July 2017 Colorado AvidGolfer

OPE N-M I N DE D AT T H E BROA DMO OR • SOL A R-ECLI PS E G OLF

Elevating the Game.

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and BILL MOSHER turns great losses into big wins at Judi’s House

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CELEBRATING THE 2017 CORPORATE CUP

Thanks to all who attended and supported the 2017 Schomp BMW Corporate Cup – A Colorado AvidGolfer Event. We raised nearly $40,000 to support the Colorado PGA REACH Program. PGA REACH’s values of making a positive difference in the lives of others through youth development, supporting our military, and diversity and inclusion mirror our own, reflecting the strength of our partnership. Learn more today at coloradopga.com and partners.schomp.com.

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CONTENTS | July 2017

88

FEATURES

84 Mourning Has Broken Support from some empathetic golf partners has helped Brian Griese turn the childhood loss of his mother into a haven of hope for thousands of grieving kids. By Jon Rizzi

45

DEPARTMENTS 8 Forethoughts

SIDE BETS

Staying Open-Minded

Once Moore with Feeling

39 Fareways

12 ’net Score

restaurant scene on Tennyson Street.

By Gary James

Hart joins our Tournament Series.

41 Tapping In

14 Golf 102

By Cody Gabbard

By Jon Rizzi

Exclusive deals on great golf, Karin

Weighing In on Handicaps. By Gerry Brown

16 The CWGA

Forging community Links.

Block & Larder leads the changing

Brews with views in Estes Park.

43 Nice Drives

Infiniti QX80 Limited and the Ford F150 Raptor. By Isaac Bouchard

21 The Gallery

Solar-eclipse golf, The First Green comes to town, Kevlar Kupcho, Hailey Schalk, Jeff Gallagher wins CoBank Senior, more

45 COBANK COLORADO OPEN

PLAYER’S CORNER

53 COLORADO GETAWAYS

29 Tee to Green

Flagler’s Mossland Memorial

A year from now, 156 senior golfers and 125,000 fans will help The Broadmoor celebrate its 100th birthday during the U.S. Senior Open. And the grande dame can’t wait. By Jon Rizzi

92 The Roll of Southwest Greens With four top Front Range courses in its portfolio, the expanding Colorado company is elevating everyone’s golf experience. By Jon Rizzi

Special Sections

96 Blind Shot

Storm Trouping at Cherry Hills

88

A preview of the richest state championship

in the country.

What to do, where to stay and where to play in Vail, Beaver Creek, Eagle, Summit County, Aspen and Snowmass.

By Jon Rizzi

34 Lesson

Put the Wood to Your Swing

By Alex Fisher

36 Lesson

Develop Your Core Knowledge

By Larry Rinker

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

ON THE COVER Brian Griese & Bill Mosher

Photograph by EJ Carr at Cherry Hills Country Club.

4

53 coloradoavidgolfer.com

A GRAND CELEBRATION OF THE

AMERICAN WEST.

The Broadmoor is so many things to so many people. To some, it’s the longest-running consecutive winner of both the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Five Star awards. To others, it’s golf heaven. Set in the Cheyenne Mountain Foothills, the Broadmoor Golf Club is consistently ranked among the best in the world. Our three iconic courses were designed by some of golf’s greatest names, Ross, Jones and Nicklaus.

Discover for yourself why The Broadmoor remains one of the world’s most celebrated golf destinations.

Home of the 2018 U.S. Senior Open, June 25 – July 1, 2018.

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1 LAKE AVENUE, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80906

LAND ROVER

DENVER

July 2017 | Volume 16, Number 4 publisher

A llen J. Walters editor

Jon Rizzi SALES, MARKETING & ADVERTISING associate publisher

Chris Phillips account manager

Vivian Keesling digital and social media manager

A lex J. Rajaniemi

office and operations manager

Cindy Palmer

projects and special events manager

Todd Hall

ART & EDITORIAL art director

Jani Duncan Smith editor - at- large

Tom Ferrell

automotive editor

Isaac Bouchard contributors

Sam Adams, Andy Bigford, E.J. Carr, Tony Dear, Denny Dressman, Sue Drinker, Dick Durrance II, Chris Duthie, Cody Gabbard, Gar y James, Ted Johnson, Kaye W. Kessler, Phil Mumford, Kim D. McHugh, Jerr y Walters principals

Ray L . Baker, C. Don Baker, Dick B. Baker advertising inquiries : cindy@coloradoavidgolfer.com editorial inquiries and letters : jon@coloradoavidgolfer.com customer service and subscriptions :

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mailing address : 7200 S. Alton Way #A-180, Centennial, CO 80112 fax : 720-482-0784 newsstand information : 720-493-1729 follow us on facebook colorado avidgolfer twitter @ coloavidgolfer and instagram colorado avidgolfer

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Colorado AvidGolfer (ISSN 1548-4335) is published eight times a year by Baker-Colorado Publishing, LLC, and printed by American Web, Inc. Volume 16, Number four. 7200 S. Alton Way #A-180, Centennial, 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 Š 2017 by Baker-Colorado Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Colorado AvidGolfer, 7200 S. Alton Way #A-180 Centennial, CO 80112.The magazine welcomes editorial submissions but assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material. magazine partner of choice :

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Golf & STAY

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Tee off on the stunning J. Press Maxwell PGA Championship golf course when you book the Golf Stay & Play Package at Hilton Denver Inverness. The package includes one round of golf for each registered guest, and a golf cart to get all the way to the 18th hole. Sleep in luxury in the newly remodeled guest rooms.

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Forethoughts

WE GIVE A DIME Whatever your passion, change starts with you.

Each time you use your debit card, Alpine Bank donates 10 cents to local nonprofits, such as Children’s Hospital Colorado. Spark change in your community by getting your card today. #WeGiveADime

PHOTOGRAPH BY JO ANNE HARADA

Once Moore, with Feeling PUN INTENDED, another golf season is in full swing. Which means that my index will inch up because most of my strokes are coming on the keyboard of my laptop, not the fairways of the golf course. I seem to spend every golf season enhancing your knowledge and appreciation of golf at the expense of my expertise at playing it.

I’m not asking for any cheese with that whine. I don’t see myself as some Saint Sebastian-like martyr tethered to a flagstick with golf shafts piercing my flesh. I just like to point out I’m more avid than able when it comes to golf.

Despite time on the lesson tee and in front of video monitors with a number of great teachers, I’ve shot, but never broken, 80 and my handicap perpetually hovers in the mid-teens.

My day job just always gets in the way.

On a positive note, my day job isn’t playing golf but writing about it. And I guess I do it pretty well, since I’ll be receiving my second Colorado Open Ralph Moore Golf Journalism Award July 23rd at this year’s CoBank Colorado Open.

Ralph Moore died 20 years ago, in 1997, the year before I became a Colorado resident. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, and I’ll admit not knowing as much about him in 2008, when I won my first Ralph Moore Award, as I do now. That knowledge makes me appreciate even more receiving the award for the second time.

Mr. Moore wrote about golf for The Denver Post from 1956 to 1983, back when the paper would send writers to the major tournaments. He covered multiple Masters, U.S. Opens and PGA Championships.

After the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, under the headline “Arnold Palmer Starts His Own Golf Era,” he wrote, “When Palmer clicked off that string of four successive birdies in the final round of the National Open, it was like a mighty woodsman felling an entire forest with one blow of his axe.”

Moore struck his mightiest blows on behalf of Colorado golf. He worked with Bob Hickman and Bob Kirchner to get the Colorado Open going in 1964 at the nascent Hiwan Golf Club, and wrote about the event as if it were the Masters of state opens.

An Arvada resident, Moore sat on the board that started Indian Tree Golf Course, hiring Vic Kline as its first professional in 1970. “He was a great board member and the first in line to support for anything good for golf,” Kline says. Those things included helping create a unified Colorado Junior Golf Association, as well as the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. He also successfully advocated linking the Eisenhower and Evans Scholarship funds into one scholarship.

The Colorado Open Ralph Moore Golf Journalism Award’s stated intention is “to forward the pursuit of excellence in golf reporting.” Save for two-time award-winner Gary Baines, who does yeoman’s work on coloradogolf.org, and me here at Colorado AvidGolfer, local golf news doesn’t get the kind of ink it once received. Which explains why my brethren on television and radio have also won the award.

I’m proud to join them and I’m honored see my name on an award that carries Ralph Moore’s name. My advocacy extends to a seat on the executive board of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and to working closely with the state’s allied golf associations to get the word out about their members, programs and accomplishments. Our coverage of this year’s CoBank Colorado Open starts on page 45.

Ralph Moore’s son Brian describes him as “an avid but not spectacular golfer. When he broke 80 at Hiwan for the first time he was sent home in the owner’s Rolls-Royce.”

Now where am I going to find that kind of motivation? —JON RIZZI

38 LOCATIONS FROM DENVER TO DURANGO INCLUDING THE DENVER NEIGHBORHOODS OF CHERRY CREEK AND UNION STATION

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

8

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Congratulations to the Winners, Lisa and Norm Franke of Alpine Bank

THANK YOU to our sponsors and players!

TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR NEXT YEAR’S EVENT please contact Todd Hall at 720-493-1729 ext.15 or Todd@ColoradoAvidGolfer.com

’net Score INFO | BLOGS | DIALOG

The Mountains are Calling...

We Hart Karin JOIN GOLF AND SOCIAL MEDIA sensation Karin Hart and your friends at Colorado AvidGolfer this summer at the 2017 Sky Ridge Medical Center Tournament Series. Three events remain: July 31st at Inverness Golf Club, August 28th at The Ridge at Castle Pines, and September 11th at Blackstone Country Club. Come play alongside Karin, learn how she masters those trick shots, and compete for great prizes all summer long!

LEARN MORE HERE: coloradoavidgolfer.com/cag-events/tournament-series/

HEAD TO coloradoavidgolfer.com/travel/colorado for EXCLUSIVE travel deals for mountain getaways to Vail, Eagle, Cheyenne Mountain, Keystone, Montrose, and more! Discounts as low as 30% can be found only through Colorado AvidGolfer, so book your Stay and Play package today!

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…and I must go.

The Finer Things AFTER A MASSIVE turnout at The Club at Pradera on June 12th, our Private Club Days are going strong.

Did you miss it? No need to panic—we have three more events this summer and two are in July. Come out to Perry Park Country Club July 10th and The Pinery Country Club July 24th to get a taste of some of Colorado’s best clubs. It’s private club golf and hospitality, open for just one day at public pricing!

DON’T MISS OUT, join us this month: coloradoavidgolfer.com/cag-events/private-club-days COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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THE DEALS DON’T STOP in the Centennial State! Wyoming’s Powder Horn Community is offering a $399 Stay and Play for two, and New Mexico’s Sandia Golf Club has Stay and Play rates starting at just $129 among other deals— and you can only find them here at Colorado AvidGolfer.

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Golf 102 THE CGA’S SECOND CENTURY

The CGA presents its favorite FAQs on GHIN. By Gerry Brown THE COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION staff routinely fields many member questions about “The USGA Handicap System” and, more importantly, why it matters. If you have ever wondered if you should carry a golf handicap index, we thought we’d share some of the “Greatest Hits” member questions—and our responses—as to why every golfer should use the system to make the game of golf more enjoyable.

“I am not good enough, my Handicap Index would be too high.”

One of the purposes of a Handicap Index is to “even the playing field” for golfers of all abilities to compete equitably. A Handicap Index replaces phrases like “not good enough” and “can’t compete” with terms like “teammate” and “contributor.” Imagine you are playing a team best-ball event and you manage to bogey a par 4 that all your teammates bogey. Let’s say your high Handicap Index gives you two strokes on the hole, so your net score becomes a birdie. It’s “high-fives” all around! You’re a hero!

“I don’t play enough to have a Handicap Index.”

Do you play at least five times a year? Of course you do! Did you know that you only need five scores to have an official USGA Handicap Index calculated? Eventually, it will be based on the last 20 scores in your score history, but five is the minimum to get started.

“I want to wait until I play better to worry about getting a Handicap Index.”

Now is the perfect time to get a Handicap Index.

Imagine a man who decides to go on a diet. He would first purchase a scale to monitor his progress and help set goals. The golfer’s Handicap Index is the equivalent to the dieter’s scale. Your COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

Handicap Index is the only true gauge by which to measure your progress. By using it to set and achieve short-term goals each time you play, you work toward your long-term goal of improving, which is demonstrated by a decrease in your Handicap Index. The software available online and through your phone makes it easy to track your game and monitor your progress.

“I can average my own scores, so why should I pay the CGA to do it?”

A Handicap Index is a tool that measures your potential playing ability. It is not an average of your scores. If you average 90 on a short, less difficult course, and your friend averages 90 on a long, more difficult course, are you both equal in playing ability? Of course not. Your friend would likely average an 85 or less on your course, and you would likely average a 95 or higher on his or her course. A Handicap Index is accurate because it is based on your scores and the difficulty level of the courses you achieve them on. Plus, your Handicap Index is portable. It adjusts each course to your potential ability, rather than you trying to adjust your ability to each course!

“How do I get my own Handicap Index?”

All you need to do is join one of the CGA’s 250+ member clubs. Most golfers become members of a men’s or women’s club that conducts its events at a facility near to their residence, or they inquire at a course they enjoy playing frequently.

Many Colorado clubs also offer membership online. To find a club near you visit coloradogolf. org or coloradowomensgolf.org. For those people who are members of a private golf club, joining the CGA is almost always taken care of as a part of your club membership. You can even become a member of the CGA by taking advan-

14

tage of Colorado AvidGolfer’s Passport Plus. Visit coloradoavidgolfer.com to learn more.

“Alright, you convinced me, I signed up. What do I do now?”

When your membership is activated at your member club or online you will be issued a GHIN number (pronounced gin, like your favorite card came). You can use this number to begin posting scores to establish an official USGA Handicap Index. Posting scores has never been easier.

Here are three easy ways: 1) Download the free USGA GHIN Mobile App on your smartphone.

2) Post scores inside the clubhouse after your round. 3) Visit coloradogolf.org and login to the CGA Member Zone.

“What is the CGA Member Zone” New in 2017, the CGA Member Zone is a one-stop shop for CGA Members to access member offers and discounts, and to enter contests. The CGA has partnered with local and national companies to offer members exclusive access to benefits such as discounts on car rentals, hotels, office supplies, business services and even special offers at Colorado golf courses. You can also post your scores and check your Handicap Index, edit your USGA profile or report a hole-in-one and the CGA will recognize you on our website all year long.

Hopefully these “Greatest Hits” help give you a better understanding of why we hope every golfer takes advantage of the USGA Handicap Index system by joining a club in Colorado today.

Gerry Brown is the Colorado Golf Association’s director of handicapping and course rating.

For further information, contact the CGA at 303-366-4653 or visit coloradogolf.org. coloradoavidgolfer.com

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION

Weighing In on Handicaps

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SOLD OUT: The CWGA Golf Experience at Overland Golf Course

Community Links The CWGA forges a bond among its members.

FOR MOST OF us, golf is about enjoying the outdoors, socializing and enjoying the challenge of the course—in no particular order. For many, it’s also about being part of a community of likeminded women.

That community is the Colorado Women’s Golf Association: • It has nearly 17,000 members, including juniors, college students, working women, moms, grandmothers and retirees.

• Of those members, 80 percent have a handicap higher than 20; only 3 percent have a handicap lower than 10.

• These women belong to 240 clubs across the state and play in leagues on Monday evenings, Tuesday mornings, Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

• Scores count, points are earned, prizes are won, and lots of socializing over food and drink takes place after the round.

• That means golf is not just about competition, but about spending nine or 18 holes walking or riding the course with old friends and, more often than not, making new ones.

The community is also about learning. What do 75 multicolored highlighters, 75 bright red tote bags and 75 packs of enticing coupons have in common? All were part of the gift bags given to 75 participants in the season-opening, sold-out CWGA Golf Experience at Overland Golf Course on May 13.

The aim of a CWGA Golf Experience is to challenge you as you reconnect with your golf swing, or if you are new, to introduce you to this wonderful game. Staffed by LPGA and PGA professionals, the four-hour session allows groups of four or five to move from putting to chipping to long irons and finally to a short session on the Rules of Golf. The Overland event also involved a hula-hoop game (it included a golf ball), and as with all CWGA events, we balanced out the challenge of learning with lunch and networking—not to mention a taste of alcohol.

There are three more Golf Experiences on tap. Sign up with a friend at coloradowomensgolf.org.

• July 8 CWGA Golf Experience, City Park Golf Course, Denver • July 16 CWGA On-course Golf Experience, Harvard Gulch Golf Course, Denver • August 6 CWGA Golf Experience, Fossil Trace Golf Club, Golden Should you want to take a weekend getaway with friends, two CWGA tournaments, flighted by handicap, are on the schedule this year. Maximum handicap is 30.

• August 5 - 6 Brassie Tournament, Rifle Creek Golf Course, Rifle • September 16 - 17 Chapman Tournament, Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks, Silverthorne If you really want a challenge, the CWGA Match Play and Senior Stroke Play Championships are also open to those with handicaps up to 30. Senior Stroke play is for those women aged 50 or over.

• July 17 - 20 CWGA Match Play, Buffalo Run Golf Course, Commerce City • August 14 - 15 CWGA Senior Stroke Play at Mariana Butte Golf Course, Loveland

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So, no matter what you want out of golf, the CWGA community has something for you. To borrow the tagline of our friends at the LPGA, “See Why It’s Different Out Here!”

For more information, visit coloradowomensgolf.org.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

16

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLORADO WOMEN’S GOLF ASSOCIATION

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Antler Creek, Falcon EXCLUSIVE

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Yes

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The Bridges, Montrose*

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$49

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Any day after 11

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Broadlands, Broomfield

$40

$40

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M-Th after 12

No

3

Broken Tee, Englewood

$33

$33

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M-Th after 12

No

3 P/S = 9

Buffalo Run, Commerce City

$41

$41

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M-F any time, S-S after 2

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Cedaredge, Cedaredge

$35

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Any day after 12

Yes

1 P/S = 3

Haymaker, Steamboat Springs

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The Gallery NEWS | NOTES | NAMES

A Midday Twilight Round

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID PHIPPS

MATH COURSE: Golf Superintendent Pat Gentile and students measure the area of a green at a First Green event at Patty Jewett Golf Course.

STEM Sells WITH STEM-RELATED EDUCATION becoming ever more critical in today’s economy, parents and teachers are looking for fun, creative ways to spark young people’s interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

So, how about turning the golf course into a STEM learning lab?

First Green does precisely that. Founded 20 years ago by golf course superintendents and members of the state junior golf association in Washington State, First Green is an innovative, hands-on environmental and STEM education outreach program.

Not to be confused with The First Tee, First Green lessons teach everything from measuring greens to assisting in stream bed restoration to collecting and analyzing soil samples to identifying myriad flora and fauna, birds and bugs, fish and fungi and much, much more.

“Their eyes light up, they’re absolutely invigorated by the process and what they’re learning,” explains First Green Board President Jeff Shelley.

“They see that the lessons they learn in school have real-world applications.”

First Green has benefited more than 20,000 students mainly in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. National outreach has begun in earnest and David Phipps, the Northwest field staff representative for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), has gotten the ball rolling in Colorado.

