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June 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer 21ColoradoAvidGol fer.com

player’sCornerCOURSES | LESSONS | GEAR

Ironbridge’s Next ChapterThe largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history opens this private course to the public.

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Receivership has its privileges—at least for golfers heading to Colorado’s glorious Roaring Fork Valley. A breathtaking gem in the now-bankrupt Lehman Brothers empire, Ironbridge Golf Club once commanded a $40,000 initiation, but currently costs $0 to join and

$298 a month in dues. Better yet, the public can play for $69 a round. And what a play it is. Located five miles south of I-70 on the road to

Aspen, Ironbridge sprawls across the riparian site of the old Westbank Ranch Golf Course, the rolling meadows of Rose Ranch and the lime-stone cliffs 500 feet above it all. The 7,224 yards in black on the score-card simply can’t express the enormity of the property over which this Arthur Hills layout winds, climbs, bends, breaks and bows. More than eight miles of cart path ribbon the course, transporting you to some of the most visually and tactically memorable holes in the state. On the front nine those include the 647-yard par-5 second (a strategically bunkered monster that’s a true three-shotter, even at 6,000 feet), the

lake-lined fifth and the par-3s on holes six and nine. But Ironbridge’s eye-popping glory begins after the long drive up,

up, up to holes 10-13, an otherworldly gauntlet that amounts to a Shangri-La of mountain golf. Playing over and around canyons, cliffs and ravines, the par-4 10th and par-3 11th present no shortage of pho-to and double-bogey opps. On the 467-yard 12th, the snow-covered face of Mount Sopris shines like a beacon as your tee shot parachutes 100 feet to a fairway leading to a shallow, sloping green. The entire 621 yards of hole 13 seemingly cling to the edge of the earth as your grip on par slips away. After catching your breath, it’s a good five-minute downhill ride to the denouement.

Thanks to the budget-stretching ingenuity of superintendent Eric Foerster, Ironbridge’s course conditions remain blue-chip despite the property’s distressed status. For now, with green fees lower than those at those at nearby courses, Ironbridge represents the best golf deal in the area. 970-384–0630; ironbridgeclub.com

TRANSITION HOLE: The 400-yard 14th eases the changeover from 10-13.

player’sCornerLesson

A Short-Sided PolicyNo green to work with? Setting your wrists is worth the rewards. By Trent Wearner

22 Colorado AvidGolfer | June 2012 ColoradoAvidGol fer.com

The author of the popular book, Golf Scrimmages and a Golf Digest Top-20 Teacher Under 40, Trent Wearner owns and operates Trent Wearner Golf Academy (TrentWearnerGolf.com; 303-645-8000) at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood, as well as scratchgolfer.org, a free game-improvement site. For more lessons visit coloradoavidgolfer.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

During a round you’ll inevitably find yourself on the wrong side of the green. By the wrong side, we mean the short side—the side where you don’t have much putting green surface between you and the pin. It’s a situation even Tour pros try to avoid, especially with the fast and firm greens on which they play.

But when they find themselves without much green to work with, there’s a safe way to hit a soft, lofted shot that can cozy near the hole.

setup• Play the ball in the middle to slightly forward in your stance.

• Shift your weight slightly to your left foot (right-handed golfer) and lean your upper body slightly towards the target.

• Open the clubface about 30 degrees

On the backswing, don’t turn radically with your shoulders. This will help set your wrists (Note: the deeper the grass, the more you want to set your wrists). On the

DOwnswing, allow your shoulders and hips to open up/turn. This helps create a consistent amount of loft through the impact area as well as a con-sistent contact point with the ball/ground.

intO the finish, sustain a line between your left arm and shaft. If you don’t turn, your wrists will get flippy and produce bladed shots, chunks and shanks. To avoid these foozles, strive to finish with your left arm and shaft more. (Although Tour players at times use their wrists a little through impact on short shots, you can only develop a feel for using them after having accomplished not using them.)

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ColoradoAvidGol fer.com24 Colorado AvidGolfer | June 2012

player’sCorner15th CLUB

YOu’re playing well. Then, out of nowhere, on the 13th green, you shank a short chip-and-run into a bunker. “I’m such an idiot! I can’t be-

lieve I shanked a chip!” you say to yourself. “What is wrong with me?”

Judging our shots is a very common reac-tion. The brain is actually biased in the direc-tion of looking for “what’s wrong” in practi-cally everything that we do. Pay attention to your own reactions and you likely will see this is true for you too. When you are judg-ing your performance, all you can see is what is wrong.

Avidya The next thing you are likely to do is go

into “fix it” mode and begin tinkering with your swing mechanics. Out of desperation, you might even text your pro for a quick fix before the 14th tee. When “fixing” doesn’t work—and it usually doesn’t—golfers tend to become even more judgmental and frustrat-ed. Performance suffers as a result.

Self-judging skews your perspective. It forces you to overlook valuable information

and compromises real learning. An alterna-tive to judging every shot is to become curi-ous about what just happened. When you’ve been chipping well for the last 12 holes and suddenly shank one, be inquisitive instead of self-critical.

. Did your mechanics really change all of a sudden or might there be something else go-ing on that would help you understand how to self-correct more quickly?

What we often overlook in our search for the answer to our swing flaws are the subtle changes in our thoughts, emotional reactions and/or body which could be affecting our swing or putting stroke.

