CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS Forethoughts

The Importance of Proper Clubbing

By Jon Rizzi

The CGA

Why membership means more.

The Gallery

A Denver filmmaker’s Breaking the Turfgrass Ceiling debuts; UCCS axes golf teams; Kupcho wins SWOC award; incoming Evans Scholars; John Gardner

Blind Shot

The PGA of America’s new home in Frisco

Features 23

2023 Gear Guide

Golf-club technology is spawning clubs and balls that deliver ever-greater distance, less dispersion and more ways to be personalized to your specific swing and body type—as well as to course conditions. By Ted Johnson

56 An Instant Irish Classic

The rugged and remote St. Patrick’s Links finds itself in the red-hot center of the golf world. By Bruce

Selcraig

63 Clubbing Up

Even with prices soaring, Coloradans are joining private clubs in record numbers. Should you? Our annual guide looks at the costs, benefits and joys of membership. Plus, our yearly listing of initiations, dues,

56

PLAYER’S CORNER 37

Profile

Edel Golf, a legendary leader in putter fitting and club design for more than 25 years, gets a fresh start in Denver. By Andy Bigford

42 State of Play

Raccoon Creek Golf Course turns 40. By Jon

Rizzi

Side Bets

46 Fareways

Step up to the plates of Major League food options around Coors Field. By John Lehndorff

51 Nice Drives

Edel Golf’s SMS irons take shape at its new home in Denver’s Northeast Park Hill neighborhood. Photograph by Justin Tafoya/ Clarkson Creative Photography

The electric Ford F-150 Lightning and 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 meet the gas-powered Cadillac Escalade V and Land Rover Range Rover SE. By Isaac Bouchard

APRIL 2023 | VOLUME 22, NUMBER 1 coloradoavidgolfer.com

PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER

ALLEN J. WALTERS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

JON RIZZI

SALES, MARKETING & ADVERTISING associate publisher

CHRIS PHILLIPS digital marketing manager / content strategist

BRANDON KUSEK vp of sales & marketing

LORI PERRY business manager MATT HEMMINGS golf passport & special events manager

BRANDON EWING

ART & EDITORIAL art director

D.T. CAREL art director , avidlifestyle

BRENNA FARRELL editor -at- large

TOM FERRELL automotive editor

ISAAC BOUCHARD style editor

SUZANNE S. BROWN contributors

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