In two appearances — six rounds — of playing in the Golfweek Conference Challenge at the Fazio layout, Weinstein has posted scores including a 68, a 66 and a 64.

That 8-under-par 64 — her best round as a college player and a program record at the University of Denver — came in Wednesday’s final round of this year’s Conference Challenge and led to her best individual finish since transferring from Regis to DU in the summer of 2017.

Weinstein, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Girls Player of the Year in 2015 and ’16, placed third Wednesday at Red Sky with a 10-under-par 206 total for three rounds. That left the junior (left in a DU photo) behind only two UCLA players — champion Mariel Galdiano (203) and Patty Tavatanakit (205) — in the Pioneers’ season opener.

Weinstein, a U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier this year and the CGA Women’s Match Play runner-up, closed out the tournament with an eagle on the 542-yard second hole — her 18th — after earlier making seven birdies and a bogey. The 64 was the low round of the tournament.

Weinstein led DU to a third-place finish in the 18-team event that the Pioneers won last year. They ended up at 9 over par, 41 shots behind champion UCLA.

Women’s Golfweek Conference Challenge
Sept. 24-26 2018 at Par-72 Fazio Course (final) at Red Sky GC in Wolcott
3. (out of 18 teams) Denver 293-295-285–873
3. Mary Weinstein 68-74-64–206
19. Sophie Newlove 70-76-72–218
32. Alyson Bean 78-72-74–224
40. Camille Enright 79-73-75–227
79. Alison Armstrong 77-85-76–238
Competing Only As Individual
32. Trussy Li 77-72-75–224

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

The East Course at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs will do the honors during the resort’s 100th anniversary year as the U.S. Senior Open pays a visit the week of June 25-July 1.

That East Course (pictured) — site of two U.S. Women’s Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens (including next year’s) and a U.S. Amateur — has long been a highly regarded layout, besides being a historic one.

That was reaffirmed this week when Golfweek magazine published a couple of its top courses in the country lists.

The Broadmoor’s East Course has been a fixture on Golfweek’s Top 100 Resort Courses in the U.S., and this month was no exception. The East was ranked 55th on this year’s list, which was headed by the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

All told, seven Colorado-based courses were among those recognized this week in Golfweek’s Top 100 lists. Five were among the Top 100 Residential Courses in the U.S., including two in the top 10: Colorado Golf Club in Parker, which moved up to No. 4 in the nation this year; and Castle Pines Golf Club (No. 9), which hosted the PGA Tour’s International for 21 years beginning in 1986.

Here’s the rundown of the Colorado courses recognized by Golfweek this week, plus the No. 1-ranked course nationally in each category:

Golfweek’s Top 100 Resort Courses in U.S.
1. Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.
55. Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course) in Colorado Springs (Donald Ross/Robert Trent Jones Sr. design)
76. Red Sky Golf Club (Fazio Course) in Wolcott (Tom Fazio design)

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

Golfweek’s Top 100 Residential Courses in U.S. 
1. Wade Hampton Club in Cashiers, N.C.
4. Colorado Golf Club in Parker (Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design)
9. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Pines (Jack Nicklaus design)
23. The Glacier Club in Durango (Arthur Hills design)
54. The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction (Jim Engh design)
63. The Club at Ravenna in Littleton (Jay Morrish design)

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

In addition, Golf.com selected its Best New Courses of 2017, and the 12-hole Mulligan Course — designed by Tom Doak — at Ballyneal in Holyoke received a “special citation” mention under the “Spectacular New Short Courses” section.

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

When John Ogden shook hands with playoff opponent Rick Cole after winning the Colorado PGA Professional Championship on Wednesday, he did so gingerly with his left hand.

That seemed only fitting given that the two professionals who squared off for the title are seniors by PGA tournament standards, with many of the ailments and maladies that come with age.

In Ogden’s case, his right elbow has been giving him fits, so he had to improvise — both with the handshake and with his swing at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott.

But in spite of their age — Ogden is 50 and Cole 64 — the two finished atop the leaderboard at the Colorado PGA’s biggest tournament of the year, ahead of a field that included plenty of guys in their 20s and 30s. In fact, had Cole won, Colorado PGA records indicate he would have been the oldest champion in this event, by far, and the tournament dates back to 1958.

“The gray-haired guys, that was pretty good,” Ogden said with a smile afterward. “But Rick’s got a few more years than me on the gray hairs.”