For example, what if, after you shanked it on the 13th hole, you asked herself:

pedantic• What was different in the way that I approached that shot?• Did I rush through my pre-shot routine? Did my tempo get quicker?• Was I fully committed to hitting the shot that I chose?• What thoughts were going through my

head prior to the shot?

• Did I doubt my club selection?• Was I distracted? If so, by what (i.e.

score, playing partner, pace of play)• Was I focused on my target? • Have I fueled by body with water and food?Don’t underestimate the role these factors

play in influencing your mechanics and per-formance during a round. Judging yourself and your shots creates tension and anxiety, which inhibits your ability to swing the club naturally and in good rhythm. By adopting a curious rather than self-critical attitude to-ward your game, you have an opportunity to learn more about your tendencies and be able to get back “on course” more quickly. ag

Performance Coach Dr. Denise McGuire (303-902-5008; [email protected]) and Elena King, LPGA Director of Instruction, Experience-Golf at CommonGround Learning Center (303-503-0330; [email protected]) partner to deliver unique learning experiences that increase awareness of the mental and technical aspects of the game for optimal performance. common-groundgc.com

The Old Curiosity ShotDoes a foozle get your self-corrective gears turning or do the wheels start coming off?By Elena King and Denise McGuire

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player’sCornerGIMMes

Father Glows BestHow to make him happy this Father’s Day.

Am WayWoods, Mickelson, Nicklaus, Palmer, Jones—the list of

U.S. Amateur champions extends back to C.B. Macdonald, who won the inaugural competition in

1895 (then considered a major) and now has a course at Bandon

Dunes named after him. Cherry Hills Country Club will host the event

August 13-19, with CommonGround Golf Course as companion course.

Daily tickets are available at King Soopers for $17.50 and a weekly ticket

package costs $85. (Children 17 years and younger receive free admission when

accompanied by a ticketed adult.) 2012usamateur.com; 866-464-2626

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The chaussettes of choice for Bubba Watson and scores of PGA and LPGA Tour pros, Kentwool’s Premi-um Performance Golf Socks are spun from fine merino wool and high-tech fibers to breathe, enhance sup-port, eliminate blisters and boost performance—even if Dad’s longest walks are to and from the cart. Men’s styles include Low Profile, Tour Profile and longer Tour Standard. $20-$25. kentwoolsocks.com

Puff DaddyFor many men, golf is a good smoke spoiled. This discreet, personalized cigar case flask holds an 8-inch cigar and a shot of Dad’s favorite swing lube. The monogrammed set comes with a Zippo lighter. $46. humidorvault.com; 800-687-1586.

Traveling PantsAs timeless as a Hemingway novel, Mountain Khakis’ classic cotton Teton Twill works on the course, in the office or in the backcoun-try. Available in seven colors, these durable, relaxed-fit pants get better with every wash. $83. mountainkhakis.com; 866-686-5425.

Keepin’ It ReelGolf and fly-fishing go together like steak and potatoes. Yet packing a mix of gear is anything but appetizing. Reding-ton’s Crosswater 4 Piece provides angling equivalent of a Sunday bag. The easy-to-assemble, easy-to-cast, medium-fast action setup comes with a variety of weights and a pre-spooled reel. $140. redington.com; 855-378-9420

HackerTrackerAttached to Dad’s wrist or belt, the MotoAcTV-Golf Edition can track his game on more than 20,000 courses worldwide and measure distances to hazards and greens from the front, cen-ter and back. A virtual caddy keeps scorecards, clubs used and key stats. Dad can also stay fit by tracking total steps taken, distance covered and calories burned. $300. motoactv.com

Pin HighA ticket to next April’s Masters might not fit into your

budget, but a framed, authentic pin flag from last year’s event just might. $50. mmogolf.com;

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player’sCornerTHe GAMe

A Slope of 30 In 1982 the Colorado Golf Association began the revolution in the way we figure handicaps.

By Ted Johnson

NO banners will be hung nor toasts made, but the summer of 2012 marks the 30th anniversa-ry of the Colorado Golf

Association’s introduction of a unique method that aimed to rate courses on metrics other than yardage. In so doing, the CGA became the first association in the world to do use what we now know as the Slope System.

At first, “Slope” confused private and asso-ciate club presidents, PGA professionals and, most of all, golfers. Since then, it has become the dominant handicap system the world over because it achieved, for the most part, two key desires of golf administrators: Make handicaps more accurate for less-skilled players and, better still, portable.

“It helped everyone and it now it is used around the world,” says former CGA Presi-dent Warren Simmons, who oversaw the CGA’s institution of the system. “It just makes the handicap system a lot more fair.”

Prior to slope, golfers established their handicaps at one course. When those golfers traveled to other courses to play tournaments, the old system left a lot to be desired.

“If you were playing Open Flats or Pan-ther Mountain, it didn’t matter,” said Sim-mons. “The handicaps remained the same.”

Before there was slope, however, course rating had to be reconsidered. In 1975 Naval Academy Midshipman Dean Knuth had to create a project for a class entitled “Design of Experiments.” An avid golfer and a stu-dent at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Knuth approached the Northern California Golf Association to see if there was a better way to rate courses.

Knuth (pronounced kuh-nooth) visited courses and tracked where golfers lost shots. He realized that higher handicappers had trouble with obstacles – bunkers, creeks, can-yons, ponds, lakes, stands of trees – as well as distance. Better players, however, were able to carry many of those obstacles and thus record lower scores.