Phipps introduced First Green during the annual G4 Conference in February. In May, the state’s first First Green field trip took place, fittingly, at one of coloradoavidgolfer.com

Colorado’s first courses, Patty Jewett in Colorado Springs. The city’s Golf Division Superintendent Pat Gentile and Patty Jewett Superintendent Jeff Wichman organized and hosted 41 third graders from neighboring Taylor Elementary School for a morning of learning and fun.

The kids learned to use a tape measure to figure the area of a green and what the differences were between sand, silt and clay soils. They compared the different grass clippings left by rough, fairway, and greens mowers, finding the fine, powdery cuttings from the greens particularly fascinating. The best part? “They’re at the age where they love the equipment,” says Gentile. “They learned what each piece does, and by far, their favorite was the greens roller.”

The kids, many who initially thought the grass on the greens was fake, also got to putt.

Colorado PGA Assistant Executive Director Keith Soriano and Phipps have discussed incorporating some of the First Green into the Section’s Golf in Schools program. “We’re looking to run four programs this fall,” Soriano says. “Our curriculum and their curriculum both involve an hour at a golf course.

We have to figure out how to jam two hours into one.”

Plans currently call for a training day for course superintendents who want to bring the program to their courses. In addition to the members of the Colorado PGA and the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association, Phipps reports he has also received enthusiastic responses from the STEM coordinators at numerous school districts. “The level of support has been great so far,” he says. “We’re going gangbusters.” thefirstgreen.org

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On Monday, August 21, the Great American Total Solar Eclipse will darken skies in 11 states, covering a swath of land only about 70 miles wide. Colorado isn’t in the “path of totality,” but Nebraska is. To commemorate this rare celestial event, Colorado Springs attorney Kent Freudenberg, the owner of Awarii Dunes Golf Club near Kearney, is holding a Total Solar Eclipse Golf Tournament August 20-21. The celebrated Jim Engh-designed course, which roils through Nebraska’s fabled heaving sandhills, will host rounds Sunday and Monday, with a break Monday at 11:33 during which attendees will don special safety glasses to begin experiencing the partial phases that culminate in two minutes of complete eclipse.

Adding to the event’s uniqueness, Freudenberg has arranged a memorable stay-and-play deal.

“Kearney has something like 1,000 hotel rooms and every one of them is booked because of the eclipse,” he explains. “So we’re inviting players and their families to pitch tents and park RVs on the driving range on Sunday. It’s going to be a party.” The $199 price includes two rounds of golf, camping space (no RV hookups) special eclipse glasses and music. Food and drink will be available from a variety of vendors. “This,” Freudenberg says, “is really going to be a once-in-alifetime experience.” To reserve your spot, call 308-743-111 or visit awariidunes.com.

July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

The Gallery

Kevlar Kupcho “BULLETPROOF” is the word PGA Professional Ed Oldham of Westminster’s Ranch Country Club uses to describe the mentality of Jennifer Kupcho, the 13th ranked amateur in the world and his student for the last 10 years. Over a three-day period in May, the 20-yearold Wake Forest University sophomore ably demonstrated her Kevlar qualities.

Leading the NCAA Division I Championship by two shots with two holes to play at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois, Kupcho triple-bogeyed the 17th hole to lose the lead and championship. “It’s unfortunate it came down to this,” she said with a stiff upper lip, “but I’ll get over it.”

Did she ever. Two days later in the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier at Riverdale Dunes Golf Course, she shot rounds of 66-72 for a 6-under-par 138 total, capturing medalist honors for the second consecutive year. She’ll compete this month (July 13-16) against the best women players in the world at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. So will University of Colorado freshman Robyn Choi of Australia, who finished second by one shot. uswomensopen.com

Coe Defenders THE 28TH CHARLIE COE Invitational at Castle Pines Golf Club, contested May 31-June 2, brought the second consecutive victory for the mid-am team of Jonathan Marsico of Denver and Ben Hayes of Scottsdale. Starting the final day three shots behind leaders Tripp Kuhlke and Jeff Knox of Augusta, Ga., Marsico and Hayes rallied for a final-round 5-under-par 67. Their 10-under 206 total nipped the Georgia team by one. In the senior division, the team of Texans Jeff Dillard and Hollis Sullivan also successfully defended its championship after a five-hole playoff with Ben Hargis and Bart Dornier of Alexandria, La.

Attention, Topgolfers!

The Denver regional qualifier for the second annual Topgolf Tour Championship takes place in Centennial July 30. Of the 68 twoperson teams (male, female or mixed) competing, only one will advance to compete against 19 other teams in the Topgolf Tour Championship Oct. 14-15 at Topgolf Las Vegas. Last year, the Denver team of Braden Baer and Stephen Kupcho made the final round in Las Vegas, falling just shy of the winner-take-all $50,000 first prize. tour.topgolf.com

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COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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EXTRA HOLES: Glacier Club’s new nine brings its hole total to 36.

Glacial Growth THE GLACIER CLUB in Durango has grown from 27 to 36 holes. Although the official grand opening isn’t until Labor Day, member play has already begun on the nine new holes designed by Hale Irwin and Todd Schoeder that complement the dramatic Schoeder-designed Glacier Nine that debuted in 2004.

Together, the new 18 will comprise the members-only Glacier course, while the older holes—which Arthur Hills authored in 1974 as the Cliffs at Tamarron— will be called The Cliffs. The courses have separate clubhouses, similar to the model at Red Sky Golf Club. As of now, however, only members can play the Glacier course. glacierclub.com

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

The Gallery

Young Guns

Hailey’s Comet TALK ABOUT PEAKING at the right time. In the span of less than one month 15-year-old Hailey Schalk, who just finished her freshman year at Holy Family High School, • became the first-ever Class 3A Girls High School State champion, shooting an opening-round 6-under-par 65 en route to a seven-stroke victory at Broomfield’s Broadlands Golf Course on May 22-23; • qualified for this month’s IMG Academy World Championships in San Diego by tying for second in the Girls (15-18) qualifier held May 30-31 at The Broadlands and Coal Creek Golf Course; • won her first AJGA Tournament, the Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica at Westminster’s Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, June 6-8, carding a three-round 4-under par 212; and • won the Colorado Junior PGA Championship at Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue Course at the Air Force Academy, June 12-14. The 11-shot victory represents her second JGAC major, following her victory in last year’s JGAC Junior Match Play championship.

The daughter of Colorado National Golf Club’s PGA General Manager Matt Schalk, Hailey will not defend her title in the Junior Match Play, nor compete in any other JGAC majors this year due to conflicts with numerous national events. July’s JGAC Amateur Championship (July 10-12) conflicts with the IMG Worlds; the Stroke Play (July 31-Aug. 2) with the Junior Americas Cup in Washington; and the JGAC Tour Championship (Oct.7-8) with two AJGA Invitationals: the Justin Rose Junior All-Star at Reynolds Plantation in Georgia and the The PING Invitational at Karsten Creek in Oklahoma.

In addition to Schalk, 10 Colorado players— including Colorado High School 4A girls champion and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland—will advance to this month’s IMG Junior World Championships in and around San Diego.

Competing at The Broadlands and Coal Creek Golf courses, Schalk and Lehigh qualified in the girls 15-18 division while Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins and Calvin McCoy of Highlands Ranch qualified on the boys side. Also heading west in the younger divisions are James Clark of Lamar and Jordan Jennings of Montrose, Gracie Olkowski of Grand Junction and Sofia Choi of Littleton (13-14); Matai Naqica and Bead Boonta of Centennial and Abigail Aeschleman of Highlands Ranch (11-12)—all of whom qualified in singleround events at The Homestead at Fox Hollow in Lakewood. The IMG Worlds take place July 10-14. juniorworldgolf.com

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coloradoavidgolfer.com 3/1/16 12:08 PM

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION

Ben’s a Bear

Free Golf for Denver Kids THIS MONTH’S COBANK COLORADO OPEN isn’t the only investment the state’s largest bank is making in local golf. From now until September 30, any participant in a golf class through The First Tee of Denver can play for free on weekdays at all seven City of Denver courses. The First Tee of Denver, which has served more than 40,000 kids since 2002, “does an incredible job broadening access to the game of golf for kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds while teaching values that will benefit them throughout their entire lives,” says CoBank Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Arthur Hodges. “We’re delighted to be sponsoring this initiative and look forward to the benefits it will deliver to First Tee Denver kids throughout the summer.” thefirstteedenver.org

After coaching the women’s golf team at NCAA Division II Metropolitan State University of Denver to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles in 2015 and ’16, Ben Portie has taken the same position the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. He takes the place of Stephen Bidne, now head women’s coach at the University of Hawaii. Before Metro State, Portie served as assistant coach for UNC’s men’s and women’s teams. During his time there, he won the 2011 HealthONE Colorado Open and the Bears women’s team won the 2012 Big Sky Conference tournament.

Portie, a University of Colorado graduate, also qualified for the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black and earned the Colorado Golf Association’s Les Fowler Player of the Year in 2001.

Be a Member for a Day! A one-of-a-kind opportunity to play Colorado’s finest private clubs this summer!

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE COBANK COLORADO SENIOR OPEN

The Gallery

The Patience of Jobe WON BY ONE: CoBank Colorado Senior Open champ Jeff Gallagher.

Gallagher’s Senior Moment

© 2017

INDIANA NATIVE Jeff Gallagher, who finished as high as fifth in 135 starts on the PGA Tour and notched two Web.com Tour victories, captured the $50,000 2017 CoBank Colorado Senior Open at Denver’s Green Valley Ranch Golf Club with an 11-under 205. Now based out of Southern Highlands Golf Club outside Las Vegas, the younger brother of five-time PGA Tour champion Jim Gallagher Jr. went into the 54th and final hole two shots ahead of Texan Steve Jurgensen—another PGA and Web.com tour veteran. Gallagher then eked out the win, bogeying the par-5 18th as Jurgensen missed a birdie effort. Gallagher earned $8,500 and an invitation to this month’s $250,000 Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch, where the winner takes home $100,000. The highest Colorado finisher, Rick Cole of Eaton, shot a 4-under 212 for sixth place and super-senior honors. See page 45 for more coverage of the CoBank Colorado Open. coloradoopen.com

Twenty-five years have passed since Brandt Jobe won the Colorado Open. Not counting a win in the 2015 Champions Tour Q-School, that 1992 victory at Hiwan Golf Club was arguably the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer’s last win of any real significance until his June 11 triumph in The Principal Charity Classic presented by Wells Fargo, a PGA Champions Tour event in Des Moines. The win marked Jobe’s first victory in 368 combined starts on the PGA Tour and PGA Champions Tour. A dominant amateur who won championships in three CGA Match Plays, one CGA Stroke Play (now known as the Amateur), one CGA Junior Amateur and a CGA Junior Match Play, Jobe tamed Iowa’s Wakonda Club course, shooting a 14-under-par 202 to edge his UCLA teammate Scott McCarron and Kevin Sutherland by a stroke.

When you play CommonGround, you are supporting numerous Community & Wellness Programs such as PGA Golf in Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Special Olympics, and Boy Scouts that create opportunities for kids to experience the game we love. www.commongroundgc.com | 303-340-1520 COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE AJGA

Design Decision

Major Step

HIGH FINISHER: Junior PGA champ Davis Bryant

NAMED FOR 1997 PGA Championship winner and victorious 2016 Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, 17-year-old Davis Bryant has already started living up to his namesake. His wire-to-wire two-shot victory in the Colorado Junior PGA Championship at Eisenhower Golf Club in Colorado Springs qualified him for the National Junior PGA Championship, held July 31-Aug. 3 at The Country Club of St. Albans outside of St. Louis, Missouri.

The son of Green Valley Ranch Golf Club’s PGA General Manager and Director of Golf Matt Bryant and Julie Bryant, the executive director of The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch and director of member services for the Colorado Open Golf Foundation, Davis grew up at Green Valley Ranch. He has caddied for John Elway in the Colorado Open, competed on two Americas Cup teams and participated in The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch, earning an invitation to participate in the 2015 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. He partnered with Mark Wiebe.

This fall Davis will enter his senior year at Eaglecrest High School in Aurora and will compete in the Class 5A Boys High School State Championship, an event in which he finished second last year. He has verbally committed to Colorado State University. juniorgolfcolorado.org

As the City of Denver proceeds with its plan to convert 138 acres of City Park Golf Course into a stormwater detention area, the city will close the course for at least 18 months at the end of the current golf season.

But who will design and build the new course?

As of June 18, the city still had not selected a design-build team to redo the 1912 Tom Bendelow layout. Two proposals with Colorado ties are under consideration.

The first would have Broomfield-based iCon Golf Studio and Hale Irwin Golf Design teaming up with builders Saunders Construction and Aspen Corporation, and the clubhouse designed by Johnson Nathan Strohe Architecture. The second, Englewood’s Dye Designs, would partner with SEMA Construction and Total Turf as builders, and Oz Architecture for the clubhouse. Expect a decision soon. denvergov.org

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

The Gallery

Golf by Numbers

139 men and women can call themselves Colorado Golf Hall of Fame members. Who’ll be the 140th? Nominations for the Class of 2018 are due to the nominating committee no later than August 31. The committee evaluates the achievements of both professional and amateur golfers, as well as course architects, instructors, administrators and other contributors to the game. To nominate someone, visit coloradogolfhalloffame.org/inductees. The Hall will also take recommendations for its annual awards for Lifetime Achievement, Distinguished Service, Person of the Year and, new this year, Future Famer—which recognizes an outstanding junior golfer. Visit the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame at the Riverdale Golf Courses in Brighton or at coloradogolfhalloffame.org

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consecutive Rocky Mountain Opens have taken place in Grand Junction, making it Colorado’s longest, continuously operating open golf tournament.

On Friday Aug 18-20, Tiara Rado Golf Course will host the 79th edition of the 54-hole tournament, won last year by Denver’s Nicholas Mason. A veteran of five PGA Tour events, Mason went 20-under par, leaving him seven shots clear of Basalt’s Jim Knous. rmogolf.golfgenius.com

36%

of the Mashie tournaments in Colorado Women’s Golf Association history have been won by Janet Moore. In June the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer won her eighth title in the four-ball match play event, which has been played 22 times since 1995. Moore partnered with former University of Oregon star Susie Roh at Thornton’s Todd Creek Golf Club to defeat Gillian Vance and Jaylee Tait 3 and 2 in the finals. Last year Vance partnered with Jennifer Kupcho to defeat Moore and fellow Hall of Famer Christie Austin, who’d won six Mashies together.

Two weeks earlier, Janet’s husband, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore, won his eighth different Colorado Golf Association individual championship by defeating Jim Reynolds 1 up in the CGA Super-Senior Match Play at Louisville’s Coal Creek Golf Course.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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Player’s Corner TEE TO GREEN

Small Town, Big Impact PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL LOUTZENHISER

Like the crops grown on surrounding farms, Mossland Memorial Golf Course helps sustain a way of life for the Flagler community that brought it forth 30 years ago. By Jon Rizzi ON JULY 29, 144 golfers, some coming from as far away as Florida, will tee off under the Colorado sun in a two-day tournament many of them call the highlight of their summer. Sixty of them will have arrived early to compete in the previous day’s horse race, the shootout that doubles as a practice round.

The Stop & Shop Tournament has sold out every year since it started in 1989. Its popularity has necessitated two flights and the creation of a waiting list. While golf tournaments that regularly take place at Sanctuary and other coveted Colorado venues can boast similar records of success, the Stop & Shop traverses the buffalo-grass fairways of Mossland Memorial Golf Course, a homegrown, nine-hole layout in the tiny town of Flagler, a half-hour east of Limon on I-70.

Mossland’s flags sprout to the south of exit 395. To the north, beyond the teedup pink Cadillac outside the I-70 Diner, lies downtown Flagler, “a friendly, caring, historic community,” according to the welcome sign. Adjacent to the freight tracks of the old Rock Island Railroad line, the local co-op’s grain elevator and silos stand tall against the sky—monuments to the agricultural pride that built this century-old town of curbed and guttered streets lined by sun-bleached oneand two-story buildings.

Two of those structures figure prominently in the tournament. After the Saturday rounds have concluded, the American Legion Post 81 welcomes the entire field (and guests for an additional fee) to a rather wet T-Bone-and-bakedpotato dinner followed by a spirited Calcutta with

a professional auctioneer from Wray.

A block west is the other building—the Stop & Shop Super Market that gives the tournament its name. Tony and Debby Ford have owned the 65-year-old market for more than four decades.

They also own two more—in Limon and in Stratton. The Flagler store is the flagship.

The Fords—especially Tony—don’t really sponsor the tournament as much as they own and operate it. They plow all the proceeds from the $110-per-person entry fees and their 10 percent Calcutta cut back into maintaining Mossland Memorial.

You can’t blame Tony for feeling a strong sense of proprietorship over the course. After

ROADSIDE ATTRACTION: A treelined cart path leads to Mossland Memorial’s Clubhouse and cart shed.

least a 30-minute drive to a nine-holer in Limon or Stratton, or to a sand-green course in Hugo, Cope or Kirk. Burlington was a bit further; Eads and Akron, further still.

“We thought it would be great to have our own course right here in Flagler,” Tony says. In the summer of 1985, they called a town meeting, resolved some matters and incorporated as “The Flagler Golf Club, Inc.” D.C. Moss, one of the officers, convinced his parents, Don and Helen Moss, to provide 87 acres of pastureland for the course. Mossland Memorial would be named in their honor.

The group asked three local members of the USDA’s Soil Conservation Service to help lay out nine holes, which would have two sets of tees in order to create different frontand back-nine experiences. Non-irrigated native buffalo grass would cover in the fairways and rough. They’d put bluegrass on the teeing areas and bentgrass on the greens, running irrigation from a pond on the property.

Civic enthusiasm for the project ran high in the town of 550. “We sold 126 lifetime charter memberships and made $140,000,” Ford remembers. “We had 70- and 80-year-olds who bought in, and many of those people never even played golf. They did it for Flagler.” Residents also volunteered thousands of hours on weekday evenings and during long days on the weekends, using their own farm equipment to help plant hundreds of trees, dig trenches and shape the course.

Even with all the free labor and equipment, construction still cost $40,000. Most of it went

“We sold 126 lifetime charter memberships and made $140,000.

We had 70- and 80-year-olds who bought in, and many of those people never even played golf.

They did it for Flagler.”

coloradoavidgolfer.com

all, between 1985 and 1987, with help from the entire town, he and a core group of golf aficionados—among them D.C. Moss, Ed Ward, Jerry Balman, Tony Lorince, Ron Wieser, Randy Fagerlund, Jess Elrick, Ivan Stahlecker, Tom Bredehoft and Tom Arensdorf—built the place.

“We’re all in our sixties and seventies now, but back then we were getting to the point where we could just about still play fast-pitch softball,” Tony says. A round of golf required at

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Player’s Corner TEE TO GREEN

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TOM BREDEHOFT

COURSE BUILDERS: left to right: D.C. Moss, Tony Ford, Ron Wieser, Randy Fagerlund, Jess Elrick, Ivan Stahlecker, Tom Bredehoft and Tom Arensdorf.

towards pipes and irrigation equipment, hundreds of trees to line the fairways, topsoil, peat moss, grass seed and 218,000 yards of sand for the greens mixture.

