CP’s guide to golf courses around Boulder
It’s only late February and die-hard golfers are already visiting a private country club and hitting courses for some winter golf. With March rolling in soon, golf season will start kicking into high-gear in no time.
Boulder is fortunate to have a lot of different styles and types of golf courses in the surrounding area. Courses vary in design, pricing and difficulty. Anyone can find the right course to match their needs.
For golfers getting anxious to hit the links on a sunny day, here’s a guide to golf courses surrounding the CU campus.
Flatirons Golf Course – Boulder
Located seven minutes from campus, Flatirons is the ideal golf course for student golfers. It’s not the best course in terms of design because it is a very old course, but the proximity to campus makes this course great for students who want to get a quick round in.
Flatirons is also one of the cheapest courses at $18 for nine holes and $28 for 18 holes in-season.
Flatirons is a little torn-up right now, but it is definitely the greenest course for this time of year. Flatirons appears to have no shortage of water and the greens look good right now. The trees set this course apart from others. The trees narrow the fairways and punish golfers if their drive is not accurate.
The two signature holes are 11 and 16. The 11th hole is nice little par-3 with a creek and a bunker in front of the green. The bunkers are not everywhere, but are strategically placed in areas that will affect the average golfer.
The 16th hole is a 449-yard, par-four with a dog-leg left and two creeks on the left side. The creeks are located in an area where most drives land, so hitting the right drive will make or break you on this hole.
If you want to save a few bucks, check-out this course. If you are a better than average golfer, you should probably look elsewhere.
Coal Creek Golf Course – Louisville
This is a great course. For design and playability, Coal Creek is a step up from Flatirons.
“We’re not just selling you a round of golf; we’re growing your love of the game,” said Greg Nidy, director of sales.
Coal Creek is probably the most bang for your buck. It is more expensive than Flatirons, but the design of Flatirons does not even compare to Coal Creek. The course challenges golfers to hit over creeks on a lot of the holes.
The 6th hole is a 419-yard, par-four — a difficult tee shot with a small landing area gives golfers little room for error with their drive.
“Number 10 is probably consistently the hardest hole on the golf course,” said Matt Provo, head golf professional.
The 10th hole is a longer par-five at 563 yards. The golfer must hit over the creek twice. Water on the right side also creates a lot of problems for golfers who slice.
The signature hole at Coal Creek is 16.
“Our most fun hole, where people have come out here wanting to play, is number 16,”said Provo.
The 16th hole drops in elevation and gives golfers the chance to bomb a driver for some extra distance. The only quibble with the course is also the signature hole, which is located right next to the highway. This probably won’t bother some golfers, but it can be annoying.
Coal Creek is about 15 minutes from campus, but is worth the time if you are looking for a great golf course; you can also ride an Icon golf cart if you want to get in this location fast.
Omni Interlocken Resort Golf Club – Broomfield
This course is incredible and by far the best course in the Boulder area. The Omni has three nine-hole courses and each one is a little bit different from the other.
“The whole Omni Interlocken is more of a link style golf course, without trees and stuff. It’s more of what you would see in Scotland,” said Nick Perry, an Omni assistant professional.
The Omni is pretty expensive and probably out of many students’ price range. Costs range from $95-$130 seasonally for 18 holes, but can be worth it depending on your skill level.
The Omni’s most difficult challenges are the two long par-3 holes on the Vista Nine and the Sunshine Nine. The third hole on the Sunshine course is a 237-yard, par-three with a troublesome bunker. The seventh hole on Sunshine is a 470-yard, par-four with a couple a sand traps in tricky spots.
The Eldorado nine’s fifth hole is also one of the most difficult holes on the course. It’s a 580-yard, par-five laced with bunkers on the fairway.
The Omni is a 20-minute drive from campus. It is a very difficult course because the rough can be a challenge and not as fun for the average golfer. If you are a die-hard golfer, you absolutely have to play this course.
Check out these courses in the next few months and hope for some warm weather.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Kyle McDaniel at kyle.mcdaniel@thecampuspress.com