As Knuth built data on this project, it be-came clear that the handicap system was shorting less-skilled players, which is why the project was first known as Bogey Handi-cap. In a few years he built enough data and used regression analysis to come up with a course rating system that reflected the dif-ficulties for higher handicappers. The higher

the rating, the more difficult the course.The low 10 of the player’s last 20 scores

count for the index, and each score takes into account the difficulty of each course. For the 10-handicapper, a score of 82 on course rated 118 might create a player index of 10. Score an 82 at a course like Castle Pines Golf Club, which is much more difficult, could create a player index of 6.

Thanks to the Slope System, the 10 from Park Hill may have an “index of 16” when playing at Castle Pines. Moreover, the slope rating changes depending on the tee boxes. A “10” from the back tees at Park Hill might be an “8” from the shorter white tees.

“Which player would you want, one who shoots 80 on easy course or 80 on hard course?” asks Simmons. “The answer is the guy who has developed his game on the harder course. But in slope it’s the differ-ential. In slope, the player from the tough course might have a 5 handicap and the slope index for the other one is 12.”

Simmons says the CGA started by re-rating courses in 1982, a project headed by Byron Williamson, who passed away in the mid-80s. Once the new ratings were es-tablished, the CGA switched over. Simmons,

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30 Colorado AvidGolfer | June 2012

Beat the HeatCome June, the heat of the summer and infrequent natural rainfall can wreak havoc on turfgrass in our high desert climate. By Scott Ellis, Assistant Maintenance Supervisor, South Suburban Golf Course

Most lawns in Colorado consist of Kentucky blue-grass or some other species of cool-season turfgrass. By cool-season we mean that the optimum growing temperature for these plants is between 60-75 degrees. With the mercury frequently soaring into the 90’s and above, stress to the turf

causes problems such as thinning, increased weed pressure and disease.What to do? Think of spring as the time of year to nurture that great stand

of grass and summer as the time to help it survive. Here are some tips to help your lawn beat the summer heat.

1. Raise your mowing heights. Lawns cut at a height greater than three inches will develop deeper root systems and dry out slower than those mowed more closely. A taller canopy of grass also helps to shade the soil and prevents weed seeds from germinating.

2. Mow more frequently. A great rule of thumb is to never remove more than 1/3rd of the leaf material when you mow as this causes undue stress to the plant and can make it more susceptible to disease. Cool-season turf in Colorado will also naturally slow its growth rate as temperatures rise above 80 degrees, so the grass may not need cut as often.

3. Water deep and infrequent. Applying 1 to 1.5 inches of water to a Kentucky bluegrass lawn three times per week rather than smaller amounts on a daily basis will help to develop deeper roots and allow the canopy to not hold excess moisture which can result in disease outbreaks.

4. Perform an irrigation audit. Irrigation is a great tool, but like anything, it needs to be maintained. Check your sprinkler heads to make sure that there are no clogged nozzles, and if you have rotating heads, look to see that these are turning and adjusted properly.

5. Avoid excess fertilization. Even if it looks as though your lawn may need a shot of fertilizer during the summer, avoid this as summer applications will cause a flush of tender growth that will struggle in the summer heat. If you must fertilize, organic based fertilizer rather than synthetic will give a natural slow release and avoid flush growth.

6. Hold off on other lawn care practices. Practices such as de-thatching, seeding, and herbicide place unneeded stress on the turf and are best left until the fall when the tem-perature drops and the grass can better recover from injury.

We all know that the sum-mers in Colorado can take a toll on our turf, but hopefully these tips will help you to have a lawn that your neighbors will envy.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

a former physics instructor at the Air Force Academy and retired and living in Scottsdale, pushed for the transformation.

Living north of San Diego and recently re-tired, Knuth spent 16 years with the USGA and traveled 160 days a year to various states and countries to teach golf associations how to rate their courses, which then could integrate the slope system, which is part of the USGA’s Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN).

Simmons and Knuth both believe the system isn’t perfect. For starters, it still doesn’t rid the game of the dreaded “sandbagger,” the golfer who purports to be a “12” and then shoots 72 at a tournament.

The system, according to Knuth, accepts random excellence; statistically it is possible for a 90-shooter to score 72. However, if that “12” follows up that tournament score of 72 with a 76, then the handicap is adjusted imme-diately, sliding down towards 7 or lower.

Knuth credits that fault being able to post scores online, removing “peer review” from the equation. At most clubs, scorecards are signed and then examined by a committee to deter-mine authenticity. “The idea was that every-thing would be open for review,” said Knuth. “Now the personal computer takes that away.”

Simmons points out the “horses for courses” element in handicapping. “We always had to have a scratch rating for what the best player might do,” he said. “But that doesn’t really tell you where all the obstacles are. They may be more than 200 yards off the tee, but for the player who doesn’t carry the ball 220 the haz-ards may not be an issue. Move all that stuff to180 yards and the bogey player now gets in trouble off the tee.”

The solution, according to both, was an-other consideration in the index: long, short, wide, tight, sort of like fitting yourself at the shoe store. You’re a 9 but are you a 9D or 9EE? For rating a course, it may be long but wide, or conversely short but tight.

