golf digest
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UnVailing Golf in ColoradoTRANSCRIPT
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The 131 yard17th at Red
Sky Golf Clubdesignedby Tom Fazio
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TRAVELJN VA LING GOLFFrom one of the best bargainsin the country to some of the bestN COLORADO mountain courses in the world
2012 GOLFDIOEST COM 8 7yVPHOTOGRAPH BY DICK DURRANCE
Golf DigestCirculation: 1679244DMA: New York, NY
City: WiltonState: CT
Account: 182500Date: 07/01/2012Pub Num: 80E80Section/Page: 87Page Count: 1 / 3
RefNo: ae4288© Copyright 07/01/2012 Golf Digest All Rights Reserved. Unlicensed Reproduction, Sale or Republication Prohibited.
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COURSE GUIDE
AWAYGAME
BOULDER
o o°DENVER 0
COLORADO SPRINGS
h CommonGround
commongroiindgc com 303 340 1520
~ Red Sky Golf ClubNormanredskygolfdub com
Red Sky Golf Club Fazio
I Vail Golf Club
vailgoifclub net 970 479 2260
Ravenat Three Peaksravpnatthrppppaks com 970 267 3636
GOLFDICEST COM JULY 2012 M
CommonGround is the companion course for the 2012 U S Amateur
Vailinjune feels like an intimate European ski villageeager to share its thawed out offerings with summerenthusiasts My golf agenda crossed creeks with anannual event called the Teva Mountain Games so as
the kayakers were cartwheeling in the ice coldwater to the crunchycrowd s delight I was navigating mountain courses in shortsleeves and a cart O I flew into Denver and before I made mywaytoVail I played CommonGround which is a formermilitary courserenovated by Tom Doak in 2009 One of the hottest shapers in golf
received no fee from the
course s owners the Colorado GolfAssociation and the
ColoradoWomen s GolfAs
sociation At that time Doak
was getting about 8750 000to design a layout We werelooking for a project thatwould allow us to give something back to the communityand that was accessible to the
average golfer Doak saysAs a result CommonGroundis one ofthe best courses in
the country for 55 or less seepage 92 and it s one of twocourses used for the stroke
play portion of this year s U SAmateur Aug 13 19 Only 20minutes from the airport it s
a must play ifyou re anywherenear Denver
Bandon Dunes owner Mike
Keiser recently said I don tthink anyone has created atrue St Andrews concept inthe U S CommonGround
feels a little like St Andrews
to me It appeals to touristscaters to locals with specialrates 40 encourages walking and is cultivating a caddieprogram In addition to Doak sdesign there are nine holes forkids CommonGround says itsphilanthropic mission is torepresent promote and servethe best interests ofgolf in thestate ofColorado
After a serving ofafternoon
winds and five tough finishingholes it was in mybest interest to make the two hour drive
from CommonGround to VaiPs
high groundAt 7 880 feet the ball never
went far enough to make thegame feel easy at the swankyand semiprivate 36 holeRed Sky Golf Club The 240members have their own
log cabin clubhouse at thecourse designed by Greg Norman but you ll check in at thecourse built by Tom FazioThe general theme of the Norman courses I ve played islong narrow and unforgivingConversely Fazio assists thehigh handicapper by build
ing receptive saddle shapedfairways That s not the casehere Red Sky s Norman ismore forgiving off the tee thanthe Fazio Both were in Au
gusta National condition andfeatured Masters fast greensEach day one course is opento members only The walk uprate for either course is 240and you can play both but noton the same day for 300 Youhave four days to take advantage of that deal which is morereasonable than the 85 breakfast ticket for two including
Golf DigestCirculation: 1679244DMA: New York, NY
City: WiltonState: CT
Account: 182500Date: 07/01/2012Pub Num: 80E80Section/Page: 87Page Count: 2 / 3
RefNo: ae4288© Copyright 07/01/2012 Golf Digest All Rights Reserved. Unlicensed Reproduction, Sale or Republication Prohibited.
amLOCAL KNOWLEDGEw
^y^ |i EXTREME SPORTSVail s a winter and sum
uJLa I mer playground for professional and amateur
athletes During the TevaMountain Games June
6 9 2013 you ll enjoywatching eight sports Including extreme kayakingand competitive slackllnIng which take place Inand around Va I Village
© ZIPITIf you want your own extreme sport go zip liningthrough 44 acres of trees
and along the ArkansasRiver coloradoraftlngnet With seven lines thelongest is 900 feet thehalf day away from golf Isworth the 90 mlnute drive
from Vail for the views and
value 79 for adults 69for children 10 12
CORDILLERA UPDATEWith Its owner and mem
bership locked in battleVail s high end Cordilleradevelopment has sufferedthrough court cases andcourse closures But the
Valley Course one of fourwill be open this summerto resort guests The par 71
egg burritos fruit smoothies Clockwise from top Arrabelle at at Vail Square had to offer The Tom Fazio design is a funVail Square the ultimate beverageBloody Marys and a 10 tip 36 room resort with 50 condo round of golfcart Red Sky s Norman Course
That meal was S30 more than options and European inspireda 55 twilight rate at Vail Golf bikers and golfers are wowed facade would satisfy the highest
at the Raven course at ThreeClub a perfect combination of by excellent food refreshing of lodging expectations roomssetting convenience value and energy and live music The best start at 189 per night The Peaks in Silverthorne 165fun You ll play shots along the meal I had was at Sapphire Res rooftop pool and Jacuzzis with It s more mountain golf withhighway Gore Creek and at the taurant and Oyster Bar which stunning mountain views are a spectacular backdrops andbase of 2 3 million acres ofna offered scenic outdoor seating fittingway to enjoy a day or end a friendly staff Almost astional forest Those 150 yard overlooking the wild water an evening The spa is as sweet impressive as the view from
the ninth tee is the all terrainmarkers are ski tips I walked it sports The menu is always as you d expect and the menuwith a friend and joined two lo subject to change but I ordered at Tavern On the Square is a bit beverage mobile which comescals who brought beer in carry a sampling of appetizers and gamey buffalo meatloaf grilled with a roll bar no governor andcoolers provided by the course couldn t name a favorite among elk lettuce wraps and barbecue two smiley servers
the sesame seared tuna nachos duck enchiladaA little more pretentious It goes fast and I drive it fastand a much more festive venue The town is named aftertempura asparagus fried arti says AlyWhittaker 24 I get
Charlie Vail who was the en into a lot oftrouble with the suchokes and avocado pancakesthe Vail Village is where you lldo most ofyour drinking eat I didn t spend a lot ofTime gineer who built the original perintendent There are a lot ofing shopping and spending in my room—a sign ofagreat highway through the area in tight corners and steep slopes
Whittaker served cold drinksIn what feels like a European golf trip—but I regret not being 1940 And as you re headedand an accurate assessment ofback to Denver off Interstateepicenter of social activity pe able to sample more ofwhat the
destrians paddlers climbers recently renovatedArrabelle 70 I d suggest agetaway round golf in Colorado matt ginella
GOLFDIGEST COM
Golf DigestCirculation: 1679244DMA: New York, NY
City: WiltonState: CT
Account: 182500Date: 07/01/2012Pub Num: 80E80Section/Page: 87Page Count: 3 / 3
RefNo: ae4288© Copyright 07/01/2012 Golf Digest All Rights Reserved. Unlicensed Reproduction, Sale or Republication Prohibited.