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CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

08 Forethoughts

The Season of Great Changes By Jon Rizzi

13 Chipping In

Dow Down in Pueblo (and at Cherry Hills)

17 The CGA

Walking the Walk with a New Study

19 The Gallery

Kevin Morton buys the Colorado Golf Expo; Hiwan gets a new owner and a new look; a 50th birthday for the Country Club of

53 The 21st CAGGYs

Which courses, clubs and instructors did you vote as Colorado’s best?

62

Beyond City Limits

As Austin explodes with people, music and golf, the four-star resort amenities at nearby Horseshoe Bay hold even greater appeal. By Chris Duthie 70

CSU Ram Connor Jones’ brilliant in streak seemed to come out of nowhere. It didn’t.

By Andy Bigford

81

Spring Training

A special advertising section that touches all the bases for golfers: playing, staying, drinking, eating and, of course, watching Cactus League baseball.

PLAYER’S CORNER

25 Fashion

Fairway style for 2023 By Susanne S. Brown

30 Lesson

Five Steps to Better Putting. By Alexander Fisher

34 State of Play

Colorado National Buffs Up. By Jon Rizzi

SIDE BETS

39 Fareways

The untouchables on club menus By John Lehndorff

45 Nice Drives

2022 Audi E-tron GT and Volvo C40

Recharge, 2023 Genesis GV60 and Mercedes EQS-AMG. Plus: Letting It Ride at Speed Vegas By Isaac Bouchard

Pelican Lakes Resort & Golf, Windsor, Colorado. Photograph by Premier Aerials, Courtesy Water Valley Company

PHOTOGRAPH BY PREMIER AERIALS COURTEST OF WATER VALLEY COMPANY

PHOTOGRAPH BY RYAN GUZZETTA

PHOTO BY C. MORGAN ENGEL / CLARKSON CREATIVE

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SPRING 2023 | VOLUME 21, NUMBER 8

coloradoavidgolfer.com

PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER

ALLEN J. WALTERS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

JON RIZZI

SALES, MARKETING & ADVERTISING

associate publisher

CHRIS PHILLIPS

vp of sales & marketing

LORI PERRY

digital marketing manager / content strategist

BRANDON KUSEK

business manager

MATT HEMMINGS

golf passport & special events manager

BRANDON EWING

ART & EDITORIAL

art director

D.T. CAREL

art director , avidlifestyle

BRENNA FARRELL

editor -at- large

TOM FERRELL

automotive editor

ISAAC BOUCHARD

style editor

SUZANNE S. BROWN

contributors

SAM ADAMS, ANDY BIGFORD, E.J. CARR, CLARKSON CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY, ANTHONY COTTON, TONY DEAR, DENNY DRESSMAN, SUE DRINKER, DICK DURRANCE, CHRIS DUTHIE, SCOTT GARDNER, GARO PRODUCTIONS, TED JOHNSON, JOHN LEHNDORFF, TOM MACKIN, KIM MCHUGH, CHRIS WHEELER

INQUIRIES

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Colorado AvidGolfer (ISSN 1548-4335) is published eight times a year by Baker-Colorado Publishing, LLC, and printed by Publication Printers Corp. 9350 E. Arapahoe Road #210, Greenwood Village, CO 80112. Colorado AvidGolfer is available at more than 250 locations, or you can order your personal subscription by calling 720-493-1729. Subscriptions are available at the rate of $17.95 per year. Copyright © 2023 by Baker-Colorado Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send address changes to Colorado AvidGolfer, 9350 E. Arapahoe Road #210, Greenwood Village, CO 80112. The magazine welcomes editorial submissions but assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material.

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YOU’RE INVITED

WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN A RELAXING DAY ON THE GREENS?

Having your choice of two amazing courses, with practice facilities and golf programs for all ages, plus all the lifestyle activities that keep you and your family engaged and ready for more. We have it all, from tennis, pickleball and bocce to a resort pool area, exciting dining and other luxuries. The greatest part of all is you get the best of both clubs with one membership.

The Season of Great Changes

EVEN THOUGH THE cover says “Spring,” chances are you’re reading this magazine in winter. Spring doesn’t begin until this issue has virtually disappeared from the racks, and the golf season traditionally doesn’t begin until the Masters.

We shouldn’t rush winter out the door, of course. Have you ever noticed that Coloradans who complain about too much snow will almost instinctively add, “But, we really need the moisture”?

In addition to precipitation, the dead-of-winter month of February brings the Colorado Golf Expo—a harbinger of the season to come. Last year marked the Expo’s first time at the Colorado Convention Center; this year marks the first time in 22 years that Mark and Lynn Cramer won’t be running the event.

The Cramers, both delightful people and passionate golfers, turned the event from a subdued trade show into a consumer event annually attracting thousands of golfers itching to try new clubs, purchase Colorado AvidGolfer Golf Passports and surround themselves with all things golf. It has also become, as Mark is fond of saying, “The winter gathering of the Colorado golf industry.”

Their commitment to gathering golfers and growing the game earned Mark and Lynn the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award. But by last year, they’d arrived at a time in their lives where it made sense to sell the Expo, which they did in November to Kevin Morton, a sharp, 51-year-old businessperson and golfer who lives in Denver with his wife and two young children.

After reading about Morton’s ideas for the Colorado Golf Expo on page 19, you’ll learn that’s not the only change in Colorado golf this year. The following page reports that Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen, which from 1964 to 1991 hosted the Colorado Open, has new owners for the first time in almost 50 years, and Florida-based Concert Golf Partners has already begun spending big on clubhouse upgrades.

Changes are also afoot at Colorado National Golf Club (p. 34) in Erie, which Virginia-based Heritage Golf purchased—along with The Golf Club at Bear Dance and Plum Creek Golf Club—last fall. In Colorado Springs, the Country Club of Colorado at Cheyenne Mountain Resort (p. 22) will celebrate its 50th birthday this year under the management of Troon, which took the reins in January.

Change also defines the game of Connor Jones, the Colorado State University golfer who last year seemingly came out of nowhere as a junior and dominated the state amateur ranks in a way that no male golfer had done in almost 50 years. Contributor Andy Bigford explores how Jones’ transformation came about (page 70).

Perhaps the biggest change is coming where you’d least expect it: east of Denver, along I-76, between the towns of Keenesburg and Wiggins. That’s where Rodeo Dunes, the first Colorado project by the Keiser family—the developers of Bandon Dunes, Cabot Links and Sand Valley—will begin taking shape this year. Flip to page 92 for a sneak peek.

Of course, as the devout nongolfer Marcel Proust said, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” On page 39, John Lehndorff’s “The Untouchables” reveals some sacred cows on the menus of some tony golf clubs. We also have the annual debate-igniter known as the CAGGY Awards on page 53, and our Golfer’s Guide to Spring Training in Arizona once again helps plan your golf trip around watching the Rockies and 14 other Major League Baseball teams prepare for the 2023 season.

Preparing for your golf season is what Colorado AvidGolfer, the Colorado Golf Expo and our many contributors, advertisers, partners and sponsors are all about. We’re here for you—as sure as spring will follow winter.

JON RIZZI Editorial Director

PHOTO BY JO ANNE RIZZI

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Dow Down in Pueblo

I REALLY ENJOYED reading your article about Dow Finsterwald (“The Dow Factor,” Winter 2022) and his history with the PGA and The Broadmoor. I had a personal interest because Dow spent many years golfing and spending time at the Pueblo Country Club after he retired from The Broadmoor. I had the pleasure of playing with him here several times.

Dow originally started coming here due to his close relationship with our former golf professional, Pat Rea, a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer who won several regional tournaments including the Colorado Open. Pat had a local group of guys that Dow continued to play with even after Pat passed away in 2013. I would venture to say that over the years Dow spent more time playing here during the warmer months than he did in Colorado Springs until his age and health caught up with him several years ago. Of course, during the winter he would take off and go to Bay Hill in Florida.

I always thought it was interesting that a man with Dow’s record and association with The Broadmoor would come to Pueblo so often to play with Pat Rea and other friends he made here versus Colorado Springs, with its great courses and people, and where he could play The Broadmoor anytime he wanted.

Kevin McCarthy, Pueblo

CREDIT FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF DOW FINSTERWALD ON PAGE 44 OF THE WINTER ISSUE LACKED LEGIBILITY. BARRY STAVER ORIGINALLY TOOK THE PHOTO FOR COLORADO AVIDGOLFER IN 2005.

Note: Please email letters to the editor to jon@coloradoavidgolfer.com. Letters may be edited for length, space or clarity.

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A landmark study proves golf’s health benefits are greater than anyone thought. Walking the Walk

Last year, the Colorado Golf Association partnered with the renowned Denver sport scientist Neil Wolkodoff, Ph.D., to confirm what avid golfers have known for years; a round of golf is good for body and soul. Now, with this recent study, you can officially add the mind to that list. This January, Dr. Wolkodoff’s study appeared in the World Journal of Advanced Research & Reviews.

“This study provides research validation to the notion that walking the course is a significant contribution to health,” CGA Executive Director/CEO Ed Mate noted. The study showed that walking the course with a pushcart or electric trolley was significantly better in terms of energy burned than playing in a motor cart.

Mate shared that “more important, for the first time ever, the study went a step further to measure the mental effects of these modalities and the tie of physical exertion and play to scoring. The results clearly showed that walking provides a mental edge and lowers scores.”

Wolkodoff, the medical program director for the Colorado Center for Health & Sports, noted, “golf is much better than walking because the caloric output per unit of time

is much higher than just walking. Eighty percent of golfers play 18 holes for four or more hours, so the health result is enhanced from total energy expenditure.”

Wolkodoff noted “golf while walking with a pushcart or electric trolley was statistically better at mental focus and score for the group,” adding there appears to be a rhythm of walking, thinking and shot-making that is positive for golf. “This will help define the relationship between walking modes and focus/score, something always postulated but never researched.”

The study took place last summer at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, the home course of the CGA. Each subject in the study was required to wear a VO2 mask during their round. Dr. Wolkodoff monitored various health metrics and each golfer submitted a mental focus assessment along with his or her scorecard for nine holes. One hearty soul who participated in the study was CommonGround Women’s Club champion, Rosemary Smith.

“Playing golf under those circumstances was difficult,” Smith admitted. “It was challenging wearing the mask—hot, claustrophobic and the look was certainly frightening to the

other golfers we were paired with. You limited your talking as well because breathing was more difficult. After you took the mask off you felt a bit disoriented—a little woozy, unsteady. The first drive and subsequent shots that followed were not pretty.

“However, your sense of balance was usually restored by the next hole. I talked to two other participants who shared this feeling. I’m proud to have been a part of this unique effort to quantify the health and wellness benefits of playing this game I love.”

When asked if she had a prefer-

ence between walking, pushcart or riding in a motor cart, it was a no-brainer. “My best rounds are always spent walking!” she said. “In fact, the best experience is walking and taking a caddie. Maybe the next study can incorporate taking caddies in the results!”

Smith has volunteered with the CGA’s Solich Caddie and Leadership Academy, so her bias runs deep. However you prefer to get around the course, you now know that a round of golf—especially on foot—is good for body, soul and mind. And it might even lower your scores. Read the full study at www.coloradogolf.org

Neil Wolkodoff, Ph.D., the medical program director for the Colorado Center for Health & Sports, performs research on golf and sports and provides programs to improve performance and health. He has worked successfully with PGA, collegiate and junior golfers over the last 25 years. He has authored five books and numerous research articles. neil@cochss.com

ROSEMARY SMITH

JASON NYGREN

The New Expo Master

As it has done every February for more than two decades, this year’s Colorado Golf Expo will attract golfers by the thousands. And for the second straight year, those golfers will flock to the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. The 2021 closure of the Denver Mart, the event’s longtime home, precipitated the relocation.

