Omni's Vista 2

Omni Interlocken Golf Course:
North Denver's Luxury Golf Resort

By Diana Rowe Martinez, Regional Staff Writer

After you drop your clubs off at the entrance, they magically reappear at your golf cart. Omni's golf carts are some of the classiest I've seen--complete with a pull-down canopy on the back. Golf cart amenities include sending you out with free water and players' assistance carts replenishing your water along the course, as needed.

A fully landscaped driving range and putting and chipping greens are located just south of the clubhouse at Omni's 12-acre practice facility. The Clubhouse, Pro Shop, and Fairway's Restaurant and Bar welcome the visitor with rustic décor.

Golf instruction is provided by professional golf instructors of the Mike Adam's L.A.W.S. of Golf Academy. Mike is known as the "Swing Doctor" for his ability to diagnose and cure ailing golf swings. Formerly a touring professional, he is one of the game's leading instructors teaching an average of 1,800 students each year. Mike was selected by Golf Magazine as one of the top 50 teachers in America. Omni's teaching philosophy is to match your physique to your technique. Golf instruction is offered in their Daily Clinics, Customized Corporate Clinics and Junior Golf Clinics, or Individual Lessons.

With more than 400 feet in elevation changes, the Omni offers panoramic views of the Colorado Rockies, the Front Range of Pike's Peak in the South, Long's Peak in the North, and views of downtown Denver and the eastern plains. The terrain consists of gently rolling hills stretching out over 300 acres of fairways with added challenges in 2,200 trees. Landing areas are generous and multi-tiered.

• Past Colorado course reviews • Past reviews by Diana Rowe Martinez

Each nine carries a name: Vista, Eldorado and Sunshine. Any 18-hole combination will net you total course yardage of 5,100 to 7,100 yards and a choice of five levels of difficulty. I had the privilege of playing a round on the Vista and Sunshine courses.

I found this course extremely woman friendly with yardages creating reachable birdies and probable pars for the long driver. However, don't let those numbers fool you. The course with its rolling hills, bunkers, and elevation will give every player a challenge.

If you want to know more about the course before you head on over, check out Omni's Virtual Course Tour at http://216.167.81.144/golf/denver/index.html. This site features each hole with detailed graphical yardage markers and full 360-degree panoramic views. Below I'll offer you a sampling of the 18-hole I golfed.

Vista Nine was the beginning of my game. Hole 1 is an uphill, 427-yard par 4 with a generous landing area for short and long drives alike. You'll find thick grass on the right and trees to the left. Stay on the fairway for this dogleg right with a high, soft approach to the green.

Omni has several "featured" holes and Vista's #2, par 3 at 183 yards, is one of those beauties. This hole challenges the player to carry a 40-yard watery ravine just in front of the green. Placing the ball between the front fringe and the pin, or putting from behind the hole toward the front of the green, will give you a challenging two putt.

	Omni's Sunshine Hole 6

Vista's Hole 4 is considered by many to be Omni's signature hole. This hole offers views of the Denver Skyline, Flatirons of Boulder, and Pikes Peak, which is 75 miles to the southwest on this relatively straight, long uphill true Par 5-hole with 565 yards of drive ahead of you.

Hole 6 gives golfers an elevated tee with a par 4. At 213 yards from the forward tees, this a birdie in the making and an opportunity to like the game again. But beware! Bunkers protect the front of the green on the left. Too far left is big trouble with deep grass.

Hole 9 can make or break your Vista round with its difficult par 4 at 433 yards. Even with a good drive in the middle of the fairway, you're still left with the decision to lay up or shoot for the green. An errant shot to the right is less than forgiving and the multi-tiered green makes two putting a challenge.

The Sunshine 9 offers as many enticing views as Vista. My favorite was Hole 4 -a par 4 measuring just 337 yards from the back tees. The green is difficult to reach from the tee with bunkers along the fairway on both sides. Water and thick grass guard the left of the fairway and front of the green on this dogleg left hole. Proper club selection from the tee is necessary to set up the correct approach shot over the ravine to the severely sloped green. Missing the green is a test for anyone's short game - not to mention a test for patience.

Sunshine's 6th is a long, fairly straight par 5 with bunkers protecting it on the side and surrounding the green. Long and straight drives will do well here.

	Omni Vista 9

The Sunshine 9 ends with a great finishing hole at 540 yard par 5. The blind tee shot is best played right to left. The hole is slightly downhill and reachable by most players. Playing long will get you in trouble with either a bunker that surrounds the entire green, or into the lake behind the clubhouse.

All in all, I have to say the Omni course offered the best views I've seen in metro Denver. Each hole was playable but still with plenty of challenge to keep the game far from tedious. The staff was far and above the friendliest and most knowledgeable.

With all these extras offered to you at Omni's Golf Course, you'd think you'd pay upwards of $200 for green fees. Not at the Omni. Peak season 18-hole green fees run $95 to $115 for weekend. Off-season rates are $60/$70 respectively. Tee times can be made in advance by calling (303) 464-9000 or accessing their web site. Check out Omni's Denver/Boulder web site at http://www.omnihotels.com/cgi-bin/hotel_info.asp?h_id=48.

	Omni's Vista Hole 1

No time to get there today? Stay tuned for more on the Omni Golf Course. Omni will be hosting the Sun Microsystems John Elway Celebrity Classic, airing on major networks and slated for play on July 15-16, 2000.

OMNI Interlocken Resort
800 Eldorado Blvd
Broomfield, CO 80021
Phone: (303) 464-9000
Fax: (303) 464-9100
http://www.omnihotels.com/cgi-bin/hotel_info.asp?h_id=48