But the “seniors make good” theme didn’t stop with Ogden and Cole. The top dozen finishers included seven pros who are 50 and older. Besides Ogden and Cole, there was three-time champion Doug Rohrbaugh (55), Barry Milstead (50), former PGA Tour player Larry Rinker (60), Paul Lobato (54) and three-time winner Bill Loeffler (61).

“I think the seniors definitely had the advantage in the tournament,” Cole said. “We’re hitting drivers on some of the holes (where younger players) are hitting 4-irons and 5-irons and 3-woods. I think that was an equalizer on this golf course, to be honest with you.”

Appropriately enough, being the PGA head professional at Cherry Hills Country Club for the last decade, Ogden (above and left) earned a trophy on Wednesday that bears the name of Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Ralph “Rip” Arnold, who himself served as the head pro at Cherry Hills. Also for being the best of the bunch this week at the Fazio Course at Red Sky, Ogden received the $8,000 first prize — and promptly announced that he was donating half of that total to the Colorado PGA REACH Foundation.

“That’s such a great foundation,” he said. “I’ve sat on that foundation board in years past. I think it’s the right thing to do. Money is money. It’s nice, but I just like to compete. I’ve never been about winning money or anything like that. I’ve been very blessed in my life and my profession, so anything I can do to help out, I’m happy to help out.”

Despite his right elbow issues — which he said might eventually require surgery — Ogden had what it took to claim this title for the first time. But, again, he had to improvise.

“I usually play right-hand (dominant), and I played left-armed this week,” he said.

“When you play left-armed, it’s kind of like old school. When I was a kid I took some lessons from Stan Thirsk, who was Tom Watson’s instructor. I kind of went back to some of those thoughts and had some of those images of those lessons with Stan. All I was doing was letting my arm get up vertical and letting my left arm pass. I kind of had an image of Tom Watson in my head too.”

And that did the job for Ogden. He hit a 400-yard drive on the downhill par-5 final hole in regulation and two-putted from 20 feet for birdie to force a playoff with Cole, then won in sudden death on the same hole with a bogey.

Ogden shot a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday to post a 4-under 212 total.

Cole, the PGA head pro at Eaton Country Club for the last 32 years, also checked in at that figure after finishing birdie-birdie. He nearly aced the 156-yard 17th hole, then two-putted from 30 feet to close out regulation. His 67 was Wednesday’s best round by two strokes.

Kirk Trowbridge of the MetaGolf Learning Center finished tied for third at 213 after leading early on the back nine on Wednesday. After making an eagle and two birdies on the front side and shooting a 4-under 32, his Waterloo came on the par-4 13th hole. There, he lost two balls — one right off his tee shot and one over the green when the wind shifted as he was hitting his approach — and he had to sink a 6-foot putt for a triple bogey.

Still, Trowbridge would have been part of the playoff had he sunk his 6-foot eagle putt on 18, but he missed and settle for birdie. His 70 put him at 213, one back of Ogden and Cole.

Asked if he was playing “what-if” after what happened on the 13th hole, Trowbridge said no. “I also made an eagle and a couple of birdies early on, so that’s golf, right? I’m happy. I probably managed my game this week better than maybe ever.”

Sharing third place at 213 with Trowbridge was 2016 champion Geoff Keffer from the Greater Golfer Development Center at Park Hill. Keffer had a one-birdie, one-bogey final day and shot 72.

Rohrbaugh, who’s believed to be the oldest winner of the tournament when he claimed the title in 2015 at age 53, placed fifth on Wednesday at 215 after carding a final-round 71.

The playoff on the 18th hole wasn’t pretty — as both participants readily admitted — but Ogden posted a bogey to win, while Cole made a double bogey. It was a far cry from their birdies in regulation, but both players paid the price for their tee shots.

Ogden thought his drive was as good as the one he hit in regulation on the hole, but it bounced into the environmentally sensitive area right of the rough and he was forced to take a penalty. Cole (left), usually a fixture in the fairway off the tee, double-crossed his drive and his ball shot left and “onto somebody’s back patio, but there’s no out of bounds stakes,” he noted. If Cole’s memory serves, it was just his second missed fairway of the entire tournament, though he hadn’t seen the course before Monday’s first round.

After the awry drive, “I thought I hit a perfect shot out of there,” Cole said. “I see a ball down there in the middle of the fairway — which was my provisional; I forgot I hit a provisional because I’m kind of old — so I’m thinking, ‘What a shot.’ But somebody comes down and says, ‘Rick, your ball went into a hazard’ (on the right side, where Ogden had hit his tee shot). I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Really?’ It hit really, really hard and bounced into the hazard. So I took a drop, and it was (all but done) at that point because John was greenside in three.”