This year’s Expo (Feb. 17-19) brings another big change. Mark and Lynn Cramer, who have owned the event since 2000 and transformed it from an industry trade show into one of the country’s top consumer golf shows, will not be running it. The couple sold the show last November to Kevin Morton, the director of business development at Direct Mail Concepts.

A 51-year-old Pueblo native who lives in Denver and has attended the Expo for years, Morton played golf for coach Carl Casio at Pueblo East High School and worked summers as a counselor at the Billy Casper Golf Camp in California—“and I couldn’t learn enough being around him,” he says. After graduating from Arizona State, where he’d hung out with members of the golf teams, Morton spent the early part of his working life managing large booths at trade shows.

“I want to perpetuate the legacy that Mark and Lynn created,” he says earnestly,

noting this year he’ll have them on hand as consultants. He’ll also have the benefit of roughly 100 exhibitors, including veteran vendors like Lenny’s Golf, South Suburban Golf Courses and Colorado AvidGolfer’s Golf Passport. Plus, the Colorado PGA Section, Colorado Golf Association and Colorado Golf Hall of Fame will all have booths.

“Attendees have an expectation,” he says. “They love Lenny’s. The Argonaut Liquors ‘turn’ area was a hit last year, and we’re expanding it.”

That said, Morton has tweaked the floorplan of the 100,000-square-foot space to create more room and improve flow, so people extend their stays and visit all the booths.

“I want to create an environment where people want to be,” he says. That includes golfers in their 20s and 30s, some of whom he gathered for a focus group. “They told me that golf was too expensive, the gear was too expensive, and golf takes too long,” he explains. “I want them to know you don’t have to have top-of-the-line clubs, you don’t have to play 18 holes and you don’t have to play a regulation course to have fun.”

The other thing the group told him: “I’ve never heard of the show.” To remedy this, Morton has amped up the Expo’s social media presence. “We’re not going to be TikTok

creators, but we’re going to use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and other channels and technologies, like geo-fencing and digital coupons to get people to visit. We’d never give up on the 50-plus demographic, but we definitely want to introduce younger people to the show.”

Including kids. The Expo has long had junior golf areas, but Morton is taking it a step further by introducing a nine-hole mini-golf course that’s fun for kids and adults. His inspiration came from being the father of two grade-schoolers. “When my kids say, ‘we want to play golf,’ I’m thrilled,” he reasons. “We have a little putting green at our house, and I’ll just watch. I don’t force it. I want to foster a sense of enjoyment, not make it a chore.”

Morton likes the idea of a fun mini-golf competition to go with the closest-to-the-pin, long-drive and other skills contests the Expo regularly stages. He also knows that bargains are the big draw, as is the opportunity to try the latest equipment.

What most excites him, he says, is getting to know the players in the golf community— and how they all know each other. “It’s a very close group of people,” he says. “They love golf and they’ve figured out how to make it part of their working lives.” Now he’s one of them. coloradogolfexpo.com

Hiwan Turns a Page

OWNER’S CHOICE: Concert Golf won’t change Hiwan’s pine-lined fairways and fiddly greens, but its clubhouse will undergo a major upgrade that includes an expanded patio that wraps around three sides of the building.

For 28 years, Evergreen’s Hiwan Golf Club hosted the Colorado Open, and for twice that long the Fowler family owned the private club, investing first in 1966 and acquiring the controlling stake 13 years later. That proprietorship officially ended last August when Floridabased Concert Golf Partners—which had taken over management of the facility in April—acquired it for an undisclosed sum.

“We quickly realized that the club would benefit from an infusion of capital, fresh ideas, and a commitment to elevating Hiwan as the premier family-friendly country club in the area,” David Fowler said in a release, noting the family had “been impressed with the energy and excitement the members of the Concert Team brought to the property” during their months managing the club.

Concert also brought its own capital, investing $2 million in immediate improvements. “We want to preserve the lodge feel of the clubhouse, but modernize the aesthetic with new FF&E—furniture, fixtures and equipment,” General Manager Nicolas Trias explains. “We’re getting rid of the brass chandeliers,” he jokes, noting an obvious example of dated décor.

Other changes began before the sale. “We immediately made progress in F&B (food and beverage) and programming,” Trias says. “That’s the Concert philosophy.” Last year, Trias, who is also one of Concert’s regional directors of operations, hired a new F&B director, restaurant manager and catering manager.

“Nick, with his experience at ClubCorp and the Nicklaus Club at LionsGate in Kansas, has also brought in more member programs to involve women and children,”

says Kyle Heyen, who, after 42 years at Hiwan and a 2021 induction into the PGA of America Hall of Fame, has been promoted to PGA director of golf.

“We wanted him out from behind the desk and on the range, so he could work with members, teach and oversee operations and events,” Trias says. Troy Persson now handles the golf shop and outside golf operations as the head PGA golf professional.

With a golf pedigree that includes not only the Colorado Opens, but two USGA championships, the 2006 Rolex Tournament of Champions and the 2011 Junior America’s Cup and 2018 Junior Girls Americas Cup, Hiwan has had more than 35 major winners play its Press Maxwelldesigned course. President Dwight Eisenhower reputedly likened Hiwan to Augusta National.

Despite its name, however, Hiwan isn’t just a golf club. Its amenities include resort-style pools, a fitness center, five tennis courts and two pickleball courts. Its golf simulator, currently located in the pool house, will move to the upstairs space at the rear of the clubhouse. Called “the Nest” in a nod to Augusta National’s Crow’s Nest, the area will feature an aerobics studio, two golf simulators, billiards, a bar and food service.

The Nest will perch above a spectacular new wraparound patio that represents a portion of the initial capital investment. In addition to upgrading the dining rooms and the bar area, the golf shop’s bag room will become an F&B area, with a window where golfers can order and grab food and drink at the turn. The main kitchen will expand, and wine lockers will be available.

The footprint of the building, which has grown over 60 years, will not expand, but the way in which the club functions will.

“We want members to take pride in the experience and in being the only private club in Evergreen,” Trias says. “We want to be heavily involved in the community—with schools, fundraising and organizations.”

Currently the owner-operators of 29 upscale clubs, including The Ranch in Westminster, Concert prides itself on its deep pockets and a debt-free approach to club ownership and operation. Heyen reports that after an initial feeling of apprehension, he and the membership are thrilled with the sale: “There’s real excitement about the future.”

Memberships, which provide access to other Concert clubs and more than 600 others, are currently available. And for Colorado AvidGolfer Golf Passport members who want to experience Hiwan—and test themselves on its notorious greens—sign up for the club’s July 24 member play day. hiwan.com

A RENDERING OF HIWAN GOLF CLUB’S NEW BACK PATIO

HIWAN GOLF CLUB

How to Manage Turning 50

The Country Club of Colorado at Cheyenne Mountain Resort is marking its 50th anniversary under new management. Troon Privé, the private-club operating division of Troon, has taken over management of the club components of the resort, including golf operations, club sales and marketing, as well as fitness, tennis, spa and aquatics operations.

“We are very excited to be a part of the Troon Family. Our ownership now has all of its golf properties under one management umbrella,”

Cathy Matthews-Kane, the club’s general manager, says, referring to KDG Capital, the Florida-based real estate private equity firm that has owned The Country Club of Colorado at Cheyenne Mountain Resort since 2017. KDG also partnered with Troon at its properties in California, Florida, New Jersey and Oregon. As part of the Troon Privé network, CCC members receive exclusive access to extraordinary golf and lifestyle benefits throughout the world.

Known informally to longtime

The Place to Get Pickled

In addition to all the new drivers, irons, putters, balls, apparel and swing aids at January’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, golf industry members got an close-up look at a sport that’s surging in popularity even faster than golf: pickleball.

Selkirk Sport set up a regulation pickleball court on the PGA Show exhibit hall floor and hosted exhibition matches and clinics with celebrities and some of the sport’s top teachers.

And why not? Pickleball is to tennis what par-3 courses are to golf— another way to enjoy the game you love. Rare is the club or rec district that doesn’t have at least one pickle -

ball court, and, according to Racquet Sports Industries magazine, Colorado has the best store in the country to gear up for playing it (as well as all other paddle and racquet sports).

The magazine recently presented Game-Set-Match with its Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year Award—a tremendous honor, since the publication annually selects only one retail store to receive this award. GameSet-Match has three Colorado locations (Boulder, Centennial, Denver) brimming with gear and apparel, with the Denver store featuring a mini pickleball court to test paddles and shoes. tennisdenver.net

Springs residents as the “Gates Club”—after Charles Gates, the rubber magnate and developer of the 3,000-acre Cheyenne Mountain Ranch property—the Country Club of Colorado opened its Pete Dyedesigned course in 1973. The 6,970yard, par-71 layout, which routes around spring-fed Curr Reservoir, was Dye’s first Colorado layout.

The Cheyenne Mountain Resort opened in 1985. CCC members and hotel guests have access to the golf course, as well as 11 tennis courts

(five indoor, six outdoor), eight pickleball courts, a beachfront lake, boating experiences, a fitness facility, five pools and the Alluvia Spa and Wellness Retreat. Troon manages all of these; Aimbridge Hospitality manages the 316-room resort, restaurants and meeting/event space.

“The actual opening date of all 18 holes is September 1,” Matthews-Kane says. “So, we’re planning a big golf event that day as well as pool parties, etc. leading up to the big 5-0!” cheyennemountain.com

Up the Leaderboard

On March 12, the Sportswomen of Colorado’s 49th Annual Awards Celebration will honor three golfers: Leigha Devine of Fort Collins and Rutgers University; Hadley Ashton of Erie High School; and Jill McGill, the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open champion. This marks McGill’s third SWOC award, which puts the Cherry Creek High graduate into the Sportswomen of Colorado Hall of Fame.

Rounding out the foursome is Ann Wolta Blackstone, the coach of the two-time 3A champion St. Mary’s Academy girls golf team. She will receive the Joan Birkland Leadership Award, named for the legendary athlete and Sportswomen of Colorado founder who died in 2019 at age 90.

Battling recurrent breast cancer for nearly half her life, the 62-yearold Blackstone has taught golf as an LPGA instructor for four decades and shown leadership on and off the course, giving thousands of lessons and raising thousands of dollars for cancer research. Never having

coached a golf team before, she took on the St. Mary’s Academy job in 2017 and shortly thereafter led the Wildcats to their first two state titles in the school’s 157-year history.

“As an LPGA Teaching Professional for 40 years, Joanie Birkland and I crossed paths in golf many times,” she says. “She was an amazing advocate for women in sports and an incredible athlete in golf, tennis and basketball. Joanie was one of my mentors. We shared a bond of promoting women in golf, and I am grateful to be honored for doing what I love to do!” sportswomenofcolorado.org

ANN WOLTA BLACKSTONE

By Suzanne S. Brown

Fairway Fashion

01. RETURN ENGAGEMENT

You can teach an old brand new tricks. Ashworth and its Golfman logo are back in the U.S. market with garments blending natural fabrics like cotton and new technical materials in classic silhouettes. Here, the Innovation Interlock Pullover, $98, worn by Fred Couples, who wore Ashworth when he won the 1992 Masters, and is again a brand ambassador. us.ashworthgolf.com

02.

PATTERN PLAY

Travis Mathew ’s design team drew inspiration for its spring prints and colors from the hues, architecture, flowers, and landscapes of the Southwest and Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. The cotton blend Forever Young polo in a palm print, $100, will transport you to sunny climes wherever you happen to be teeing off. travismathew.com

03. ENGLISH ACCENTS

Castore was founded in Liverpool, England, by former athletes and brothers Tom and Phil Beahon, who are creating apparel for sports ranging from cricket and auto racing to tennis and golf. Among their choice for the links are a long-sleeved mock neck top with mesh ventilation and body mapping construction, $78, and the Tech Trouser, $85. us.castore.com

O4.