Not wanting pancake greens, the Flagler team brought in Neal Johnson, then the superintendent at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins to consult. Johnson had built the greens at Collindale and at Eaton Country Club. (To get an idea of the quality of its greens, Collindale held its 14th straight local U.S. Open qualifier this year.)

“He saw and liked what we were doing with the course, but he said we absolutely had to increase the size of the greens and add a lot more undulation,” Ford remembers. “We hauled in another 200 tons of dirt.” It was worth it. According to 5-handicap Mike Petrelli of Littleton, who regularly plays in the Stop & Shop Tournament with Tony and Tony’s son Trey, the bentgrass greens can be “extremely tricky, with plenty of fun, hard pin positions.”

The remaining $100,000 in membership dues went into the bank; back in 1987, the yield on a $100,000 CD could apparently provide enough income to maintain a nine-hole golf COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

around, an honor box on the first tee collects green fees ($10 for nine holes; $20 for 18).

Local rules allow lifting and placing your ball in the wide fairways, especially when the buffalo grass is thick from the rain. Don’t expect to take divots. Every green has a false front, and water—in the form of the central lake and connected tributaries—factors into holes one, three, four, five and nine. Particularly in the afternoon, the wind can howl.

Flagler should be proud of the course its residents built. It opens with three par 4s. Avoid the stream bisecting the 300-yard first hole and you’re looking at a birdie or par. The second doglegs hard right with no chance of cutting it. The lake sits left of to the teebox and fairway on hole 3, and the fairway cants towards the water.

Mossland’s signature hole is the par-5 5th, where the green tucks just beyond a hollow in which water often collects, making this a definite lay up hole. The par-3 6th features a green that makes a tabletop look big, while the 7th ascends

TAKING THE FIFTH: Mossland’s well-guarded 510-yard signature par 5.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL LOUTZENHISER

WATERFRONT: Mossland’s irrigation pond flanks the 335-yard left-dogleg third.

course. The course opened August 13, 1987, with 75 people attending the ribbon cutting.

Players could register at an existing building on the property, which also housed a few golf carts.

The Flagler News praised the “strong leadership and cooperation from many men and women who recognized the need for more recreational facilities … Those who do not play golf can be proud of their community for providing the course for those who will enjoy it.”

Over the course of the ensuing three decades, Mossland Memorial has brought much enjoyment to the residents of Flagler. There’s a modest clubhouse with a part-time starter who can provide a metal bucket of range balls and a cart if desired. Maintenance equipment is either donated or bought at auction. Members store their carts in a larger structure next door.

You probably won’t need a cart, but the course is far hillier than you’d expect. The two nines comprise a 5,946-yard, par-70 course with 67.7/108 slope rating. In case the starter’s not

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Player’s Corner

so steeply only the top of the flagstick and the pines surrounding it are visible from the tee.

Most of the holes play longer the second time around—most dramatically when the 510yard 8th becomes the 606-yard 17th. “It’s called ‘Super 8’ for a reason,” says Petrelli, who with the wind blowing during last’s year’s tournament hit driver-driver-hybrid and still came up short of the green. When it becomes hole 18, hole 9 jumps from 271 to 336 yards—all of them straight uphill and usually into the wind.

Only about 20 of the 126 charter members remain from 1987, and two of the original nucleus, Ivan Stahlecker and Tom Arensdorf, handle course maintenance as volunteers. The Stop & Shop Tournament Tony started in 1989 generates much of the operating revenue that bank CDs no longer do. Local businesses hold similar tournaments to benefit Mossland. Although the course never gets too crowded, an increasing number of younger people—many close to the same age as Tony Ford when the course opened—participate in evening men’s and couples leagues. Some have joined the board, meaning a succession plan already has begun.

Those folks play in the Stop & Shop event, which produces an economic impact to the area of around $25,000. “The golf course has just had such a great impact on the community,” Ford says. “Flagler means everything to me.”

TEE TO GREEN

GREENED UP: A wet spring has left Flagler’s course and crops in good shape.

Call 719-765-4659 for information. To see a video of Mossland Memorial, go to its page at coloradoavidgolfer.com/courses.

OUTSTANDING

COURSES The City of Lakewood has two outstanding municipal golf courses that offer golfers of every level an exciting golfing experience, coupled with spectacular views of Denver’s iconic skyline and the snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

Fox Hollow and Homestead offer a unique mix of terrain types and course challenges. Nestled next to Bear Creek Lake Park on native rolling prairie lands, both courses offer an opportunity for escape and relaxation with tranquil lakes, quiet streams and spectacular vistas.

LakewoodGolf.org COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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Player’s Corner LESSON

Put the Wood to Your Swing

A two–by–four drill will help nail your impact position. By Alex Fisher GUESS WHAT? The golf ball has no interest in how good your swing looks. All it really cares about is the moment of impact—the point at which it receives all its flight data from the golf club. Is the clubface square to its intended target? What swing path is the club traveling on?

And, is the club (with an iron) accelerating on a downward path? To me, these are the three most critical elements in the golf swing. Therefore, one of the fastest ways to hitting better golf shots is to focus your practice on improving your impact position.

One of the major problems I see at the moment of impact is when the golf club bottoms out too soon. Depending on how aggressive the golf swing is, you’ll typically hit the ground behind the ball or completely top it. Here’s a simple impact drill that will dramatically improve your ball-striking and consistency. By simply placing a two–by–four behind your golf ball you will learn very quickly not only how to start the backswing correctly but also how to “educate the hands and arms” to create a tour-quality impact position.

1.

SET UP Using a short iron, place the twoby-four approximately one foot behind the ball, perpendicular to your toe line. Any closer and your club will not clear it on the takeaway. The golf ball should be positioned in the middle of your stance and you should look like you are getting ready to make a full swing.

2.

TAKEAWAY Start your backswing with your hands and arms. This will ensure that the club clears the two-by-four. If you start your backswing with your body, you will sway off the golf ball and hit the two-by-four on the takeaway.

Focus on making just a half swing at this point. The smaller swing will make it easier for you to execute the drill correctly.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS DUTHIE

3.

DOWN SHIFT As you begin your downswing,

start transferring your weight toward your front foot. If you don’t shift, you are likely to hit the two-by-four before you get back to the golf ball. Really focus on driving with your right arm down towards the golf ball so that the club travels on a descending path.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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4.

MOMENT OF TRUTH As long as you have followed the correct swing sequence on your downswing, you should have made it back to the golf ball without hitting the two-by-four. Expect to make a small divot on the ground after the golf ball. If you happened to hit the two-by-four before the ball, it is likely your weight remained on your back foot or both arms extended too soon.

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5.

STICK THE LANDING As you continue to rotate your body into the swings finish position and you have cleared the two-by-four, maintain extension in both arms to avoid the dreaded “Chicken Wing.”

At this point in the swing, very little weight should be on your back foot. Hold your finish position and revel in the crispness of your shot.

Named one of Golf Digest's "Best Young Teachers" six years in a row, PGA Director of Instruction Alex Fisher teaches at The Glacier Club in Durango and at the JW Marriott Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix (Nov.-April). alexfisherpga.com; 602-363-9800.

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Player’s Corner LESSON

Core Knowledge

Understanding the characteristics of your dominant core region will help you become your own best coach. By Larry Rinker WHAT KIND OF core player are you? There are basically three major models of the golf swing that 90 percent of golfers fit into: upper, mid, and lower core players. This is based on research by Top 100 Teacher Dr. David Wright, along with insight from 2016 PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Adams and Top 100 Teacher E.A. Tischler. The upper core is from the roof of your mouth to your sternum, mid core is from your sternum to your navel, and lower core is from your navel to your pelvic floor. Here are some characteristics of each core region as it relates to set-up, pivot, impact alignments and release point.

There are some outliers but most players fit into one of these three dominant core regions.

I want to get students to really understand the characteristics of their dominant core region, so they understand what will work for them, and then what they need to “feel,” to hit the ball more consistently and toward their target. I want them to understand what their ball flight is telling them, and to realize what happened at impact in regard to the clubface and path of the club. Then they will better diagnose what they need to change on the next swing, to hit the shot they desire. Every golfer needs to understand the little tweaks needed to get the clubface where they want to at impact—especially during a round.

THE UPPER CORE PLAYER will have the most trail hip rotation on the back swing, pivot around the front leg, and have the least amount of rotation in the hips at impact. I’m at the top of the upper core and have less than 15 degrees of hip rotation at impact. I also stand up and come out of posture at impact, which is ok for an upper core player. My trail arm and hand will straighten and release 1-2 feet past impact. The grip must match the hip rotation at impact so a Neutral to Weak lead-hand grip works best for the upper core player.

THE MID CORE PLAYER will be in between the upper and lower core player with their hips rotated approximately 45 degrees at impact. They will have a center pivot on the backswing and release 3-4’ past impact.

Larry Rinker is the PGA Director of Instruction at the Red Sky Golf Academy in Wolcott (June-September) and at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando (October-May). His latest ebook, Rinker’s 5 Fundamentals, 3rd Edition is available at larryrinker.com. For lessons, contact him at larryrinkergolf@gmail.com or 407-810-7489.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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UPPER CORE MID CORE

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JORDAN TROUT

LOWER CORE

CORE REGION GOLFER CHART

THE LOWER CORE PLAYER will have the least amount of hip rotation on the back swing, have the most lateral motion, and pivot around the rear leg. They will have the most lateral and rotary motion on the forward swing, and their hips will be greater than 55 degrees rotated at impact, staying in posture. Their trail arm will not straighten, in some cases, until parallel to the ground past impact. Player needs the strongest lead-hand grip here.

LEAD HAND GRIP

Neutral to weak

Neutral to 2 knuckles

More than 2 knuckles

TRAIL HAND GRIP

On top to side

Side

Side under

POSTURE AT ADDRESS

Most spine tilt

WEIGHT AT ADDRESS

Balls of feet

Between upper & lower Spine & thigh tilt match Just back from balls

Center over arches

BALL POSITION Forward Middle

LEAD FOOT FLARE

STANCE WIDTH

None to very little Between upper & lower

PIVOT

Widest

Front post

Center post

Rear post

HIP ROTATION AT IMPACT

< 35 degrees

Between upper & lower Least amount trail hip 35-55 degrees

1-2 feet past impact Between upper & lower

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Most foot flare

Medium

Most in trail hip

RELEASE POINT

Back

Narrowest

HIP ROTATION BACKSWING

coloradoavidgolfer.com

UPPER MID LOWER

> 55 degrees Parallel to ground

July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

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Side Bets | FAREWAYS FOOD | BEER | CARS

ALONG THE BLOCK: Diners at Block & Larder (left) thrill to the Bison Short Ribs (right); Axios’s classic Arni Psito and Parisi’s Tagliatelle Boscaiola.

Anyone for Tennyson?

Block & Larder headlines an impressive menu of restaurants along one of Denver’s hottest gastronomic gauntlets. By Gary James I’VE ALWAYS BEEN ENCHANTED with the “family-owned” restaurant concept. One of my favorite alltime movies is Big Night—Italian brothers running a struggling restaurant. A great food movie (I had an insatiable urge to gnaw on a pound of prosciutto after viewing it) and a great brother movie to boot—that nearly silent final scene, the brothers making and sharing breakfast together, each with his arm around the other after a night of rage and despondency, is a classic of eloquence.

Which brings us to Block & Larder, one of the rocking restaurants—among them Brazen, El Chingón, Vital Root, DJ’s Berkeley Café, Cozy Cottage—within walking distance of Willis Case Golf Course on the stretch of Tennyson Street between 38th and 46th Avenues in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood.

Block & Larder is owned and operated by Jason, Aaron and Lucas Forgy, the band of Iowa brothers behind Freshcraft, which opened in LoDo in 2010.

“Over the years we’ve learned to give each other space,” Jason admits. “Having two restaurants helps, as well as clearly defined scale and scope of responsibility.

Lucas runs the kitchen, Aaron has final say on the bar and I handle the other stuff—marketing, finance, making sure the broken toilet gets fixed…”

Behind the scenes, they could be the Three Stooges or the Baldwin brothers for all I care—I come to eat.

Block & Larder (as in a butcher block and an old-fashioned pantry) is the Forgys’ take on a neighborhood bar and grill, an old building on Tennyson Street with a pressed tin ceiling, exposed brick walls, large open-glass panes and hardwood floors. The food centers around Lucas’ in-house butchery, while Aaron and his knowledgeable bartenders curate the drink, overseeing pages and pages of wines, craft beers, custom cocktails and 200-plus whiskeys available for enthusiasts.

“We were having some success with Freshcraft, and we wanted to grow a business,” Jason explains.

“We’d fallen in love with distilling, but you run up against coloradoavidgolfer.com

some prohibitions being a retailer of alcohol. We didn’t have it in us to jump those hurdles, so we went back to the drawing board and decided to do a casual restaurant where we’d want to hang out. We like beer and meat and whiskey. The direction had a lot to do with the products we were going to serve, not a concept.”

Prices run a little high at Block & Larder, which opened two-and-a-half years ago, but the value is there.

On a recent visit, we perused the studied craft cocktail menu and found ourselves intrigued by a litany of drinks inspired by The Big Lebowski: the Bunny Lebowski, the Maude Lebowski, etc. I couldn’t resist a rum concoction named That Rug Really Pulled the Room Together.

The smooth, creamy Carrot & Ginger soup with mint pesto exploded with flavor, as did the Potato & Caramelized Leek soup with crème fraîche, chives and topped with a rich, tender brioche crouton. To share, our palates headed south with sweet and savory Corn Fritters (with raspberry pepper jam and honey butter) and

Greek to Me For more upscale Greek dining than a gyro to go, AXIOS ESTIATORIO (3901 Tennyson St.) offers the finest experience in Denver. Owner Telly Topakas combines old favorites like moussaka (if you’re on the lamb), saganaki (flaming cheese) and souvlaki, as well as family recipes of classic dishes—Arni Psito, Brizole, Yemistes—from the Greek island of Chios. Pair it all with an authentic Greek wine, and bouzouki music and dancing occasionally breaks out. Opa! axiosdenver.com

Italian Job PARISI (4401 Tennyson St.) opened in 1998 as a small market with imported Italian foods and a small deli menu. The business has since evolved to be more about quick cuisine in an inviting setting with great value, and quality food—including artisan-style brick oven pizzas (with an authentic thin crust), panini and beautifully prepared pastas (try the Tagliatelle Boscaiola). More intimate and refined Tuscan dining awaits downstairs at Parisi’s fabulous FIRENZE A TAVOLA, where epic feasts can include beet ravioli, Livornese seafood stew or the grilled branzino for two in a classic salmoriglio sauce. parisidenver.com

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Side Bets | FAREWAYS

SAVOR AND SIP: Block & Larder’s delectable small plates and speakeasy bar vibe make it a go-to place for drinks and dinner.

WESTWORD’S 2013 & 2015 “Best Neighborhood restaurant”

Alaska King Salmon

“.. imaginative takes on contemporary Italian fare that are masterfully prepared, artfully plated.”

- The Denver Post

COLORADO LAMB

2500 East Orchard Road #C Greenwood Village, CO 303 730 2152 thewoodentablerestaurant.com

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

Pan Roasted Vegetables (served with marinated tomato, candied pecan and smoked grits).

In addition to the regular menu’s Smoked Bison Short Rib with smoked grits, BBQ sauce and haystack onions, Block & Larder featured two bison specials that evening— Pulled Bison Short Rib, served with fettuccine, cast-iron pomodoro and pesto puttanesca; and a Bison Tri-tip, served with roasted pasilla chiles and corn and seasoned with cumin, oregano and oyster chili butter. Both were exquisite. Lower in fat and higher in moisture than beef, Bison meat cooks more quickly. Lucas has mastered the process.

“A lot depends on getting a good product—we work with a local rancher and then treat it simply and properly,” Jason notes. “After screwing it up enough times…the first time we tried to cook bison brisket, we wound up with an expensive piece of black leather.”

Lucas believes in authenticity. “I don’t hear from him for weeks, and then he pops up with something like hanger steak,” Jason marvels. Many restaurants are passing off mystery meat as this much pricier steak, but Block & Larder’s finish cut—from the area between the diaphragm and the last rib from the cow’s underside—is properly butchered and beautiful.

The outlier on the meat-centric menu is a seafood entrée, Crab Agnolotti—stuffed pasta squares filled with roasted mushrooms and arugula and dressed in a lemon and white wine sauce, tomato and herbs. We overheard a regular raving about the Fried Chicken, served with hot honey, steak fries and pickles.

For dessert, the Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake with raspberry agave jam was a unanimous choice. Everyone agreed—brotherly love has landed in a place of great food.

“Lucas got in the business because he wrecked a car so he started working in kitchens to pay damages—and eventually he got the culinary degree,” Jason says. “I had a corporate job, but I didn’t have any direction when the company was sold; I had some investment money and approached Lucas. When we found out we’d bitten off more than we could chew, Aaron moved out to help and not get paid for a while.

“Having a restaurant/bar was a dream we had when we were kids. Maybe we’ve figured it out.” They most assuredly and appetizingly have.

4000 Tennyson St. Ste 101 blockandlarder.com; 303-433-4063 Read more of Contributor Gary James’ Fareways columns on coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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Margherita & Margaritas MAS KAOS (4526 Tennyson St.) puts a pizzeria and taqueria under one roof. It’s the latest eatery from restaurateur Patrick Mangold-White, a fusion of his popular South Pearl restaurants, Uno Mas Taqueria y Cantina and Kaos Pizzeria.

Imaginative street tacos and woodfired pizzas fuel the boisterous fun on the patio and around the indoor/ outdoor bar. Bonus: The first-rate CALL TO ARMS BREWERY shares the building. maskaosdenver.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

Side Bets | TAPPING IN

Brews with Views

ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAI: A panoramic view of Estes Park; Dancing Pines’ Campfire Mule.

A spirited excursion to Estes Park By Cody Gabbard ARRIVING IN ESTES PARK via US-36 offers one of Colorado’s most iconic views. As you descend into the valley each piece of scenery reveals itself as if on cue—the foothills and peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park… the bright, white facade of the Stanley Hotel … the verdant fairways of the 9-Hole Lake Estes Golf Course… and Lake Estes itself reflecting it all.

The city finally has a handful of new breweries and a distillery taproom to catch the views while enjoying a tipple or two. These venues may be the new kids on the block compared to others in the area, but they are definitely raising the bar on quality and variety.

DANCING PINES DISTILLERY TASTING ROOM Nestled on a side street between the Stanley and downtown lies one of Dancing Pines’ two Colorado tasting rooms (the second is in Breckenridge). Although its spirits and liqueurs are made in small batches in Berthoud, the tasting rooms allow more customers to savor these special libations in apposite settings as opposed to an industrial park. The Estes Park location has a relaxed, speakeasy vibe, replete with comfortable couches, sleek chairs and an erudite bar manager—the ideal atmosphere to enjoy a handcrafted cocktail or sample flight.

Dancing Pines spirits distinguish themselves by their smooth drinkability and minimal harshness. Not much of a clear-spirits consumer, this avid beer drinker was delighted with a sip of vodka triple distilled from Chardonnay.

It has a sweet aroma and a clean flavor bolstered by a full and creamy body with very little hot alcohol.

Spice, a spiced-rum, is distilled from blackstrap molasses and aged on cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and vanilla beans inside used bourbon barrels. Although there isn’t any added sweetness, the spice additions give it coloradoavidgolfer.com

an aperitif-like drinkability, with aromas of vanilla and baking spices and flavors of butterscotch and caramel.