Ogden was indeed laying 3 in a greenside bunker. And after Cole hit a 7-iron to just short of the green and a pitch that ended up 18 feet shy of the cup, Ogden blasted to about 20 feet. He two-putted for bogey and Cole did likewise for double bogey and that was the tournament.

“I didn’t see this one coming,” Ogden said of the victory. “I’ve got a messed-up right elbow. And I haven’t played very good in the last month. I didn’t play good last week at the Smith-Cole (at Cherry Hills). And at 50, I thought my days of (possibly) winning this, those times were past. But you just never know.

“This means the world. It’s probably the biggest victory of my professional career, that’s for sure,” added the former University of Kansas golfer, who once beat John Daly to win the Missouri Open. “I don’t win much, so this might be No. 1 (of his career overall). Who knows? It’ll mean a lot to my family and to my club and my staff.

“Winning is hard to do, especially in our Section where we have great players. At the (Colorado PGA) Senior Championship a few weeks ago, I shot 3 under and just got it handed to me.”

Meanwhile, Cole came ever so close to winning the Section’s top championship as a 64-year-old, which would have set the new age standard in the event by 11 years.

“I don’t even think about it to be honest with you,” he said of the age factor. “I’m just happy with the way I played, happy with the way I putted.

“I’ve got the points lead (among seniors in the Section). I thought if I could just make a good showing in this tournament I might win the points championship on the senior end of it. My goal honestly was to make the cut and get some more points on (his senior challengers). I really accomplished my goal in that regard. And I managed my game probably as well as I have all year.”

Thanks to their performances at the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, eight players qualified for the 2018 national PGA Professional Championship, set for June 17-20 at Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, Calif.

Advancing to that event were Ogden, Cole, Trowbridge (left), Keffer, Rohrbaugh, Jack Allen of Heritage Eagle Bend, Micah Rudosky of Conquistador and Barry Milstead of Valley. Allen, Rudosky and Milstead tied for sixth place on Wednesday along with Rinker, the director of instruction at Red Sky who isn’t eligible to compete at the national championship.

For Cole, it will be the first national PGA Professional Championship he’s qualified for since 1987.

“I figured there was no chance,” he said. “So to go out there is an awesome privilege.”

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 11-13, 2017 (final) at Par-72 Fazio Course at Red Sky GC in Wolcott
Top Finishers
1. John Ogden (won playoff on first extra hole) 72-70-70–212
2. Rick Cole 70-75-67–212
T3. Kirk Trowbridge 74-69-70–213
T3. Geoff Keffer 70-71-72–213
5. Doug Rohrbaugh 72-72-71–215
T6. Jack Allen 75-72-69–216
T6. Micah Rudosky 77-69-70–216
T6. Barry Milstead 71-72-73–216
T6. Larry Rinker 71-70-75–216
10. Paul Lobato 76-70-72–218

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

Keffer (pictured), from the Greater Golfer Development Center at Park Hill, is tied for the top spot after Tuesday’s second round with former PGA Tour player Larry Rinker of Red Sky and Derek Rush from Cherry Hills Country Club. All three sit at 3-under-par 141 through 36 holes at the Fazio Course.

But plenty of players still have a chance at the title as 19 contestants are either leading or within five strokes of the top spot going into Wednesday’s final round.

Keffer, the 2016 champion, fired a 1-under-par 71 while making five birdies on Tuesday.

Rinker, a 60-year-old who has made 525 starts on the PGA Tour, shot a second-round 70 at his home facility, chalking up four birdies on Tuesday.

And Rush, the first-round leader, posted a second-round 74, also after making four birdies.

John Ogden, Rush’s boss at Cherry Hills, sits in fourth place, a stroke back of the leaders, after a 70 on Tuesday.

Three-time champion Bill Loeffler from The Links Golf Course, at 61 years old remains very much in the hunt at 1-under 143, along with Barry Milstead of Valley Country Club, Kirk Trowbridge of the MetaGolf Learning Center and Mike Swan of Crested Butte. Swan had the best score of round 2, a 67.

Three-time winner Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge and fellow former champ Mike Northern share ninth place at even-par 144.

The field was cut to the low 51 players and ties after round 2, with everyone at 154 or better advancing to Wednesday.

Eight players will earn spots in the 2018 national PGA Professional Championship based on their performance at Red Sky.

For scores from the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, CLICK HERE.