WEATHER OR NOT

For golf wear that is as refined as it is functional, count on Peter Millar. In its spring collection, those qualities combine in the Merge Hybrid Hooded Jacket. The wind-and-waterresistant piece has a full zipper and is sleekly styled with a lightly insulated front in a camouflage pattern, and four-way stretch back and sleeves, $250. petermillar.com

Player’s Corner Style

Both new and established brands are innovating with apparel that packs performance, style and prints aplenty.

O4

COURSE CLASSICS

Ralph Lauren’s all-American styling and use of luxurious fabrics take a performance-driven twist in the RLX Golf Collection. Among the brand’s standout pieces this season is the washable cashmere hoodie in a print that pairs camouflage with a subtle golfer’s silhouette, $398, worn with performance twill pants, $148. ralphlauren.com

NEW KID ON THE COURSE

Among the women’s brands to debut at the 2023 PGA Merchandise Show was Denver-based Birdie and Ace. Aiming to attract young women who are new to golf, tennis and pickleball, it features short, flippy skorts in a four-way stretch fabric offered in a variety of colors and patterns. The signature Everyday Tour skirt, $115, has a high waistband and multiple pockets. birdieandace.com

STEPPING UP

True Linkswear is known for shoes that are comfortable enough to walk in for 18 holes and then go dancing afterwards. The company’s new Lux Hybrid adds a leather saddle in a camo pattern to the performance qualities of its original knitted design to lend a traditional look and add stability in the middle of the foot, $195.

truelinkswear.com

06.

07.

05.

08.

WEARING THE PANTS

Ask any gal golfer: pants that fit well can be hard to find. Montreal-based Swing Control uses a lightweight, stretchy fabric for trousers detailed with a pull-on waistband for ease, and pockets for holding essentials while not adding bulk. Among the many patterns available is the Brackets geometric design with sporty side stripes, $138. swingcontrol.com

RETROINSPIRED! LOOK JUST AS GOOD ON THE COURSE OR OUT TO DINNER.

NOT JUST FOR GOLF. WEAR THEM EVERYWHERE. THEY HAVE POCKETS!

09.

UP TO PAR

Launched in the midst of the pandemic two years ago by University of Denver grads Sammy Berger and Tara Collins, Prio Golf is a tight brand that has found a growing audience via social media and online sales. Its core spring lineup includes skorts that come in multiple lengths, $85-$90, a sleeveless top, $60, quarter-zip pullover, $75, and accessories. priogolf.com

Suzanne S. Brown is the former fashion editor at The Denver Post

Player’s Corner

By Alex Fisher | Photos by Ryan Guzzetta

How to start making dough instead of doh! on the greens 5

Ways to Better Putting

STATS CAN TEACH US HOW TO IMPROVE OUR GAMES.

Here’s a critical one: The putter accounts for approximately 40 percent of all golf shots. Two-putt every green during a round, and you’ll score in at least the low 80s.

To go even lower, consider how well the best players in the world putt. The average tour players make 99 percent of their threefoot putts, 70 percent of their six-footers and 40 percent of their 10-footers. To no surprise, amateur golfers make significantly fewer.

Consider this: You have a straight, five-foot putt with no break. If your clubface is two degrees open at impact, your ball will miss the target. From eight feet away, you won’t make a putt if your clubface is open or closed more than one degree to its intended line.

SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO BECOME A BETTER PUTTER?

Become a proficient lag/speed putter. Three-putts result from the first putt finishing too far from the hole, leaving a tough makable distance for the next one.

Aim correctly and control face angle. The putter’s lack of loft makes it the hardest club to aim straight and hit on line. You need to know how to align, aim and swing with a consistent path.

01. IT'S IN THE LAG

A SIMPLE LADDER DRILL WILL HELP YOUR SPEED CONTROL TO SPECIFIC DISTANCES.

• Set up lines or cones on a putting green by walking off four-step increments all the way to 16 steps away.

• Starting at the four-step mark, make practice swings looking at the target by swinging the putter back and forth at a consistent rhythm.

• Once you have the feel for that distance move back to the eight-step mark, maintain the swings rhythm but increase its size. Continue that to the 12 and 16-step targets by adjusting the swings size, not speed.

On the course, you’ll be amazed that if you walk off the distance of a putt, you’ll know what the size of the swing needs to be based off of this stepping drill.

02. RULE THE GREENS

A YARDSTICK IS A SIMPLE TOOL TO WORK ON ALIGNMENT AND FACE-ANGLE CONTROL.

• Lay the ruler down on the flattest part of the putting surface and place a golf ball on one end.

• Hit putts the entire length of the yardstick without them falling off.

• Once you have the feel for that distance move back to the eight-step mark, maintain the swings rhythm but increase its size. Continue that to the 12- and 16-step targets by adjusting the swings size, not speed.

If the ball makes it to the end of the yardstick, you’re in good shape. Struggle to keep it on and you’ll learn your tendencies with misalignment.

events, including live entertainment, wine and craft beer dinners, pool parties, holiday celebrations, and so much more. Plus, as a Member, you’ll also can get access to our network of 60+ Clubs from coast to coast.

THE CLUBFACE HAS THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON BALL DIRECTION, and the path of the putter head affects the position of the clubface. Whether you believe in straight back and through or a slight curve, make sure your path is consistent.

• Set up a “tee gate” just wide enough for the club head to get through either side of the head’s heel and toe.

• Place a ball between the tees and hit putts to a target making sure that the clubhead doesn’t touch either tee.

MOST GOLF BALLS COME WITH SOME SORT OF PRINTED ALIGNMENT MARK, but I believe in drawing one on as well.

• When placing your ball, point the line at a spot a couple of feet in front of you along your chosen line.

03. FROM GATE TO GREAT 04. LINE 'EM UP 05. LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED

• If you can hit that spot at the right speed, you will have a higher chance of making putts. Aiming becomes one less thing to think about!

WHEN IT COMES TO READING A PUTT FOLLOW THIS SIMPLE PROCESS.

• Crouch behind the ball and look 10 feet to the right and left of the hole to determine which side of the green is higher than the other.

• Walk along the low side of the green and determine the break by focusing on the final third of the distance the putt must travel.

• Get behind the hole and look back at the ball. You’ll have a better view of the read because all the break happens towards the end of the putt as the ball slows down and gravity takes over.

• Lastly, look for where you think the ball is going to fall into the hole and at what point on the green the ball is going to break towards the hole. Then identify an initial point two feet in front of the ball that it must roll over to meet those two other reference points. This will help you visualize the path the ball must take to go in the hole.

Alex Fisher is the highly decorated PGA Director of Instruction at JW Marriott Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale until mid-May and at Glacier Club in Durango, Colorado, from mid-May to mid-September. alexfisherpga.com; 602-363-9800.

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ia-based Heritage Golf Group. The $37 million transaction also included The Golf Club at Bear Dance in Larkspur and Plum Creek Golf Club in Castle Rock.

The connection between those three courses dates to 2016, when Southwest Greens, LLC, then the owner/operators of Plum Creek and Bear Dance, bought a controlling interest in Colorado National from the Kerr family. In the agreement, former CU golfer Steve Kerr, who in 2009 had purchased the sixyear-old Vista Ridge Golf Club and renamed it Colorado National, remained a partner with his daughter Erin—herself a former Buff golfer and the 2005 Colorado Women’s

and its ownership likes the brand ing and licensing connection with CU.” Schalk notes that Heritage’s Chief Acquisition Officer W. Scott McMartin, a Castle Pines resident, is a proud CU alumnus.

From a golfer’s perspective, not much will change. Colorado Nation al’s Jay Morrish-designed course will still sport seven sets of tees, stretching the course from 4,690 to 7,676 yards. The club will also remain part of the Mile High Fore Pack—a $299 deal that includes one round each at Plum Creek, Bear Dance, Riverdale and Colorado Na tional, with proceeds helping to fund a mortgage-free home for a wound ed veteran through the Colorado

CU STRONG: Colorado National’s university ties remain robust.

G R A N B Y R A N C H

G O L F C O U R S E

E x p e r i e n c e t h e s e r e n i t y o f m o u n t a i n g o l f a t G r a n b y R a n c h G o l f C o u r s e .

T h e 1 8 - h o l e c o u r s e i s p e r f e c t f o r f a m i l i e s a n d a v i d g o l f e r s a l i k e .

P l a y i n g a t 8 , 1 0 0 f e e t , t h e c o u r s e f e a t u r e s u n p a r a l l e l e d R o c k y M o u n t a i n v i e w s , a b u n d a n t w i l d l i f e , a n d t h e F r a s e r R i v e r . A r o u n d a t G r a n b y R a n c h G o l f C o u r s e i s m o r e t h a n j u s t g o l f . W e i n v i t e y o u t o j o i n u s f o r a n a d v e n t u r o u s C o l o r a d o m o u n t a i n e x p e r i e n c e .

S P E C I A L A V I D

G O L F E R

P R O M O T I O N

G O L F O U T I N G S & T O U R N A M E N T S

O f f e r O n l y V a l i d f o r

B o o k i n g s & G r o u p s o f

PGA Reach Foundation and Military Warriors Support Foundation.

Schalk notes that Colorado National’s number of monthly and annual memberships has already increased by 30 over last year. The club’s annual Fourth of July blowout remains on the calendar, as does a full slate of charity events and junior golf programs. The club will host a May 1 Corona Premier Pro-Am Series event, as well as The Korn Ferry Tour’s Ascendant qualifier (July 10) and the annual collegiate Mark Simpson Invitational October 2-3.

“We’re continuing the things we did, and now, with more resources and a smaller management structure (OB Sports, a division of Troon, had previously managed the course), we can make them even better,” Schalk says.

By John Lehndorff

The Untouchables

Some of Colorado’s oldest golf club restaurants are critically acclaimed for their vast wine cellars and others for fine-dining menus and exceptional tableside service.

However, if you ask the club members and visiting players to name the culinary highlights at these institutions, you get quite a different response.

Take Castle Pines Golf Club which is known to dish some of the state’s best golf fare. When pressed to recall their favorite food at Castle Pines, a milkshake made with an entire pint of ice cream is top of mind for professional and amateur players.

Colorado AvidGolfer recently asked selected Colorado golf club restaurants a simple question:

What is your signature dish or the longtime

menu item you can never ever take off the menu because it is so beloved by members and visitors?

It turns out that clubs risk a revolt if they touch certain dishes. Even deleting them completely from the menu doesn’t seem to deter some devotees, according to David Herrmann, Executive Chef at Lakewood Country Club. The favorite dish there is The Birdie. “The Birdie is not on our menu currently but we still make 15 to 20 of them a week in the off-season and 50 to 60 for lunch a week during the season,” he says.

The following down-to-earth entrées, drinks and desserts have earned a permanent spot in the Colorado golfer food hall of fame not because they are sexy or trendy, but because golfers love them and want to sample them time and time again.

THE CLUB SANDWICH, THE BROADMOOR GOLF CLUB, COLORADO SPRINGS

It’s hard to imagine, but there was a time when the “Club Sandwich” was a new menu sensation. Back in the early 1900s, the tripledecker favorite made its way to Colorado.

“The Club has been on the menu at the Broadmoor since the 1930s, for sure. It’s on the earliest golf club menus we have in our archives,” according to Krista Heinicke, the resort’s public relations and communications manager. A 1937 Broadmoor lunch menu lists the Club under “Sandwiches” for 50 cents. Other available sandwich fillings included sardines, eggs, chicken, cheese and caviar. (See page 42.)

The club sandwich’s history may go back to private gambling clubs in the 1890s in either New York City, or in Saratoga Springs,

SAME AS IT EVER WAS: The Club, seen here without frilly toothpicks, has satisfied Broadmoor members for nearly a century.