Dancing Pines’ uniquely infused liqueurs also set it apart from other distilleries. A bourbon-based liqueur, aged on black walnut husks for one year inside used bourbon barrels and sweetened with cane sugar, Black Walnut rated 90 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Black Walnut is dessert in a glass, with chocolate and earthy aromas melding with smooth vanilla and roasty flavors for a rich, espresso-like character. 207 Park Lane, dancingpinesdistillery.com LUMPY RIDGE BREWING CO. After a long drive or scenic hike, there’s no better place to sit by a fireplace with a pint—and even your dog— than the breezy patio of Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co. Situated a few minutes from downtown along South Vrain Avenue, the multitiered outside space overlooks Lake Estes Marina and the mountains behind the Stanley Hotel.

A great introduction is Ogg’s FM Altbier. Altbiers, Germany’s answer to less-complex American Ambers typically have a rich maltiness and clean yeast characteristics derived from cool-fermented ale strains. Lumpy Ridge’s version has an understated caramel character that’s more complex than American ambers with less roast and a lighter body than a brown ale. Despite the complexities, the beer is highly drinkable, with some sweetness and a rye-like spicy finish.

One of the more whiskey-forward beers I’ve had in awhile, Bourbon Oak Red isn’t like many heavily malty, barrel-aged beers. There isn’t much of a barrel character and the full flavor of whiskey outshines any barley-derived flavors. It’s full-bodied without being chewy and although there isn’t much alcohol heat it drinks

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Chai High A multiple award winner and former Top 50 spirit in the world according to Wine Enthusiast, DANCING PINES’ CHAI is an infinitely complex spiced tea liqueur.

Loose-leaf black tea gives it a vibrant, spicy palate.

Although the flavors of cinnamon, orange and clove suggest autumn, the Campfire Mule—2 ounces of Chai over ice with ginger beer— makes a refreshing summertime drink.

July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Side Bets | TAPPING IN

PINT-SIZED POTABLES: Rock Cut’s brews come in many shades; Lumpy Ridge’s come with a view.

like a smoothed-out whiskey.

Another chilly evening beer to go alongside Bourbon Oak Red is the Irish Stout. Creamy and as velvety as satin, this ale has hints of roast and is less rich and bitter than Americanized versions.

This is a nice-drinking medium ABV beer that doesn’t compromise on flavor and is light enough to enjoy several glasses. 531 S. St Vrain Ave., lumpyridgebrewing.com ROCK CUT BREWING COMPANY For larger groups and a wide range of flagship and specialty beers Rock Cut is your best bet. There’s a good mix of locals and tourists alike with plenty of room at the wraparound bar, taproom and sizeable patio that also includes regular food trucks.

The regular lineup of beers is what you’d expect with an IPA, Amber and Porter, but also a spin on Brown Ale—Smoky Burnett.

A medium-strength Smoked Brown Ale, Smoky Brunette has a big, smoky, campfire aroma, fresh smoke flavor without acridity, and a lighter body that gives it a mouth-watering qual-

ity. The malt is a bit sweet to balance the smoke with toffee and caramel flavors and little to no bitterness.

Enos Pils, another flagship, is a Pilsner that strays a bit from hoppier versions, so drinks a bit more like an amped-up Blonde. Pleasant grain aromas and some yeast character open up to flavors of crushed grain and additional toasted cracker malt complexities as it warms. Some residual sweetness is also a bit different from most Pilsners for a new take on an old style.

390 W Riverside Dr., rockcutbrewing.com Read more of Cody Gabbard’s Tapping In columns at coloradoavidgolfer.com.

For Tourists Only Estes Park abounds in t-shirts, trinkets and other tchotchkes. Of comparable worth are the beers at ESTES PARK BREWING COMPANY, the oldest and largest brewer in town. Its location next to the Open Air Adventure Park makes it popular for families hungry for burgers and casual grub. However, none of the 12 brews even approaches the inspiration suggested by their clever names (Staggering Elk Lager, The Shining Pale Ale) and catchy labeling.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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Side Bets | NICE DRIVES

Infiniti QX80 Limited

Best in Class?

Infiniti’s QX80 Limited luxury SUV and Ford’s F150 Raptor truck make compelling cases. By Isaac Bouchard 2017 INFINITI QX80 LIMITED

EPA ratings: 13/19mpg; 15mpg combined 0-60mph: 6.5sec Price as tested: $90,445 After spending decades seemingly lost in the wilderness while Lexus basked in mainstream acceptance, Infiniti has finally found its way to sales success. Most all its cars and SUVs have been robust, reliable and fun to drive; if not always best in class, they were characterful, distinctive efforts that often pushed the leading edge of trends.

The QX80, nearing the end of its second incarnation, remains a compelling alternative to the more obvious Cadillac and Lexus body-onframe offerings. Its beefy guts come from the Third World-proven Nissan Patrol and its serious underbody hardware and multimodal all- and fourwheel drive systems mean it’s up for anything.

The Infiniti looks beefy and imposing, and if

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the voluptuous forms that define the company’s visual identity don’t always sit well on the upright form, the Limited’s dark chrome accents and special 22-inch wheels keep its stance and overall presence suitably upscale when parked next to six-figure SUV alternatives.

Its interior—especially in the top shelf Limited model—is a wonderful place to spend time sitting out congested rush hour madness or on a Continental Divide-crossing journey through any weather or over most any terrain.

The car features buttery, quilted leather, stunning open-pore wood trim and an Ultrasuede headliner that begs to be stroked—and shows the finger tracks to prove it. While the infotainment system is graphically dated and limited in functions, it is fast and robust, unlike many cutting-edge setups that crash or confound on a regular basis. The QX80’s seating comfort is better than the Escalade’s, and its cargo room is on par with the Caddy’s—and better than that of the jump seat-equipped Lexus LX570.

The QX80’s dynamic balance was best in class when introduced, and it continues to even out decent ride comfort and competent handling, thanks to its automatically adjusting hydraulic suspension. Steering is linear and accurate, and the powertrain—comprised of a 5.6-liter, 32-valve V8 with outputs of 400hp/413lb-ft and a sevenspeed transmission—delivers the goods, with a throaty, sophisticated soundtrack, broad spread of power, 8,500-pound tow rating and mid-6s 0-60mph performance.

Shifts are smooth and intuitive and the fuel economy is class average. Infiniti was the initiator of much of the tech that has now found its way

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to broad industry usage, such as composite-view cameras, and the QX80 has most every active safety system available.

The Infiniti has always been a good value, since it is superior to the Lexus to drive and costs roughly seven to ten grand less, option for option. While the Limited reaches into new pricing territory, it is still less than its fellow Japanese rival. It has also historically been a more reliable long-term proposition than the Cadillac, which it also undercuts on price.

With sales continuing to rise, it appears as though more people are recognizing Infiniti’s value.

2017 FORD RAPTOR

EPA ratings: 15/18mpg; 16mpg combined 0-60mph: 5.2sec Price as tested: $63,245 Credit Ford with keeping the dream of a high performance pickup alive. That dream started with the 1993 SVT Lighting, which attempted to be a track-worthy truck. Although none of its various incarnations really bottled the energy inherent in its namesake, in a roundabout way these street-focused machines led to the first Raptor in 2008.

By embracing a dune-busting, Bajafocused ethos, the Raptor exceeded all sales expectations. This new, second generation aluminum supertruck follows the same formula.

Since there are myriad articles and YouTube videos about the Raptor’s prowess in the dirt, July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Side Bets | NICE DRIVES

TWO PGA PROS WHO CAN “TALK” A GREAT GAME.

Stan Fenn and Doug Perry at KCOL 600 and iHeart radio

EVERY SATURDAY MORNING from 7-9 a.m. on radio, computer or phone.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

Ford Raptor

I decided to focus on its daily usefulness and desirability.

The aggressively wide body and unique grill and trim make the Ford—especially in the more off-road-oriented SuperCab configuration— one of the most attention-generating vehicles currently on the market. The F150 interior design is very modern and attractive, even if some plastic moldings aren’t worthy of the mid60s sticker price. The seats are supportive and the heating and cooling features are genuinely nice, as is the superb, Sony audio system and excellent Sync 3 interface.

Raptor enhancements include magnesium paddle shifters that are almost redundant, thanks to the new 10-speed transmission, and a sports steering wheel with a red leather band at 12:00 clock to remind you which way is straight as you dial in massive corrections while drifting it sideways in the dirt.

While the tall sidewall, reinforced BFG tires keep ultimate lateral grip lower than many newer vehicles, steering precision is amazing and roll angles (along with dive and squat) are well contained. Ride quality suffers as a result.

Despite the über-cool, remote reservoir Fox dampers—which contribute to over 13 inches of ground clearance—the Raptor experiences a measure of shuddering and banging over typical urban road blemishes. Ironically, however, the bigger the disturbance, the better it deals. The Raptor is perfect for many of the state’s 4x4 rec areas and for towing toys and trailers.

Ford injected the Raptor with better reflexes, and its accurate steering makes highway drives a more relaxing affair, especially when towing, thanks to a suite of amazing electronics. Program in your trailer’s dimensions and apply a special sticker to its tongue for the truck’s camera to read. Not only does the Raptor buzz the wheel when the trailer’s tires cross a lane marking, but it also allows neophytes like me to become masters at reversing a laden rig.

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The new twin turbo “high-output” EcoBoost engines are among the Raptor’s best features, with reinforced internals allowing for 18psi of boost and outputs of 450hp and 510lb-ft. Going 0-60 mph takes just a tick over five seconds, and all that torque, neatly sliced up into bite-sized chunks by the fast and intuitive 10 speed tranny, make dispensing with dawdlers—even while pulling loads—and mountain passes a breeze.

One caveat is the Ford’s ultimate tow rating is based your choice of cab, and only if you use a load-equalizing hitch can you get up to a max 7,000-pound capacity. But for a machine that is as focused off-road as a Mustang GT350 is on a racetrack, the Raptor’s breadth of real world usefulness and comfort are more than adequate.

One final note on the Raptor’s terrific suitability for our unique climate: In early May, its aluminum body, which withstood hail hard enough to set off its alarm, showed nary a ding afterwards. Meanwhile, the cars parked around it resembled ProV1s.

Automotive Editor Isaac Bouchard is the owner of Englewood-based Bespoke Autos (303-475-1462). Read more of his writing on coloradoavidgolfer.com and bespokeautos.com.

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JULY 20-23, 2017 Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Denver

The

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rd

Jeff Gallagher, Champion 2017 CoBank Colorado Senior Open

Lauren Coughlin, Champion 2016 CoBank Colorado Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open

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Neil Johnson, Champion 2016 CoBank Colorado Open

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

JULY 20-23, 2017 Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Denver

Cinderella Story LAST YEAR, when CoBank and the Colorado Open Golf Foundation doubled the purse to $250,000 and quadrupled the winner’s share to $100,000, they attracted the highest level of competition to the event in years. The 2016 CoBank Colorado Open field included nine previous winners of the event, including two— Jonathan Kaye and Kevin Stadler—who also scored victories on the PGA Tour. Two other PGA Tour winners, Keith Clearwater and Parker McLaughlin, also competed.

The field was so deep that the 3-under-par cut line represented the lowest in the event’s 52year history, and the overall scoring average was 71.44—more than a half-stroke under par and more than two strokes lower than 2015’s 73.60.

Hole 12, 529 yards

The Hole Truth THIS COBANK COLORADO OPEN marks the 53year-old event’s 14th consecutive year at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. All 156 players in the field will shoot for a big number—the $100,000 firstplace share of the country’s largest state open purse—by not carding one on the par-72, 7,272yard P.B. Dye layout.

“Taking advantage of the Par 5s and staying away from the big number on the par 3s is a must,” says Matt Bryant, the course’s PGA director of golf. “Play the par 3s at even par for the week, take advantage of par 4s such as 4 and 14 and make red numbers on the par 5s is a good recipe for success.”

Last year’s champion, Neil Johnson, followed that recipe to perfection. Over the four rounds, he

Hole 15, 462 yards

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

went 10-under on the par 5s, including a firstround eagle on the 531-yard 12th; 15-under on the par 4s, with final-round birdies on holes 4 and 14 (and an eagle on the no. 1-handicap 6th); and 2-over on the par 3s, three of which he bogeyed the second day, comprising his bogey total for the entire tournament.

So which holes will prove most pivotal? The par-5 2nd and 12th—at 577 and 531 yards respectively—tend to produce the most birdies and eagles. In 2015, the tournament changed par on the long-water-carry 12th from four to five to create more scoring opportunities. And it worked: both champion Jimmy Gunn and runner-up Zakhai Brown eagled the hole on the final day, and last year, the stroke average relative to par on 12 (-0.43) was by far the lowest in the field.

“Holes 12, 13 and 14 have been where events have been won,” explains Colorado Open Golf Foundation CEO Kevin Laura, “and the par-4 16th and par-3 17th, where they’ve been lost.”

He’s right. But dont forget the 462-yard 15th, the course’s toughest par 4, where Steve Jurgensen’s double-bogey in this spring’s CoBank Colorado Senior Open ultimately cost him the tournament.

GVR’s par-5 finisher can also produce high drama. Leading by one shot in 2008, Boyd Summerhays made bogey to fall into a four-man playoff he would lose to Brian Guetz. The hole measures 635 yards, but most competitors shrink that by cutting the right dogleg with their second shot.

Trailing by two going on the 72nd hole of year’s event, Jonathan Kaye went for it—and bogeyed.

En route to his final-round 62, James Knous carded an eagle—one of only five total during the entire tournament—to vault into a tie for fourth.

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L-R: COGF’s Eric Kenealy, Pat Hamill; Neil Johnson and CoBank’s Bob Engel.

Four different players—DJ Brigman, Wil Collins, James Knous and Alex Kim—tied single-round records by carding 10-under-par 62s.

All this made the victory by Neil Johnson even more surprising. A mini-tour journeyman from Division III Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, the 34-year-old Wisconsin native had made only one cut in his previous seven starts on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada and only qualified as an alternate after finishing 15th in the fourth and final CoBank Colorado Open qualifier three days before the event.

With no caddie and seemingly no chance, Johnson blistered the par-72 course at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, setting a record with a 23-under-par 265 total in the four-day event. He carded only three bogeys in four days—and none on a Sunday that saw him eagle the par-4 sixth and make five of his six birdies on the last nine holes. The $100,000 represented the single biggest payday in Johnson’s 12-year professional career. “The fact that I won on this course, with this field…that felt good,” he said minutes after his last putt dropped. “This is by far my signature win.” coloradoavidgolfer.com

A G r e At S tAt e D e S e r v e S A G r e At O p e n

CoBank is proud to be the title sponsor for the Colorado Open Championships.

As the state’s largest financial services institution, we look forward to continuing a great Colorado tradition – where legends begin.

CoBank Colorado open: July 20-23, 2017

800-542-8072 www.cobank.com

CoBank Colorado Women’s open: August 30 - September 1, 2017

JULY 20-23, 2017 Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Denver

Women Get a Raise FOR HER VICTORY in last year’s CoBank Colorado Women’s Open, newly minted pro golfer Lauren Coughlin took home $11,000. This year, that would be second-place money.

As they did with the 2016 CoBank Colorado Open, CoBank and the Colorado Open Golf Foundation announced in March that the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open would double its purse from $75,000 to $150,000, making it the wealthiest women’s state open in the country. The first-place finisher will receive $50,000.

“We wanted do right by the CoBank Colorado

L-R: Players Erin Houtsma, Becca Huffer, Ashley Tait

Women’s Open and distance ourselves from other state opens,” explained Colorado Open Golf Foundation CEO Kevin Laura during a press conference at Topgolf in Centennial. “We also wanted to put ourselves on par with the Symetra Tour events,” Laura added, referring to the LPGA’s developmental tour. “Our first-place money is $13,000 higher than their biggest event’s, and only six events have a larger total purse. We’re in the big girls’ game from now on.”

The Aug. 30-Sept. 1 event coincides with the Symetra Tour’s Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge, where last year’s winner, Nelly Korda, pocketed $31,500. How many will opt for the Colorado event is anyone’s guess, but there will be an August 28 qualifier at Aurora’s CommonGround Golf Course, which theoretically would give a Symetra player the opportunity to qualify here without losing her spot in Sioux Falls.

The increased purse should result in a very deep field in Colorado. Five players each from the LPGA, Symetra and Cactus tours receive exemptions. Exempted amateurs include Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore, Jennifer Kupcho, 3A and 4A high school champions Hailey Schalk and Lauren Lehigh and 2005 champion Erin Houtsma, who recently regained her amateur status. With $31,325 in winnings over 11 years, she ranks as the event’s all-time money winner— until this year’s champion inevitably eclipses her.

ON CUE: David Duval appeared June 20.

Stars Align IN CONJUNCTION WITH the Colorado Open Foundation, for the second consecutive year CoBank and The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch are hosting clinics run by some of the biggest names in golf. Last year, those were Hale Irwin, Ryan Palmer and Paul Creamer, who gave inspiring advice, hands-on demonstrations and autographs to hundreds of kids. Expect nothing less from this year’s “clinicians”—major winners David Duval and Lexi Thompson.

The winner of the 2001 British Open Championship and 13 PGA Tour events, Duval spent 15 weeks in 1999 as the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer—joining Vijay Singh as the only player other than Tiger Woods to claim that spot between 1999 and 2010. The Cherry Hills Village resident has successfully transitioned to the Golf Channel

Take your bank with you.

The combination of the FirstBank Anywhere Account and Mobile Banking App will allow you to bank from virtually anywhere.

800.964.3444 efirstbank.com

banking for good Member FDIC

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JULY 20-23, 2017 Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Denver

Caddie Corner MARK IT: Lexi arrives August 12.

broadcast booth, though he and stepson Nick Karavites did shoot a final-round 10-under 62 to win December’s PNC Father/Son Challenge.

Duval conducted his one-hour CoBank Kids Clinic at Green Valley Ranch on June 20.

The top-ranked American in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings (and no. 4 overall as of June 5), Thompson has won eight times on the LPGA Tour, including her only major, the 2014 ANA Inspiration. At age 12 she became the youngest qualifier ever to play in the U.S. Women’s Open and, four years later, the youngest winner of an LPGA Tour event. The 22-year-old Floridian has already played professionally for seven years.

During an Aug. 12 all-girls clinic hosted by CoBank at The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch, Thompson will connect with other young girls, potentially answering questions about her precocious career and moving past that ball-marking penalty that cost her April’s ANA Championship.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

AS THE BENEFICIARY of the CoBank Colorado Open, The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch has impacted the lives of hundreds of boys and girls over its 14-year existence.

In each of the last few years, six or eight of these First Tee kids have caddied at Green Valley Ranch, which, as a public course, doesn’t see much call for their services. That, however, is changing.

The course recently received a grant from the Colorado Golf Foundation subsidizing the program in the same way it underwrites the caddie program at CommonGround Golf EVANS SCHOLAR: CU Course—by paying the grad Andrea Pickford base caddie fee so the golfer only has to tip a discretionary amount.

“It makes sense,” says Colorado Golf Association Executive Director Ed Mate, who sits on the CGF board. “At 13 and 14, The First Tee kids have the base golf knowledge,but now they also need jobs. It’s a great segue.”