In fact, in the 43-year period from 1972 through 2014, there’s was only one year (2007) that Colorado didn’t host at least one event that fell into the aforementioned category.

The LPGA Tour held tournaments in the state for 16 consecutive years beginning in 1972. The Senior/Champions Tour had a six-year run in Colorado beginning in 1982. And the PGA Tour visited annually from 1986-2006 thanks to The International at Castle Pines Golf Club. In addition, there were numerous USGA championships and other big events held in the Centennial State during that time span.

And since The International exited, Colorado has hosted the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2008, the 2009 Palmer Cup (a Ryder Cup-like competition for the best college players), the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2012 U.S. Amateur, the 2013 Solheim Cup and Junior Solheim Cup, and the 2014 BMW Championship.

But since September 2014, the state has experienced a bit of a lull in hosting major spectator golf competitions in the state — the kind that draw national or even international attention. That will continue in 2017, but a couple of USGA championships are on the horizon, with the 2018 U.S. Senior Open coming to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and Colorado Golf Club in Parker hosting the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2019.

However, that certainly doesn’t mean the almost four-year period from the 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club to the 2018 U.S. Senior Open has been/will be without significant golf events in Colorado. Last year, for instance, the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s national championships were held in the Centennial State along with the first four majors in Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado history, and in 2015 Colorado hosted the 100th CWGA Match Play and the Women’s Pac-12 Conference Championships.

Which brings us to 2017. What will the new year hold for golf fans and competitors in the way of significant new, different or otherwise notable events? Here’s a brief rundown:

— Pac-12 Tourney Coming to Boulder: For the first time since 1972, the University of Colorado will host a men’s golf conference championship as the Pac-12 meet comes to Boulder Country Club April 28-30. BCC hosted the women’s Pac-12 tournament in 2015.

The Pac-12 has traditionally been one of the top men’s golf conferences in the nation, winning four national team titles since 2004, including Oregon claiming the crown last spring. The Ducks will defend their title this year, almost certainly with Colorado’s own Wyndham Clark in the lineup.

Going into the spring portion of the college schedule, five Pac-12 teams are ranked among the top 30 in the nation, according to Golfweek: USC (sixth), Stanford (eighth), Colorado (24th), Oregon (28th) and Arizona State (30th).

— High-Country Golf: Both the CGA and the Colorado PGA will hold major championships in the mountains this year.

The 81st CGA Amateur is set for Aug. 3-6 at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards, west of Vail, marking the first time the tournament has been contested in the mountains since 2003, when Kane Webber won at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale. Meanwhile, the Colorado PGA Professional Championship will be hosted by Red Sky Golf Club at the Fazio Course in Wolcott Sept. 11-13.

Other 2017 CGA championships scheduled for the mountains are the Parent/Child (June 3-4 at Frost Creek Ranch & Club in Eagle) and the Mid-Amateur (Sept. 8-10 at Keystone Ranch Golf Course).

The CWGA also will on the Western Slope or in the mountains for several events in 2017: the Brassie Championship at Rifle Creek Golf Course Aug. 5-6; the Chapman Championship at Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne Sept. 16-17; the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur qualifying at Pole Creek Golf Club in Tabernash Aug. 1; and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur qualifying at Vail Golf Club Aug. 28.

The CWGA two-person Chapman Championship, by the way, is returning after a one-year hiatus.

As for the biggest CGA championships, in addition to the Amateur at Sonnenalp, the 117th Match Play is set for June 19-23 at The Club at Ravenna in Littleton.

On the CWGA side, the Stroke Play is scheduled for June 19-21 at Lone Tree Golf Club and the 102nd Match Play for July 17-20 at Buffalo Run in Commerce City.

Overall, the first CGA championship of 2017 will be the Senior Four-Ball May 1-3 at Broadland Golf Course in Broomfield. The CWGA will open with the Mashie June 6-8 at Todd Creek in Thornton and Saddleback in Firestone.

— USGA Qualifiers: Colorado once again will host two final-stage qualifying tournaments for USGA open championships.

U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying is scheduled for May 24 at Riverdale Dunes in Brighton, while U.S. Senior Open Qualifying is planned for June 8 at Meadows Golf Club in Littleton.

And while no final-stage qualifiers for the U.S. Open are set in Colorado, the state will host three Local Qualifiers: May 8 at Heritage at Westmoor, May 15 at CommonGround and May 16 at Collindale.

