Colorado WRX 2023

[007iron]

@Dancin is the energizer bunny of golf - got to see a lot of western slope golf in a short trip. I only played 4 of the rounds (Battlement, Redlands, Devil's Thumb & River Valley Ranch) and still was wiped and worthless by the 4th round.

 

Devil's Thumb should for sure be more highly rated and one that people seek out, but it's so remote it's never going to get much traffic. But that's good for those of us who know and can make it out that way...

 

The Redlands comments are spot on imo - shouldn't be one of the best public's in the state as it's not even one of the best public's west of Glenwood Canyon and when price is factored in it's way down the list of courses I want to play.

[Joelness]

8 hours ago, Dancin said:

Thanks to @007iron for showing me around the western slope courses. My golfer's elbow is threatening to stop me from playing golf for a month after all that golf, but it was a lot of fun. I would love to have Battlement Mesa and Devil's Thumb closer to Denver as I would play those two every week and never get tired of them due to their unique qualities.

I don't get the love for Redlands Mesa at all. Eye candy with little strategy involved. I think this is Engh's worst course.

Lakota Links however is my favorite Engh course now that the new owners have it in excellent shape (and that is ahead of Sanctuary too).

Eagle Ranch nothing objectionable, but nothing really special either. Only a couple interesting holes.

River Valley Ranch is an amazing deal with it's $40 walking rate from 2-3 every day. There is one uphill transition that sucks to walk, but otherwise it's a good course. Nothing really amazing, but solid all around and enjoyable with excellent views and you can't beat the price.

Catamount Ranch was very good. The back 9 is all world. It was a little crazy for me to take a whole day side trip to drive 2 hours out of the way both ways to play it though. I should have saved that for another trip and played Haymaker and Rolling Stone with it.

 

My favorite of the trip is Lakota Links even though I had played that twice before. Red Sky Norman is a better course, but that's a lot more expensive if you don't have an employee hookup. Lakota to me is an exciting roller coaster ride with no let downs while still being challenging. CR was a very close second. Devil's Thumb and Battlement Mesa are pretty much tied behind those. River Valley Ranch next. Then Redlands Mesa and finally Eagle Ranch, but those two are way behind all the others. Redlands Mesa would have to be half the price for me to even consider playing it again. I don't ever see myself playing Eagle Ranch again unless I somehow happened to be staying in a property right next to it. Again nothing objectionable but not very exciting.

 

I may have to break down and buy a slope laser instead of waiting for my old non slope one to break. Playing all those courses with huge elevation changes without a slope laser was very annoying. Too many good shots I saw going right at the flag and flying long or coming up short. Also I was extremely disappointed in seeing exactly what Devil's Thumb is given how it is marketed. You base your whole area on a stupid little jut of rock on top of a mountain? Given how the golf course advertises it as it's logo, I was expecting more of a tower. FALSE ADVERTISING

 

I've felt this way about Lakota for a while, it has been my favorite Engh. Pradera is close, though a few of his greens there are just silly. 

 

I haven't played Devil's thumb but I will now!

 

I bought my first slope laser a couple weeks ago and so far it doesn't seem to allocate enough slope. We don't have a ton of vertical change at Fox Hill but there are a couple well-known ones (like 1/2 club extra on 1 approach) and it only tells me like 2y longer than the number.

 

Thanks for the opinions on what you think. I tend to agree with all of this from my own experience. There are some killer tracks out there, but mostly the less-known ones as you mention.

[Joelness]

1 hour ago, 007iron said:

@Dancin is the energizer bunny of golf - got to see a lot of western slope golf in a short trip. I only played 4 of the rounds (Battlement, Redlands, Devil's Thumb & River Valley Ranch) and still was wiped and worthless by the 4th round.

 

 

This is insanely true and I think anyone that has played with him can attest.