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“We’re saying, ‘Take a caddie, we’ll pay for it,’” explains Green Valley Ranch Golf Club president Kevin Laura. “The kids now get more loops, more chances to make money and more opportunities.”

Chief among those opportunities is an Evans Scholarship, the four-year $80,000 full ride to the University of Colorado annually awarded to caddies through the Western Golf Association. In 2013, Andrea Pickford, who started with The First Tee at age 11 and caddied at Green Valley Ranch during high school, became the club’s first Evans Scholar. “I clearly loved The First Tee and Green Valley enough to go back there during summers while I was in college,” she says. “They’ve been so supportive, like family.” Pickford graduated this spring with a degree in molecular, cellular and developmental biology and will pursue a career as a nurse practitioner.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Colorado

GETAWAYS The Ritz-Carlton

BACHELOR GULCH Where luxury and adventure await

The Vibrant Vail Valley Make mountain memories with a European flair. coloradoavidgolfer.com

A Summit Summer Kick it in

Keystone, Dillon, Frisco and Breckenridge!

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Roaring Fork Fun Live the highcountry lifestyle at Aspen Glen

July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Epic Discovery at Vail Mountain

Red Sky Golf Club

PLAY A PAIR pair of premier private courses west of Vail at Red Sky Ranch & Golf Club, which offers guests of its 30 Vail-area lodging partners alternate-day access to its Greg Norman- and Tom Fazio-designed layouts. The Norman is the higher of the two, both in slope rating and elevation, but each brings challenges, especially on the greens.

For help, pay a visit to former PGA Tour golfer Larry Rinker at the Red Sky Golf Academy. It features an extensive putting and short-game area as well as full-swing analysis using state-of-the-art video software. redskygolf.com

Staying Right Mountains of Fun ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND: Zip, fly, tour, tube, or...

Vail Mountain’s Epic Discovery provides infinite alpine experiences. Kids ride free with a paying adult on the scenic gondola ride to Eagle’s Nest at the top of Vail Mountain. Pay à la carte or buy a $94 ($54 for kids) Ultimate Adventure Pass that includes access to three adventure courses (featuring ropes, bridges, logs and balance elements), a 550-foot tubing slide, the 3,400-foot long Forest Flyer alpine coaster, Mountain Goat Climbing Tower and more. The Game Creek Zipline Tour ($199) includes all of the above, as well as hours of soaring above the forest habitat via two miles of ziplines and aerial bridges. vail.com HIKE IT: Before taking the superscenic stress test that is Booth Creek Trail, stroll the 12-mile Gore Valley Trail, a paved path that runs the length of Vail with views of waterfalls and beaver ponds. Easy bus access means you can stop any time. vail.com COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

TIMELESS EUROPEAN elegance unites with all

the conveniences of modern life at The Arrabelle at Vail Square. Featuring a rooftop pool, sumptuous spa and 81 impeccably appointed rooms and suites, this centrally located RockResort also features 22 luxury residences with jet tubs and as many as five bedrooms, as well as premier chalets and private homes for those desiring rarefied lodging and seclusion. The lively Tavern on the Green and a new outdoor fire pit serve tasty fare and craft cocktails. arrabelle.rockresorts.com

VAIL’S FIRST hotel, The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort remains the cornerstone of Vail Village, providing a boutique Old World oasis within steps of all the dining, shopping and culture Vail Valley has to offer. The lodge also houses Elway’s and Cucina, two of Vail’s foremost restaurants. lodgeatvail.rockresorts.com

THE LARGE FOOTPRINTS of Vail Resorts lead

to some of the most luxurious accommodations in the Valley. In addition to its RockResorts properties, Vail Resorts Hospitality welcomes guests to the plush, 345room Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa west of Vail Square and to the 25 intimate rooms of the chalet-like Austria Haus on banks of Gore Creek. vailresorts.com

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Arrabelle at Vail Square

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GREG NORMAN COURSE – HOLE #4 – PAR 5 – 517 YARDS

ISN’T IT AMAZING HOW

7,770 FEET CAN TAKE YOU A WORLD AWAY

STAY & PLAY AMERICA’S #1 RATED MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB BOOK NOW AT 866-618-3192 OR VISIT REDSKYGOLFCLUB.COM In the heart of the Colorado Rockies, both the Tom Fazio and Greg Norman designed courses are consistently ranked in Golfweek and Golf Digest’s top courses you can play. Enjoy a round at this coveted club, coupled with lodging at Beaver Creek or Vail. Stay & Play from $270* per night.

*Stay & Play rates include lodging and greens fees. Minimum length of stay and blackout dates may apply. Starting at rates are based on double occupancy at The Pines Lodge; lodging rates may vary per property.

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Hyatt High Life PERFECT SPOT: Celebrated for its 190 luxurious rooms and suites, the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa treats guests to relaxed yet refined dining at its 8100 Mountainside Bar and Grill, pure rejuvenation at its Allegria Spa, and base-camp fun in the form of badminton, bocce, croquet and other outdoor activities, such as huddling around the fire pit for s’mores and cocktails. beavercreek.hyatt.com

Beaver Creek

SYNONYMOUS WITH LUXURY, the enclave of Beaver Creek abounds in plush accommodations, five-star

dining, quaint shopping and art galleries. And for a ski resort, it majors in summer fun. Get the lay of the land from a knowledgeable Beaver Creek Hiking Center guide or ride the chairlift and hike Royal Elk Trail to Beaver Lake for a picnic. Snap a selfie at the top of the Strawberry Park Express lift overlooking the Gore Range. See a concert at the Vilar Performing Arts Center, watch the Beaver Creek Rodeo and ride into the mountains on horseback. beavercreek.com

Stay and Play ROLLERCOASTERING along narrow fairways,

through stands of pines and across rushing creeks and streams, the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Beaver Creek Golf Club squeezes the elements of an alpine ski run into 18 stunning golf holes. The private club allows nonmember play after September 16th, unless you’re a guest of one of myriad Beaver Creek, Bachelor Gulch and Arrowhead properties. beavercreek.com

NESTLED among the aspen groves above Beaver

Creek Village, The Pines Lodge at Beaver Creek defines coziness with 60 intimate guest rooms and the superb Grouse Mountain Grill, which received a AAA Four Diamond Award. ZAGAT also ranks it one of Beaver Creek’s top fine-dining restaurants. pineslodge.rockresorts.com

CELEBRATE the pleasures of the palate at the 11th

Beaver Creek Golf Club

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

Beaver Creek Wine & Spirits Festival Aug. 10-13.

Presented by Wine Spectator Magazine, it memorably and deliciously blends local culinary talent, exclusive wines and on-mountain experiences. beavercreek.com

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CHIC AND UNIQUE: A warm, inviting 45-room boutique hotel, The Osprey at Beaver Creek mixes clean modern designs and sophisticated alpine décor to award-winning perfection. It features a fitness center, complete with sauna and steam room, as well as a heated outdoor pool, swank lounge and the delightful Osprey Fireside Grill, where dishes range from pork belly ramen to caprese hoagies and buffalo rib eye. ospreyatbeavercreek.rockresorts.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

NATURAL BEAUTY AT PLAY

With a course designed to highlight the spectacular high-alpine surroundings, the Beaver Creek Golf Club offers a mountain golf experience like no other. Known for narrow fairways and stunning scenery, this course sits high above sea level â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for a chance at record-setting drives. And equally thrilling views just beyond the greens.

THE ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN GOLF EXPERIENCE Our Stay & Play packages combine upscale lodging and exclusive golf access.

Starting at $199 per person.*

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*Beaver Creek Stay & Play rates include lodging and greens fees. Minimum length of stay and blackout dates may apply.

Starting at rates are based on double occupancy at The Pines Lodge; lodging rates may vary per property.

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Vail Jazz Festival

The Club at Cordillera

COLORADO’S MOST EXTENSIVE golf property at 7,000 acres, The Club at Cordillera features a trio of 18-

hole courses by architects Tom Fazio (Valley), Hale Irwin (Mountain) and Jack Nicklaus (Summit) in three distinct microclimates as they climb from 7,100 to 9,200 feet above sea level. In winter, the Mountain Clubhouse doubles as a Nordic Center. Troon Golf manages the entire four-season operation—including the nine-hole Dave Pelz Short Course—as part of its Troon Privé network of more than 70 private clubs and 200 properties. cordillera-vail.com

Dine and Climb Life’s a Festival SWEET MUSIC: The 12-week Vail Jazz Festival, now in its 23rd year, paints the town with the sweet sounds of swing, salsa, bebop, blues, Brazilian and more. This year’s lineup includes an Aug. 11 Frank Sinatra tribute at The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch.

Vail Jazz events take place in five venues throughout the summer, culminating Labor Day Weekend with the Vail Jazz Party—four days packed with 35 headlining musicians performing together. vailjazz.org FOLLOW THEIR MUSE: The 30th Annual Beaver Creek Arts Festival (Aug. 5-6), spotlights some of the country’s most gifted artists and crafters in the heart of Beaver Creek. artfestival.com/festivals WURST WEEKEND: Sept 2-3 Beaver Creek’s 18th Oktoberfest fills the mountain with oompah music, beers, brats, alphorn-blowing and entertainers from Beaver Creek’s Austrian sister city. beavercreek.com COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

EACH CORDILLERA course has its own clubhouse and restaurant that’s open for public dining. Savor scrumptious fare, magnificent ambience and spectacular views at TimberHearth at the Mountain Course, while The Chaparral (Valley) and Summit (Summit) offer lighter repasts with equally resplendent panoramas. cordillera-vail.com/dining

GET A TASTE of the Cordillera lifestyle at the popular

Colorado Land Rover Retailers Cordillera Golf Experience September 16-17. With luxury overnight accommodations at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, the event features two days of golf on the Summit and Valley Courses, Après-Golf Cocktail Party, dinner at the TimberHearth, amazing player gifts, prizes and plenty of food and fun for $1,600 ($800 per player). coloradoavidgolfer.com

OF THE MANY ways to savor Beaver Creek’s moun-

tainous beauty, rambling in a 4x4 ranks one of the most ruggedly enjoyable. High Mountain Adventure 4 x 4 Tours allow guests of all ages to explore Beaver Creek to the fullest. Tours start at the Summer Adventure Center and highlight the area’s natural beauty with an emphasis on fauna, flora, and history. beavercreek.com

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High Mountain Adventure

coloradoavidgolfer.com

Colorado’s Ultimate Mountain-Golf Weekend September 16th & 17th

The Club at Cordillera – Vail, CO •

TWO ROUNDS of Golf at Troon’s PRIVATE CLUB AT CORDILLERA •

•

COMPETITIVE and NON-COMPETITIVE FLIGHTS

Luxury Accommodations at PARK HYATT BEAVER CREEK RESORT AND SPA • •

FUN CONTESTS and incredible PLAYER PRIZES

Memorable APRÈS GOLF COCKTAIL PARTY and DINNER

We are proud to support Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

For more information about Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain go to: jacolorado.org

SIGN UP NOW!

For complete information or to make your reservation today contact Todd at 720-493-1729 x15 or todd@coloradoavidgolfer.com coloradoavidgolfer.com/cag-events/cordillera-experience-vail/

VAIL VALLEY

Be a Member for a Day!

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Friday, SEPTEMBER 22 PRESENTED BY

Enjoy LUNCH 11:30-1:00 GOLF Shotgun start 1:30 FORMAT Play the course as you like; there will be contest holes throughout the course COST $150 per player includes green fees, cart and a complimentary lunch at the Clubhouse. An option for discounted lodging in the Vail Valley is available.

Frost Creek

IN THE TWO YEARS, since launching as Frost Creek, the former Adams Mountain has become the fastest grow-

ing club in Colorado, attracting an average of 100 new members each year. The 40,000-square-foot clubhouse and Tom Weiskopf layout are just part of the appeal. A “portal to the Colorado Mountain lifestyle,” Frost Creek features everything from ponds for SUP, fishing and swimming; to miles of private Brush Creek fly fishing; to trails for mountain biking, running and hiking; to glamping yurts; to a Jeep for high-country exploration; to...well, you name it. The club provides gear for it all, as well as primo “cabins” for members and those desiring to become one. frostcreek.com

Eagle-Eyed FROST CREEK’S 1,100 acres abut thousands of

acres of federal- and state-protected land creating a pristine setting for numerous seasonal activities. The club boasts an outdoor pool, tennis courts, fitness center, and its restaurant, featuring the eclectic talents of chef Marc Copenhaver, welcomes the public for brunch, lunch and dinner. frostcreek.com

NOBODY WILL ever confuse Eagle with Vail or

REGISTER TODAY! CONTACT Ben Welsh 970-328-2326 or visit coloradoavidgolfer.com/cag-events COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

Beaver Creek, but its quaint downtown features the righteous Bonfire Brewing Taproom, as well as easy access to tons of recreation at Sylvan Lake Park, Eagle Ranch Golf Club, Eagle River Park and the White River National Forest. eagleoutside.com

A SHORT DRIVE west of Eagle, Gypsum Creek Golf

Course is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its scenic Pete Dye-designed course, which spreads over a steep, sage-covered mesa and boasts numerous “signature” holes. In its service and programming, the municipal facility keeps its promise of delivering “the most fun you can have with your golf shoes on.” Suggestive of the once-private club’s original “Cotton Ranch” name, the stately Southern-style clubhouse features the dependably delicious Creek Side Grill. gypsumcreekgolf.com

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Gypsum Creek Golf Course

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AvidGolfer Private Club Day: Friday, September 22th – Register at www.frostcreek.com/avidgolfer

“It’s Nothing Short Of Spectacular”

-Colorado Avid Golfer

Colorado’s Mountain Club

1,100 Acres Of Endless Adventure

Luxury Member Cabins

Year-Round Activities

5 Miles Of Private Fishing Waters

C o l o r a d o av i d G o l f e r

For membership, real estate & general inquiries Visit: www.FrostCreek.Com Call: 970.328.2326

surrounded by thousands of acres of ranch land and protected mountain wilderness, Frost Creek is the perfect haven to get active, or get away from it all. Fly fish in pristine rivers, hike and bike scenic trails, tee off for a round on our award-winning golf course, and enjoy easy access to everything you have come to expect from the rocky mountains. spacious overnight cabins make membership an affordable alternative to mountain home ownership.

Are you ready to explore?

staff piCk

BEST MOUNTAIN CLUB, PRIVATE

BEST MOUNTAIN MOST COVETED M CLUB, INVITATION, PRIVATE PRIVATE INV

Best mountain CluB, private most Coveted invitation, private

E V E N T S PA C E S F I L L E D W I T H N AT U R A L L I G H T G R E AT M E E T I N G O F F E R A N D H O T S U M M E R D AT E S

MEET IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE WE UNDERSTAND GREAT MEETINGS START WITH YOU At Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, we are true masters of details.

We have hot summer dates available with a great PICK2 offer.

Book your next qualified meeting and PICK2 - Double World of Hyatt Bonus points - Discounted standard WiFi connectivity - Discounted Food & Beverage - One complimentar y guest room for ever y 30 paid room nights - Custom location specific concession To discover more and find full terms and conditions visit parkhyatbeavercreek.com or call 970-827-6650

The Park Hyatt® trademark and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2017 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

T H O U G H T P R O V O K I N G A L P I N E V I S TA S

The Park Hyatt® trademark and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2016 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

PRI VATE PRO L E S S ON 9 AM TE E TI M E CU STOM CL UB F I TTI NG 6 0 - MI N U TE SWED I SH M AS S AG E SU N SET COCKTAI L S ON THE BA C K L AW N

HIT THE LINKS IN LUXURY at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa Pack your golf clubs and discover the natural beauty and exhilarating design of golf in the Rocky Mountains. For the love of the game, premier courses such as Cordillera, Red Sky Ranch, and of course, Beaver Creek Golf Club are close by. To find out more, visit parkhyattbeavercreek.com

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE PERFECT DAY: PLAY A TOP 100 GOLF COURSE, ENJOY FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK OF VAIL MOUNTAIN RESCUE GROUP

What: Golf Tournament to benefit Vail Mountain Rescue Group When: September 19, 2017 Where: Red Sky Golf Club, Wolcott, CO Amazing food, beverages and prizes!

See registration page for special hotel deals at The Sebastian in Vail and The Westin in Avon

Register at: vailmountainrescue.org

The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch

EVOKING THE GREAT mountain lodges of the American West, the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch fuses unparalled

luxury with an unquenchable passion for adventure. Refined appointments define the property, including many of the 180 lodge-inspired rooms, suites and residences. Its ski in/ski out location on Beaver Creek Mountain makes it the ideal warm-weather base for hikes and rides. Six restaurants, including the magnificent WYLD and private-dining Anderson’s Cabin—fuel adventures, while recovery occurs in the 21,000-square-foot spa, which offers men’s, women’s and co-ed grottos with steam rooms, saunas, hot and cold plunge pools and 19 treatment rooms.ritzcarlton.com

Beaver Away AN EXPANSIVE MENU of recreational activities—

from six different daily hikes to eco cooking classes —awaits guests of the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch.

Popular weekly programs include Lager & Leatherworking and Whiskey & Woodburning, both with a Western theme. Enhance your memories with help from the hotel’s free photography concierge. ritzcarlton.com

THE INAUGURAL Beaver Creek Hike to the Mic

takes place Sept 15-17. The one-of-a-kind music destination, perched 10,200 feet atop Beaver Creek’s Centennial Express Chairlift, encourages you to arrive by foot, bike, horseback, 4x4 or chairlift to see performances by Elephant Revival and Elvis Costello & The Imposters. Art appears up and down the mountain and during festivities in Beaver Creek Village. beavercreek.com

A SHRINE to classic European cuisine, Mirabelle

occupies one of the Beaver Creek Valley’s first homes.

The exquisite dishes of Master Chef and owner Daniel Joly are equally momentous. mirabelle1.com

TRY THE Crimpster, a bacon-wrapped medley of crab,

shrimp and lobster at Hooked, which does a great job on everything from sashimi to sloppy joes. hookedbc.com COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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Hiking Beaver Creek

coloradoavidgolfer.com

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ingest and Imbibe FOR 40 YEARS now, Sweet Basil has set the bar for Vail dining with inventive appetizers like chicken-fried morels and corn chowder with blue crab, and entrees such as the melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu Coulotte and a pork chop with black bean puree, spiced chicharonnes and tomatillo relish.

Book early, book often. sweetbasilvail.com THE CREATORS of Sweet Basil have drawn raves for Mountain Standard, a rustic tavern that devotes itself to open wood-fired cooking. mtnstandard.com

LIKE ICHIRO Suzuki, star chef Nobu Matsuhisa Is known simply as Nobu. You’ll want to be on a first-name basis with Matsuhisa, his spectaular Vail restaurant that opens up into an expansive outdoor patio in summer. The Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño, Black Cod Miso and White fish Tiradito are must-haves. matsuhisarestaurants.com BAG A PEAK? Even if you didn’t, celebrate at

Vail brewpub. Vail Brewing Company’s locations in Eagle-Vail and Vail Village double your chances of getting a great brew and some live music. Gore Range Brewery in Edwards, a favorite of locals for its proper pub fare and superb beers. While in Edwards, hit the taproom at Crazy Mountain Brewery if only to order a Horseshoes and Hand Grenades.