— Colorado Open Championships: This year’s schedule for the CoBank Colorado Open Championships at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver will be similar to last year’s, with the Senior Open set for May 31-June 2, the Open scheduled for July 20-23, and the Women’s Open planned for Aug. 30-Sept. 1.

— Junior Golf: On the junior golf end of things, not all the sites for the four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major championships have been set, but Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy will be a host for a JGAC major for the second time in two years.

Here’s the JGAC major schedule as it stands:

June 12-14 — Colorado Junior PGA Championship, Eisenhower GC

July 10-12 — Colorado Junior Amateur Championship, site TBD

July 31-Aug. 2 — Colorado Junior Match Play, Black Bear GC

Oct. 7-8 — JGAC Tour Championship, site TBD

Meanwhile, Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster will be the new host of the AJGA Transamerica / Hale Irwin Colorado Junior June 6-8, beginning at least a three-year run at the course.

— Winter Events: While the statewide tournament golf season won’t begin until spring, there are several significant events in the interim that can serve to whet the appetite.

The Denver Golf Expo will be held Feb. 10-12 at the Denver Mart. The G4 Summit, which brings together many of the leaders in the Colorado golf industry to hear about and discuss key issues facing the game, is set for Feb. 21 at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield. And the CWGA’s annual meeting is scheduled for March 4 at the Inverness Hotel & Conference Center in Englewood.
 

After finishing third in 2014 and fourth last year, the Pioneers placed second out of 18 teams Friday at Red Sky.

DU posted a 10-over-par 874 total, which left the Pios eight strokes behind champion San Diego State, which also won the team title last year.

Denver, coached by Lindsay Kuhle (pictured), put three players in the top 20 individually: freshman Camille Enright (1-over-par 217, 10th place), senior Mariell Bruun (219, 14th) and senior Jessica Carty (220, 19th).

Malene Krolboll Hansen of Coastal Carolina earned the individual championship at 9-under-par 207.

Golfweek Women’s Conference Challenge
Sept. 26-28, 2016 (final) at Red Sky GC in Wolcott
2. (out of 18 teams) Denver 298-286-290–874
10. Camille Enright 73-72-72–217
14. Mariell Bruun 74-71-74–219
19. Jessica Carty 77-70-73–220
26. Lauren Whyte 74-73-75–222
63. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 78-82-71–231
 

But while they’ve been consistent and determined, they hadn’t experienced the joy of being in contention in the tournament.

At least not until Sunday.

After finishing anywhere from 13th to 47th in the Father/Son since 2007, the Dillons (pictured) not only broke into the top 10 but claimed the very top spot in a field that features some pretty impressive names.

“This is the first year we actually performed up to our ability,” said Chris, who like his father is a product of Notre Dame. “We always thought we could win, but this time, we played solid golf — up to our potential. We played well at the right time and had a good time.”

Added Steve: “The neat thing is Chris can carry me around. In the past we’ve had some decent rounds in alternate shot (in the final round of the tournament), but we’ve been sloppy the last few years in Chapman (the first-day format).”

The Denver-area residents, who maintain their handicaps at CommonGround Golf Course, went wire-to-wire this year in winning the Father/Son Championship on Sunday.

A year after finishing 23rd in this event, the Dillons earned their first CGA championship victory. Not even a bogey-par-double bogey finish on Sunday at the Norman Course at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott could derail them on their path to victory.

With a 4-over-par 76 in deteriorating weather conditions — cool and sometimes windy and rainy — during Sunday’s foursomes (alternate shot), the Dillons posted a two-day total of 2-over 144. That gave the duo a one-stroke win over Doug and Tristan Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge Golf Club, who closed with a 75. Doug Rohrbaugh won the 2013 HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, and Tristan claimed the 3A state high school title last year.

Four-time champions Gary and Alex Kephart of Eisenhower Golf Club tied for third place at 147 with Bill and Will Fowler of the Club at Rolling Hills. Both teams posted a 78 on Sunday.

“Everyone struggled today,” said Steve Dillon, a Wasson High School graduate who played varsity golf for Notre Dame as a freshman. “It was wonderful being up here — and it was awesome playing two terrific courses this weekend — but it was challenging (weather) conditions today. The last three holes everyone was shivering.”

The Father/Son, which featured a 58-team field, was played at two different courses on the Western Slope. Beaver Creek Golf Club hosted the action on Saturday, when the format was a Chapman Scotch.

As you might imagine, winning a championship as a father/son team makes victory all the sweeter.