 

This sounds like the perfect time to relate my first round with @Dancin. I think he wanted to walk Ballyneal in 2h. I remember getting to the first few greens, marking my ball and as I picked it up one would go rolling by, like WTF?!? It was fun but I ended up -1 on the front and wanted at least 15s to read my putts and it wasn't happening, lol. We ate lunch and when we went back out there we gave a huge sigh of relief as we saw a group in front of us and knew that we would be allowed 4h to play a round of golf.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Joelness

[Dancin]

30 minutes ago, Joelness said:

 

 

This is insanely true and I think anyone that has played with him can attest.

 

This sounds like the perfect time to relate my first round with @Dancin. I think he wanted to walk Ballyneal in 2h. I remember getting to the first few greens, marking my ball and as I picked it up one would go rolling by, like WTF?!? It was fun but I ended up -1 on the front and wanted at least 15s to read my putt and it wasn't happening, lol. We ate lunch and when we went back out there we gave a huge sigh of relief as we saw a a group in front of us and knew that we would be allowed 4h to play a round of golf.

Ha. Sorry about that. It'll be slower this weekend with the heat. If it isn't hot or the wind isn't blowing hard, 3:50 is a normal pace for a foursome though. 2 hours is pretty tough unless it is cool and the wind isn't blowing. If I'm by myself and nobody holds me up, I walk BN in 2:20-2:45.

 

Devil's Thumb is awesome. It reminds me of 4 Mile Ranch, but without the Engh craziness. I think you would like it. $55/$65 with cart in the morning, $42/$45 with cart in the afternoon. You definitely want to play with someone that has played it though or get a course book if they sell those. I'd play that over Redlands Mesa every time and if you are within an hour of the course you need to make time to play it.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Dancin

[CDM]

Hahahaha the comments of @Dancin pace of play....... love it..!!!

 

I remember the first time playing with @Dancin.  I was not sure if he was upset after the first tee shot and just wanted to get the round over 🤣

[bobbyclampett!!]

16 hours ago, Dancin said:

Thanks to @007iron for showing me around the western slope courses. My golfer's elbow is threatening to stop me from playing golf for a month after all that golf, but it was a lot of fun. I would love to have Battlement Mesa and Devil's Thumb closer to Denver as I would play those two every week and never get tired of them due to their unique qualities.

I don't get the love for Redlands Mesa at all. Eye candy with little strategy involved. I think this is Engh's worst course.

Lakota Links however is my favorite Engh course now that the new owners have it in excellent shape (and that is ahead of Sanctuary too).

Eagle Ranch nothing objectionable, but nothing really special either. Only a couple interesting holes.

River Valley Ranch is an amazing deal with it's $40 walking rate from 2-3 every day. There is one uphill transition that sucks to walk, but otherwise it's a good course. Nothing really amazing, but solid all around and enjoyable with excellent views and you can't beat the price.

Catamount Ranch was very good. The back 9 is all world. It was a little crazy for me to take a whole day side trip to drive 2 hours out of the way both ways to play it though. I should have saved that for another trip and played Haymaker and Rolling Stone with it.

 

My favorite of the trip is Lakota Links even though I had played that twice before. Red Sky Norman is a better course, but that's a lot more expensive if you don't have an employee hookup. Lakota to me is an exciting roller coaster ride with no let downs while still being challenging. CR was a very close second. Devil's Thumb and Battlement Mesa are pretty much tied behind those. River Valley Ranch next. Then Redlands Mesa and finally Eagle Ranch, but those two are way behind all the others. Redlands Mesa would have to be half the price for me to even consider playing it again. I don't ever see myself playing Eagle Ranch again unless I somehow happened to be staying in a property right next to it. Again nothing objectionable but not very exciting.