“The USGA thought that Slope was com-plicated enough,” Knuth explained. “That was just another factor to consider.” But we have learned it, accepted it and now use it. ag

Contributing Editor Ted Johnson carries a 9.4 handicap index at Callippee Preserve Golf Course in Pleasanton, California. For more stories and helpful information, visit Colorado AvidGolfer.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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Hiwan gOlf club will celebrate its 50th anniversa-ry with an August members’ party. Stories will flow like champagne at this hallowed

private club nestled at 7,665 feet amid the pines of Evergreen.

Founded in 1962 by Darst Buchanan (who would die before the course opened) and his three sons-in-law—John Casey, Robert Kirchner, Fred Gooddale—on the Buchanan family’s 14,000-acre Hiwan Ranch, the club hired Press Maxwell, who had moved to Col-orado in 1958, as the course designer. Press’s father, Perry, designed the greens for Alister MacKenzie at Augusta National, home of the Masters. In fact, President Eisenhower, a regular at Augusta, was among the first to note the similarities of the two courses—the pines, hilly terrain and fast, undulating

greens—when he visited Hiwan in 1963. This led to the Colorado Open—which

Kirchner started at Hiwan in 1964 as a fund-raiser for Craig Hospital—often being called The Masters of state tournaments. The Open took place the week before the Broad-moor Invitational in Colorado Springs, then a popular stop for older golf professionals and budding amateurs.

During the Colorado Open’s 28 years at Hiwan, you could see veterans Al Geiberger, Dave Stockton, Dow Finsterwald, Gene Lit-tler, Billy Casper and even Sam Snead. Col-lege players who became PGA Tour stars also played, including Hale Irwin, Steve Jones, Phil Mickelson and Corey Pavin (who stayed in Hiwan Superintendent Gary Rus-sell’s home off the 14th hole).

“Those years of hosting the Colorado Open and being able to get the field from

Augusta in EvergreenCelebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Hiwan Golf Club remains one of Colorado’s toughest tests of putting. | By Greg Henry

those premier players allowed Hiwan to make its mark,” says Kyle Heyen, Hiwan’s head PGA golf professional since 1985 and a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

While the Colorado Open gave Hiwan notoriety, the golf course remains the star. “One reason we brought so many people here was because of the golf course,” says Russell, one of the three longest tenured employees, since 1972. Perry Maxwell al-ways said 50 percent of the game was around the green so he invented the ’Max-well rolls’ emphasizing undulations on the green.”

Sam Snead learned the effect of “Maxwell rolls” at Hiwan. While giving a chipping lesson to members in 1986, he plopped a chip on the green, which quickly rolled off. “Now I remember how fast the greens are here,” Slammin’ Sammy reportedly said.

For all its attraction of high-profile play-ers, Hiwan’s most enduring legacy may be its devotion to junior golf. “When you have 600 kids at a club, junior golf is obviously the way to go,” says Hiwan President David Fowler.

Club General Manager Dan Sherman adds, “Most clubs are building a high wall (to keep people out). We’ve tried to be in-clusive.” Evergreen High School’s boys’ and girls’ golf and tennis teams play free at Hi-wan. Heyen and his golf assistants teach in-school lessons on golf to local schools.

Hiwan hosted the USGA Girls Junior in 1965 and the USGA Junior Boys Ama-teur in ’76. It also hosted the American Ju-nior Golf Association Junior from 2003-05 and the prestigious Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2006, followed by the Rolex Girls Junior in 2007. A year ago the Junior America’s Cup tournament brought the best male golfers from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Rickie Fowler, now a star on the PGA Tour, played in the 2006 Rolex event. Lexi Thompson played in the 2007 Rolex event, just 12 days after becoming the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open at age 12.

Dave Fowler (no relation to Rickie) read-ily admits, “Hiwan didn’t start as a family club.” One of Hiwan’s founding members was attorney Leo Bradley, who moved on to found the all-male Bear Creek Golf Club

MASTERFUL: Vibrant landscaping borders Hiwan’s par-4 opener.

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ColoradoAvidGol fer.com June 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer 33

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that, even after Bradley’s passing in 2004, refuses to allow females.

The family-friendly atmosphere at Hiwan grew with membership chang-es, Fowler says. “The swimming pool was put in begrudgingly in 1965. We changed with the community and if our members wanted something, we gave it to them,” Fowler adds.

Over the years what they’ve consis-tently wanted—and have consistently gotten—is great golf. Only 7,021 yards from the back tees—relatively short at 7,500 feet—Hiwan still challenges play-ers with its hilly terrain and lightning-fast greens.

“The golf course has proven itself over the test of time,” Fowler says.

An example came in 1984. The week be-fore his 3-over 283 won the Colorado Open at Hiwan, Willie Wood shot a 16-under 268 at the Anheuser-Busch Classic in Williams-burg, Va.—and lost by one shot to Ronnie Black in the PGA Tour event.

“The key to Hiwan is it’s firm and fast,” says Russell, who in 1989 replaced the green on the now signature par-3 12th hole five weeks before the Colorado Open was played on it. “That’s how this course plays its best.”

Perhaps the best story about Hiwan in-volves Dave Hill, renowned beer drinker on the course and four-time Open winner.

In 1982, Hill finished tied for first with a young Steve Jones, who was playing at CU. Before the playoff started on the first hole, Hill turned to his caddie and said, “This won’t take me long.”

