Just since 1980, almost 140 golf courses have opened in Colorado, comprising more than half of the state’s current course inventory.
But it’s not just the quantity that’s impressive. It’s also the quality.
The list includes such standouts as Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock (1981), Ballyneal in Holyoke (2006) and Colorado Golf Club in Parker (also 2006).
In fact, it’s safe to say that over the last three-plus decades, the state has had more than its share of stellar new courses.
And while local residents might be biased in saying as much, another national ranking of courses confirms that Colorado has certainly added more highly-regarded layouts since 1980 than is the norm for a given state.
Last week, Golfweek published its list of the best modern courses in the U.S., with the magazine classifying “modern” as opening in 1960 or later.
Six Colorado courses are included in Golfweek’s best 200 modern layouts. With 176 of those courses having opened since 1980, the Colorado venues make up 3.4 percent of that total, almost twice the norm for the 50 states.
Moreover, three Colorado courses are in the nation’s top 40.
Without further ado, here’s Golfweek’s rundown of the Colorado courses in the top 200, with the top pick in the category also included: 1. Sand Hills in Mullen, Neb.; 6. Ballyneal (pictured); 35. Colorado Golf Club, home of this year’s Solheim Cup; 38. Castle Pines Golf Club, where the PGA Tour’s International was held from 1986 through 2006; 124. Ravenna in Littleton; 131. Sanctuary in Sedalia; 188. Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction.
In last week’s top course breakdown, Golfweek also ranked the top 200 classic courses in the country, those opened before 1960. Colorado wasn’t nearly as well represented in that category, which included just two courses from the state.
Here are the Colorado courses in Golfweek’s “classic” list, plus the No. 1 layout: 1. Pine Valley in New Jersey; 86. Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, which will host the PGA Tour’s 2014 BMW Championship after the 2012 U.S. Amateur was played there; 190. East Course at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, home of the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open and 2008 U.S. Senior Open.
Golfweek also picked the “best courses you can play” in each state, and these were the Colorado layouts included, in order: 1. Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction; 2. Cougar Canyon in Trinidad; 3. Fazio Course at Red Sky in Wolcott; 4. Lakota Canyon in New Castle; 5. CommonGround in Aurora; 6. East Course at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs; 7. Devil’s Thumb in Delta; 8. Norman Course at Red Sky in Wolcott; 9. Haymaker in Steamboat Springs; 10. Bear Dance in Larkspur.