 

I may have to break down and buy a slope laser instead of waiting for my old non slope one to break. Playing all those courses with huge elevation changes without a slope laser was very annoying. Too many good shots I saw going right at the flag and flying long or coming up short. Also I was extremely disappointed in seeing exactly what Devil's Thumb is given how it is marketed. You base your whole area on a stupid little jut of rock on top of a mountain? Given how the golf course advertises it as it's logo, I was expecting more of a tower. FALSE ADVERTISING

Thanks for the write-up, @Dancin and thanks @007iron for giving him the tour. I trust your opinion on golf courses. Of that list I've played Redlands Mesa (maybe 5 years ago) and River Valley Ranch (20 years ago). I agree with what you say about RM: people just go nuts for all those elevated tee boxes and routings through mountainous terrain, but it's just a gimmick to me. RVR has a very special place in my heart as I recall glorious evenings in my youth with the sun setting and everything seeming so magical. I had no eye for golf architecture back then, and I have no idea what kind of condition it is in now, I hope good, because I loved that place.

 

Redlands Mesa strikes me as the opposite of Collindale, which is always worming itself into may favorites of all time. The more I golf and think about what I love about golf, I want to walk and have straightforward but challenging holes that reward good shots and punish bad ones from tee to green. That is all.

 

 

 

[ASak10]

3 hours ago, CDM said:

Hahahaha the comments of @Dancin pace of play....... love it..!!!

 

I remember the first time playing with @Dancin.  I was not sure if he was upset after the first tee shot and just wanted to get the round over 🤣

 

I guess the only way to slow down @Dancin is to do what I did...play with him in hail storms that force you to go back to the clubhouse every 3rd hole 😂

[Joelness]

8 hours ago, Dancin said:

Ha. Sorry about that. It'll be slower this weekend with the heat. If it isn't hot or the wind isn't blowing hard, 3:50 is a normal pace for a foursome though. 2 hours is pretty tough unless it is cool and the wind isn't blowing. If I'm by myself and nobody holds me up, I walk BN in 2:20-2:45.

 

Devil's Thumb is awesome. It reminds me of 4 Mile Ranch, but without the Engh craziness. I think you would like it. $55/$65 with cart in the morning, $42/$45 with cart in the afternoon. You definitely want to play with someone that has played it though or get a course book if they sell those. I'd play that over Redlands Mesa every time and if you are within an hour of the course you need to make time to play it.

 

Don't worry about it. We had a great time. I think we finished in ~3:20.

 

Great advice, I will definitely need to play it. The CGA Western Chapter is nearby at Battlement Mesa and with some newfound vacation time maybe I will take a day after the tournament to play it.

[Joelness]

1 hour ago, bobbyclampett!! said:

The more I golf and think about what I love about golf, I want to walk and have straightforward but challenging holes that reward good shots and punish bad ones from tee to green. That is all.

 

BOOM! This is a very succinct description of how I feel also. I had to play one round of the RMO at Redlands and it was the worst. I think the 17th tee was backed up four groups by the time we got there thanks to a 25 mph cross wind.

[bobbyclampett!!]

23 minutes ago, Joelness said:

 

BOOM! This is a very succinct description of how I feel also. I had to play one round of the RMO at Redlands and it was the worst. I think the 17th tee was backed up four groups by the time we got there thanks to a 25 mph cross wind.

Lol is that the par three with the tee box essentially on top of a wild fire lookout tower?

[Joelness]

9 minutes ago, bobbyclampett!! said:

Lol is that the par three with the tee box essentially on top of a wild fire lookout tower?

 

Yuuuup. The green is basically in a volcano so if you don't hit it, have fun finding it in the rock.

[Dancin]

2 hours ago, bobbyclampett!! said:

Thanks for the write-up, @Dancin and thanks @007iron for giving him the tour. I trust your opinion on golf courses. Of that list I've played Redlands Mesa (maybe 5 years ago) and River Valley Ranch (20 years ago). I agree with what you say about RM: people just go nuts for all those elevated tee boxes and routings through mountainous terrain, but it's just a gimmick to me. RVR has a very special place in my heart as I recall glorious evenings in my youth with the sun setting and everything seeming so magical. I had no eye for golf architecture back then, and I have no idea what kind of condition it is in now, I hope good, because I loved that place.

 

Redlands Mesa strikes me as the opposite of Collindale, which is always worming itself into may favorites of all time. The more I golf and think about what I love about golf, I want to walk and have straightforward but challenging holes that reward good shots and punish bad ones from tee to green. That is all.