Hill smacked his drive down the middle, hit a little fade on his second shot to within 10 feet and made the putt for birdie. Jones

made a 6 after his tee shot went into the pines. Russell recalls: “Hill took the check and went straight to the Little Bear. He didn’t even stop for the trophy.” ag

Greg Henry is a Denver-based freelance writer. Hiwan Golf Club is located at 30671 Clubhouse Lane, Evergreen. Initiation is $25,000; month-ly dues run $470. For more information, visit hiwan.com or call 303-674-3369.

A Run at the Ryder?Hiwan Golf Club made a play at hosting the 1971 matches between the United States and Great Britain.

On Feb. 25, 1970, Hiwan hosted the PGA Select Com-mittee and several dignitaries, including Denver Mayor Bill McNichols. The presentation booklet included cutout color photos glued to the pages. Only a couple of those presentations remain.

An “English Festival” was proposed at downtown Den-ver’s new Larimer Square honoring British guests and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Walter Annenberg, who later became a Hiwan member.

The dinner appeared to be a success, though Hiwan needed to make several course improvements, includ-ing an automatic sprinkler system and new bunkers. Then-club President Tony Tyrone believed the TV revenues Hiwan would share equally with the PGA would pay for those costs.

No one knew Arnold Palmer had also approached the PGA Selection Committee. Palmer wanted to host the Ryder Cup at his new course, Laurel Valley Golf Club, 55 miles east of Pittsburgh. Palmer’s notoriety trumped Hi-wan. Ironically, construction delays prevented Laurel Valley from hosting the Ryder Cup until 1975. St. Louis’ Old War-son Country Club was named a last-minute replacement in 1971 because Hiwan had not made the required changes to the course. It was the only time Hiwan attempted to host such a prestigious tournament. —G.H.

SWIM UPSTREAM: Hiwan is the rare “golf club” with a pool.

CASCADE OF BEAUTY: Hiwan’s par-5 2nd.

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SWIM UPSTREAM: Hiwan is the rare “golf club” with a pool. $79.95Only

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Golf CoursesRates starting at Available Tee Times

Weekend Play # of Rounds

Antler Creek, Falcon $28 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 11am Yes 3

Aurora Hills, Aurora EXCLUSIVE! $27/$29 Mon-Thur after 12pm, Fri-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 1 per season

The Bridges, Montrose NEW! $53 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 2

Broadlands, Broomfield $32 Monday-Thursday after 12pm 3

Buffalo Run, Commerce City $39 Monday-Thursday anytime 3

Cedaredge Golf Club, Cedaredge $35 Any day, anytime Yes 3

Colorado National, Erie $45 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 12pm Yes 3

CommonGround, Aurora* EXCLUSIVE! $40 Shoulder: Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 12pm Peak: Mon-Thur anytime

Yes 3

Deer Creek, Littleton EXCLUSIVE & NEW! $40 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 12pm Yes 2

Devil's Thumb, Delta $35 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 12pm Yes 2

Eagle Trace, Broomfield $26/$34 Mon-Thur after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 2

Family Sports Center, Centennial* $19/$21 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes Unlimited

Fitzsimons, Aurora EXCLUSIVE! $25/$28 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 1 per season

Foothills, Denver $33 Monday-Thursday after 1pm 3

Fossil Trace, Golden EXCLUSIVE! $45 Shoulder: Mon-Thur after 1pm Peak: Mon-Thur before 7am, after 2pm

Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 1 Round

Fox Hollow, Lakewood NEW! $44 Mon-Thur after 1pm, Fri-Sun & holidays after 2pm Yes Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 3 Rounds

Green Valley Ranch, Denver EXCLUSIVE! $35 Mon-Thur before 9am, after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 1 per season

Heritage at Westmoor, Westminster $40 Monday-Thursday after 11am Unlimited

Heritage Eagle Bend, Aurora $43 Monday-Thursday after 11am 2

Heritage Todd Creek, Thornton $40 Mon-Thur after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 3

Highlands Ranch GC, Highlands Ranch $43/$53 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes Shoulders: 2 Rounds Peak: 1 Round

The Homestead Golf Course, Lakewood NEW! $34 Mon-Thur after 1pm, Fri-Sun & holidays after 2pm Yes Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 3 Rounds

Indian Tree, Arvada $33 Any day after 12pm Yes Unlimited

The Inverness, Englewood EXCLUSIVE! $56 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 12pm Yes 3

Kings Deer, Monument EXCLUSIVE! $35 Monday-Thursday after 11am 2

Legacy Ridge, Westminster $45 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 3pm Yes Unlimited

The Links, Highlands Ranch $31/$36 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 12pm Yes 1 per season

Littleton Golf and Tennis Club, Littleton $27 1st Shoulder and Peak: Mon-Thur after 1pm 2nd Shoulder: Any day after 1pm

Yes Unlimited

Lone Tree GC, Lone Tree EXCLUSIVE! $44 Monday-Thursday after 1pm 1 per season

Meadows, Littleton $37 Monday-Thursday after 1pm 3

Meadow Hills, Aurora EXCLUSIVE! $30/$34 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 1 per season

PLAY COLORADO’S BEST COURSES:

ALL PRICES INCLUDE A CART†


53courses new

courses

5

Murphy Creek, Aurora EXCLUSIVE! $33/$40 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 1 per season

Omni Interlocken, Broomfield EXCLUSIVE! $55 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri before 12pm, Sat-Sun & holidays after 12pm

Yes 3

Pine Creek, Colorado Springs $39 Any day after 12pm Yes 4 per season

Plum Creek, Castle Rock EXCLUSIVE & NEW! $40 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun & holidays after 12pm Yes 2