From green chile to milkshakes, certain dishes have a permanent place on Colorado golf club menus.

PHOTO BY MIC GAROFOLO

Side Bets Fareways

New York—coincidentally the birthplace of the potato chip.

These days The Broadmoor’s menu includes a club layered with smoked turkey, bacon, avocado, tomato and red onion on white toast, cut in quarters and held together by long toothpicks.

GREEN CHILE, CHERRY CREEK COUNTRY CLUB, DENVER

Known for its first-class amenities on the course and in the dining room, Cherry Creek Country Club has been home to some secret spice for two decades.

“For members and diners, the one item they love is our green chile. It’s been the same recipe for 20 years—since we opened our doors,” says Karen Hart, Cherry Creek’s president and general manager.

Diners enjoy the pork green chile inside and smothering the club’s big breakfast burritos. For lunch, a member favorite is a simple bowl of chunky green chile and soft warm tortillas.

“The recipe is a closely guarded secret, but one chef a few years ago tried to change it. He got in a lot of trouble with the members,” Hart says. “They love the green chile so much they have us mail them pints of it in

THE FOOTHILLS SKILLET, BEAR CREEK GOLF CLUB, DENVER

The Foothills Skillet is really a winning scratch-made two-fer as far as members are concerned. Over-easy eggs atop freshly prepared corned beef and potato hash come smothered in serious pork green chile and served in an iron skillet that keeps it all hot.

“The corned beef is brined here for six weeks before it is cooked and served. We also use it on our classic corned beef sandwiches,” says Rich Goins, Bear Creek’s membership director. More than 200 pounds of corned beef are served at the club every St. Patrick’s Day, he says.

The club’s spicy green chile is also served by the bowl with flour tortillas and in the club’s grab-and-go burritos.

PARMESAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN, COLORADO GOLF CLUB, PARKER

When Colorado Golf Club opened in 2007 the menu included a new dish: Parmesan-crusted chicken. It wasn’t necessarily

THE BIRDIE, LAKEWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, LAKEWOOD

The most unlikely candidate for beloved Colorado golf course dish may be The Birdie. The old-fashioned “lite” salad plate has been on the Lakewood Country Club menu for decades. According to Executive Chef David Herrmann, The Birdie originally included canned peach halves (now replaced by avocado halves) plus scoops of tuna salad and chicken salad sided with a slab of sweetly frosted carrot cake. “Members tell us The Birdie was one of the first things they ate at the club. They say it reminds them of their grandparents,” he says.

The kitchen has tried to serve more reasonable carrot cake portions over the years, “but to no avail,” he says. The slab still rules.

meant to be a permanent menu item, but “members love the dish because it is familiar and comforting,” says General Manager Liam McAuley, who notes that the dish is not Chicken Parmesan, but rather a pan-fried chicken breast coated in shredded Parmesan instead of bread crumbs.

CGC Executive Chef Jason Hughes serves the Parmesan-crusted chicken topped with a caper, lemon and white wine sauce and sides it with creamy Boursin cheese whipped potatoes and fresh haricots vert.

GRILLED MAPLE PORK CHOP, GREELEY COUNTRY CLUB, GREELEY

At one of the state’s oldest clubs, the favorite is clearly a classic, thick-cut pork chop, says Brittany Bobert, food and beverage Manager at Greeley Country Club. “People love it! It’s on the menu and we also serve it at banquets and for big parties,” she says. The grilled chop is plated with whisky apple and onion compote, seared garlic, white wine broccolini and roasted red potatoes.

EAT YOUR EVERGREENS: Clockwise from top, CGC’s Parmesancrusted Chicken, Bear Creek’s Foothills Skillet and The Birdie (sans carrot cake) from Lakewood.

PHOTO BY D.T. CAREL

PHOTO BY RICH GOINS

PHOTO BY BRANON KUSEK

TOURN AMENT

THE MILKSHAKE, CASTLE PINES GOLF CLUB, CASTLE ROCK

This celebrated club is esteemed for the four-star fare served at its restaurant plus vintage wines from one of the state’s largest cellars. But during the 22 years the course hosted the PGA TOUR’s International, golfers came away raving about the milkshakes at the halfway house.

They come in three flavors—Tiger favored strawberry, Hale liked chocolate and Ernie Els preferred vanilla. The not-so-secret ingredient? An entire pint of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream plus a little milk mixed—not in a blender but by a Hamilton Beach spindle mixer—to a dreamy consistency.

GOLF CLUB FAVES: BURGER DOGS TO SNAPPER SOUP

A taste for down-to-earth, comfy golf food is not limited to Colorado. In 2021, Golf Digest asked more than 2,000 golfers nationwide to name their favorite dishes served on clubhouse or halfway house menus. The winner was the quarter-pound “burger dog”—a hot dog-shaped burger—served for more than a half century at THE OLYMPIC CLUB in San Francisco. Other favorites included a peanut butter, jelly and bacon sandwich served at THE FISHERS ISLAND CLUB in New York and the Snapper (Turtle) Soup dished at New Jersey’s venerable PINE VALLEY GOLF CLUB

Colorado AvidGolfer Food Editor John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles weekly on KGNU-FM

FOREVER FARE: Castle Pines’ legendary milkshake; Greeley’s Grilled Maple Pork Chop (bottom); and early Broadmoor Golf Club menus.

STEP ON UP. YOU HAVE THE HONORS.

Phase I has sold out. Phase II is now selling!

If you play as hard as you work, this is your place and now is your time. This extraordinary property sits up between everything a perfect day’s adventures could offer: from golf, swimming, tennis and pickleball to wining, dining, shopping, and people watching. All just a hop, skip, or pedal away. The homes have been imagined with the essence of Colorado living in mind. The architectural style combines a simple elegance with a fresh, modern feel. The floorplans create connection while encouraging effortless circulation. Decks and patios are integrated into daily living and easy entertaining.

With a limited number of homes available, it is your turn to step up here and play away. Learn more at SummitCastlePines.com

©2023 The Aidan Group. Renderings are artist’s conception and are subject to change without notice.

NEW LUXURY HOMES IN THE VILLAGE AT CASTLE PINES FROM $1.7 MILLION

Across the street from The Summit, The Country Club at Castle Pines boasts the only private mountain course experience in Denver. Memberships are available.

By Isaac Bouchard

An Electric Surge

Four new EVs flip the switch in luxury performance.

LAST YEAR, U.S. electric-vehicle sales almost doubled, claiming 5.8 percent of the market, with Tesla’s market share dropping from 95 percent to less than 60 percent, thanks to the large number of other excellent EVs available. Here, we check out four of them.

2022 AUDI E-TRON GT

The E-tron GT is perhaps the finest driving EV currently available. It rides superbly, handles well and, with 522hp (637hp in the RS version), it has all the performance most will ever need. The Audi’s slinky good looks grant it broad appeal and it’s finished to a very high standard inside. The “EGT” shares a platform with the Porsche Taycan and drives like a more luxurious version. Both lack rear seat space and the Audi’s small trunk limits practicality. Some tech is perplexing or unintuitive, but it charges its battery lightning-fast thanks to its 800-volt electronical architecture, helping make up for its shorter range— just like the Genesis. As a flagship of the E-tron lineup, the GT has all the right ingredients—except perhaps the 300-mile range of a few competitors.

EPA RATINGS: 82MPGe | RANGE: 238 miles

0-60MPH: 3.6sec | PRICE AS TESTED: $118,740

2023 GENESIS GV60

Upstart luxe brand Genesis’ first EV is a superb effort, with a comfortable ride, excellent refinement and a capacious, beautifully executed interior. Cool tricks include camera-recognition to open doors and fingerprint ID to power up. Once started, an etched-glass sphere mounted in the center console flips over to reveal the shifter—great theater—and the twinned 12.3-inch displays behind one wide pane of glass come to life with lovely graphics and intuitive menus. The Performance model has 429hp available at all times, with a 483hp “overboost” mode that’s discernably punchier. The GV60’s bulldog stance and compact-crossover form evoke the Porsche Macan, and its handling feels similar, though it lacks the Porsche’s talkative helm. Like the Audi, it can charge uber-quick, making up for its less-than-stellar range. Capping the brilliant duo of Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, it shows why the Koreans are second only to Tesla in sales of EVs.

EPA RATINGS: 90MPGe | RANGE: 235 miles

0-60MPH: 3.7sec | PRICE AS TESTED: $69,560

2023 MERCEDES EQS-AMG

AMG’s first full EV is a hot-rodded version of Mercedes’ flagship EQS electric sedan. Its motors have upgraded windings to handle more current and hence produce more power—up to 751 ponies in launch mode, allowing this 5,900-pound beefcake to hit 60 in 3 seconds flat; enhanced cooling keeps the juice flowing. The big battery and slick shape allow the EQS-AMG to exceed its highway EPA range and go up to 290 on a charge. The suspension is all

LETTING IT RIDE IN VEGAS

For decades friends and clients have asked where they can rent a “supercar” like a Ferrari or McLaren, often just for the thrill of piloting such a machine, but sometimes to know if it is worth buying one—obviously a dealer isn’t about to let some prospective buyer abuse a half million-dollar asset on a joy ride.

My answer is always the same: While there is nowhere to do so in Colorado, only a short flight away lies perhaps the ultimate amusement park for gearheads: Speed Vegas . Located 15 minutes south of the Strip, the Motorsports Park includes a very fast, yet safe, one-mile road course, where even the untrained can comfortably push one of more than 50 performance machines—ranging from Porsche Caymans, Corvettes and Shelby GT500s to such exotics as a Lamborghini Huracan STO, Ferrari Pista, 488 Challenge Evo and a McLaren GT4. Depending on the car, the price for five laps rang es from $199 to $699. The 110 employees insure a safe, fun, professional experience for more than 40,000 visitors per year. It doesn’t end with pow erful supercars; perhaps the biggest rushes come from sliding and jumping Baja-style desert racing trucks. There are also karts, off-road experienc es and drift ride-alongs. So, whether slip or grip is your drug of choice, it all exists at Speed Vegas. speedvegas.com

Isaac

Bouchard, Automotive Editor, owns Denver-based Bespoke Autos (isaac@bespokeautos.com; bespokeautos.com; 303-475-1462).

Welcome to the 2023 CAGGY AWARDS

NATIONWIDE, golf experienced a banner 2022, with 500,000 new “traditional participants” bringing the total to 25.6 million, according to the National Golf Foundation. That marks the fifth consecutive year of overall increases, which hasn’t happened in the 21-year history of this publication. While CAGGY voting hasn’t experienced a proportional uptick during that time, a consistent 5,600 of you again weighed in on the best courses, clubs and instructors. Your selections—and ours—appear here.