 

 

 

RVR is in very good shape. It still shocks me that they are offering that rate in a tourist town in the high season. Technically it's because if they are full in the morning, they don't have enough fully charged carts to guarantee people from 2-3 can make it through 18 holes, thus they need an extra hour of walking only to finish charging up the morning carts.

[Dancin]

6 minutes ago, Joelness said:

 

Yuuuup. The green is basically in a volcano so if you don't hit it, have fun finding it in the rock.

It's a pretty big green to hit though. Regardless, they have closed the top tee boxes because a landslide took out the support under part of the cart path heading up to it. They are building another tee box at the lower level further back on the 18 hole side instead of trying to shore up the top.

[007iron]

1 hour ago, Joelness said:

 

Don't worry about it. We had a great time. I think we finished in ~3:20.

 

Great advice, I will definitely need to play it. The CGA Western Chapter is nearby at Battlement Mesa and with some newfound vacation time maybe I will take a day after the tournament to play it.

let me know if you end up with time to make it down there and would like company. 
 

and Battlement is my home course so if you make it up for a Friday practice round let me know too. I’d love to get out. 

[CDM]

Ooooo it is on..........!   Range session 4 today and hitting flat ripping it 175-180 with the DRIVER....!   Don't make me challenge any of you to a match ...!!!  *YES  @Dancin that is 10-15 yards longer then my normal average..!

 

On a real note it went better today and was able to actually hit a bucket...!   First time I think I got 15-20 balls in and said "no way" and putted.  Being a holiday weekend hoping to get out and see how it goes, try 9 holes.

 

The one down side today was hitting that many balls, I then putted and that oddly hurt. I putt left hand low and the grip sits right at incision location. So still gets pretty tender BUT feeling sooooo much better and not flipping the club on the take away to just be able to even hold onto it.

[Joelness]

12 hours ago, CDM said:

Ooooo it is on..........!   Range session 4 today and hitting flat ripping it 175-180 with the DRIVER....!   Don't make me challenge any of you to a match ...!!!  *YES  @Dancin that is 10-15 yards longer then my normal average..!

 

On a real note it went better today and was able to actually hit a bucket...!   First time I think I got 15-20 balls in and said "no way" and putted.  Being a holiday weekend hoping to get out and see how it goes, try 9 holes.

 

The one down side today was hitting that many balls, I then putted and that oddly hurt. I putt left hand low and the grip sits right at incision location. So still gets pretty tender BUT feeling sooooo much better and not flipping the club on the take away to just be able to even hold onto it.

 

I'm glad you can have a full swing without that massive face rotation. It's really sweet that you're getting back to the full swing, it won't be long now before you're back.

[TheKrushh]

14 hours ago, CDM said:

Ooooo it is on..........!   Range session 4 today and hitting flat ripping it 175-180 with the DRIVER....!   Don't make me challenge any of you to a match ...!!!  *YES  @Dancin that is 10-15 yards longer then my normal average..!

 

On a real note it went better today and was able to actually hit a bucket...!   First time I think I got 15-20 balls in and said "no way" and putted.  Being a holiday weekend hoping to get out and see how it goes, try 9 holes.

 

The one down side today was hitting that many balls, I then putted and that oddly hurt. I putt left hand low and the grip sits right at incision location. So still gets pretty tender BUT feeling sooooo much better and not flipping the club on the take away to just be able to even hold onto it.

175-180, that's ball speed right?

[CDM]

22 minutes ago, TheKrushh said:

175-180, that's ball speed right?

 

Total distance with 70 yards of rollout  ....!   🤣

 

Good thing is it does not hurt today. Tender for sure at incision location. I have a forward press normal when starting my stroke and it puts just enough pressure that you notice a "sting" while making a stroke.   Rather annoying.   I am sure it will go away over time. 

