By Chris Duthie
[easyazon_infoblock align=”right” identifier=”B07175TS6L” locale=”US” tag=”coloradoavidg-20″]With the onset of Labor Day comes the splendid realization that another sumptuous Colorado autumn is just weeks away. That means landscapes exploding in multiple shades of ochre, green and gold, and soothing day-long temperatures that prompt golfers to layer up before hitting the links.
There is little time to waste. High-country golf courses remain in peak condition for weekend or weeklong escapes, yet Wolf Creek Pass already has recorded its first snowfall. Adding to the urgency are astonishing season-ending rates made even more enticing by kick-butt, cart-included pricing offered through the Colorado AvidGolfer Golf Passport.
Where to go? Here is a mix of stellar Rocky Mountain must-plays:
1) Four superlative courses await in and around Granby. Eighteen-hole Golf Passport tee times range from $39 to $58 at Golf Granby Ranch, Grand Elk Ranch & Club, Grand Lake and Pole Creek. Adding to the area’s attraction are phenomenal outdoor recreational opportunities like fishing, mountain biking, hiking and camping.
2) In Steamboat Springs, the CAG Passport offers a sensational $67 rate at Haymaker Golf Course. There are three more courses in the area (Rollingstone Ranch, Steamboat Golf Club and private Catamount Ranch & Club), plus in nearby Craig is Yampa Valley GC, which sports a $30 Golf Passport rate until the snow flies.
3) Aspen is synonymous with winter recreation, but the area’s golf courses are well worth the trip, too. Tee it up at Aspen Golf Club, and around nearby Glenwood Springs make reservations at River Valley Ranch, Glenwood Springs GC, Lakota Canyon Ranch and Ironbridge GC ($79 Golf Passport).
4) Following a summer of drought, wildfires and scorching heat, Southwest Colorado has stormed back with outstanding golf at Durango’s Hillcrest and Dalton Ranch, Telluride Golf Club, Conquistador in Cortez, Pagosa Springs GC, The Club at Crested Butte, The Bridges in Montrose ($35 Golf Passport) and Devil’s Thumb in Delta ($31-$36 Golf Passport).
5) Opportunities to score come fast and furious in and around Silverthorne. Start your sun-splashed journey at The Raven at Three Peaks ($55 Golf Passport), then head to Keystone Ranch and the River Course at Keystone ($80 Golf Passport for either), and Breckenridge GC ($75 Golf Passport).
[easyazon_infoblock align=”right” identifier=”B01G229TV0″ locale=”US” tag=”coloradoavidg-20″]RELATED LINKS
The CAGGY Awards 2018
Golfers and Leaf Peepers Celebrate
Grand County is Rocky Mountain Majesty
Duel With a Conquistador
Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.