The Sebastian Vail

Indulge and Invest IMMERSE YOURSELF in a confluence of high mountain comfort and approachable chic. With the excitement of Vail Village just steps away, The Sebastian–Vail is an alpine oasis of 100 rooms and 38 private residences, all with access to the hotel’s art-filled lobby and plush library. Dine at Leonora, a bistro and tapas bar inspired by cuisine of the French Alps, Spanish Pyrenees and Colorado Rockies. Chill with a craft cocktail in the Frost Bar. Splash in the mountain-view pool, retreat to a private hot tub or get pampered at the indulgent Bloom Spa. thesebastianvail.com

THE SEBASTIAN IS a Timbers Resort, meaning purchase of a residence entitles you to pre-arrival grocery shop-

ping, daily housekeeping, complimentary around-town transportation, airport transportation arrangements, 24-hour room service, private chef services and much more. Timbers Collection Property owners have access to a portfolio of world-class properties (in Kauai, Napa, Tuscany, etc.) and travel partners, as well as preferred access to private jet travel, luxury car services, VIP treatment at more than 850 airport lounges worldwide. timbersresorts.com

ELEVATE YOUR GAME

18 Hole Championship Course Par 3 Course & Practice Facility Golf Grill & Clubhouse Spectacular Rocky Mountain Views at 7650 Feet Audobon Society Certification for Environmental Excellence

EagleVail Golf Club - Live, Play, Relax, Enjoy.

970 . 949. 5267 COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

www.EagleVailGolfClub.com

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coloradoavidgolfer.com

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Longest Season BEST VALUE March-November www.gypsumcreekgolf.com Just minutes from the Eagle/Vail Airport-Jet Center

Rafting Tour of Browns Canyon

THE VAIL AREA’S largest and most experienced outfitter, Timeberline Tours has taken Vail visitors on whitewater rafting and Jeep tours for almost a half-century. Browns Canyon offers one of the nation’s most popular intermediate whitewater rafting experiences close to the Vail Valley. WIth the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range and Collegiate Peaks providing a dramatic backdrop, this stretch of the Arkansas River roars with exciting Class III pool-drop type rapids. This solitary, 10-mile stretch of river runs through a classic but majestic Colorado canyon, providing an exciting rafting trip for all ages, complete with a riverside deli-style buffet lunch. timberlinetours.com

Fill Your Days THREE SIXES mark the beast. They also describe

EagleVail Golf Club’s Bruce Devlin/ Robert Van Haage design 10 minutes west of Vail. Six holes run along the river, six thread through a neighborhood and six stepladder up the mountain, including the plunging par-3 10th, which drops 185 feet from tee to green. The club’s Willow Creek Par 3 Course hosts summer rounds of FootGolf and rents soccer balls. eaglevailgolfclub.com

LA TOUR may be a justifiably popular Vail restaurant,

but it’s just one potential stop on the Vail Village Food Tour, a three-hour casual guided walking tour of five seated, eating stops. The same firm also offers a Bikes and Bites Tour and a Brew Tour. vailvalleyfoodtours.com

BETWEEN THEM, Vail’s Gerald R. Ford Amphithe-

530 Cotton Ranch Dr. Gypsum, CO 81367 970.524.6200 COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

ater and Beaver Creek’s Villar Performing Arts Center have a rocking summer schedule. The Ford hosts Crazy Mountain Brewery’s Hot Summer Nights Concert Series, while the Vilar welcomes Bruce Hornsby, the Wailers, Diana Krall, Trace Adkins and Peter Frampton. vvf.org

HIP EATERIES await at Riverwalk at Edwards, in-

cluding e e|town, Delite & Bowl Noodle House, Juniper, Main St. Grill and Zino Ristorante. edwardsriverwalk.com

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EagleVail Golf Club

coloradoavidgolfer.com

Win a Dream Golf Vacation for Two!

Enter the Bandon Dunes Vacation Raffle presented by the Colorado Golf Association

The Grand Prize winner and guest will receive: •

Three night, double occupancy Chrome Lodge accomodations

•

Six rounds of golf at choice of all available Bandon Dunes Resort courses

•

All caddie fees courtesy of the CGA

•

$1000 in airfare and food/beverage vouchers

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at

coloradogolf.org/bandon

All proceeds from the CGA’s Bandon Dunes Vacation Raffle support the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy.

Founded in 2012 at CommonGround Golf Course, the Academy creates opportunities for young people to develop leadership skills and enhance character through a foundation built around caddying.

Play CommonGround and take a caddie for free!

www.CommonGroundGC.com Bandon Full Page Ad.indd 1

6/15/2017 5:53:00 PM

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GET HIGH with us this summer!

For Special MOUNTAIN GOLF Packages, RESORT DEALS, and WEEKEND GETAWAY Ideas visit today!

coloradoavidgolfer.com

Vail Golf Club

DON’T RECOGNIZE IT? The new Vail Golf & Nordic Clubhouse, which debuted for the ski season and reopened

for golfers in June, has dramatically upgraded Vail Golf Club. The new structure emphatically puts the clubhouse on par with the classic, 6,766-yard municipal layout that has always enjoyed superb conditions and pace of play. With an additional 1,700 square feet, the clubhouse can hold 33 percent more guests, and it now features an event space separate from the restaurant. “We are just so proud of it,” PGA Director of Golf Alice Plain says. “People see ‘Vail Golf Club’ now and think we’re private. We are definitely a public course with a private-club atmosphere.” vailrec.com

Food and Fun IN ADDITION TO floor-to-ceiling views of the course

and Gore Range, Vail Golf Club’s impressive new clubhouse restaurant, The Grill on the Gore dishes up Bao Sliders, its signature Gore Chili, Smoked Cuban sandwiches and dozens of other mouthwatering creations, along with a diverse craft-beer and spirts selection. Rich wood finishes and modern lighting fittingly suggest both a ski lodge and a golf course. vailclubhouse.com

EAGLE BAHN in Lionshead and Gondola One in Vail

Village deliver you and your fat-tired friend to a network of 10 on-mountin trails ranging in difficulty from green to blue and seven highly technical freeride trails only experienced, property trained and equipped riders should attempt. Gondolas run daily through Labor Day and then on weekends in September. Get rates, trail maps and more at vail.com/summer.

SATISFY your outdoor appetities without lugging

the gear. Sage Outdoor Adventures offers whitewater rating trips on the Arkansas, Eagle and Colorado rivers, Can-Am ATVing in the Castle Peak Wilderness Area, horseback riding in the Vail backcountry, and sporting clays with lessons, gear and a 12-station range. sageoutdooradventures.com COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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The Grill on the Gore at Vail Golf Club

coloradoavidgolfer.com

VAIL VALLEY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Chip-Ins WADE OR FLOAT? Either way, few experiences

compare to casting a line into glistening Colorado waters, catching a trout and releasing it. Vail Valley Anglers offers both types of guided fly-fishing in half- and full-day trips. The company also combines other mountain passions by also offering hike-andfish and bike-and-fish packages. Beginner and group lessons are also available. vailvalleyanglers.com

NEW LOOK, same food. That’s the story at Pepi’s

Beaver Creek Stables Horseback Ride

Riding High SADDLE UP and enjoy the glories of the mountains atop a trusty steed from Beaver Creek Stables. Its signature

rides take you past streams, gorgeous pine forests, wild animals and birds and tranquil meadows high above. Rides come in one-, two- and three-hour versions, with the most popular being a full-day trip to Beaver Lake and into the magnificent natural beauty of the White River National Forest’s Holy Cross Wilderness area. A catered lunch follows before a return to the stables. beavercreekstables.com

NEARLY 60 MILES of paved recreational bike paths ribbon through Eagle County. For an easy to moderate road

ride the Vail Recreation Path runs along the bans of Gore Creek in Vail and stretches through the Vail Valley. Winding down from East Vail, the path crosses through Vail Village before continuing west downvalley through Dowd Junction and then onto Avon and Edwards. With 1,831 feet of elevation gain the 8.7-mile Vail Pass Path presents more of a challenge. More advanced cyclists prefer riding US 24 to Leadville and US 6 near Wolcott. vail.com/summer

Restaurant & Bar at the Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer. Last summer, the venerable Vail Village institution underwent its first remodel since opening in 1964. “Everything is new and modern,” Pepi’s Executive Chef Helmut Kaschitz says. “The bar is completely new. So is the floor, the ceiling, the windows, the bathroom.” What hasn’t changed are the mouthwatering sauerbraten and other Austrian dishes served in two separate dining rooms and the lively scene on the deck and in the bar. pepis.com

A SLEEK new dining spot, Pendulum, has opened in the Gorsuch Clock Tower across from Pepi’s, where the Ore House stood for more than 45 years.

The menu features Peruvian, Argentine, Mexican and Spanish flavors and a glamorous interior. It’s owned and operated by the same California-based developers, Plumpjack, that recently opened White Bison, an upscale comfort-food kitchen less than 200 feet away on Gore Creek. pendulumvail.com

Vail Golf Club where the experience exceeds the elevation

Stunning views | 4:07 pace of play | Unique golf bikes | NEW clubhouse & restaurant

Public Welcome coloradoavidgolfer.com

www.vail.golf | 970-479-2260

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

ASPEN/SNOWMASS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Live the Dream EDEN IN ASPEN: A paradise of outdoor recreation, Aspen Glen is a 938-acre tight-knit, family-friendly community with spectacular mountain and riverfront views located in the heart of Carbondale. Residents enjoy legendary skiing at four nearby resorts, Gold Medal fly-fishing on 4.5 miles of the Roaring Fork River, and championship golf on 18 holes designed

by Jack and Jackie Nicklaus. woodbridgerealtyco.com

John Denver Sanctuary

JOHN DENVER immortalized Colorado with “Rocky Mountain High,” and Aspen returned the favor with the John

Denver Sanctuary, a flower-garden memorial in Rio Grande Park featuring stone slabs inscribed with lyrics. You’ll find the natural beauty that inspired him on hikes throughout the area. Trails include Crater Lake, the Maroon BellsSnowmass Wilderness Loop, Conundrum Creek, Maroon Peak and Cathedral Lake. Die-hards can make the 11-mile, wildflower-rich trek over 12,500-foot West Maroon Pass to Crested Butte (and get shuttled back). aspenchamber.org

Club Selection MEMBERS of the Aspen Glen Club enjoy access

to a gated community with top-of-the-line amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, four tennis courts, fitness center with daily classes, spa, golf simulator, business center and more. The mature, 7,455yard Nicklaus-designed course plays along the river, with glorious views of Mount Sopris and the bald eagles that nest on hole 10. woodbridgerealtyco.com

WITH ITS timbered beams and vaulted ceiling, Aspen Glen Club’s handsome Eagle’s Nest Grille provides an elegantly rustic dining atmosphere in full view of Mount Sopris. An outdoor terrace invites you to gather around a massive stone fireplace to watch the moon rise over the high ridge. clubcorp.com/clubs/aspen-glen-club

ASPEN GLEN Club members also enjoy privileges

Aspen Glen Club

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

at Colorado’s Blackstone, Black Bear and Fort Collins country clubs as part of the ClubCorp network of more than 300 private golf and country clubs, business clubs and resorts. clubcorp.com/clubs/aspen-glen-club

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IN THE MARKET?: Downtown Aspen has enough designer boutiques to rival Rodeo Drive and plenty of thrift shops where you can get last year’s Prada suit à bon marché. The three-block pedestrian mall encompasses no fewer than six galleries, a dozen restaurants and the world-famous Wheeler Opera House and Aspen Fountain. Just north is the Hotel Jerome and its famous J Bar; to the south is The Little Nell and its Ajax Tavern. aspenchamber.org coloradoavidgolfer.com

ASPEN/SNOWMASS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Dede Cusimano Golf Clinic

Snowmass Free Concert Series

ROCK OUT at the Snowmass Village Free Summer Concerts, which take place at the end of the Snowmass Village Mall on Snowmass Mountain through September 9. Bring food and a blanket or lawn chair, but no alcohol, which is available for puchase. This year’s roots-heavy lineup includes performances by the Freddy Jones Band, Otis Taylor, Ireland’s Ruaile Buaile and more, plus a benefit for the Aspen Camp of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing. The “90s Night Glow Show” featuring live covers of songs from that decade, closes the season. stayaspensnowmass.com

Check it Out Tee and Symphony

BE A SPECTATOR or, better yet, become one of

the 210 two-person teams in Snowmass Doubles, a “boutique” mountain volleyball tournament taking place July 20-23 on grass and sand courts at the Snowmass Recreation Center. Co-ed and single-sex teams welcome. snowmassdoubles.com

LESSON TEE: Need some help with that slice? Swing by the municipal Aspen Golf Club, home of the Dede Cusimano Golf Academy. Cusimano, the 2013 LPGA Western Section Teacher of the Year and competitor in five LPGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, helps all levels of player groove their games. aspengolf.com/golf-club/lessons

ADRENALINE RUSHES abound at Snowmass

Bike Park, where biking trails weave nearly 3,000 feet downhill from the top of the Elk Camp Chairlift to the Snowmass Village base. The park also connects to more than 50 miles of cross-country tracks. More expert riders can hit the twisting, aspen-laden trails of Valhalla, Viking and Vapor. aspensnowmass.com

NOW IN ITS 44TH YEAR, the Snowmass Rodeo

takes place at the Snowmass Rodeo Grounds every Wednesday night, rain or shine, through August 23.

The professional riding, barrel-racing and calf-roping begins at 7 p.m. but gates open two hours earlier for the family-friendly petting zoos, mechanical bull rides, barbecue and the ever-popular Mutton Bustin’ and Calf Scramble. A campfire sing-along with marshmallows and merchandise tents follows the final bull-riding event. snowmassrodeo.org coloradoavidgolfer.com

Snowmass Doubles Volleyball

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HELLO, CELLOS: Through August 20, The Aspen Music Festival and School offers a curated mix of concerts exploring the theme of “enchantment.”

The schedule includes Zemlinsky’s The Mermaid, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Firebird Suite, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and others. In addition, a full slate of recitals, chamber music performances, family concerts and populate the summer. Fans of Garrison Keillor won’t want to miss his Prairie Home “Love and Comedy Show” on August 14. aspenmusicfestival.com July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

SINK A BIRDIE IN YOUR BACKYARD With a Jack Nicklaus designed championship golf course right outside your doorstep, you’ll be able to live life on the links like you’ve always dreamed. Let Woodbridge Realty Unlimited help you create your lifestyle, your way.

WoodbirdgeRealtyCo.com | 970.510.6088 Aspen | Snowmass | Basalt | Carbondale | Glenwood Springs

59 RIVERS BEND | CARBONDALE | $1,895,000 Newly remodeled Aspen Glen classic + Mature landscaping provides privacy while preserving magnificent views of Mt. Sopris and the Aspen Glen golf course + Features spacious open floor plan, luxurious finishes, theater room and 3-car garage 4 bedrooms / 3 baths / 3 half-baths + 5,706 square feet

180 A SEEBURG CIRCLE | CARBONDALE | $1,100,000 Brand new, contemporary home in Aspen Glen + Features double-sided fireplace, mainfloor master suite and custom tiling in the kitchen and bathrooms + Part of a bike-friendly community, just minutes from lively downtown Carbondale and Glenwood Springs 5 bedrooms / 5 baths / 2 half-baths + 5,033 square feet

Laura Gee Managing Broker 970.948.8568 lgee@woodbridgerealtyco.com

An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each office independently owned and operated. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. The information included in this ad is considered reliable but is not guaranteed.

SUMMIT COUNTY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Bluegrass and Beer Festival

Keystone Lake at Keystone Resort

SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAIN VIEWS, shops, restaurants, condominiums and planters dripping with colorful flowers, the five-acre Keystone Lake provides a postcard-like setting at the heart of Keystone’s Lakeside Village.

Rent paddle boats, kayaks, canoes or stand-up paddle boards at Keystone Adventure Center. Or set off on a bike ride along the path that runs through the entire valley. More rigorous rides await at Keystone Bike Park and on the mountain’s 55 trails of progressive terrain that welcome riders of all skill levels. keystoneresort.com

Food and Fun Festivals and Fairways PARTY ON: The Keystone Festivals summer series, which began with last month’s Bacon and Bourbon Festival, continues to sizzle with Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival (July 15-16), River Run Village Art Festival (July 29-30), Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival (Aug. 5-6), Mountain Town Music Festival (Aug. 18-19) Keystone Oktoberfest (Sept. 2) and Taste of Keystone (Sept. 3). keystonefestivals.com PLAY 36: The spectacular holes at Keystone Ranch Golf Club and The River Course at Keystone offer dramatically different interpretations of mountain golf. The Ranch course weaves through parkland, pine forests and around two lakes. The shorter River layout rollercoasters through the forested mountainsides along the Snake River. Both courses offer a ton of specialized programs for beginners, juniors, women and families.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

NO-FUSS fine dining awaits at Keystone Resort’s

Bighorn Bistro & Bar, which specializes in madefrom-scratch appetizers and entrées accompanied by breathtaking views of Keystone Lake and the Continental Divide. Along with the inimitable Ski Tip Lodge, sky-high Alpenglow Stube and legendary Keystone Ranch, it comprises the Keystone’s Signature DIning offerings.

For more casual fare, hit the 9280’ Taphouse, Edgewater Café or Overlook Grill. keystoneresort.com

WEEKENDS BEGIN with Keystone’s Friday After-

noon Club. Take the gondola to the Summit House’s Overlook Grill for live music, drink and food specials and activities including horseshoes, corn hole, ladder ball, bocce ball and more. keystoneresort.com

DON’T CLIMB to the top of Keystone’s Dercum

Mountain. Let a chairlift or gondola ride reward you with incredible views of Lake Dillon, the Continental Divide, Ten Mile Range and other camera-worthy views.

KEYSTONE’S KIDTOPIA offers free family activities like kite-flying, Wild West Nights, balance-bike races, science classes and much more. kidtopia.com

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Bighorn Bistro & Bar

coloradoavidgolfer.com

TAKE YOUR GAME TO NEW HEIGHTS TW O A M A Z I NG C O L O R A DO COU R S E S , 3 6 P ICT U R E S Q U E H OLES

STAY & PLAY FROM

$183

At Keystone Resort, just a short drive from Denver, you’ll discover breathtaking views from two award-winning golf courses. Don’t miss your chance to play 36 holes designed by acclaimed golf course architects, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Hurdzan-Fry; save with package rates including golf and resort accommodations.

FOR THE BEST DEALS ON LODGING, GREEN FEES, AND TO MAKE TEE TIMES, PLEASE VISIT GOLFKEYSTONE.COM OR CALL 855-666-7465

SUMMIT COUNTY SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Pumped Up HIGH RIDERS: Amid a party go well into the evening, Stage Two of the inaugural Colorado Classic rolls through Breckenridge August 11. The race starts and finishes on Main Street, the 6.4-mile route ascending Moonstone and Boreas Pass. The men do 10 laps with 7,320 feet of climbing, the women five with 3,658. That will mark their final stage. The men move on for two more stages in Denver. gobreck.com Main Street, Breckenridge

AN AUTHENTIC mountain-town atmosphere pervades 158-year-old Breckenridge. Home to the state’s largest

historic district, Breck features numerous heritage tours of buildings and mines, as well as scores of stores, restaurants and the original Breckenridge Brewery. The Breckenridge Arts District is also home to the Breckenridge Music Festival, which this summer will feature everything from Mozart to bluegrass to performances by Robert Cray and Branford Marsalis at the gorgeous 770-seat Riverwalk Center. gobreck.com; breckcreate.org

Breck Yeah!

