The Front Forty

By Jon Rizzi

As early as 1878, shot-makers had already begun to frequent the land through which the Raccoon Creek meandered. They carried rifles, not golf clubs, and belonged to a hunt club started by the 1,280-acre ranch’s new owner, James Benton Grant—an ambitious Alabam ian with an abiding love for shooting and hunting.

A charter Denver Country Club member, Grant would make a fortune in mining, smelting and banking. In 1883, he became Colorado’s third governor—and in 1983, in Littleton’s Grant Ranch neighborhood, Raccoon Creek Golf Course opened with a Dick Phelps-designed layout commissioned by the governor's great-grand-nephew, Newell Grant, Sr.

Player’s Corner State of Play

joining the clubhouse that opened in 2018 on higher ground and with a much larger footprint than its historic predecessor. The structure’s deck serves up views of the red rocks and snowcapped peaks.

With four sets of tees stretching it from 5,122 to 7,007 yards, Raccoon Creek’s course brings water into play on all but three holes, starting with the par-4 first. Mature trees by the thousands provide shade and strategy throughout the round.

Scoring opportunities abound, particularly with no par 5s exceeding 545 yards. However, large bunkers protect the back-to-front running greens, and golfers trying to cut doglegs in search of eagles on holes 9, 10, 11 will well find themselves imprisoned by trees, embedded in sand or wet.

Raccoon Creek shows its teeth on the final four holes, highlighted by the par-3 17th, a 226-yarder from the tips (201 from the blues and 150 from the whites) that demands an all-water carry for any shot at birdie. A left bailout area can set you up for par.

The 17th might be the signature hole, but Rac- coon Creek’s signature spot is The Barn at Raccoon Creek. Located east of 10th fairway, the former golf cart facility was renovated in 2014 into a stunning wedding facility with groomsmen’s quarters in its loft and a bridal cottage adjacent to The Barn. The runaway success of The Barn, which annually hosts 100 weddings— and never more than one per day—“takes some of the pressure off the golf course,” according to Assistant General Manager and PGA Head Golf Professional Don Graham.

Other Raccoon Creek amenities include outdoor club-fitting with Greg Shakespeare, a firepit outside the clubhouse and an event lawn suitable for cornhole or bocce ball. A display in the main lobby entry area shares some history about the land and the facility, which celebrates its 40 anniversary this year.

Raccoon Creek Golf Course is located at 7301 W. Bowles Ave. in Littleton. raccooncreek.com; 303-932-0199.