Golf in Aspen and Vail

[powermacknyc]

Heading out there for July 4th week and wanted to know if anyone has played Lakota Canyon Ranch in New Castle? Golf Digest rates it 4.5 and Golf Mag has it #2 in CO. Staying in Aspen and want to play a local course there. Snowmass Golf Club is another Jim Engh design. Anybody play that course?

 

Backtracking midweek to Vail area and have played both Red Sky Ranch courses but wanted to know if anyone has played Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne. Does it give Red Sky Ranch a run for its money??

[nfinch10]

I haven't been lucky enough to play some of the one's you mentioned, but the one's that you are considering should be well worth it. There are some amazing courses in CO so if they rank it #2 I'd sya jump all over it. I have heard good things about the Snowmass course, although haven't got to play it. I have played Raven and would say that it is definately worth it, although I can't compare it to Red Sky as I haven't gotten to play there either. The setting for all these courses is amazing so you won't lose, but I would recomend trying Raven out.

[greg c]

Raven is a fun course. True "mountain style" golf. Does it compare to the Red Sky courses? It does, but it's probably just a notch below them. Although I really don't like the Norman course, but for personal taste reasons. I've heard good things about River Valley Ranch, and Ironbridges in the Glenwood Springs area. I've played Aspen Glen Club, it's very nice, but could be difficult to access this time of year. I'm really not a fan of Jim Engh courses, I think they're tricked up and rather repetitive, and for this reason I don't like Lakota, because it's just like all his others. The land that it's on is very dramatic though, so that could warrant a visit.

[powermacknyc]

Just got back from CO trip. We played Lakota Canyon Golf Club and Ironbridge Golf Club. They are having unseasonable warm temps and feeling the affects of the wildfires and unfortunately it's showing on the courses.

When driving up to Lakota the clubhouse is easily mistaken as the cart house. Overall it's a very nice track. Conditions were a bit soggy due to over watering. Greens rolled true but were slow. Some of the back tees were quite a hike up from the cart path but the view from the tees is a nice reward. Elevation changes seemed to be forced and a bit extreme and it was very difficult to track your ball as it came back into the horizon. The front 9 had more character and more enjoyable than the back. The par 5 18th was under major repair. Landing area from the tee was ground under repair with a drop area 160yds from the hole. If you're driving from Avon to Aspen it's def worth the stop. Perhaps under better conditions and normal weather it'd be worth driving out for the day.

Ironbridge layout played like 2 completely different courses. The front nine is a dog track. Links style and very boring. Greens were felt spongy too. Back nine is true mountain style and a gem. If I had a choice I'd play the back nine twice. Holes 10-13 are really fun. Daunting tee shot on the 10th to a semi-blind 2nd shot. Tee shot on 12 seems to just fly forever. Right side bunkers can be carried. Back tees were closed. The distance between tees are quite long, especially the 10th tee. It's a 45min drive from Snowmass.

I decided against playing Snowmass Club since the green fees were $175. It looked like a very nice valley style course with moderate elevation changes. If I were paying just for myself I would of liked to play. Unfortunately I didn't get to play Raven at Three Peaks. I did read on tripadvisor that the conditions were not good.

[powermacknyc]

Some photos

[fore_life]

Someplace warm. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talking about a little place called Aspen.

[powermacknyc]

Hmmmm. Aspen. California.

[greg c]

Nice pics power...it really is unfortunate that the folks at Lakota never made any effort to try to blend the course into its surroundings...reminds me of a highway cut into the side of a mountain...and Jim Engh is a very overrated architect.

[andy.o123]

should you wear two pairs of gloves while you are there? .duh your in the rockies!

[fairwayallday]

Going out in early September. Maybe I will hold off on getting a time at Silverthorne.

Thanks for the pics!

[gould.cooper]

Eagle Ranch Golf Course is a great track!

[saxxman]

Ditto that! Love the value of Eagle Ranch.

You guys should PM me when you're in the area. I sell high end jewelry and watches on Bridge Street, in Vail. Would love to get together!

Steve

[stk13]

I lived in an apartment off of Lakota for years when I was growing up, first time I ever played golf was a kids day there. Used to find balls people had sliced into my back yard all the time. Tons of variety in the courses around there, if you go out to Rifle they have a decent muni, Glenwood has several very nice courses around it, and if you can afford them the clubs in Aspen/Snowmass are great. I used to caddy for a couple that was active on the tournament circuit in the area.

[divebreck]

Lakota Canyon is a good course, maybe a bit gimmicky and a far amount of blind shots to the green. Still have no idea how it get ranked so high, I dislike the Raven in Silverthorne! If you are that close to Breckenridge go play it, guaranteed to be in better shape and a better course on any of the 3 layouts.