Redlands Mesa, Grand Junction $63 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 2

The Ridge at Castle Pines, Castle Rock EXCLUSIVE! $50 Monday-Thursday anytime 3

Saddle Rock, Aurora EXCLUSIVE! $35/$42 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 1 per season

South Suburban Par 3, Centennial† (cart not included) $9 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes Unlimited

Thorncreek, Thornton $27 Monday-Thursday after 11am 3

Mountain Golf Courses1/1 - 6/309/1-closing Available Tee Times


Breckenridge GC, Breckenridge* $99 Sun-Thur anytime, Sundays only Peak season Yes 2

Eagle Ranch, Eagle $35 Any day after 11am Yes 2

Eagle Vail, Avon $55 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 2

Grand Elk, Granby $32/$37 Any day after 12pm Yes 4 per season

Grand Lake, Grand Lake $40 Sunday-Thursday after 11am Yes 3

Headwaters, Granby $40 Mon-Thur after 11 am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes Unlimited

Keystone Ranch, Keystone $60 Any day after 11am Yes Unlimited

Lakota Canyon, New Castle $65 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 3

Pole Creek, Tabernash $45 Sunday-Thursday after 12pm Yes 3

The Raven at Three Peaks, Silverthorne $65 Sun-Thur after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes Unlimited

The River Course at Keystone, Keystone $75 Any day after 11am Yes Unlimited

River Valley Ranch, Carbondale $65 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 3

Vail GC, Vail $50 Monday-Thursday and Sunday after 1pm Yes 1 per season

Golf CoursesRates starting at Available Tee Times


42courses with weekend play

15courses with EXCLUSIVEPassport offers

* Family Sports: 9-Hole Golf Course

* Breckenridge offer: Opening date through 6/30/12 (27 holes for $99); 7/1/12 through 8/31/12 (18 holes for $99, Sundays Only); 9/1- closing date $99 (27 Holes)

* CommonGround offer: Must be CGA or Golf Passport Plus member to get rate

* Mountain golf courses: Peak season (7/1 through 8/31). Prices may vary.

G O T O C O L O R A D O AV I D G O L F E R . C O M F O R C O M P L E T E D E TA I L S . 2012 Member Privileges. All rates include a cart. Visit www.coloradoavidgolfer.com for complete details regarding rates, available tee times, number of rounds and reservation policy. Tee time requests are on a space available basis to Golf Passport members and participating courses’ rain check policies will apply. The golf offers are good from January 1, 2012 – December, 31 2012, excluding holidays, special events, tournaments or closure to environmental or economic conditions. Mountain seasons may vary slightly. The Golf Passport is limited to one per person and is non-transferable. Prices do not include sales tax. Some courses may require a credit card to secure a tee time prior to play. If a tee time is cancelled, the golf course may charge for its discounted fee. Colorado AvidGolfer reserves the right to make reasonable modifications to the Golf Passport, effective upon notice by e-mail or first class mail to the Golf Passport member. A Golf Passport member may reject any such modification by responding in writing to Colorado AvidGolfer and returning the Golf Passport within ten (10) days. The Golf Passport member will receive a prorated refund. The Golf Passport member agrees that he or she is not entitled to any additional compensation. Colorado AvidGolfer disclaims all liability for damage or loss or property or injury to any person occurring while using the Golf Passport. The subscription expires with the Winter 2012 issue. One subscription per household. If ordered online, please allow up to 10 days for delivery of your Golf Passport.


BetssideFOOD | CARS

The Golf Club at Bear Dance

If you’re a regular at Bear Dance, consider yourself lucky. Executive chef John Daly could easily kick the golf gig and open a restaurant in central Denver, where he could strut his cooking bravado to a much larger audience of foodniks. But that’s not happening—at least not anytime in the foreseeable future. While Daly’s menu extends yards and yards beyond standard golf grub and overflows with cosmopoli-tan dishes that make you want to linger in the cozy clubhouse, his sandwiches are hardly an afterthought. In fact, from what we can tell, his combinations, which will continue to evolve throughout the next few months, are worthy of their own billboard. To wit: The seared, Asian-inspired ahi tuna, sandwich, seared and crusted with crushed coriander seeds and black pepper and elevated with a smear of wasabi aioli, fresh lettuce and rings of red onion. Also deservedly popular is the burger smothered with red or green chile (the verde, especially, is terrific) and the pesto chicken breast sandwich rubbed

with toasted almond pesto, balsamic drizzle and mozzarella on toasted ciabatta. Regardless of what you feed your mouth, you’ll go home happy, fat, full and determined to eat your way through Daly’s menu. 6630 Bear Dance Dr., Larkspur, 303-681-4653; beardancegolf.com

Cinque Soldi SalumeriaLeave it to Mark DeNittis, Denver’s heralded sultan of sausages,

to open an old-world salumeria that pimps many of the same hand-crafted, artisanal products he introduced to Denver two years ago at Il Mondo Vecchio, a manufacturing facility that ballyhoos the city’s best salumi. At Cinque Soldi Salumeria, a tiny gathering stoop in Washing-ton Park, you can get your fix of prosciutto, pepperoni, sweet coppa and hot Italian sausages—all of which are DeNittis’s delicacies—wedged be-tween bread heaped with good cheeses and all sorts of other toppings, like hot giardineria or fried or roasted peppers. The “wicked, awesome grindahs”—as they’re billed—will make you feel like you’ve won the lottery. 1284 S. Pearl St., 303-996-6400; cinquesoldi.com

Wicked ’wiches of the WestA subjective selection of the Front Range’s foremost sandwiches. By Lori Midson

A LOTTA CIABATTA: Bear Dance’s chicken sandwich with almond pesto and mozzarella.