“It’s terrific,” said Steve Dillon, 54, who lives at the site of the old Green Gables Country Club. “We’ve played together since he was 3 or 4 (Chris is now 22). “I’ve won tournaments and he has too, but to win with him is special.”

Chris has won a CJGA tournament and he recorded a top-10 finish in the 2008 state high school meet while playing for Mullen, but teaming up with his dad for the victory on Sunday was an experience unlike any other.

“I’ve definitely always dreamed of winning this,” said Chris, who works at Sanctuary in Salida. “It’s something I’ll always remember, a dream come true.”

The Father/Son also featured a net division, which was won by Dallas and James Massey, who went 69-72 for a 141 total. (The Dillons had a 137 net total, but were limited to their gross division title.)

The Loel and Caleb Lierman Award, given to the team with a player 18 or younger which has the lowest gross score, went to Rohrbaughs.

CGA Father/Son Championship
Saturday Chapman Scotch at Par-70 Beaver Creek GC
Sunday Foursomes at Par-72 Norman Course at Red Sky GC in Wolcott

Steve Dillon / Chris Dillon 68-76–144      
Doug Rohrbaugh / Tristan Rohrbaugh 70-75–145      
Bill Fowler / Will Fowler 69-78–147         
Gary Kephart / Alex Kephart 69-78–147
Dallas Massey / James Massey 74-76–150
Grant Porter / Matt Porter 73-80–153
Mac McDonald / Dillon McDonald 73-80–153
Kent Moore / Steven Moore 71-83–154
Guy Mertz / Nicklaus Mertz 73-83–156
Ben Zimmerman / Paul Zimmerman 72-85–157
Jeff Hanson / Collin Hanson 72-86–158
Mark Adolfson / Jack Adolfson 72-88–160
Matt Robinson / Ben Robinson 76-84–160
Robert Ernst Clever / Rob Clever 76-84–160
Bradley Becker / Daniel Becker 77-84–161
Tad Griffin / Patrick Griffin 80-82–162
Bruce Hogg / Tyler Hogg 79-84–163
Randy Rouse / Reid Rouse 74-89–163
John Luoma / Bill Luoma 78-86–164
Mark Strubel / Chris Strubel 78-86–164
Rick Tarasiewicz / Nick Tarasiewicz 74-90–164
Tad Willenbrock / Nick Willenbrock 73-91–164
Chuck Delich / Philip Delich 70-95–165
Greg Michaels / Larry Michaels 76-89–165
Ken Harris / David Harris 77-88–165
Andy Titterton / Kevin Titterton 75-91–166
Steve Windom / David Windom 84-85–169
Ryan Hettich / Ben Hettich 86-85–171
Bill Berger / Henry Haddon Berger 82-90–172
Mark Fowler / Brandon Fowler 77-96–173
James Steigerwald / Tyler Steigerwald 86-88–174
Robert Polk / Jason Polk 76-98–174
Eric Kurzweil / Sean Kurzweil 85-90–175
Jess Whittlef / Scott Whittlef 80-95–175
Joe Morrill / Peter Morrill 77-99–176
Tom Schouten / Derek Schouten 80-96–176
Norm Nuwash / Geoff Nuwash 79-98–177
Gary Thiret / Tyler Thiret 79-99–178
Colby Smith / Doug Skelton 78-101–179
Gary Driber / Brandon Driber 81-98–179
Thomas Scott Walter / Cody Walter 82-97–179
Brian Cramer / Arlo Cramer 84-96–180
Mark W Young / Erik Young 90-92–182
Bill Berech / Brock Berech 87-96–183
Jim Hollingsworth / Brian Hollingsworth 82-101–183
Kelly McLendon / Kelly McLendon 85-98–183
Jocko Kaliszewski / Lukas Kaliszewski 85-99–184
Mark Boscoe / Sam Ethan Boscoe 83-103–186
John Marasco / Mackenzie Marasco 83-108–191
Frank Erisman / Jacob Erisman 97-98–195
Paul Grant / Alex Grant 87-111–198
Matthew Pinkerton / Wade T Pinkerton 96-104–200
Steve J Bockenstedt / Scott Bockenstedt 97-105–202
Andrew Weber / Michael Weber 94-114–208
Bill Ramsey / Billy Ramsey 76-WD
Dave Usechek / Mr. Sean Usechek 84-WD
Jason Coffin / Dan Coffin 75-WD
Rick Rosendahl / Mitch Rosendahl 75-WD

With so few new golf courses having opened in the U.S. in recent years — and none in Colorado since 2009 — the plethora of course ratings lists published by golf magazines seldom includes many surprises these days.