THE IDEALLY SITUATED Beaver Run Resort and

Conference Center features 515 Rooms and suites at the base of Breckenridge Ski Resort’s Peak 9, affording summer access to miles of mountainside hiking trails. A short stroll gets you downtown, or you can take the free shuttle. The resort boasts swimming, hot tubs, fitness, tennis,spa services and two delectable restaurants, Spencer’s and The Coppertop. beaverrun.com

ACTIVITIES GALORE await at Breck Summer Fun

Park at the base of the ski resort’s Peak 8. Offerings include ziplines, climbing walls, a superslide, trampoline and chairlift service to mountain biking and hiking trails 11,000 feet above sea level. gobreck.com

WET A line in a river, lake or stream with a guide from Breckenridge Outfitters, the 2016 Orvis Authorized Dealer of the Year. breckenridgeoutfitters.com

DINNER IS now on the menu at Breckenridge DistillBeaver Run Resort & Conference Center

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

ery’s Airport Road location. breckenridgedistillery.com

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SUP YOGA: Add some challenge to your asanas by attempting them on a stand up paddle board on Breckenridge’s Maggie Pond. Meta Yoga Studios conducts two classes Thurs.-Sun. throughout the summer. Doing planks, downward dogs and warrior poses on a surface that is constantly in motion fires up your core muscles and activates and strengthens smaller muscles that don’t activate on solid ground. metayogastudios.com

coloradoavidgolfer.com

STAY & PLAY Come play Breckenridgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 27 hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus.

After a day of teeing off on one of the highest golf courses in North America, stay at Beaver Run Resort, nestled between mountain and Main Street.

Beaver Run Resort has everything you need for your Rocky Mountain escape.

Call or visit us online to learn more about our seasonal discounts!

BeaverRun.com 800.288.1282

SUMMIT COUNTY MARK YOUR CALENDARS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

DILLON FARMERS MARKET

June 9 – September 15 Fridays | 9am – 2pm Enjoy the harvests of the season with Colorado grown, farm fresh fruits, veggies, baked goods, free kids activities & live music.

FREE CONCERTS AT THE DILLON AMPHITHEATRE

Fridays & Saturdays 7 – 9pm | June 17 – July 8 Featuring local favorites and big name acts as we prepare to say farewell to the current Amphitheatre. Fireworks at the final show on July 8.

Saturday Concerts in the Park

The Raven Golf Course at Three Peaks

JUST MINUTES from anywhere in Summit County, The Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne enters

its 18th year as one of Colorado’s top mountain-golf experiences. Nestled amid towering stands of pine and aspen, 13,000-foot snowcapped peaks, crystal-clear creeks and trout-filled lakes, this Tom Lehman collaboration with Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry spans 5,235 to 7,413 yards. The Raven’s four finishing holes are as memorable for their challenge as they are for their beauty. Friday-night Nine and Dines, as well as one-month Vacation Passes and stay-and-play deals add to the appeal. ravenatthreepeaks.com

Shipshape in Dillon DILLON’S RENOWNED free Saturday concerts

FREE Concerts Saturdays | 7pm – 9pm July 15 – September 2 Join us for FREE Concerts on Saturdays in Dillon Town Park

will move from the town’s amphitheatre to the Dillon Town Park as of July 15. The demolition of the existing structure and construction of the new amphitheatre— which will seat more people and have modernized amentities in order to attract bigger-name acts— should be completed next July. townofdillon.com

DILLON MARINA

AT 9,017 FEET above sea level, Lake Dillon will

8am – 7pm Boat Rentals, Sunset Sailing Tours, ASA certified Sailing School and Stand-Up Colorado Paddle Board Rentals.

DillonMarina.com | 70.468.5100 StandUpPaddleColorado.com

For a complete list of events: TownOfDillon.com facebook.com/DillonColorado Please leave all alcohol and furry friends at home for amphitheatre and Farmers Market events.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

stage the world’s highest regatta August 4-6, 2017.

Hosted by the Dillon Yacht Club and benefiting its junior sailing program, the Dillon Open Regatta features colorful keelboats and other sailboats from all over.

Reserve a spot on a spectator boat or enjoy this annual nautical competition from the shore. dillonopen.com

DILLON MARINA rents different types of watercraft, including grill-equipped pontoon boats, sailboats, motorboats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. It also offers instruction and houses the legendary Pug Ryan’s Lakeside Tiki Bar. dillonmarina.com GREAT GRUB awaits at Arapahoe Cafe & Pub,

home of southwestern breakfasts and award-winning barbecue for lunch and dinner. arapahoecafe.com

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Lake Dillon Marina

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NATURE HAS CHOSEN ITS COURSE. FOLLOW HER LEAD.

Just one hour west of Denver, the hum of the city gives way to the stillness of one of Colorado’s premier mointain courses. Its spectaulas setting and unsurpassed service is matched only by the challenging, yet eminently playable Tom Lehman and Hurdzan/Fry design. Lush rolling fairways surrounded by towering stands of pine and aspen, snow-capped peaks and grassy wetlands attract many of Colorado’s indigenous populations. Fortunately…elk, osprey and eagles make for a quiet gallery.

970.262.3636 www.ravenatthreepeaks.com 2929 N Golden Eagle Road Silverthorne, CO 80498

Mourning Has Support from some empathetic golf partners has helped BRIAN GRIESE turn the childhood loss of his mother into a haven of hope for thousands of bereaved kids.

By JON RIZZI Photography by EJ CARR

AS THE FORMER PRESIDENT of the Denver Partnership and current senior managing director of development and investment for the Trammell Crow Co., Bill Mosher has sat at the table with the state’s most influential people. But the man whose fingerprints are all over Union Station, Coors Field, History Colorado and dozens of other transformational Denver projects is reluctant to drop the name of the person who made one of the lasting impressions on him.

“He was a nine-year-old Hispanic boy,” Mosher remembers. “I knew he’d lost his father and I could not get him to talk to me.”

Their encounter took place at Judi’s House, the homey residence at 1741 Gaylord Street where grieving children and families receive counseling and support. The boy was already three weeks into the program’s 10-week Pathfinder program in which Mosher had become a trained volunteer. In the fourth session, the pair shared a table with a small tray-like box used for “sand play,” a therapy in which individuals can safely express their inner emotions with sand, water and miniature objects.

“With his finger, he drew a house and then a person inside it,” Mosher says. “He looked at it a long time and took a toy car and placed it on top of the person. Then he put a shoe next to the car and started crying.”

Mosher soon learned the boy’s father had been working on a car in their garage when the jack collapsed. The car crushed the man. “The boy saw it happen and tried to free his father,” Mosher recalls. “He couldn’t lift the car, so he grabbed his father by the feet and pulled off his shoe trying to save him.”

From that point on, the two connected. Mosher, who at age 12 lost his own father in a car accident, shared with the boy his isolation at the time. The grieving child knew he was not alone and the healing could begin.

Mosher shares this story while sitting at a different table—a wrought-iron patio-style four-top on the lanai at Cherry Hills Country Club. Joining him are Judi’s House board member and commercial realtor John Wickliff and the co-founder and chairman of the charity, the former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese.

The three look like any other group of golfers who have just finished 18 holes at the august club. Griese, a 2-handicap who just carded a smooth 75, ribs Mosher for joining our group on the 15th hole and Wickliff for a driver that didn’t show up until the 18th, when the 7-handicap piped one about 320 yards. The two give it back to him, asking when Griese, who announces college football on ESPN, can possibly find time for golf with so many games to call in June.

More poignantly, the three share a bond. They’re all successful men who lost a parent.

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Broken

FROM GRIEF TO GRINS: Judiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House volunteers Bill Mosher, Brian Griese and John Wickliff at Cherry Hills Country Club.

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

In 1996, when John Wickliff was 23, his father, Steven, was murdered in a case that remains unsolved to this day. Judi Griese succumbed to cancer when Brian was 12—the same age as Bill Mosher at the time of his father Henry’s fatal accident.

That last coincidence proved providential. In 2001, during Griese’s fourth season with the Broncos, the team’s community relations director Cindy Galloway told her mother, marketing and communications maestro Jean Galloway, about Griese’s desire to create a place that provided grief support to children who had lost a parent. Jean passed that information to Mosher’s wife, the fashion retailer Molly Broeren, knowing Griese’s idea would resonate with her husband. The quarterback and the power broker met and immediately formed a connection based on their shared experience—and the fact that no organization specifically focused on this extremely vulnerable group.

Mosher became a founding board member. “We serve a very underserved community,” he says. “When you talk about a grieving child, you’re talking about a person who’s angry, confused, sad, alone. They feel nobody understands them. Those kids grow up faster than they need to.”

“For years, I was looking for some way to make sense of it,” Wickliff says of his father’s death. “Then I heard about Judi’s House and got involved.”

Within a year, Judi’s House was providing its first grief support groups to children and caregivers in a house at 1600 St. Paul Street. Word spread. By 2005, in response to overwhelming growth and demand for its services, Judi’s House needed more room.

They found it in a house in the City Park West neighborhood at 1741 Gaylord Street. Before buying it they invited 50 people to a fundraiser. Griese spoke, and then, for the first time in his life, Mosher publicly related the impact losing his father had on him. “It was very cathartic,” he says.

“I give Brian a lot of credit for helping me.

We’ve all supported each other. We were able to talk about it.”

“We raised $585,000 from 50 people,” Wickliff says. “It was absolutely mindboggling.”

childhood trauma and loss, she has become as much the driving force of the organization as her husband has.

“Brook is the first call people make when a family with children has a death,” Brian says. “We’re on the map in such a big way.”

Funded solely by donors, to date Judi’s House has served more than 8,500 children and caregivers/family members. It has hosted national symposiums on children’s grief support, partnered with the University of Colorado on large-scale research initiatives, established school-based grief counseling groups at more than 80 Denver-area schools and partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver to provide grief education and onsite counseling groups. Excluding volunteers, more than 30 people—including clinicians, counselors and administrators— work for Judi’s House.

IRON MAN: Griese “But there’s only so much pures his tee shot on Cherry’s par-3 12th. a brick-and-mortar facility can do,” Brian says. “There are 30,000 people in the Denver area alone who need our help.”

To expand the ways in which they can meet the need, the Grieses established the JAG ( Judith Ann Griese) Institute to increase research, training and technology initiatives “We have very generous, perpetual aimed at creating a Comprehensive supporters,” Griese says. And they have the Grief Care Network in the Denver area right connections. For example, when the and beyond. “We have PhDs on staff and house needed construction done to bring unique, evidence-based knowledge to share up to code, Mosher got the Hensel Phelps with clinicians,” Brian says. “We can train contracting firm to donate its services. them how to specialize in bereavement and “Anytime someone gets involved, they connect with kids at schools.” stay involved,” Griese says. “John is way By laying technology on top of that, involved. He’s a superhero. What’s unique Brian says, the possibilities are infinite. about him and Bill is that they roll up their “We train the trainers and develop a virtual sleeves. They both have loss. It’s a completely workforce that can tap into our knowledge different level of commitment, emotion and base at anytime. We become both a time because they’ve lived it.” critical health service and a critical health Griese lived it too. Still does. “My son resource.” is eight, a year older than I was when my Whether they’re in Denver or mother was diagnosed,” he says as we walk Denmark, Griese doesn’t want any kid to the 13th fairway at Cherry Hills. “I think suffer the way he did after Judi died, which about that. And my daughter turns 12 next is how he keeps her spirit alive. year—my age when my mother died. She was Playing golf is another. He didn’t 44. I’m 42. Things can change in an instant. learn the game from his father, NFL Hall It’s why what we do is so important to us.” of Fame quarterback Bob Griese, but from In addition to being the mother of those his mother. An excellent tennis player and children, Brian’s wife, Dr. Brook Griese, golfer, Judi Griese taught all the Griese serves as the executive director of Judi’s men—her husband and sons Scott, Jeff House. A clinical psychologist specializing in and Brian—how to play the game. As the

Playing golf is another way Griese keeps his mother’s spirit alive. He didn’t learn the game from his NFL Hall of Fame father. Judi taught him.

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BEREAVEMENT ACHIEVEMENT: Named in honor of Brian Griese’s mother, Judi’s House has served more than 8,500 individuals. Still, he says, “30,000 people in the Denver area alone need our help.”

youngest, Brian vividly recalls living in Coral Gables, Florida, right by the Riviera Country Club, where Judi would take him out with one club—a 7-iron—and teach him to hit all the shots with it.

She taught him well. He lettered in golf in high school, and for six years, Judi’s House hosted the Players Cup Weekend golf fundraiser at The Broadmoor. “It was successful, but it was a lot of work,” Brian says, “and I wanted our staff to commit its time to helping the kids and families, not

to putting on a golf tournament.” He talked to his board and went to the people who’d played in the tournament. “I asked them if they’d contribute the same amount to Judi’s House if there wasn’t golf tournament.” The answer was a resounding yes.

Judi’s House still gains from golf, however. This month, for the fifth consecutive year, all proceeds from the Moody Insurance Agency 10th Annual Charity Golf Tournament will benefit Judi’s House. The tournament takes place July 19

at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen.

The last three years have also seen Griese bring his football background to bear with Brian’s Quarterback Club fundraising dinners and the inspiring Speakers Series Luncheons. The former have featured, among others, John Elway, Chris Harris Jr. and Demaryius Thomas; the latter, Archie Manning and Bob Griese, Tony Dungy and Bob Costas. On October 10, bestselling author Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven) will headline the “Strength in the Face of Adversity” Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center.

Griese, Mosher and Wickliff will most certainly attend. Meanwhile, over beers at Cherry Hills, the three friends initially bound by grief are talking about how Judi’s House has helped them—and helped them help so many others—move on with their lives. Without taking another sip, their half-empty pint glasses suddenly look half-full.

Jon Rizzi is Colorado AvidGolfer’s editor.

For more information on Judi’s House or to play in the July 19 Tournament at Hiwan, visit judishouse.org.

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July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

Staying OpenMinded

A year from now, 156 senior golfers and 125,000 fans will help THE BROADMOOR celebrate its 100th birthday during the 2018 U.S. Senior Open. And the grande dame can’t wait.

By JON RIZZI

TEN YEARS AFTER Eduardo Romero bowed to the crowd at The Broadmoor after winning the 2008 U.S. Senior Open, the world’s foremost senior players will again compete for the Champions Tour’s richest purse on the Colorado resort’s fabled East course.

Much has changed since El Gato finished four shots clear of Fred Funk to take the title. For one, the Argentine champion is now the mayor of his hometown of Villa Allende. For another, The Broadmoor has a new owner, Philip Anschutz, who bought the property in 2011 for a reported $1 billion.

Since then, he has spent more than $175 million on perpetuating the legacy of the resort founded by Spencer Penrose, whom Anschutz described in his book, Out Where the West Begins, as “the biggest builder and promoter the Pikes Peak Region has ever seen.”

Anschutz has himself built and promoted the Mobil Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond Resort over the last six years. He had the West building completely remodeled to mirror the Mediterranean architecture of the Main building, restored the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, expanded the Golden Bee and converted the Carriage House into COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

the Penrose Heritage Museum, enlarging it to include an interactive homage to The Broadmoor-sponsored Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

The Broadmoor also purchased Seven Falls and now the scenic area around it hosts The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure.

Thrill-seeking guests traverse the spectacular South Cheyenne Canyon via 10 zip lines, hiking trails, rope bridges, and a controlled 180-foot rappel that offers stunning views of the waterfalls below.

The resort has added distinctive lodging experiences. Large groups can now stay in a 12,000-square-foot five-bedroom “Estate House” across Pourtales Road from the Broadmoor Cottages that line the East Course’s 18th fairway. Atop Cheyenne Mountain, some 3,000 feet above the resort, perches the luxurious Cloud Camp on the original site of Penrose’s Cheyenne Lodge.

Down-mountain, in the middle of the Pike National Forest, Anschutz converted the resort founder’s personal retreat—the idyllic log cabins of the Ranch at Emerald Valley—into an epitome of rustic opulence and comfort. And 75 minutes west of the hotel, The Broadmoor now owns five pri-

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vate miles along the Tarryall River for Fly Fishing Camp, a private escape that pairs world-class angling with exceptional dining and accommodations.

Together, Cloud Camp, the Ranch at Emerald Valley and Fly Fishing Camp comprise “The Broadmoor Wilderness Experiences.” There’s no official “Broadmoor Golf Experience.” Then again, just playing the classic, meticulously groomed East and West courses—both of which combine holes designed by Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones—uppercases the endeavor.

THE EVENT To showcase the courses and tap into the resort’s rich golf history, Anschutz in 2013 worked with PGA Director of Golf Russ Miller to revive The Broadmoor Invitation, a premier amateur tournament contested between 1921 and 1995. July 23-27 will mark the fourth edition of the resurrected event in its new team best-ball format.

The resort’s grandest showcase will, of course, come next June 28-July 1 during the U.S. Senior Open. Not only will fans be treated to the play of competitors like Fred Couples, John Daly, Bernhard Langer, Colcoloradoavidgolfer.com

in Montgomerie and Tom Lehman, they’ll also be celebrating The Broadmoor’s 100th Anniversary. According to Championship Director Justin Belanger, each of the tournament’s four days will have a Colorado theme.

One will pay tribute to John Elway, the Broncos Hall of Fame quarterback who is serving as the Senior Open’s honorary chairman and could very well qualify to compete in the event. Another themed day, June 29, will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the grand hotel’s grand opening.

The Broadmoor anticipates 125,000 spectators and 2,500 volunteers for the Open.

Orchestration of the event is well underway.

The key personnel involved in both the 2008 U.S. Senior Open and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open remain the same. The Broadmoor’s PGA Director of Golf Russ Miller will again work closely with Director of Maintenance Fred Dickman and the Bruno Event Team’s Executive Vice President of Golf Doug Habgood, who is again serving as the tournament’s executive director.

The frequency of their discussions naturally increases as the Open draws closer, revolving around some 400 “to do” lists encompassing everything from organizing coloradoavidgolfer.com

25 volunteer committees to determining where Lyft and Uber drivers will discharge passengers to coordinating the 200-plus Lexus courtesy cars provided to players and their families.

“The biggest difference since the last event here is technology,” says Habgood.

“Back in 2008 and 2011, we didn’t allow cell phones. Now we encourage fans to engage on social media while they’re at the event.

The USGA has a big social media team.

They can respond to comments, suggest groups to watch depending on your location, tell you what happened on a certain hole. It’s all about engagement and enriching your experience.”

Technology has also increased the amount of television equipment required. In 2008 and 2011, NBC Sports had four trucks, Miller remembers. “Fox is bringing 15. They don’t cut corners. Graphics on golf telecasts have become so sophisticated that they need a tower on every hole.” Those perches aren’t necessarily for broadcasters; they’re for crewmembers to track the flight of shots in vivid color for viewers at home.

There are also “shooters” in the towers—USGA volunteers who laser the dis-

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tance each ball sits from the hole. The device instantly beams the data to the TV crew, which synchs it with an existing digitized topographic rendering of the green.

Seconds later, millions of viewers know the proper distance, slope and line of the putt.