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PARK MEADOWS8691 Park Meadows Ctr Dr

720-328-7402

AURORA2650 S. Havana303-337-1734

ARVADA7715 Wadsworth

303-420-0885

COLORADO SPRINGSMontebello & Academy

719-268-9522

LITTLETON8100 W. Crestline Ave

303-948-7550

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8691 Park Meadows Ctr Dr next to Costco & The Container Store.

Masterpiece DeliMasterpiece Deli is the kind of joint you

wish you had in your ’hood, but then, you’d likely be so be’wiched by what’s between the bread that the rest of us would have to hijack your table. This pretty sums up the scenario at Masterpiece. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, this Highland deli is arguably Denver’s best, thanks to its unassailable arsenal of high-quality meats, cheeses and produce, which result in towering marvels like the Cubano and the Greek. But it may be the skyscraping pastrami sandwich with housemade coleslaw, aged Swiss and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye that demonstrates why Masterpiece lives up to its moniker. 1575 Central St., 303-561-3354; masterpiecedeli.com

Vert KitchenAt Vert Kitchen, patrons always outnum-

ber seats, and lines often wind out the front door. But Vert rewards persistence with transcendent sandwiches like the tuna salad tart with lemon, herbed with chervil and smooched with Greek yogurt scented with cucumber. Owner and chef Noah Stephens makes just about everything in-house, includ-ing the roasted turkey, sliced thick and paired with marinated tomatoes. His BLT is stacked high with salty slabs of bacon that’s never floppy, butter lettuce, fresh mozzarella and those ethereal marinated tomatoes. Enjoy the sandwiches and equally delicious side dishes on the shaded back patio. 704 S. Pearl St., 303-997-5941; vertkitchen.com

Red Star Deli James Mazzio, a Food & Wine magazine

Best New Chef alum, can cook just about anything—and cook it well. But at Red Star Deli, the new food emporium he opened in the Icehouse in conjunction with Studio F—a professional kitchen that plays host to pop-up dinners and cooking classes—he focuses solely

on sandwiches, and the results are nothing short of stellar. Mazzio, who has endearingly acerbic East Coast personality, pays homage to “sandwiches that you want to run all over your face.” His BLT&E, stockpiled with five-pepper bacon, beefsteak tomatoes, butter let-tuce and egg salad, is fist pump-perfect. His Italiano, piled to the rafters with aged provo-lone, housemade giardiniera, beefsteak toma-toes, lettuce and five different meats, includ-ing capicola and Parmacotta ham, would fly Sinatra to the moon. 1801 Wynkoop, Suite 175, 303-226-9460; redstardeli.com ag

Lori Midson is CAG’s dining editor. Read more at ColoradoAvidGolfer.com and Westword.com.Jump on and follow us as well on Facebook and Twitter.

Masterpiece Deli

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Vert Kitchen


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Three Peaks Capital Management, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investing in securities involves risk of loss which clients should be prepared to bear. Our past performance is not a guarantee of future results. You may obtain more information about Three Peaks Capital Management, LLC, including its Form ADV Brochure, by sending a written request to Three Peaks Capital Management, LLC, Attn: Ashley Shockley, 3750 Dacoro Lane, Suite 100, Castle Rock, CO 80109 or call (303) 221-9499.

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sideBetsnice Drives

Amping Up the Action The radical Nissan Leaf holds its charge while Ford’s Escape gets a jolting makeover. By Isaac Bouchard

2012 Nissan Leaf SLPrice as tested: $38,270 before tax incentives

More than most vehicles, the Nissan Leaf requires we define its mis-sion. This 100-percent electric car will only suit a very specific set of buyers and usages; stray from those parameters and buying or judging it makes about as much sense as driving beyond its 90-100 mile range.

The Leaf is the first mass-produced, fully electric vehicle (EV) for the general public. It is brilliantly engineered, seamless in intended use, and pleasing to operate. It also engenders a very satisfying sense of frugality, knowing that running it can cost literally pennies a day (or night, as that is when recharging costs are lowest), and that it should require far less upkeep than conventional cars.

If you are one of the millions who only drives about 40 miles per day, this Nissan will meet most of your needs, as its range is about twice that. Since most families have another vehicle, the Leaf could happily serve duty as the commuter car. But there are other requirements, such as the

need for secure parking with access to electricity in the form of a dedi-cated, 240-volt source, which will almost certainly need to be installed by an outside contractor (there can be tax credits for doing so).

If those criteria apply, here’s what a Leaf owner will experience: They’ll get lots of questions about what they’re driving, as this EV looks sufficiently different from conventional cars. Inside they’ll find a well-constructed, thoughtfully laid out cockpit that’s comfortable and generally practical, though there isn’t a flat floor in back when you fold the seats, making it less load-friendly than the standard-issue five-door hatchback. Various screens display range and charge status along with info about what tunes you’re playing or where you’re headed.