Still, it’s fun for devoted golfers to peruse the various lists, seeing and reviewing the best the game has to offer internationally, nationally, and statewide.

We at COgolf.org periodically compile and note such course ratings, particularly those put together by prominent national publications with experience in such matters.

With Golfweek magazine having recently published several “best of” lists, now seemed an opportune time to take a look at some of the various course ratings that have been unveiled in the last several months.

In each case, we include Colorado courses which made national/international lists, plus the top five courses in the category.

Golfweek Magazine Best Residential Courses

Colorado Courses on List — 6. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock (pictured above); 7. Colorado Golf Club in Parker (pictured at left); 33. Golf Club at Ravenna in Littleton; 60. The Glacier Club in Durango; 79. Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction.

Top 5 Overall — 1. Wade Hampton Club in Cashiers, N.C.; 2. Rock Creek Cattle Company in Deer Lodge, Mont.; 3. Huntsman Springs in Driggs, Idaho; 4. Shooting Star in Teton Village, Wyo.; 5. Gozzer Ranch in Arrowpoint, Idaho.

Golfweek Magazine Best Resort Courses

Colorado Courses on List — 45. Red Sky Golf Club (Fazio Course) in Wolcott; 71. Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course) in Colorado Springs.

Top 5 Overall — 1. Pacific Dunes in Bandon, Ore.; 2. Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.; 3. Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C.; 4. Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.; 5. Old Macdonald in Bandon, Ore.

Golfweek Magazine Best Campus Courses

Colorado Course on List — 23. Eisenhower Golf Club (Blue Course) at Air Force Academy.

Top 5 Overall — 1. The Course at Yale in New Haven, Conn.; 2. Taconic GC in Williamstown, Mass.; 3. Rawls Course at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas; 4. Palouse Ridge GC in Pullman, Wash.; 5. University Ridge GC in Verona, Wis.

Golf.com (Golf Magazine) Top 100 Courses in the World

Colorado Course on List — 75. Ballyneal in Holyoke.

Top 5 Overall — 1. Pine Valley in Pine Valley, N.J.; 2. Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, Calif.; 3. Augusta National in Augusta, Ga.; 4. St. Andrews (Old Course) in St. Andrews, Scotland; 5. Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y.

Links Golf Magazine “100” World Rankings

Colorado Course on List — 32. Ballyneal in Holyoke.

Top 5 Overall — 1. Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, Calif.; 2. Pine Valley in Pine Valley, N.J.; 3. Augusta National in Augusta, Ga.; 4. Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y.; 5. St. Andrews (Old Course) in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Links Golf Magazine “100” U.S. Rankings

Colorado Courses on List — 19. Ballyneal in Holyoke; 81. Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village; 90. Colorado Golf Club in Parker.

Top 5 Overall — Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, Calif.; 2. Pine Valley in Pine Valley, N.J.; 3. Augusta National in Augusta, Ga.; 4. Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y.; 5. National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y.

And even though Golf Digest’s lists date back to the beginning of 2013 — and we’ve written about them previously — they’re worth including because they’re considered the course rating gold standard by many.

Golf Digest Magazine America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses

Colorado Courses on List — 33. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock; 64. Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village; 78. Ballyneal in Holyoke.

Top 5 Overall — 1. Pine Valley in Pine Valley, N.J.; 2. Augusta National in Augusta, Ga.; 3. Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, Calif.; 4. Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y.; 5. Oakmont in Oakmont, Pa.

Golf Digest Magazine America’s Second 100 Greatest Golf Courses

Colorado Courses on List — 131. Colorado Golf Club in Parker; 135. Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course) in Colorado Springs; 139. Sanctuary in Sedalia; 194. Red Sky Golf Club (Norman Course) in Wolcott; 197. Country Club of the Rockies in Edwards.

Golf Digest Magazine America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses

Colorado Course on List — 29. Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course) in Colorado Springs; 70. Red Sky Golf Club (Norman Course) in Wolcott; 99. Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction.

Top 5 Overall — 1. Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.; 2. Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis.; 3. Pacific Dunes in Bandon, Ore.; 4. Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.; 5. Shadow Creek in North Las Vegas, Nev.
 

He’s beaten senior players, junior players, mid-amateurs and everything in between.

In short, it’s been a rip-roaring good year for Doug Rohrbaugh, the head professional at Ironbridge Golf Club.