Presented by

CAGGY AWARD WINNERS PUBLIC & RESORT COURSES

BEST FRONT RANGE/ NORTHEASTERN COURSE

1. TPC Colorado, Berthoud

2. Pelican Lakes Resort & Golf, Windsor

3. Mariana Butte Golf Course, Loveland

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Highland Meadows Golf Club, Windsor

• Pelican Lakes Resort & Golf

• RainDance National Golf Club, Windsor

BEST MOUNTAIN COURSE

1. Pole Creek Golf Club, Tabernash

2. River Valley Ranch Golf Course, Carbondale

3. Breckenridge Golf Course, Breckenridge

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

1. Haymaker Golf Course, Steamboat Springs

2. Red Sky Golf Club (Fazio), Wolcott

3. River Course at Keystone, Keystone

BEST DENVER REGION COURSE

(Public)

1.The Golf Club at Bear Dance, Larkspur

2. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club, Aurora

3. Arrowhead Golf Club, Littleton

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• CommonGround Golf Course, Aurora

• Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Denver

• The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Castle Pines

• Riverdale Dunes Golf Course, Brighton

BEST SOUTHERN COURSE

1. Rio Grande Club & Resort, South Fork

2. Walking Stick Golf Course, Pueblo

3. Country Club of Colorado at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Kissing Camels Golf Club, Colorado Springs

• Rio Grande Club & Resort

• Walking Stick Golf Course

BEST WESTERN SLOPE COURSE

1. Redlands Mesa Golf Club, Grand Junction

2. Lakota Links, New Castle

3. Devil’s Thumb Golf Course, Delta

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• The Bridges Golf & Country Club, Montrose

• Devil’s Thumb Golf Course

• Redlands Mesa Golf Club

BEST EGO-BOOSTER

1. Applewood Golf Course, Golden

T2. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, Castle Rock

3. Aurora Hills Golf Course, Aurora

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Coyote Creek Golf Course, Ft. Lupton

• Overland Golf Course, Denver

• Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course

BEST ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

1. Pelican Lakes Resort & Golf

T2. Applewood Golf Course, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

3. Rio Grande Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

• The Club at Inverness, Englewood

• The Ridge at Castle Pines North

BEST PRACTICE FACILITY

1. The Golf Club at Bear Dance

2. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

3. Broken Tee Golf Course, Englewood

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Colorado National Golf Club, Erie

• Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

• Murphy Creek Golf Course, Aurora

FAVORITE COLORADO AVIDGOLFER GOLF PASSPORT COURSE

1. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

2. Pole Creek Golf Club

3. Pelican Lakes Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• All

The Golf Club at Bear Dance

CAGGY AWARD WINNERS PUBLIC & RESORT COURSES

BEST CONDITIONS (PUBLIC)

1. Pole Creek Golf Club, Tabernash

2. The Golf Club at Bear Dance

3. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• CommonGround Golf Course

• Riverdale Dunes

• Willis Case Golf Course, Denver

BEST CONDITIONS (RESORT)

1. Omni Interlocken Resort Golf Club, Broomfield

2. Keystone Ranch Golf Course, Keystone

3. Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• The Club at Inverness

• Lone Tree Golf Club & Resort, Lone Tree

• Red Sky Golf Club (Norman)

BEST COURSE OF FAMILIES

BEST APRÈS-GOLF EXPERIENCE

T-1. The Golf Club at Bear Dance Pole Creek Golf Club

2. Arrowhead Golf Club

3. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• The Golf Club at Fox Acres, Red Feather Lakes

• Raccoon Creek Golf Course, Littleton

• The Ridge at Castle Pines North

• West Woods Golf Course, Arvada

• Vail Golf Club

BEST FOOD

1. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

2. The Golf Club at Bear Dance

3. Pole Creek Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• City Park Golf Course, Denver

• Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

• TPC Colorado

BEST WEDDING/PARTY

BEST

COURSE FOR SENIORS

1. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

2. Applewood Golf Course

3. Pelican Lakes Golf & Country Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Fox Hollow Golf Course, Lakewood

• Indian Tree Golf Club, Arvada

• The Links at Highlands Ranch, Highlands Ranch

BEST COURSE TO HOLD

A TOURNAMENT

1. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

2. Pelican Lakes Resort & Golf

3. Arrowhead Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Arrowhead Golf Club

• The Golf Club at Bear Dance

• Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

• Raccoon Creek Golf Club

BEST SERVICE

1. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

MOST UNDERRATED COURSE

1. Rio Grande Club

T-2. Applewood Golf Course

Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

3. Indian Tree Golf Course

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• EagleVail Golf Club, Avon

• Gypsum Creek Golf Course, Gypsum

• Homestead Golf Course, Lakewood

• Tiara Rado Golf Club, Grand Junction

BEST PACE OF PLAY

1. Rio Grande Club

2. Applewood Golf Course

3. Pole Creek Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

• Heather Ridge Golf Course, Aurora

• Vail Golf Club

BEST OVERALL HOLE

1. #9 Pole Creek Golf Club (Ridge)

BEST

1.Applewood Golf Course

2. Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

3. Arrowhead Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Four Mile Ranch Golf Club, Cañon City

• Riverdale Dunes Golf Course

• Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, Westminster

Applewood Golf Course

• Cherry Hills Country Club

• Denver Country Club, Denver

BEST FRONT RANGE/ NORTHEASTERN CLUB

1. Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club, Holyoke

2. Ptarmigan Country Club, Fort Collins

3. The Fox Hill Club, Longmont

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

• Greeley Country Club, Greeley

• Harmony Club, Timnath

///////

BEST SOUTHERN CLUB

1. Broadmoor Golf Club, Colorado Springs

2. The Club at Flying Horse , Colorado Springs

3. Eisenhower Golf Club, Colorado Springs

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Broadmoor Golf Club

• The Club at Flying Horse

• Kissing Camels Golf Course at Garden of the Gods Club

• Country Club at Woodmoor

Broadmoor Golf Club

BEST WESTERN SLOPE CLUB

1. Telluride Ski & Golf Club, Telluride

2. Glacier Club, Durango

3. Bookcliff Country Club, Grand Junction

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Cornerstone Club, Montrose

• Glacier Club

• Telluride Ski & Golf Club

• Hiwan Golf Club, Evergreen

• The Pinery Country Club/The Club at Pradera, Parker

BEST APRÈS-GOLF EXPERIENCE

1. Broadmoor Golf Club

2. Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

3. Castle Pines Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

• Castle Pines Golf Club

• The Country Club at Castle Pines

BEST CLUB FOR FAMILIES

1. Blackstone Country Club

2. Valley Country Club, Aurora

3. Pinehurst Country Club, Denver

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Columbine Country Club, Columbine Valley

• The Club at Flying Horse

• Red Rocks Country Club, Morrison

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BROADMOOR GOLF CLUB

APPLEWOOD GOLF COURSE

PRACTICE. PLAY.

APPLEWOOD GOLF COURSE

NOW BOOKING FOR 2023 & 2024

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NOW BOOKING FOR 2023 & 2024

Weddings

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Golf Leagues

Birthdays

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Bridal/Baby Showers

Weddings

The possibilities are endless! Contact us today at 303 279 3003

Graduation Parties

Bridal/Baby Showers

Birthdays

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14001 W 32nd Ave, Golden, CO 80401 303.279.3003 • www.applewoodgc.com PRACTICE.

MOST

COVETED INVITATION

1.Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

2. Cherry Hills Country Club

3. Castle Pines Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Castle Pines Golf Club

• Cherry Hills Country Club

• Colorado Golf Club

BEST CLUB TO HOLD A TOURNAMENT

1. Sanctuary, Sedalia

2. Broadmoor Golf Club

3. Cherry Hills Country Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Castle Pines Golf Club

• The Club at Flying Horse

• The Club at Ravenna

• Sanctuary

INSTRUCTION

BEST INSTRUCTOR FOR JUNIORS

1. Brad Alston, Optimum Golf, Denver

2. Dennis Murray, Denver Athletic Club

3. Chris Schultz, Optimum Golf

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

BEST WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM

1. Broadmoor Golf Club

2. Castle Pines Golf Club

3. The Country Club at Castle Pines

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Broadmoor Golf Club

• Castle Pines Golf Club

• Cherry Creek Country Club

BEST CADDIES

1. Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

2. Cherry Hills Country Club

3. Broadmoor Golf Club

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

• Castle Pines Golf Club

• Colorado Golf Club

• Leighton Smith, Tribe Golf, Colorado Springs

• Trent Wearner, Trent Wearner Golf Academy, Denver

• Jason Witczak, The Club at Pradera, Parker

BEST INSTRUCTOR FOR MEN

1. Chris Schultz

2. Dennis Murray

3. Brad Alston

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Nick Clearwater, GOLFTEC Headquarters, Englewood

• Ed Oldham, Ed Oldham Golf, Westminster

• Ben Portie, Trent Wearner Golf Academy

• Stan Sayers, Colorado Golf Club, Parker

• Dan Sniffin, Omni Interlocken Golf Club, Broomfield

BEST INSTRUCTOR FOR WOMEN

1. Dennis Murray

2. Lanny DeRoeck, Perry Park Country Club

3. Chris Schultz

Staff Picks (alphabetical)

• Sherry Andonian, Valley Country Club, Centennial

• Stephanie Ferguson, Experience Golf, Aurora

• Elena King, Experience Golf

• Jason Witczak, The Club at Pradera

Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club

Eagle Ranch Golf Club is nestled in the Eagle River Valley, just 30 minutes west of Vail. The majestic Rocky Mountains provide a spectacular setting for this 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Design Course, which was once an actual working ranch.

Golfers of all abilities enjoy the challenging layout, excellent course conditions, spacious practice facility and a longer season than many mountain courses from early April to mid-November.

The Eagle Ranch Grille inside the Clubhouse serves breakfast, lunch and refreshments all season long, and its charming patio is the perfect spot to relax with a cold beverage. Book the Grille for your next special event, mixer or reception!

PHOTOS BY JACK AFFLECK

golf beyond city limits

By Chris Duthie

ifirst discovered Austin in 2008. The city was celebrated for its college football team, sun-splashed recreation, winter-getaway climate, burgeoning live music scene, spicy Tex-Mex and barbecue, and a smattering of stay-and-play golf resorts that accentuated the seamless natural splendor of the Texas Hill Country. Flash forward 15 years. Austin’s alluring attributes are still here, albeit they’re a bit more hidden and increasingly harder to access. Explosive development— led by a runaway-stagecoach influx of tech titans like Apple, Meta, Google and IBM—has helped the Texas state capital become America’s fastest growing population for 11 consecutive years. A survey of the city’s widening skyline is an evidentiary clue that this once laid-back community has taken a sizable step away from its Stetson, Wrangler and Lucchese upbringings.

As Austin explodes with people, music and golf, the four-star resort amenities at nearby HORSESHOE BAY hold even greater appeal.

Nonetheless, Austin remains an attractive hotspot—or at least a comfortably warm spot—for Coloradans. When the temps drop below freezing here, Central Texas’ mid-60s sweater weather gets mighty tempting.

Choices abound: the 72-hole Omni Barton Creek, the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines and, if you can get on, Harvey Penick’s Austin Country Club. Plus, there’s an enviable roster of cityoperated layouts led by the century-old Lions Municipal Golf Course. affectionately known to Austinites as “Muny.”

In 1950, Muny became the first desegregated public golf course in the southern U.S., but encroaching development has imperiled its existence. So Ben Crenshaw, who grew up

playing the course, has led “Save Muny”, the Muny Conservancy initiative to preserve it.

Playing HOrseshoes

But for those taking the two-hour flight from Denver, there’s another option. It’s a tad off the radar, but that’s a good thing if you like avoiding metro traffic, Uber driver shortages, long check-in lines, crowded restaurants, construction noise and wait-list tee times.

I’m talking about one of the Southwest’s quintessential destination properties, the AAA Four Diamond-rated Horseshoe Bay Resort and Club, located less than a 90-minute drive from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Upon arriving at the resort’s seven-floor

hotel, guests are escorted to one of the 400 recently renovated rooms, suites and villas that offer resplendent vistas of the 7,000-acre property. Views include a full-service marina fronting the 6,449acre Lake LBJ, four expansive swimming pools, a top-notch spa and fitness center, 14 tennis courts (hard and clay), eight pickleball courts, an exceptional stand-alone kids club and an 18-hole putting course. Multiple exterior meeting venues testify to a sizeable events and conventions business.

Then there are the premier golf amenities: Four courses, with the three designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., available to resort guests, and the fourth, routed by Jack Nicklaus, a members-only layout. While the resort courses could use a bit of updating and refurbishment, all are immensely pleasurable

and competitive, each a living tribute to one of the game’s most respected and prolific golf architects.

Apple Rock, Horseshoe Bay’s most scenic layout, leads the pack. Named Golf Digest’s “Best New Resort Course” of 1986, this 7,000-yard, former Texas State Open venue mimics its two siblings—Slick Rock and Ram Rock—with gnarly Hill Country landscaping, bold water features and picturesque lakeside greens but differentiates itself with high elevation changes, rock-filled barranca and strategic, “hard par, easy bogey” bunkering.