[Dancin]

15 hours ago, CDM said:

Ooooo it is on..........!   Range session 4 today and hitting flat ripping it 175-180 with the DRIVER....!   Don't make me challenge any of you to a match ...!!!  *YES  @Dancin that is 10-15 yards longer then my normal average..!

 

On a real note it went better today and was able to actually hit a bucket...!   First time I think I got 15-20 balls in and said "no way" and putted.  Being a holiday weekend hoping to get out and see how it goes, try 9 holes.

 

The one down side today was hitting that many balls, I then putted and that oddly hurt. I putt left hand low and the grip sits right at incision location. So still gets pretty tender BUT feeling sooooo much better and not flipping the club on the take away to just be able to even hold onto it.

You're going to screw up your swing for a year. Subconsciously you will adjust your swing to avoid the pain. Take it from someone who ruined their swing for a year and a half trying to play through a hand injury. You shouldn't be touching a club until fully healed.

[CDM]

2 hours ago, Dancin said:

You're going to screw up your swing for a year. Subconsciously you will adjust your swing to avoid the pain. Take it from someone who ruined their swing for a year and a half trying to play through a hand injury. You shouldn't be touching a club until fully healed.

 

My swing was screwed up the moment I picked up a club  😃  ... it's like crack and I fell of the wagon 🤣

[thaar]

On 6/29/2023 at 11:39 AM, Dancin said:

You're going to screw up your swing for a year. Subconsciously you will adjust your swing to avoid the pain. Take it from someone who ruined their swing for a year and a half trying to play through a hand injury. You shouldn't be touching a club until fully healed.

But we're stubborn guys. It's embedded in our DNA 😂. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by thaar

[ztull]

Had a great time on a trip to Omaha last month, here's a blog:
 

https://straightgross.com/2023/07/02/pilgrimage-mecca/

[Dancin]

Played TPC Colorado today. In good shape as usual. The rough is getting thick and nasty for the tournament in a week and a half and they've got the approaches shaved down nice and tight.

[CDM]

On 7/1/2023 at 8:35 PM, ztull said:

Had a great time on a trip to Omaha last month, here's a blog:
 

https://straightgross.com/2023/07/02/pilgrimage-mecca/

 

Crazy timing...!  I had never heard of Havester and on Friday night one my best friends I grew up called to BS and his son is now working at Harvester.  He was at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin and then as course in Phx course during the winter months. 

 

I guess Duncan *friends son  meet Dickson at Moonlight or a club in Phx.   Regardless Dickson offered him a job as an assistant pro at Harvester. Duncan says its okay but BORING area and nothing to do......?

 

*Looking at the location I am 110% sure there is nothing to do in that area 🤣

Edited July 3, 2023 by CDM

[CDM]

Played my first 18 at Saddle Rock with some friends since surgery.  We played the black tees, not the tips so aorund 6850 I think.

 

GC NOTE:  SR and Murphy greens are not good...!  No  F'n idea how that can be with all the rain we have had but they need work....! BUMMPY as all get out...!  Hell maybe even just try mowing them LOL.   

 

I told myself...as did all of them:    DO NOT F**K UP THE HAND UP AGAIN.......!!

 

Front 9 was going well ODDLY...!   I hit the first 6 greens in reg, sadly 3 putted 2 of them which was me, not the greens though bad. The hand was feeling better then expected and then comes Hole 7.  Hit a good drive and sure enough got my grip in the wrong position and OUCH.....!  Snapped hooked way left trying to let go of the club...!   Double... and finished bogey / par. 

 

Back 9:  2 over through 15, but on 16 same thing as hole 7...!  IF I am not focused with my grip it gets to much in the palm it gets me...! Triple on a par 3 hurt the score..!  Finished with bird/bird with a tap in (6" putt) on 18 so that helped get some back..

 

KEY aspect:  I have to make sure I do not grip it to much in the palm.  When I was messed up I must have started to grip it more in the palm to hang on to the club.   

 

Also.... and seems stupid to not always do it ....but just take 1 more club and swing smooth...! 