For those attending the event, plans call for bleachers on the first tee; the fourth, 10th and 15th and 16th greens; and between holes 12 and 13, 13 and 14, and 17 and 18; and on the 18th fairway.

In addition to nine on-course concessions areas, food trucks will potentially park on West Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard, which will close and serve as a fan thoroughfare between holes six and seven and holes 15 and 16.

The stacked bleachers at the 16th green—the last par 3 hole—will also afford views of the 6th green and 17th tee. Adjacent concessions and restrooms will naturally increase crowd size. “That will be the rowdy spot,” Habgood predicts, “but it won’t turn into a Raiders game. Throughout the property we want the fans to enjoy themselves, and cheer loud for great shots in a family-friendly atmosphere.”

To that end, children under age 17 will July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

receive free admission with a ticketed adult.

A Junior Tent off the first fairway will welcome kids.

Plans also call for additional bleachers at the 18th green that will be set back to afford views of the first and fourth tees as well.

“Sometimes not having the gallery so close creates more challenging golf,” Habgood says. “It’s like a basketball player shooting a free throw when nobody’s lining the lane.”

What won’t be lining fairways are corporate hospitality tents. The Broadmoor has made available a number of existing structures for sponsor entertaining. Those include the comfortable Dow Finsterwald, Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones rooms directly above the golf shop (which will be open to the public) and overlooking the course, as well as the frontline of plush Broadmoor Cottages flanking the east side of the 18th hole.

1916

Planning his grand hotel, Broadmoor owner Spencer Penrose commissions DONALD ROSS, one of the country’s preeminent course architects, to design what would the be the highest golf course in the United States at 6,400 feet above sea level.

1918 After two years of planning and building, the Ross-designed golf course debuts with a July 4 fundraising match between the teams of “Long Jim” Barnes and Chick Evans against Jock Hutchinson and Warren Wood—the first three of whom are now in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Barnes—who won the initial two PGA Championships, the 1921 U.S. Open and 1925 British Open—served as the Broadmoor’s first golf professional.

1919 Scottish pro James Gullane succeeds Barnes as Broadmoor’s head golf professional.

1921 J.H. Potter of Colorado Springs wins the inaugural Broadmoor Men’s Invitation Golf Tournament.

Drawing many of the top amateur players in the country, the annual event runs until 1995.

Winners include future PGA Tour champions Lawson Little, Hale Irwin, Tom Purtzer, Grier Jones, Duffy Waldorf, Bob Dickson, John Fought and Willie Wood.

COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

“Our approach is to show off The Broadmoor,” explains Miller, adding that the resort’s rich golf heritage and culture of exceptional customer service dovetails with the USGA’s philosophy of holding exemplary championships.

COURSE PREP USGA championships are known as much for the challenges of the course as for the player who overcomes them. The Broadmoor is no different. In the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open, 2008 U.S. Senior Open and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, a combined total of only eight players broke par on the resort’s East Course. Over the last 10 years, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open at The Broadmoor trails only the 2010 edition at Oakmont for having the most putts and highest stroke average.

As they did in 2008, the players will compete over holes 1-6 and 16-18 of the classic Ross course, with holes 7-15 coming

from the layout Robert Trent Jones finished in 1964. The course will play at 7,256 yards.

Having worked on previous USGA championships with the USGA, Dickman, Miller and East Course Superintendent Michael Sartori know what to expect from USGA Championship Director Ben Kimball and Director of Championship Agronomy Darin Bevard.

So Dickman and his team will set about resurfacing and realigning the tees on all holes, tapering the fairways on numerous holes and creating three cuts of rough—a six-foot wide intermediate mown to 1¼ inches; a first cut primary rough of 2½ inches; and a second primary cut of 3¼ to four inches. “Also, the USGA prefers the rough to be inconsistent,” Dickman explains. “This way players won’t have the same shot every time.“ Dickman achieves this by the fertilization inputs to create varying degrees of density.

1942

On August 15, 4,000 spectators come to watch BOB HOPE and BING CROSBY play an exhibition with Ed Dudley and Lawson Little to raise money for war bonds. With Crosby’s recordings broadcast from the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, the Hope-Little team finishes all square with Crosby-Dudley, raising thousands of dollars in the process.

1935 Charlie Yates of Georgia, the 1938 British Amateur champion, wins the first of two Western Amateur Championships contested at The Broadmoor. The second comes in 1941.

1938 Golfers finally get a reference point while on the tricky Donald Ross greens, as the Will Rogers Shrine is dedicated on the side of Cheyenne Mountain.

Virtually all putts on the course break away from the shrine.

1926

Spencer Penrose founds the Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society and enlists TESSIE THE ELEPHANT as his caddie.

1927 Johnny Goodman, who six years later became the last amateur to win the U.S. Open, wins the first of seven TransMississippi Championships (1930, 1933, 1939, 1949, 1964, 1996) held at The Broadmoor.

1952 Jones’ new nine-hole course joins with nine original Ross holes to form new East Course. Nine remaining Ross holes become ”Back Nine.”

1953 Stanford University wins the first of five NCAA Championships contested at The Broadmoor. The subsequent ones take place in 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1969.

1941 Ed Dudley, a three-time Ryder Cup player, 15-time PGA Tour winner and the head professional at Augusta National Golf Club, becomes The Broadmoor’s head golf professional for the next 22 years.

1945 “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias wins the first of three consecutive titles in the Broadmoor Women’s Invitational.

1930 Scotsman Jimmy

”Big Blaster” Thomson, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, becomes The Broadmoor’s head golf professional.

1948 Robert Trent Jones, Sr. is hired to design an additional nine-hole course.

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1959

Ohio State University’s JACK NICKLAUS, who would become the greatest golfer of the 20th Century, defeats Charlie Coe, 1 up, to win the U.S. Amateur championship. coloradoavidgolfer.com

As Miller notes, hitting the fairway is essential on the East Course, where “playing from very dense rough grass to mostly elevated greens makes it very difficult to score.” Interestingly, though, Eduardo Romero and Fred Funk, who finished onetwo in the 2008 championship, tied for 28th in the field in fairways hit. Romero, however, averaged 324.5 yards off the tee, which led him to hitting a tournament-high 54 greens in regulation.

For the upcoming tournament, the 339yard second hole will only have one 3¼inch cut of rough, giving second thoughts to players who attempt to drive the green on this par-4 dogleg. “The USGA has advised shorter height around greenside bunkers—1¼ inches instead of 2½ inches—so the ball won’t hag up on the bunker bank,” Miller notes.

Per the USGA’s request to keep the bunker sand soft, in the weeks leading up to the event and before each day of competi-

tion, members of the crew will use mechanical rakes to spin the sand in every bunker and then hand-rake it. The week before and during the Open, 120 workers—including 70 volunteers from other courses and properties—work three shifts to ready the course.

The Broadmoor’s fiddly poa annua greens require special attention, both from those who maintain them and those who putt on them.

During the Open, the crew will aim for consistent green speeds between 10.5 and 11 on the Stimpmeter—any faster (such as the 14 at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont) reduces the number of potential hole locations. Dickman has the same people mow the same greens every day, and instead of the usual four to five walking mowers on the greens, there’ll be 12—“all new ones,” he explains, “so we have consistent equipment.”

Then, before dawn each day, the team is

THE 2018 U.S. SENIOR OPEN takes place June 28-July 1, 2018, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

For tickets, visit 2018USSeniorOpen.com. already mowing, rolling, watering and, if necessary, squeegeeing the greens. The fairways are all cut to a half-inch and never “striped.”

And how to negotiate the greens that two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer described as “some of the most severe and punishing I have experienced anywhere in the world”?

“Always keep the hole between your ball and the mountain,” Miller explains.

“This ensures an uphill putt, even if it doesn’t appear to be uphill.” Easier said than done.

The Broadmoor will set up its par-70 course differently than it did in 2008. Instead of a par-36 front nine and a par-34 back, par for both front and back will be 35. Hole no. 3, which played as a 601-yard par 5 in 2008—will play as a 541-yard par 4, and the 545-yard par-4 17th from 2008 will become a 605-yard par-5 eagle opportunity in 2018.

It’ll make for an exciting finish to four days of golf and a 100-year party.

2011

After shooting a three-under par 281 on the East Course, South Korea’s SO YEON RYU wins the U.S. Women’s Open in a three-hole playoff with compatriot HEE KYUNG SEO.

1960 The first of 42 consecutive World Seniors Golf Championships takes place at the Broadmoor.

1962

Behind BARBARA MCINTIRE, TISH PREUSS and JUDY BELL, Team USA defeats Great Britain and Ireland 8-1 in the Curtis Cup.

1963 Dow Finsterwald, winner of the 1958 PGA Championship and 10 other PGA Tour events, becomes the Broadmoor’s director of golf for the next 29 years.

1964 Robert Trent Jones, Sr. returns to design nine new holes in addition to redesigning nine holes of the original course, forming the West Course.

1967 Bob Dickson wins the U.S. Amateur by one stroke over Vinny Giles, becoming the first player since 1935 to capture both the British and the United States Amateur Championships in the same year.

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1976 Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay design the Broadmoor’s third golf course, the South course—later renamed the Mountain Course.

2006 Jack Nicklaus-redesigned Mountain Course opens, replacing the Ed Seay-Arnold Palmer course on the side of Cheyenne Mountain.

1982 Playing the South Course,

2014 After a 19-year hiatus, the Broadmoor Men’s Invitation is resurrected as a two-man-team match play event.

2016 In celebration of the

Juli Simpson Inkster takes her third consecutive U.S. Women’s Amateur by defeating Cathy Hanlon 4 & 3 in the final 36-hole match.

Colorado Golf Association’s centenary, The Broadmoor hosts a gala and honoring the Colorado Golf People of the Century: Judy Bell, Barbara McIntire, Will Nicholson Jr., Hale Irwin, Vic Kline and Dennis Lyon. A live interview with Jack Nicklaus headlines the evening.

1995 Annika Sorenstam wins

the first of her 10 majors by shooting a two-under par 278 on the East course to win the 50th U.S. Women’s Open by a shot over Meg Mallon.

1998 In the semi-annual PGA Cup Matches, the U.S.A. team defeats the Great Britain and Ireland squad 17-9.

1998 Russ Miller becomes the Broadmoor’s Director of Golf.

2005 The East Golf Course

returns to the original 1918 bunker design of legendary course designer Donald Ross.

2008

Argentine EDUARDO ROMERO shoots 67-69-65 on the East course over the first three days of the U.S. Senior Open en route to a four-shot triumph over Fred Funk, carding a six-under par 274.

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2018

On the occasion of its 100TH ANNIVERSARY, The Broadmoor hosts the U.S. Senior Open, the resort’s eighth USGA championship, on its East Course.

July 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

The Roll of Southwest Greens COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | July 2017

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The company elevates the golf experience at each of the Front Range facilities now in its portfolio.

By JON RIZZI

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, The Golf Club at Bear Dance opened in Larkspur and irrevocably altered the Colorado golf landscape.

Built and managed by Arizona-based Southwest Greens—a consortium of PGA professionals with expertise in golf course architecture, development and management—the exhilarating, 7,721-yard rollick through the pines 35 miles south of Denver became known for its reliably superb conditioning,

ver and two south—comprise the Southwest Greens Colorado portfolio. Together, they reflect what SW Greens Co-Owner Stuart Bruening calls “the Bear Dance Way.” “Our whole philosophy, even though these courses are in different price ranges, is to have them reflect consistently high quality,” he explains. “I stress consistency to all of our management. A golf course is like a restaurant. If you’re good and consistent—if

Riverdale Golf Courses, Knolls Course

The Golf Club at Bear Dance

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distinct and challenging holes, panoramic views and high-touch personal service.

The course quickly earned “must-play” status, and having a plush clubhouse that served as home to the Colorado PGA Section added even more cachet.

As Bear Dance’s reputation grew, so did the ambitions of Southwest Greens and other companies formed by its principals and investors. Among numerous initiatives—including the buying, rebranding and selling of Black Bear Golf Club in Parker—Southwest Greens acquired the management contract for Brighton’s Riverdale Golf Courses in 2007. In January of 2015, it bought Castle Rock’s Plum Creek Golf Club, and last September it entered into an ownership agreement with Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.

These four facilities—two north of Den-

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people can count on the kind of experience they’re going to get—you’re going to be fine.”

So what kind of experiences are people getting at each course? Let’s take a look.

GOLF CLUB AT BEAR DANCE, Larkspur Winner of four consecutive CAGGY Awards from our readers as the “Best Denver-Area Course,” this jewel continues to sparkle. The holes thread elegantly through mountainous terrain, framed by mature Ponderosa Pines, oak-lined ridges, draws and native grass valleys. Each hole hides from the next, leading to a final string that delivers views of Pikes Peak, Devil’s Head and Raspberry, Dawson and Larkspur buttes. A clear day reveals the Continental Divide and Longs Peak.

The course long ago tempered the severity of the greens that initially vexed even PGA members. They remain large, recepJuly 2017 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER

tive, true and quick. Years of heavy rains and flooding have eroded the edges of about 50 bunkers, according to Bruening, so renovations are ongoing. “We’ve redone about 20 and have another 30 to go.” None of the work affects play.

The “bear paw” bunkers on the par4 6th remain a signature, but the par-5 finishers on both nines are indeed the bears.

Operational excellence by PGA Professional Mark Pfingston, coupled with Head Superintendent Dave Cahalane’s meticulous course maintenance and Executive Chef Michael Hendricks’ dynamite new menu combine to set new standards.

And speaking of high standards, don’t miss the exhibit of PGA memorabilia (including Dow Finsterwald’s 1957 Ryder Cup bag) in the atrium. beardancegolf.com

PLUM CREEK GOLF CLUB, Castle Rock Less than 10 miles separate Bear Dance and Plum Creek, but a world of difference divided the conditions of the two facilities. That is, until 2015, when Southwest Greens bought the Castle Rock course out of bankruptcy.

Its management team, headed by Stuart’s son, GM Brock Bruening and PGA Professional Bo Heidrick and Superintendent Justin Fischer, immediately started giving the former TPC some much-needed TLC. “We set about an entire upgrade of the golf experience: the pro shop, customer relations, dining and the condition of the course,” says Heidrick. Reversing years of neglect and deferred maintenance, they repaired the parking lot and cart paths, improved the functionality of the clubhouse and have worked wonders on a Pete Dye

Signature layout beset by an anachronistic irrigation system and limited water supply.

This June they popped a new well and will put in new irrigation. Plans also call for redoing the desiccated driving range and downsizing the 33,000-square foot clubhouse to make it more feasible. A new restaurant concept will open later this year.

Meanwhile, the grill serves great burgers, wraps and beers. “It’s a work in progress,” says Stuart Bruening. “We’ve had a great response to what we’re putting back into the facility.”

The course, which annually hosted Champions Tour event in the 1980s, has had an appreciable uptick in rounds and tournament bookings. It plays between 4,828 and 7,044 yards. The railroad ties, pot bunkers and club-twisting rough that characterized “Penal Pete” Dye’s style remain but the course no longer beats you up. While still a challenge, especially on its final three holes, Plum Creek is eminently more enjoyable than it has been in years. golfplumcreek.com

RIVERDALE GOLF COURSES, Brighton Owned by Adams County and managed for the last 10 years by Southwest Greens GM Steve Bruening, Riverdale Golf Courses deserves its reputation as one of Colorado’s foremost public facilities and its greatest values. Nonresident walking rates max out at $49 for the Dye-designed Dunes course and $30 for the older, Henry Hughesdesigned Knolls.

The Dunes, which opened in 1985, has hosted the 1993 U.S. Public Links Championship and two Nike Colorado Classics, receives the majority of play

Colorado National Golf Club

and applause. Although nowhere near an ocean, the layout evokes the rugged, naturally occurring quality of links golf, with ubiquitous mounds, swales, pot bunkers, wispy native and water hazards all brilliantly sculpted by Pete and Perry Dye. The Dunes can play from 4,884 to 7,067 yards, the toughest 426 of which come on the signature par-4 15th, where water runs the entire length of a narrow fairway.

A recent upgrade in irrigation may have made the parkland-style Knolls more challenging than its celebrated sibling. “We’ve really improved it,” Stuart Bruening says.

“The fairways are unbelievable. There’s rough now. You used to be able to hit it anywhere. It’s harder to score on the Knolls than it is on the Dunes.”

Credit for Riverdale’s superlative course conditions goes to its Director of Maintenance D’Ann Kimbrel, a 33-year veteran of the course whom the Bruening brothers call “a star” and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame—which happens to be located at Riverdale’s impressive clubhouse— honored in 2014 with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to the stunning collection, Riverdale also houses a solid casual dining restaurant, golf shop and banquet facility. riverdalegolf.com

COLORADO NATIONAL GOLF CLUB, Erie Thirteen miles west of Riverdale, the latest addition to the Southwest Greens portfolio started life in 2003 as Vista Ridge Golf Club.

Six years later, University of Colorado golfer Steve Kerr bought the club, renamed it and licensed it to his alma mater to serve as the home course for both its men’s and women’s golf teams. Buffs memorabilia tastefully

Plum Creek Golf Club

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FOUR! To play one round at each of Southwest Greens’ four courses could cost as much as $341. For $219 you can buy the Mile High Golf Trail Fore Pack, which is good for one round at Bear Dance Plum Creek, Riverdale Dunes and Colorado National. It saves you up to $122 and is available by contacting any of the four courses. appears throughout the stately clubhouse.

Team members and Colorado National annual members can practice in a stand-alone year-round indoor practice facility.

While consistency has been a hallmark in the clubhouse operation—the club’s Masters Restaurant rates among Colorado’s top golf-course dining experiences—you couldn’t always say the same for the turf on the 7,676yard Jay Morrish-designed course, which sprawls across 232 acres of prairie and hosted the Men’s NCAA Regionals in 2011.

“It’s a great layout that needed attention,” says Bruening, who last September entered Southwest Greens into a “50-50 deal” with Kerr’s daughters. “Now it gets all the financial attention it needs. You always know the course is going to be in good shape.”

With more resources—including input from Riverdale’s D’Ann Kimbrel—Course Superintendent Jeremiah Stumpff has the course looking and playing better than ever.

“On the fairways and especially the greens, It’s the best I’ve seen it in the ten years I’ve been here,” says GM Matt Schalk. And you can see Long’s Peak and Mount Meeker from most holes.

“Colorado National is a spectacular facility,” Bruening says, “and it’s truly representative of our first-class brand.” coloradonationalgolfclub.com coloradoavidgolfer.com

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Blind Shot THE UNSEEN GAME

Storm Trouping AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, I love a challenge. This issue’s cover shoot presented one. I had the image in my mind’s eye days before we arrived at Cherry Hills. I saw bright sun coming in from the west with beautiful three-quarter sidelight filling in Brian Griese and Bill Mosher as they came off the iconic 18th green. But the sun forgot to show up for its tee time. Progressing on the back nine, the weather deteriorated in sequence with each hole. 10, 11, bad…12 (where I took this photo), worse 13, 14 worse still…By the time we arrived at 18, the winds had picked up, and clouds blanketed the sky and started spitting. It felt like a good day for sailing—something the umbrella on the light stand would have done had Jon Rizzi not held it. We had to work quickly, and thanks to the focus of Brian and Bill, two consummate gentlemen, we nailed the image in just a few clicks. Who needs the sun when your subjects shine? —E.J. Carr

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