To ease into your game, play the more amenable and wide-open Slick Rock. Opened in 1971 and playing nearly 6,900 yards from the tips, Horseshoe Bay’s oldest course earns its accolades with thick oak tree canopies, expansive fairways and greens, and a seductive “Million Dollar Hole” that features a breathtaking, carry-the-waterfall gut check from the 14th tee.

Rounding out the trio, the brutish Ram Rock is a 6,885-yard par-71 that’s defined by small greens, water- and tree-lined fairways, and a risk/reward style that

prizes from-the-hip shotmaking. The course proclaims itself both beauty and beast—a boast embodied on the 186-yard fourth hole, a wonderfully crafted par-3 with a mettle-testing island green.

After all that activity on the fairways, it’s nice to know the resort is no stranger to fine dining, Texas style. Seven restaurants ensure no one goes wanting. Don’t miss the delectable Bad Donkey Barbecue at the hotel-sited J’s Restaurant & Bar, the diet-dinging ambrosia of the Yacht Club’s chicken fried lobster or the sublime Akaushi skirt steak at the marina’s Waterfront Bar & Grill. The restaurants in the resort’s three golf clubhouses also deserve a turn. Looking for a break from the links? Horseshoe Bay delivers with a litany of options (page 63), plus a brand-new guest amenity, the Bronco Off-Roadeo four-wheel-drive park at Grey Wolf Ranch. Crafted originally for top Ford Motor

RAM ROCK AT HORSESHOE BAY RESORT

SUMMIT ROCK AT HORSESHOE BAY RESORT

SLICK ROCK AT HORSESHOE BAY RESORT

a living tribute to one of the game’s most respected and prolific architects.

Company executives to debut the all-terrain capabilities of the 2022 Bronco SUV, the resort soon will offer adrenaline-infused romps into the Hill Country’s infamous steeps, barrancas, outcroppings and tree-lined mazes.

Next on tap: Go full speed on Lake LBJ—a constant-water-level reservoir with regional hydroelectric significance, making it practically impervious to drought. With boating, jet skiing, SUP, fishing and sunset cruises among its four-season recreations, Lake LBJ also will see a new Horseshoe Bay Resort amenity in 2023: the first-ever floating swimming pool in the western United States. The 75-foot-long pool will offer a surrounding 15-foot deck that’s ideal for sunbathing and sunset receptions. Off property, Horseshoe Bay is a short drive

from the Spicewood and Frederickburg areas, where you can tour more than 30 wineries, including the 400-acre Fall Creek Vineyards— the region’s very first winery, which opened in 1975. Other stalwarts include Pedernales Cellars, Stone House Vineyards and the William Chris Vineyards.

Wine also takes center stage every fall during the resort’s annual Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival. This signature event welcomes celebrity chefs, jazz artists and creative culinary experiences throughout the weekend. The itinerary includes a five-course seated dinner and wine pairing followed by celebrity-chef cooking demonstrations, Hill Country wine tastings and food samplings prepared by the region’s most notable chefs and restaurants.

Photos: Tyana Arviso

JET SKIING ON LAKE LBJ

BRONCO OFF-ROADEO 4-WHEEL-DRIVE PARK AT GREY WOLF RANCH

Through its charitable arm, the Colorado Golf Foundation, the CGA provides funding for junior player development, caddie programs, and community partnership that bring the game to a wider and more diverse audience throughout Colorado.

MEMBER BENeFITS

To access your Member Benefits, log in to the CGA Member Zone! coloradogolf.org/member-zone

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CGA Members have access to discounts and special offers from a growing list of CGA partners including:

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CGA Members enjoy:

 Up to 25% off green fees at CommonGround Golf Course

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Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort features one of the best golf courses in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Join us for a round on this spectacular 18-hole course, which features incredible views of the Yampa Valley, while Fish Creek winds its way through seven of the holes. We look forward to welcoming you soon.

cowboy up in austin

By Chris Duthie

What makes a vacation destination worthy? For most golfers, there are three no-compromise categories: One, there has to be a selection of superbly designed or historically noteworthy layouts; two, the nongolf activities should be world-class; three, the regional dining must be superlative.

For me, Austin checks all three boxes.

While the public golf alone justifies a week or long weekend, the premier daily-fee courses hammer home Austin’s quintessential excellence. Must-plays include Omni Barton Creek Resort’s designs by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Arnold Palmer, and two by Tom Fazio; Wolfdancer Golf Club’s highly-ranked Arthur Hills creation; Grey Rock Golf Club’s outstanding Jay Morrish routing; and nailing the historic prerequisite, 99-year-old Lions Municipal, Ben Crenshaw’s proving ground, known as “Muny.”

For off-course diversions, Austin is practically peerless—at least in terms of transcendent music experiences. Literally hundreds of music venues —including the legendary Stubb’s Bar-B-Q—underscore the city’s well-earned fame as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” plus the metro area plays host to some of America’s most popular music celebrations, including South by Southwest (March), Austin Reggae Fest (April), Levitation (October), Lucktoberfest (October/November) and the city’s preeminent event, the Austin City Limits Music Festival (October).

Locals opine there are four main food groups in Austin—tacos, breakfast tacos, barbecue and margaritas. (Ok, the libation may be a stretch, but I get their point.)

For the first two, you can’t go wrong with Paco’s Tacos, Vaquero Taquero, Mi Madre’s Veracruz All Natural and Joe’s Bakery. Stubb’s will show you right when it comes to fall-off-the-bone spare ribs and cold beer, and plan to rise early to queue up for ’cue at Franklin’s, the city’s temple of smoked brisket, pulled pork and other low-andslow-smoked delights.

There is a more sophisticated side to the city, one that focuses on some of Central Texas’ better-known dining establishments. Those include Otopia Rooftop Lounge (sushi, American); Acre 41 (American); Stella San Jac (American); and Cypress Grill (American, seafood).

Chris Duthie is a Durango-based contributor. For information about Horseshoe Bay Resort, visit hsbresort.com; for Austin, austintexas.org.

PHOTOS BY ISMAEL QUINTANILLA/COURTESY OF VISIT AUSTIN (TOP); COURTESY OF VAQUERO TAQUERO (BOTTOM)

VAQUERO TAQUERO

U N P A R A L L E L E D E N I T Y

G o l f M e m b e r s h i p s

S o c i a l M e m b e r s h i p s

O p e n t o t h e P u b l i c

H o m e s f o r S a l e o r R e n t

L o t s f o r S a l e

1 6 G u e s t R o o m s

C o r p o r a t e & C o u p l e s R e t r e a t s

D i n i n g , B a r & S o c i a l S p a c e s

F i s h i n g , H i k i n g , T e n n i s & F i t n e s s

A v o i d I - 7 0 – L e s s t h a n 2 h o u r s

f r o m D e n v e r

S P E C I A L 2 0 2 3 A V I D G O L F E R P

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from good to great

if Connor Jones’ explosive 2022 season were summarized in one movie title from the same year, it would be “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” In eight busy months, Jones went from unheralded to nearly unbeatable, compiling what is arguably the most dominant season in Colorado amateur golf history.

By Andy Bigford

Jones, a senior at Colorado State University, rose from third on his own talented team to at one point being ranked among the top five collegiate players in the nation (per Golfstat), shattering a slew of records along the way. He captured five titles in premier events, becoming just the third player ever to win the Colorado Golf Association match and stroke play tournaments and to finish as low amateur in the Colorado Open. Jones slashed his tournament scoring average by almost five strokes, extraordinary for an 18-handicapper much less an elite player. He won nearly half of the tournaments he entered in a game where 20 percent is Tiger territory, and his trio of top three finishes was every bit as impressive due to field strength.

CSU Ram CONNOR JONES’ brilliant win streak seemed to come out of nowhere. It didn’t.

PHOTO BY C. MORGAN ENGEL / CLARKSON CREATIVE AT HARMONY CLUB, TIMNATH

Earning the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Award as the top amateur in the state was a foregone conclusion: Jones amassed more than twice as many points as the runner-up, his teammate Davis Bryant, who had won the honor in 2019. Meanwhile, Jones leapfrogged some 400 competitors in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), setting the table as a potential pick this spring to represent the U.S. side in the elite Palmer Cup.

Jones’ season was even more remarkable because of how it all began. Late to the game, lightly recruited, and usually overshadowed, Jones was the very embodiment of “under the radar.” But the Westminster native was exactly where he needed to be in the spring of 2022; his sudden ascent was not due to some quick fix, but rather the culmination of years of hard work and fine tuning.

“Everything fell into place,” shrugs Jones, who appears unchanged in the wake of his win streak as he relaxes in CSU’s indoor practice facility at the Harmony Club in mid-January, staring out at a still-snow-covered golf course. Those “things” included a rebooted mental approach that saw him morph from a club-breaking prep player into a mature team leader with big-picture perspective.

surrounding The Ranch Country Club in Westminster but focused mainly on basketball. As a scrappy, sharpshooting guard at Mountain Range High School, he led the state in three pointers in 2018. He didn’t get serious about golf until his freshman year at Mountain Range, when he broke 80 for the first time to qualify for regionals.

A par shooter by his senior year,

Play. At 5-foot 10 inches and 165 pounds, with a curly mop of hair and a ready smile, Jones might resemble a young Rory McIlroy. But his game is more like that of Collin Morikawa.

“He’s a ball-striking machine,” Billinger says. “Hits it on a rope. But when you are hitting 16 greens in regulation, the short game is not a priority. And when you are taking 35 putts a round, that doesn’t instill confidence in the putter.” The teacher and pupil agreed: Jones’ short game “sucked.”

After working tirelessly at DU and then CSU, Jones today is a “great putter” and “above average chipper,” says Billinger, who has moved on to a career outside of golf but still oversees Jones’ short game. Perry Holmes, who works out of Columbine and Colorado National, is Jones’ longtime swing coach. The student credits the two equally as the most significant influences on

Next up was that mental thing. “I always ran a little hot on the golf course,” Jones admits. “It hurt my scoring.” At DU, Jones worked with a mental coach, learning to spot the on-course triggers that would eventually send him over the edge. He played too fast when he blew hot, so Jones worked on slowing down and taking deep breaths. He discovered other ways to lower the temperature, like repeatedly un-

THE CONNOR ROLL: In 2022, Jones won the Colorado Amateur (left), Colorado Match Play and was low amateur in the Inspirato Colorado Open, (bottom) breaking the 58-year-old event’s scoring record by four shots.

fastening the Velcro on his glove or tying his shoelaces tighter. He constructed his own internal traffic light, cruising in the green; taking stock when it turned yellow; and always avoiding the red.

Jones’ two years at DU were unremarkable on the scorecard, especially after Billinger left and Jones’ scoring average ballooned from 73 to 75 in his sophomore year. But the lessons he learned were essential. So was the Covid shutdown, during which Jones practiced relentlessly at The Ranch with neighbor Walker Franklin, the son of former professional golfers Brett and Kris Franklin who plays for the University of Louisville. Jones and Franklin would often join their best buddies, T.J. Shehee (Northern Colorado) and Billy Howenstein (SMU), for dawn to dusk rounds at The Ranch or Boulder Country Club. The atmosphere was highly competitive but also fun and relaxed, the perfect laboratory to polish the game.

“I wouldn’t change that for anything,” says Jones, who was pleasantly surprised when, after placing his name in the transfer portal for his junior year, CSU coach Christian Newton offered him a roster spot. As it turns out, Newton had

sought the input of Billinger, and the rest is history.