 

It was nice to actually play again after 2 plus months!!!  Weather was perfect, good pace of play and good friends....minus Paul that is. (That is for @Dancin  🤣) 

 

Hopefully get in some lessons to fix the fault(s) I added to my swing while injured. 

 

Hope everyone has a Fantastic 4th with friends and family and hitting it well...!

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by CDM

[Dancin]

wtf. I should play too much golf in the mountains and aggravate my golfer's elbow every year. 73 at TPC yesterday and 75 at Walnut Creek today. If I shoot low tomorrow at Murphy Creek this will be crazy.

[ztull]

23 hours ago, CDM said:

 

Crazy timing...!  I had never heard of Havester and on Friday night one my best friends I grew up called to BS and his son is now working at Harvester.  He was at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin and then as course in Phx course during the winter months. 

 

I guess Duncan *friends son  meet Dickson at Moonlight or a club in Phx.   Regardless Dickson offered him a job as an assistant pro at Harvester. Duncan says its okay but BORING area and nothing to do......?

 

*Looking at the location I am 110% sure there is nothing to do in that area 🤣

It’s an incredible experience, you should go out 

[Dancin]

And as far as Walnut Creek goes, the greens are fine and the fairways aren't too bad but many of the tee boxes are destroyed and they are still closing 1 or more holes most days for the irrigation project. There's a good chance I might have shot another 73 today if I hadn't had to take equitable stroke control on the closed hole 3 downwind par 5.

[Joelness]

On 7/2/2023 at 10:20 PM, CDM said:

Played my first 18 at Saddle Rock with some friends since surgery.  We played the black tees, not the tips so aorund 6850 I think.

 

GC NOTE:  SR and Murphy greens are not good...!  No  F'n idea how that can be with all the rain we have had but they need work....! BUMMPY as all get out...!  Hell maybe even just try mowing them LOL.   

 

I told myself...as did all of them:    DO NOT F**K UP THE HAND UP AGAIN.......!!

 

Front 9 was going well ODDLY...!   I hit the first 6 greens in reg, sadly 3 putted 2 of them which was me, not the greens though bad. The hand was feeling better then expected and then comes Hole 7.  Hit a good drive and sure enough got my grip in the wrong position and OUCH.....!  Snapped hooked way left trying to let go of the club...!   Double... and finished bogey / par. 

 

Back 9:  2 over through 15, but on 16 same thing as hole 7...!  IF I am not focused with my grip it gets to much in the palm it gets me...! Triple on a par 3 hurt the score..!  Finished with bird/bird with a tap in (6" putt) on 18 so that helped get some back..

 

KEY aspect:  I have to make sure I do not grip it to much in the palm.  When I was messed up I must have started to grip it more in the palm to hang on to the club.   

 

Also.... and seems stupid to not always do it ....but just take 1 more club and swing smooth...! 

 

It was nice to actually play again after 2 plus months!!!  Weather was perfect, good pace of play and good friends....minus Paul that is. (That is for @Dancin  🤣) 

 

Hopefully get in some lessons to fix the fault(s) I added to my swing while injured. 

 

Hope everyone has a Fantastic 4th with friends and family and hitting it well...!

 

 

Good to hear the game is coming around! Yes, get it in the fingers!!! Palms are terrible for the full swing. I'm glad you could scratch the golf itch, I completely understand where you are coming from just 8 months ago.

 

The one more club and swing smooth is a very interesting topic to me. I don't know about anyone else but I can do it for a time, primarily with wedges. Inevitably though I try to swing it too softly which ends up in god awful mis-hits and terrible distance control.

 

No swing lessons until you are fully healed!

[Joelness]

I found out the key to great golf!!!

 

Get laid off and spend 60 hours a week practicing (I need to spend some time job hunting and taking care of the house.)

 

I went from feeling slumpy through June to 70-68-67 this weekend at Fox from Blacks-Blues-Blues.

 

Perfect scenario: Start the new job mid-August but get the offer soon so it can be 100 hrs/wk