIGHT: COURTESY VISTA RESTAURANT; BOTTOM 2 PHOTOS, THINKSTOCK

THINGS

TO DO

W H E N YOU ' R E NO T G OL F I NG

FINE OUTDOOR WEAR & GEAR

EXTRAS

OFF COURSE Colorado is a diverse golf destination, but non-golfers have plenty of options, too

BY KATIE COAKLEY

F

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or golfers, there’s no such thing as a day off of the course, especially when there are so many options to choose from. With 15 courses in both Summit and Eagle County, plus another eight in the Glenwood Springs area, there are enough options that a golf addict could play every day for more than three weeks without playing the same course twice.

Not everyone dreams of drives, though, and a fairway isn’t as fair a sight to some. For those who need a day off, or who feel as if golf really is “a good walk spoiled,” as Twain put it, there are plenty of opportunities for enjoying a day at the course — no woods or irons necessary.

Summit County

Golfing in Summit County is a memorable event, not just for the opportunity to play on the public Jack Nicklaus-designed, 27-hole golf course at the Breckenridge Golf Club, but also because at the high elevation, golf balls fly farther and straighter due to less air resistance.

For non-golfers, there are plenty of outdoor activities to experience in Summit County. Instead of a story about the almost hole-in-one, sign up for an opportunity for a fish tale, courtesy of Mountain Anglers.

Summit County’s oldest fly-fishing guide service, Mountain Anglers offers fishing opportunities on five major rivers as well as reservoirs and local streams. It’s one of the few sports that requires more patience than golf.

Give up the greens to take a trip on the blue in Lake Dillon. From sailboats to

speedboats and stand-up paddleboards to kayaks, it’s easy to spend a day exploring Lake Dillon’s 3,300 acres and 25 miles of shoreline, complete with incomparable views of the Tenmile range and surrounding peaks. For land lovers, the Frisco recreation path skirts the shores of Lake Dillon and continues into Keystone. For runners or bikers, exploring the path provides scenery that’s pretty enough to make exercising at altitude a bit less onerous.

It’s not necessary to be a golfer to enjoy the 19th hole. The Clubhouse

at Breckenridge Golf Club

is a locals’ favorite hangout, for both golfers and spectators because of its large deck, laidback atmosphere and tasty cuisine. Thursday nights feature all-you-can-eat barbecue and live music; it’s a combination that keeps guests celebrating long after the last shot is tallied.

Eagle County

Many golfers claim that golf is a relaxing sport, just an enjoyable stroll between holes. While that may be true for some, a sure-fire road to relaxation is through a massage. There are many world-class spas that offer a wide range of services in luxurious settings, but sometimes it’s simply about the massage. Simply Massage, with locations in Breckenridge, Vail and Avon, provide exactly what its name implies: an outstanding massage without an over-the-top price tag. From relieving stress to soothing sore muscles (that last drive was a doozy), a massage can be the ultimate way to spend a day away from the golf course.

One of the most compelling reasons to visit the Rocky Mountains is for the majestic scenery. Though golfers can enjoy the spectacular view from the 17th hole, non-golfers have their pick of conveyance for enjoying the views.

For views from the ground, sign up for a horseback ride on Vail Mountain or take a kayak trip on Piney Lake; for an expansive vista from the rarefied Colorado air, take

ER WITH SUMMER IS BETT

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LUNCH ST FOR

Fact: some of the best

NOT JU

restaurants with the most sigh-inducing decks in Eagle County are found at the golf courses that are scattered like vibrant green gems across the valley. It’s easy to while away the hours with a glass of iced tea or a locally crafted brew, chatting with friends and providing shotby-shot commentary for the action taking place on the course. flight on an idyllic hot air balloon ride or strap yourself in for an exhilarating paragliding adventure. From tranquil to thrilling, there are ample opportunities to create memories without involving a nine iron.

Stop into Vista at Arrowhead, located in the clubhouse of the Country Club of the Rockies, for a leisurely lunch on the patio or to enjoy the musical stylings of Vail’s own piano man, Mickey Poage, who will be tickling the ivories for the summer season starting in June.

Whiskey Hill Golf Grill at the Eagle Vail Golf Course is ideal for a grab-and-go breakfast or an energy-packed lunch before hitting the hiking and biking trails in the nearby Holy Cross Wilderness. Also in EagleVail is Ti Amo, one of the most popular Italian restaurants in the valley; sample the petti di pollo alle fragole or the pasta fritta, which can best be described as to-die-for Italian nachos.

Balata, situated at the Sonnenalp Golf Course in Edwards, offers spectacular views overlooking Beaver Creek and Arrowhead; be sure to try the famously tasty fish tacos.

y Starting at 11am Serving Every Da

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

EXTRAS

If possible, persuade the group to play the Beaver Creek Golf Course. While they’re enjoying the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed course (complete with deceptively narrow fairways), people who prefer not to play can explore the mountain on a 4x4 Adventure Tour or take a turn around the ice rink — even during the summer. Turn happy hour into a happy afternoon at Hooked, serving up some of the best seafood in Beaver Creek. Happy Hour starts at 1:50 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m., providing plenty of time to sample sashimi, sushi rolls and sake while waiting for the foursomes to come in.