The Leaf offers a cold-weather package with heated steering wheel and seats (cuts down use of the climate control, which increases the range) on upper models, and you can program it to pre-warm or pre–cool the passenger compartment while still plugged in. Charging takes up to 20 hours on normal current, and seven or eight with 240V.

The Leaf is a very nice drive, almost silent. Nissan has done a won-derful job of suppressing road noise, making it quieter than the Prius or Chevy Volt. It rides tolerably well, and handles a bit like a sports car too, with a low center of gravity and quick reactions.

It also feels quick, as its 24 kiloWatt hour lithium-ion battery makes its full 207lb-ft of torque at 0rpm, meaning punchy off-the-line per-formance for city driving, though the 0-60 time of 10 seconds is slow. Yet exploring its dynamic envelope will mean eating into its theoreti-cal 100+ mile range. Basically, everything you use—heater, A/C, power windows—is draining the battery, and shortening how far you can go.

Which can lead to fear of running out of juice, and getting stranded on the side of the road; this is known as “range anxiety.” Unlike what happened when you were a broke teenager and ran out of gas, how-ever, you’re literally dead in the water. So making sure you calculate your journeys and plan everything in advance is essential to the Leaf life. And often, the Nissan will tell you that you have a lot less range than you thought at the journey’s beginning, meaning charging up at some inopportune times or inconvenient locations.

TURNING OVER: Outside and in, the Leaf is electrifying.

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Ritz Carlton

©2012 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.

Let us indulge you head to toe with a Citrus Lavender Salt Scrub.

Let us ease away tension with the soothing warmth of a Colorado River Stone Massage.

Let us replenish your skin with our special High Altitude Oxygen Facial.

Let us allow you to contemplate nothing more serious than the aroma of your therapy.

Experience the bene�ts of a spa treatment designed just for you. For more information or to make an appointment, call The Ritz-Carlton, Denver at 303-312-3800 or go to ritzcarlton.com/denver.


sideBets

PARK MEADOWS8691 Park Meadows Ctr Dr

720-328-7402

AURORA2650 S. Havana303-337-1734

ARVADA7715 Wadsworth

303-420-0885

COLORADO SPRINGSMontebello & Academy

719-268-9522

LITTLETON8100 W. Crestline Ave

303-948-7550

5 CONVENIENT FRONT RANGE LOCATIONS

coloradoskiandgolf.com

EXCEPTIONGolf Balls20-Ball Pack

14.99Reg. 24.99

SAVE40%

Z-STARGolf Gloves

9.99Reg. 18.99

SAVEOVER45%

each3 for 24.99

THE SAME GREAT GEAR AND MORE!

Visit our NEW PARK MEADOWS STORE

8691 Park Meadows Ctr Dr next to Costco & The Container Store.

Leaf sales have run behind estimates so far, despite a $7,500 federal tax credit and a com-plex-to-calculate Colorado one that could be worth up to $6,000. The depth and breadth of engineering prowess demonstrated by this first-generation Nissan EV isn’t reflected in those sales numbers, and someday we may all look back on the Leaf as a groundbreaker.

2013 Ford EscapePrice range (AWD): $27,645-37,420

Despite being an elderly compact cross-over, the Escape is one of the class’s top sell-ers. This latest version—the first real redesign in its 12-year life—will attempt to dethrone the Honda CR-V as the segment’s leader.

While the Escape’s sleek new look may put off some traditionalists, Ford hopes many buy-ers will gravitate to the more carlike stance and flash surface ornamentation. Inside, few will complain, as the very techy look of re-cent company products continues, with lots of trapezoids and contrasts of color and finish—at least on top-end models. Downsides include seats that are tight for larger folk and the same

sense of cost-cutting shared by all Dearborn products: things such as shinier, cheaper plastics for the rear door panels than the fronts, and the use of real animal hide only on some parts of the “full leather” seats. But overall it is a better place to spend time than in the dumbed-down Honda CR-V or ancient-feeling Toy-ota RAV4. Only the Mazda CX-5 really beats it, with a greater depth of quality and more comfortable seating.

That new class entry trumps the Escape dy-namically as well, with better steering feel, a chassis that is as tossable and fun, and a more absorbent, smoother ride. The Ford fights back with torquier, turbocharged powertrain lineup of 1.6- and 2.0-liter Ecoboost engines that make for effortless progress (there’s a rental-spec 2.5-liter normally aspirated motor, but only for FWD base S models). The bigger motor is a stout puller, with 270lb-ft of torque, meaning the Escape can tow up to 3,500 pounds, yet it’s the little brother that actually surprises more, with an easy-to-access 184lb-ft at only 2500rpm, and up to 178hp if you run premium fuel. All are hooked to a slick six-speed automatic with a fiddly manual shift

button. Ford expects class-leading economy numbers (not available at press time) but in the real world, the CX-5 will probably beat any version of the Escape. But in Colorado’s thin air, the 2.0-liter Escape is probably faster and more fun to drive hard, than anything other than a V6-powered RAV4.

As an example of Ford’s “One World” pol-icy of devoting more engineering resources to fewer vehicles, the Escape succeeds in the range of needs it covers. If not best in class in every category, it is a very strong contender for overall honors. ag

CAG Automotive Editor Isaac Bouchard’s definitive book on car-buying is available at CarBuyingTipsGuide.com. Read his reviews at Nicedrivz.com and ColoradoAvidgolfer.com, and become a follower.

NEW LOOK: The redesigned Ford Escape

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