Ram Tough

Entering the late spring of 2022, Jones was an integral part of the Rams lineup, but no superstar, sitting just behind two more accomplished teammates, Bryant and Christoph Bleier from Linz, Austria, who had been CSU’s highest-ranked recruit ever. But in May, Jones became just the third Ram in history to win the Mountain West Conference tournament, shooting 10-under (67-66-73) on the Gold Mountain Golf Club’s Olympic Course in Bremerton, Wash. CSU finished second as a team. Jones next went 60-plus holes without a bogey in the grueling Colorado Match Play in June, which required eight rounds to get to the dispatched alpha dog Dillon Stewart of Oklahoma State, a player Jones had always looked up to in awe.

For the 36-hole final on Broadmoor’s hilly and historic East Course, Jones was 8-under and five up after 27 holes. In those formative practice sessions back at DU, Billinger and his student often

At the Colorado Amateur the next month at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale, it seemed to be shaping up as Davis Bryant’s week. Wooed to CSU after a stellar junior career and having led the school in scoring during an all-conference sophomore season, Bryant posted a scorching 12-underpar 60 to take the first-round lead. He then tied the all-time 72-hole tournament record of 21 under, a mark set by Hale Irwin back in 1963. Alas, those fireworks would merely earn Bryant the runner-up trophy, with Jones shooting 68-64-64-68 to win by three.

Even when he didn’t manage to hoist the champion’s trophy in the summer of ’22, Jones’ non-wins were arguably more impressive. In early July, the 118th annual Trans-Mississippi Amateur came to Denver Country Club. Jones should have put his name on the trophy alongside Bryson DeChambeau, Will Zalatoris, and Collin Morikawa, but over the week he took five swings in two bunkers, leading to a double and triple bogey (“I’m working on that,” he says).

As it was, Jones’ 65-67-73-66–271 put him into a playoff with Pepperdine’s William Mouw, ranked in the top 40 among the world’s amateurs. Mouw’s 25-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole deprived Jones of what would have been his most significant title.

A couple weeks later, at Green Valley Ranch, Jones became just the

“he’s a ballstriking machine,” Erik Billinger says.

Timnath, ascribes much of his recent success to honing his short game and learning how not to “run hot” on the course.

third Colorado amateur to follow wins in the state match play and stroke championships with the low- amateur honors in the Inspirato Colorado Open, setting a tournament record in the process. He shot 67-67-63-68 to finish T3 at 19-under, four strokes better than the previous amateur mark and a whopping 12 strokes ahead of the next player not cashing a check.

When Jones returned to CSU in the fall, it was under his fourth coach in four collegiate seasons, with the highly regarded Brian Wilson arriving from a successful stint at Long Beach State (Wilson also played on the University of California’s 2004 NCAA Championship team). For Jones, another memorable duel with teammate Bryant ensued in early September at the Gene Miranda Falcons Invi-

tational, held on the Eisenhower Blue Course. Jones shot minus-13 (68-69-66) to win by one. The Rams as a team were minus-30, thrashing the second-place Colorado Buffaloes by an astounding 25 strokes. Next came the Denver TPC Colorado Invite in Berthoud, held at the site of the annual Ascendant Korn Ferry Tour stop, where Jones won at 9-under, collecting his fifth and final title of 2022.

Jones’ season wasn’t over quiet yet. In the waning days of year, the nation’s best collegiate players were invited to the Wigwam Club outside Phoenix for the Patriot All-American. Jones shot 10-under (67-69-67) on the Gold Course to finish third. The WAGR system rates finishes by field strength, and it ranked Jones’ Trans-Miss near-miss and then his Patriot

connor jones’

SWING SEQUENCE ///////

(1) I changed Connor’s setup to stand closer to the ball and keep his weight off his toes, which allows him to (2) start transferring weight to his right foot, causing his arms to extend on the takeaway. (3) At the top of the backswing, he is more towards the right side, allowing him to be behind the ball. Without sliding his weight forward, Connor begins a downswing (4) with his arms as the only things moving down, creating good impact position (5). Connor fully extends his right arm (6) on the through-swing and finishes (7) facing the target with all of his weight transferred to the left side.

Perry Holmes, PGA Professional, Colorado National Golf Club

MORGAN ENGEL / CLARKSON CREATIVE

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performance as first and third best for the year, with the Mountain West conference title sandwiched in between.

rising rams

This is all you need to know about the strength of the CSU Rams entering the 2023 spring schedule: Connor Jones never even won a team qualifier in fall 2022, rounds which typically rotate between two very different golf courses, old-school Fort Collins Country Club and sod-bunkered TPC Colorado. “There are eight guys, and we can all beat each other,” Jones says. “Everyone has to qualify, no one is exempt. It’s the closest you can get to tournament golf.”

The ascending Rams qualified for the NCAA regionals in spring 2022, then won three of four tournaments in the fall season, ranking 21st nationally per Golfstat as they prepared for the first spring event, The Prestige in La Quinta, Calif., Feb. 20-22. Jones, Bryant and big-hitting Bleier form the core, but Jay Pabin, Rasmus Hjelm, and Mathew Wilkinson are just a

step behind, with Gavin Hagstrom and Jordan Jennings also pressing forward.

In an unusually mature outlook for a 21-year-old, Connor Jones’ focus is not at all on himself. “To help the team win conference, that’s my goal,” he says. Beyond the Mountain West, there is the quest to be among the 81 teams who qualify for the NCAA Regionals, and then the 30 who advance to the NCAA Finals at Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale in late May. From there, the field is winnowed to eight teams for match

play, and Jones thinks the Rams can be there.

For now, Jones is taking it dayby-day, shot-by-shot. He loves hanging out with teammates and travelling with them to play great golf courses (all expenses paid). “College golf is a really good gig,” he smiles, adding that he will take advantage of his extra Covid eligibility to play a fifth season in 2023-24. After that? “I absolutely want to play golf for a living.”

HIGH FLYERS: With Jones and Davis Bryant (far left) going 1-2, CSU won September’s Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational by 25 strokes.

Andy Bigford is a Colorado AvidGolfer contributor.

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Golfer’s Guide to AZ Spring Training

IT HAPPENS

EVERY SPRING : The

COLORADO ROCKIES/ ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick

7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale saltriverfields.com

480-270-5000

PLAY: Talking Stick, TPC

Scottsdale, The Boulders, Troon North, Grayhawk, We-Ko-Pa, Wildfire, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes

STAY: Talking Stick, JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Fairmont Scottsdale

Princess, Omni Montelucia, Four Seasons, The Phoenician

EAT: The Henry, Ocean Trail, The Vig McCormick Ranch, PHX Beer Co., Fogo de Chão, Ruth’s Chris Steak House

CINCINNATI REDS/ CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

Goodyear Ballpark

1933 S. Ballpark Way, Goodyear goodyearbp.com

623-882-3120

PLAY: Wigwam, Verrado, Palm Valley, Golf Club of Estrella

STAY: The Wigwam, TownePlace Suites by Marriott

EAT: Bella Luna Ristorante, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Litchfield’s, Transplant City Beer Company

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM

Tempe Diablo Stadium

2200 W. Alameda Dr., Tempe tempe.gov/diablo

480-350-5205

PLAY: Raven Golf Club, The Legacy, Papago Golf Club, Rolling Hills, Shalimar, Foothills, Arizona Biltmore Golf Club, Dobson Ranch

STAY: The Phoenician, Marriott Phoenix at The Buttes, Canopy by Hilton, Tempe Mission Palms

EAT: Top of the Rock, Four Peaks Brewing Company, Fate Brewing Company, The Keg Steakhouse

SEATTLE MARINERS/ SAN DIEGO PADRES

Peoria Sports Complex

16101 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria peoriasportscomplex.com

623-773-8700

PLAY: Quintero, Trilogy at Vistancia

STAY: JW Marriott-Desert Ridge, Cibola Vista Resort

EAT: Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Arrowhead Grill, Peoria Artistan Brewery & Gastropub, Richter Aleworks

LOS ANGELES DODGERS/ CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Camelback Ranch

10710 W. Camelback Rd., Glendale camelbackranchbaseball.com

623-302-5000

PLAY: Golf Club of Estrella, Wigwam, Verrado

STAY: The Wigwam, Renaissance Phoenix/Glendale

EAT: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Litchfield’s, Ground Control, Transplant City Beer Company

TEXAS RANGERS/ KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Surprise Stadium

15850 N. Bullard Ave., Surprise surprisestadium.com

623-222-2222

PLAY: Wigwam, Quintero, Cimarron, Pebblebrook, Echo Mesa, Coyote Lakes, Trilogy at Vistancia

STAY: Residence Inn by Marriott, Windmill All Suites Surprise, The Wigwam

EAT: Chef Peter’s Bistro, Vogue

Bistro, Irish Wolfhound, State 48 Brewery

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Hokokam Stadium

1235 N. Center St., Mesa mlb.com/athletics/spring-training

480-644-4451

PLAY: Royal Palms, Longbow, Scottsdale Silverado, McCormick Ranch, Alta Mesa, Apache Wells, Western Skies, Raven STAY: W2ND Historic Inn, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Hyatt Place

Phoenix/Mesa

EAT: Charleston’s, Cholla Prime, Rustler’s Rooste, Maya New York Pizza, The Stockyards, Wrenhouse Brewing (drinks only)

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

American Family Fields of Phoenix

3805 N. 53rd Ave., Phoenix mlb.com/brewers/spring-training

623-245-5600

PLAY: Palo Verde, Papago, Grand Canyon University Championship Golf Course

STAY: Hyatt Place Phoenix/ Downtown

EAT: Huss Brewing Co. Brewpub, Pizzeria Bianco, State 48 Brewery

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Scottsdale Stadium

7408 E. Osborn Rd., Scottsdale scottsdaleaz.gov/scottsdale-stadium 480-312-2586

PLAY: Coronado, Continential, Estancia, Scottsdale Silverado, Phoenician Golf Club

STAY: Scottsdale Marriott, W Scottsdale, Sienna House, Hotel Valley Ho

EAT: Cornish Pasty, Olive & Ivy, Chelsea’s Kitchen, Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles, Craft 64, Frasher’s, Goldwater Brewing (drinks only)

CHICAGO CUBS

Sloan Park

2330 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Mesa mlb.com/cubs/sloan-park 480-668-0500

PLAY: Longbow, Papago, Raven, Rolling Hills, Dobson Ranch

STAY: Sheraton Mesa at Wrigleyville West, Homewood Suites, Kasa Tempe, Sonesta Select, The Westin Tempe

EAT: Carolina’s, Foch Cafe & Bistro, Cholla Prime, SanTan Brewing

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALT RIVER FIELDS

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALT RIVER FIELDS

Colorado Rockies call Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale their home for Spring Training.

DISCOVER

Cherish the ultimate golf experience at Troon North’s Monument and Pinnacle courses for the best desert golf in Arizona. Located in the golf mecca of the Southwest, these two North Scottsdale courses offer golf connoisseurs the best luxury golf experience. Pure. Desert. Classic.

Visit TroonNorthGolf.com for the best available rates and 36-hole packages.

To experience Troon North, visit TroonNorthGolf.com or call 480.585.7700 today.

