Mountain Golf & July 4th Celebrations

Summer is sublime in the Colorado Rockies

Chris Duthie

Photograph © Chris Duthie

Independence Day is upon us, and with it the swelter of summer. For the next several weeks, our collective attention is directed to the cool rewards of the Rockies, where blissful, mid-70s temperatures underscore outstanding outdoor recreation, festivals and events. Where to go? Check out these six recommendations:

1. Steamboat Springs is a hugely popular Rocky Mountain destination, especially for golfers who test their mettle at Haymaker Golf Course, Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club,   Steamboat Golf Club and Craig’s Yampa Valley Golf Course. Don’t miss this weekend’s 4^th of July Weekend, which includes a rollicking parade, banging fireworks and the 112^th Annual Cowboys’ Roundup Days.

2. At an elevation of 8,000 feet, Grand County is at the summit for escaping summer’s sizzle. Golfers revel in Bubba-esque tee balls at Pole Creek Golf Club, Grand Elk Golf Club, Grand Lake Golf Course and Golf Granby Ranch, plus there are the pleasures of Rocky Mountain National Park and the resplendent headwaters of the Colorado and Fraser rivers. For July 4^th, attend the Fire Up the Cliffs celebration in Kremmling or the sky-painting Grand Lake Fireworks Extravaganza.

3. For beat-the-heat golf, it’s hard to rival Vail Valley’s remarkable courses—including Sonnenalp Golf Club, Vail Golf Club, Red Sky Ranch & Golf Club, Beaver Creek Golf Club and The Club at Cordillera. And for a truly memorable July 4^th event, bring your patriotic pride to Vail America Days or the Beaver Creek Independence Day Celebration.

4. Believe it or not, Aspen is more celebrated for its sun-splashed summers than Gucci-cool winters. Adding to its favored summer-respite status are the area’s great golf courses—go test Aspen Golf Club, Snowmass Club and Ironbridge Golf Club, among others—and its Old Fashioned July 4^th Celebration, which includes buddy races, kids bike decorating, rugby, parade, picnic and big-sky explosions.

5. Summit County’s golf attraction is legendary, especially at stalwarts like Breckenridge Golf Club, Raven Golf Club at Three Springs, Keystone Ranch Golf Course and The River Course at Keystone. Click here for just some of the July 4^th celebrations in Copper Mountain, Keystone, Silverthorne, Frisco and Leadville, as well as Breckenridge’s event-packed Saturday.

6. In Southwest Colorado, late-season snows and plentiful rain have rivers running wild and golf courses in peak condition. Reserve a tee time at Glacier Club, Dalton Ranch Golf Club and Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango, and in nearby San Juan County, high-altitude Telluride Golf Club. Durango’s all-day Independence Day Celebration includes a pancake breakfast, live music street dance, parade and fireworks.

RELATED LINKS

Tee For Two in Keystone

Golf in Grand County and Steamboat Springs

Stay and Play in Durango

Experience Red Sky Golf Club

Chris Duthie is a contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.