Denver in October

[leinad5006]

Headed to Denver in early October for 4 rounds and looking to get some feedback on possible course conditions and options.  We are looking at playing Fossil Trace, Bear Dance, Raven at Three Peaks and Colorado National.  Any others worth pursuing?  I noticed on Bear Dance website they are installing fences around each green to keep Elk off the green?  Interested in hearing from anyone who has seen that first hand.  Does it effect play? 

 

We are staying in Idaho Springs so we know there will be some driving involved.

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

 

[Dancin]

It is possible to get snow in Denver in early October and very likely there will be snow in the mountains. Assuming that doesn't happen, late Sept/early October can be the best time of year to play as conditions are great and temperatures are nice. One concern for you is some courses over the years have moved their fall aeration dates later and later since the number of people willing to golf usually drops off quite a bit near the end of Sept. I'd say there is  a very good chance Raven will have closed due to snow and Bear Dance usually shuts down for the season by mid October or earlier if they get snow, so there's a chance that won't be open too.

[leinad5006]

What other courses would you recommend if we run into closures?  

[Chanceman]

I would say not to miss Commonground designed by Tom Doak and used as part of the US Mid Amateur last year. It is very reasonably priced and a quality golf experience.

[Dancin]

Some other good front range courses include Common Ground, Walnut Creek, Riverdale Dunes, Murphy Creek. If Bear Dance closes early, The Ridge at Castle Pines can give you a similar feel. Red Hawk Ridge will give you a more tame version of Jim Engh if Fossil Trace has aerated and that can be combined with either Bear Dance or The Ridge for a 36 hole day assuming you can get one of the first tee times in the morning at one of them and you don't have a frost delay. That's the other point to mention  - if we get a cold front that comes through, the first tee times might not go off till 10 or later.

[vallygolf]

On 8/26/2020 at 10:48 AM, leinad5006 said:

Headed to Denver in early October for 4 rounds and looking to get some feedback on possible course conditions and options.  We are looking at playing Fossil Trace, Bear Dance, Raven at Three Peaks and Colorado National.  Any others worth pursuing?  I noticed on Bear Dance website they are installing fences around each green to keep Elk off the green?  Interested in hearing from anyone who has seen that first hand.  Does it effect play? 

 

We are staying in Idaho Springs so we know there will be some driving involved.

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

 

38 for the high today, and snow in Denver.  One year I lived there we built a snowman early september after about 9 inches of early snow fell.  Snowman was about 6 feet tall and in the afternoon shade of our house.  April there was still an ice patch in the shade as remnants of the snowman.  October has some of the best weather you will ever see in Denver, or some of the worst.  One year we went trick or treating with the kids in shorts, and the next it was 16 degrees with snow on the ground.

[leinad5006]

On 9/8/2020 at 4:49 PM, vallygolf said:

38 for the high today, and snow in Denver.  One year I lived there we built a snowman early september after about 9 inches of early snow fell.  Snowman was about 6 feet tall and in the afternoon shade of our house.  April there was still an ice patch in the shade as remnants of the snowman.  October has some of the best weather you will ever see in Denver, or some of the worst.  One year we went trick or treating with the kids in shorts, and the next it was 16 degrees with snow on the ground.

I am just hoping the weather breaks our way.  As long as the courses are open we will be out there. 

[sabram]

The courses listed by Dancin are good choices here's a link to photo tours of a number of Denver area courses

 

Denver Golf Course Photo Tours

[Dancin]

City Park in Denver is now a pretty good one too since it finally opened after the complete renovation as the greens are large and interesting, but it's still not as good as the others I listed (the photos in sabram's post are before the renovation) and they aren't allowing carts this year if that matters to you.

[leinad5006]

22 hours ago, sabram said:

The courses listed by Dancin are good choices here's a link to photo tours of a number of Denver area courses

 

Denver Golf Course Photo Tours

 

Very cool, thank you for this. 

 

17 hours ago, Dancin said:

City Park in Denver is now a pretty good one too since it finally opened after the complete renovation as the greens are large and interesting, but it's still not as good as the others I listed (the photos in sabram's post are before the renovation) and they aren't allowing carts this year if that matters to you.

 

Carts defiantly matter to my group.  LOL

 

As of now we are playing Fossil Trace on Thursday, Pole Creek on Friday ( I have my doubts we get this one in), Ridge at CP Saturday and Colorado National on Sunday.

 

I really wanted to to play Bear Dance but they are scheduled to punch greens around that time. 

[pseudoswede]

On 9/11/2020 at 3:49 PM, leinad5006 said:

 

As of now we are playing Fossil Trace on Thursday, Pole Creek on Friday ( I have my doubts we get this one in), Ridge at CP Saturday and Colorado National on Sunday.

 

I really wanted to to play Bear Dance but they are scheduled to punch greens around that time. 

If you're playing this weekend, you picked a pretty good weekend to visit. I'm playing Bear Dance on Saturday.

[Chanceman]

I'll back Commonground any day as a great quality golf course at very good price. US Mid Am qualifier, Tom Doak design. Denver very fortunate to have it.

[leinad5006]

On 10/8/2020 at 9:28 AM, pseudoswede said:

If you're playing this weekend, you picked a pretty good weekend to visit. I'm playing Bear Dance on Saturday.

 

The weather was perfect for our trip.  How was Bear Dance?  We were paired with two different singles this weekend that said it was a great course.

 

We really enjoyed Fossil Trace and The Ridge at Castle Pines.  The wind on Sunday at CP was not joke. 

[pseudoswede]

Bear Dance was great as always. I hadn't played there in a very long time, but I forgot just how diabolical the greens are. First, if you don't get or keep the ball on the right tier, you're screwed. Second, it's so difficult to read the correct break on putts. 

 

Basically, be super aggressive on the front 9, and hold on for dear life on the back.