TROON NORTH GOLF CLUB

The Golfer’s Guide to Spring Training

BEER, HERE! Valley

GOING PRIVADO

As Arizona’s largest and longest-running AAA Five Diamond resort, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess knows how to cosset guests. Home to six pools, four restaurants, an over-the-top spa and the TPC Scottdale Champions and Stadium courses, the 750-room property consistently raises its game. The latest innovation is the Privado Villas —119 impeccably appointed signature spaces comprised of fifty 850 square-foot one-bedroom villas and 69 700-square-foot studios. All come with a stocked fridge, complimentary morning juices and baked pastries, personalized concierge and chauffeur services, and myriad indulgences. scottsdaleprincess.com; privadovillas.com

THE O.G. IN AZ

With more than 665 golf courses, Troon has become the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company, and it all started in 1990 with Troon North Golf Club, which established and epitomizes the gold standard for a daily-fee golf experience. Designed by the team of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, Troon North’s Monument course opened first. Weiskopf then created the Pinnacle course. Both wend through the natural ravines and foothills beneath Pinnacle Peak, diving around the giant boulders and saguaros. With one outstanding hole after another, they perpetually garner praise from customers and course reviewers. troonnorthgolf.com

A GOLF NEXUS

Before heading to Coors Field, the Rockies’ make their Scottsdale home at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick , where golf surrounds you. Within two miles are Talking Stick Golf Course’s two layouts. A Topgolf is even closer, and in the Pavilions Shopping Center just minutes from home plate, is the must-play, indoor, black-light, glow-in-thedark Imagine 3-D Mini-Golf saltriverfields.com

OH, HENRY!

The North Valley abounds in restaurants. The Henry is one of the cooler ones. Billed as “the greatest neighborhood restaurant,” The Henry does breakfast, lunch and dinner with a casual, elevated comfort-food vibe suitable for foodies and young families. thehenryrestaurant.com

To paraphrase Forrest Gump, golf and beer go together like peas and carrots. So which craft breweries in this part of town should you pair up with?

PHX Beer Co. Scottsdale Brewery & Restaurant: Situated on Marguerite Lake, walking distance from McCormick Ranch Golf Club, the Phoenix-born brewery’s Scottsdale outpost majors in IPAs of varying strengths and bitterness, while offering tasty ambers, lagers and other styles. The black-iron pan pizzas are the post-round ticket. phxbeerco.com

O.H.S.O. Brewery & Distillery: Less than two miles from TPC Scottsdale, the Outrageous Homebrewer’s Social Outpost (O.H.S.O.) pours a staggering 36 beers, as well as 24 wines by the glass and cocktails made with the distillery’s own Arcadia and # (aka “hashtag”) hooch. The beer-braised shortribs and angry bird sandwich are go-tos. ohsobrewery.com

Bone Haus Brewing: A quirky homage to European ossuaries, Arizona’s mining heritage and zymology, this saloon-type family business (three generations of Chapman men) in Fountain Hills lies a strong par 5 from Eagle Mountain Golf Club. The décor features skulls, bones and a mineshaft restroom entrance behind the bar—where a number of deservedly popular elixirs flow.

bonehausbrewing.com

SPONSORED BY

FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE PRINCESS

TALKING STICK

Enter

Original.

Palatial 850 sq. ft. one-bedroom suites

Spacious 700 sq. ft.

The Golfer’s Guide to Spring Training

ValleySouth

SOUTH IN A HURRY

When the golf-mad members of the Rockies, Angels, Cubs and other Cactus League teams—and their devoted fans—want a challenge, they head down I-10 to Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, about a 40-minute drive from Scottsdale and 30 from Mesa and Tempe. The 7,546-yard design by Brian Curley, Lee Schmidt and Fred Couples remains a test worthy of Golf magazine’s Top 100 U.S. Courses You Can Play, and each May it hosts a U.S. Open local qualifier. No homes intrude on this Australian Sandhills-inspired course owned by the Ak-Chin Indian Community and managed by Troon. Unlike most clubs, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at its Arroyo Grille Look into stay-and-play packages from the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Resort, a 529-room Caesars-managed resort six miles down the road. akchinsoutherndunes.com

NEED A SHIRT?

One of the 28 Troon properties to earn the 2023 Association of Golf Merchandisers Platinum Award as one of the top 100 golf shops in the world, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club shared that distinction with five other area Troon-managed public/ resort golf clubs in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area: Papago, The Phoenician, The Westin Kierland, Troon North and Whirlwind. Another public/resort Arizona winner is The Boulders in Carefree. AGM also singled out the retail operation at Kierland Golf Club in Scottsdale as “Best of the Best” among its Platinum Award winners announced at January’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. troon.com

PAPAGO- À GOGO

Phoenix’s municipal Papago Golf Club, which turns 60 this year, has transformed itself into a go-to spot not only for superb golf—the Billy Bell design serves as the home course for the Arizona State University men’s and women’s teams—but for food and drink at Lou’s Bar & Grill and group events on Evie’s Pavilion.papagogolfclub.com

POUR HOUSES

Papago isn’t the only untapped gem in the area—and we’re not just referring to Papago Brewing, which is no longer open but lives on through a line of beloved Papago beers (Orange Blossom, Desert Sage) produced by former co-owner Leah Huss at Huss Brewing ’s taprooms and restaurants (hussbrewing.com). Five miles west of Papago Golf Club, in a converted derelict bungalow with a rebuilt garage and guesthouse, you’ll find what beer cognoscenti consider the best brewery in the Phoenix area: Wren House Brewing Company. Chill on the Prairie Patio with a Spellbinder—a Great American Beer Festival gold medalist—and order in from a menu of QR codes. wrenhousebrewing.com

RUSTLE UP SOME GRUB

Much like Denver, the golf and glitz of in the Valley of the Sun sometimes overshadows the area’s cowboy origins. For a big juicy taste, hightail it to the Rustler’s Rooste, an old-time steakhouse set atop a butte in the South Mountain foothills near the Raven Golf Club Phoenix

Legendary for its steaks, ribs, chicken, seafood and, yup, rattlesnake, the Rooste features live music every night, great views and a genuine saloon on its second floor.

SPONSORED BY

AK-CHIN RESORT

AK-CHIN SOUTHERN DUNES GOLF CLUB

PAPAGO GOLF CLUB

West

THE NEW COLLEGE TRY

In 2016, Phoenix’s municipal Maryvale Golf Club—a heavily treed 6,600-yard Billy Bell layout from 1961—reopened as the Grand Canyon University Golf Club, a 7,239-yard John Fought design. Some $10 million went into the renovation, with all new bunkers, added elevation change and rebuilt greens, while much of the arboreal maturity remained. A 22,000-square-foot clubhouse replaced the old one, and GCU’s DI golf teams have their own meeting and practice spaces. The City of Phoenix still owns the course, but the university, which covered the costs of improvements, renovations and operations, runs it. Situated on 130 acres less than a mile from the Milwaukee Brewers Spring Training home, this parkland gem

GET WIGGY WITH IT

Set on 440 acres in the West Valley, The Wigwam has served as an iconic oasis of casual elegance blended with southwestern charm since opening in 1929. Its three 18-hole courses—the challenging Gold and Blue (both designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.) and the resorty Red (by Red Lawrence)—provide strikingly diverse experiences, none of which are the standard “target golf” fare found throughout the desert. Located near Camelback Ranch, spring home of the White Sox and Dodgers, The Wigwam lies minutes from most Cactus League stadiums. The resort boasts pools, nine tennis courts, a fitness center, bocce court, bicycle rentals and luxury casitas and suites featuring viga-beamed ceilings and welcoming appointments. Litchfield’s and Red Allen’s Bar & Grill top the list of four onsite dining options. wigwamarizona.com

FOUR!

Sure, the seven courses at Sun City West could provide a different game for every day of the week, but there are also four other West Valley courses definitely worth sliding a tee into:

Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear

A Troon-managed gorgeous, highly rated Nicklaus Design that traverses the Sierra Estrella foothills. estrellagolf.com

Verrado Golf Club, Buckeye

Tom Lehman designed both the Founder’s and Victory courses at the base of the White Tank Mountains. verradogolfclub.com

Quintero Golf Club, Peoria

A formerly private Rees Jones dazzler that makes visual and strategic use of mountain ridges, desert flora, washes and water. quinterogolf.com

PIZZA PLACE

A mecca for the pizza obsessed with an international following, Pizza Bianco’s original location in Downtown Phoenix’s Heritage Square belongs on the short list of places to eat before you die. Chris Bianco, the first pizza-maker to win a James Beard Award for the Nation’s Best Chef, also won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2022. pizzeriabianco.com

A BEER INFUSION

Located in Litchfield Park, just west of The Wigwam’s 54 holes, Transplant City Brewing has quickly developed a following for its creative nanobeers and friendly taproom. Owners Justin Egbert and Paul Power, both transplants to Arizona, focus on unique and creative ingredients for their small, imaginative batches. tcbcbeer.com

Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia, Peoria: Crafted by Colorado State alumnus Gary Panks, the flowing 7,291-yard course threads through an upscale development. mytrilogylife.com/vistancia/golf/

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERRADO GOLF CLUB

GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY GOLF COURSE

QUINTERO GOLF CLUB

THE WIGWAM

Tucson

TUBAC TO THE FUTURE

Opened in 1959 on the site of a 500-acre Otero Ranch, Tubac Golf Resort & Spa lies 45 minutes from Tucson and is worth every minute you spend there. The head golf professional, Grand Junction native Kristie Fowler, runs an amazing operation consisting of three nines—the Anza, Otero and Rancho—that weave around water and old-growth cottonwoods and mesquites. The bovines grazing near some holes are as iconic to the course as the scenes from Tin Cup that were shot there. You’ll recognize the welcome arch from the betting scene between “Roy McAvoy” (Kevin Costner) and “David Simms” (Don Johnson), and a marker on the Rancho nine’s 568-yard 4th tempts you to imitate Costner’s 3-wood shot onto the green in two. Beyond the golf and the well-stocked shop, Tubac offers a 3,000-square-foot earth-inspired spa featuring distinctive treatments and a rehydrating eucalyptus steam room. The resort also is home to 98 luxury hacienda-style accommodations and three dining options—Stables Ranch Grille & Patio, Stables Bar and La Cantina. It also features a recently updated swimming pool with spacious cabanas. tubacgolfresort.com

TUCSON TEE TIMES

Less than a two-hour drive from the Rockies’ current Spring Training home, the team’s erstwhile preseason base in Tucson remains a mecca for great golf, food and fun. Most of the great layouts are attached to resorts. Sewailo Golf Club (Casino Del Sol) boasts a Notah Begay/Ty Butler layout. The JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort features 27 Arnold Palmer-designed holes, while Jack Nicklaus designed the three nines at both Westin La Paloma and the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain (in nearby Marana). The 45 holes at El Conquistador Tucson, a Hilton Resort traverse the spectacular Oro Valley, and you can’t go wrong with Tucson’s munis—two of which formerly hosted PGA TOUR events. visittucson.com

BY

OMNIPRESENCE

This February, the Omni Tucson National will welcome the PGA TOUR Champions Cologuard Classic, having emerged from a multimillion-dollar transformation to the resort. The Omni, which boasts the Catalina and Sonoran 18s, redid all its deluxe and premier guestrooms with a bright Southwestern residential feel, while also redesigning the 51 Casitas and Hacienda Suites lining the course. Four new or upgraded restaurants and lounge areas complement Bob’s Steakhouse, and a 9,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Mokara Spa features 12 treatment rooms and a wide variety of services for individuals, couples, and groups, including a Sauna and Vichy shower room. omnitucsonnational.com

ALL’S FARE IN TUCSON

A tapestry of Mexican and Native American traditions, Tucson’s culinary heritage tells a story that dates back 4,000 years, leading to UNESCO recognizing it as its first “Capital of Gastronomy ” in the United States. From authentic Mexican spots to Sonoran Hot Dog stands and taco trucks to chef-driven, farm-to-table restaurants and craft breweries like Dragoon, Barrio and Pueblo Vida, Tucson does dining and drinking its own way. visittucson.org/restaurants-and-nightlife

OMNI TUCSON NATIONAL

TUBAC GOLF RESORT

Blind Shot The Unseen Game

the mountain views, you might think you were on the Southwest coast of Ireland. This land is that good.”

The award-winning design duo of Bill Coore and

For Colorado’s golf enthusiasts, it looks like a thrilling ride ahead! To learn more about Rodeo Dunes and founder opportunities, please visit rodeodunes.com