Glenwood Springs

Moving westward, there are eight golf courses in the Glenwood Springs area, including Ironbridge Golf Course, a semiprivate 18-hole course with an Arthur Hills design that was refined by Tom Lehman.

While golfers can enjoy the spectacular view of Mount Sopris, non-golfers can try their hand at surfing (yes, surfing) at the whitewater wave park on the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon or experience the rush of the Giant Canyon Swing, which stretches 1,300 feet above the river, reaching speeds of up to 50 miles an hour.

End an adrenaline filled day with dinner at The Pullman, chef Mark Fischer’s eatery that is committed to sophisticated cuisine without pretention.

From Summit County through the Vail Valley on to Glenwood, this area is a golfer’s �n�oy �ne ��scan c�isine sitting paradise. However, there’s no �y the gran� stone �re�lace this winter. Relax to Vail’s need to relegate non-golfers Piano Man Micky Poage every evening! to mere ride-alongs. There are plenty of activities to try and adventures to experience — no clubs, balls or tees required.

High Country Golf Real Estate

Copper Mountain

Golf & Ski Home Gorgeous 3 level home with 6 bedrooms & 6.5 baths backs to Hole #16 of North America's highest elevation championship golf course "Copper Creek GC" & at base of ski slopes!.

$3,100,000 Tom Malmgren & Carmen Yonn (800) 526-7737 Carbonate Real Estate

Golf & Ski Townhomes Two wonderful choices in The Woods at Copper Creek! Both townhomes back to Hole #11 of the Copper Creek GC with sweeping mountain views.

Priced from $658,000 Tom Malmgren & Carmen Yonn (800) 526-7737 Carbonate Real Estate

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

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LAST SHOT Toss the balls - Each player in the group will toss their ball toward the yardage marker to determine the order of play. The closest one goes first, second closest goes second and so on.

Waggle - A relaxing motion a golfer makes when addressing the ball by waving the club over the ball

Knockdown - Hitting the ball with a low flat swing plane and a short follow through meant to keep the ball in a low trajectory.

Lag putt - Putts that no one would expect to make. 20 feet and out.

Gimme - A short putt that another player doesn’t make you hit into the cup.

As in “Is this a gimme?”

FRIED EGG

YOUR BALL LANDS IN THE SAND TRAP AND IS MOSTLY BENEATH THE LEVEL OF THE SAND.

LET THE DIG DOG EAT Hitting your driver or 1-wood.

Skull - Hitting the ball in the middle with the front edge of your club.

Shank - Hitting the ball off the hozel of your club.

Dance floor - Hitting the ball on the green. It can be used anytime but really it means you're on in regulation.

On in regulation - This is the expected number of shots it would take a scratch golfer to get on the green. One shot on a par-3, two shots on a par-4, three shots on a par-5.

Hook - A severe right to left curvature in the path of the ball flight. Usually due to an inside out swing path or turning your wrists over on impact.

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HIGH COUNTRY GOLF | 2014

Within the leather Commonly, when playing and no betting is involved people will “gimme” putts that are inside the leather.

That is, closer to the hole than the length between the club head and the bottom of the grip of your putter.

GOOD GOOD - A reciprocal gimme situation. “If you gimme my putt, I’ll give you yours”.

Pin high - Hitting the ball the correct length but off target so the ball lands off the green but perpendicular to the hole.

Honors - The person with the lowest score on the last hole hits first off the tee. If there’s a tie then honors carry over from the previous hole.

Out - Being the farthest away from the hole. The implication being, that that person hits first.

GOLF LING-

O

Ready golf Any player that’s ready can go ahead and hit. This rule is applied on the tee box, fairway and green. It helps speed things up.

Up and down - Chipping on to the green and oneputting.

Sand save - Getting up and down from the bunker.

Beached - In a sand trap

Chili-dipper - During your swing you hit the ground first taking a divot and spraying it over the ball.

Usually the ball goes a very short distance with a lot of top spin.

Hit a House - This is what you exclaim when you’ve put way too much power into a putt.

FORE - Yell this loudly if an errant shot is headed for another group.

Worm burner - Hitting a ball straight down the fairway that gets about three feet off the ground.

Yips - When you can’t make a short putt to save your life. Usually caused by nerves or anger. “I’ve got the yips.”

Ball mark - The indentation left when your ball hits the green. Not to be confused with a ball marker which you use to mark the place on the green your ball landed.

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Nineteenth hole The best part about the round — the club house bar.

2014 | HIGH COUNTRY GOLF

3

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