Already the winner of the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open and the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship, co-champion of the U.S. Senior Open qualifier in Colorado, and a third-place finisher in the HealthOne Colorado Open, Rohrbaugh added the Colorado PGA Professional Championship on Wednesday.

As Barry Milstead of Valley Country Club, president of the Colorado PGA, noted, “I’ve signed a lot of checks for you this year.”

And at 51, Rohrbaugh became one of the oldest winners — and perhaps the oldest — of the Colorado PGA’s top tournament. Fred Wampler, for one, also won the title after turning 50, doing so in 1974.

“The only thing I keep saying is, ‘Why did it take me 50 years to figure this out?'” said Rohrbaugh (pictured above and below). “There’s definitely something to be said for older and wiser, but who knows?”

After taking a four-stroke lead into the final round, the Carbondale resident shot a second consecutive 1-under-par 71 and won by five shots at the Fazio Course at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott. He didn’t lose the lead all day and finished at 6-under-par 210. The victory — Rohrbaugh’s first in the event after competing in it for two decades — was worth $7,500.

Rob Hunt of The Links Golf Course, winner of the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in both 2009 and ’11, tied for second at 215 Wednesday after a final-round 69. Micah Rudosky of Conquistador (72 Wednesday) and Jerry Smith of Three Crowns Golf Club in Casper, Wyo. (70) also shared second place. Rudosky won the title in 2001.

“Without Doug, it was a close race,” Hunt said with a laugh.

The top eight finishers, plus PGA Championship qualifier Caine Fitzgerald, earned spots in the 2014 PGA Professional National Championship, which will be played June 22-25 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Besides the aforementioned, advancing were Ari Papadopoulos of Red Sky, Milstead, University of Denver women’s assistant coach Erik Billinger, and Matt Schalk of Colorado National.

Schalk landed the final national berth when he prevailed over John Ogden of Cherry Hills on the third hole of a sudden death playoff.

But the main story Wednesday was Rohrbaugh and the continuation of his sensational summer.

“It’s incredible,” Hunt said. “I don’t know what the records would show, but I don’t know if (what he’s done in all those tournaments) has ever happened. It certainly hasn’t happened very often.”

Even Rohrbaugh himself is a little dumbfounded at the success he’s enjoyed in 2013.

“Oh my gosh, what can you say, other than ‘wow’,” he said. “I’m blown away. I’m obviously thrilled. You dream about every tournament you play in you want to win, but God, I’ve never had a year remotely like this.”

On Wednesday, while Rohrbaugh never relinquished the lead, Rudosky (pictured at left) moved within two strokes when Rohrbaugh bogeyed No. 8. And he was still within three after Rohrbaugh made his second bogey, at No. 14.

But the par-5 15th proved pivotal. There, Rohrbaugh pushed his tee shot and it ended up in a bush. Though he had to take an unplayable lie penalty, he was able to drop in a spot that gave him a chance to advance his ball a considerable distance.

After Rudosky elected to lay up from the fairway — which surprised Rohrbaugh — the latter took a 3-wood from the rough, 280 yards from the pin, and faded his ball around some tree limbs. It hit in front of the green and rolled to within 30 feet of the cup. Despite taking the unplayable, Rohrbaugh two-putted for par. Rudosky, meanwhile, missed his 7-foot birdie attempt, meaning there was no blood on the hole.

“I couldn’t have drawn it up any better,” Rohrbaugh said. “That was the shot of the day for me. If I had made bogey and he made birdie (it’s down to a one-stroke difference). My whole attitude changed the rest of the way. Not that I wasn’t feeling confident before that, but I had a lot more.”

Rohrbaugh played the last three holes in 1 under par, not giving his closest competitors any openings.

And now, like last year, Rohrbaugh has his sights set on his big goal for the fall — trying to qualify for the Champions Tour. Time will tell how he fares, but the roll he’s on has him thinking big.

“I feel confident. This just keeps building the confidence,” he said.

Here are the top 10 finishers from the Colorado PGA Professional Championship: 1. Doug Rohrbaugh 68-71-71–210; 2. (tie) Rob Hunt 72-74-69–215; Jerry Smith 74-71-70–215; Micah Rudosky 70-73-72–215; 5. Ari Papadopoulos 71-75-70–216; 6. (tie) Barry Milstead 75-73-69–217; Erik Billinger 74-71-72–217; 8. (tie) Matt Schalk 73-77-69–219; John Ogden 78-68-73–219; 10. (tie) Eric Bradley 73-80-67–220; Mike Northern 77-70-73–220.

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.