Highlands Ranch is a
Great Addition to Denver Area

By Lynn Zmistowski, Handicap 4 (Denver)
Reader Review

June 14, 1999

DENVER - The Denver area is very fortunate to have many very good public golf facilities that are moderately priced. But the Denver area has had only one up-scale public facility until Highlands Ranch (The Ridge at Castle Pines North). What sets Highlands Ranch and The Ridge apart from all the other wonderful golf facilities is the service, condition and the attitude of the staff that operates them.

Highlands Ranch golf course is one of Hale Irwin’s designs. His golf courses generally are very nice and playable courses. The fairways are generous, the greens are fairly big and not too undulating. The rough is more or less determined by the greens superintendents, but at Highlands Ranch it is penalizing but playable.

The first three holes are pretty easy, wide fairways, big greens. It gives you a chance to get warmed up and enjoy the exceptional condition of the golf course. The greens are excellent. They are pretty fast (stimp about 9.5 to 10) and are tournament quality. It is so nice to play on a course with greens that are not stimping at 8’ or less and that are as smooth as the greens we see the pros playing on when we watch t.v. After the first three holes, you will have to have your game tuned up because for the remainder of the round you are going to have to play some pretty decent golf in order to make pars.

The holes start to meander in a wetland type area with lots of beautiful trees, hills and natural setting. It is very serene and you feel like you are enjoying a nature walk. But you aren’t, the green fees include carts. You may walk, but the green fee includes the cart. Admittedly there are some sizeable walks from greens to next tees so for those who are not devout walkers, the cart may be your friend.

Highlands Ranch has four sets of tees measuring from 5350 to 7000 yards. You should be able to find a set of tees that suit your game and will give you the opportunity to have a good score.

I know that many business type people must take clients out for a round of golf and lunch. Not all business type people are members of private country clubs or if they are, they can’t always get a starting time to bring guests at the time they want to play. Highlands Ranch and The Ridge are country club quality courses and country club quality service.

The Ridge is one up on Highlands Ranch for one more year because The Ridge clubhouse facility is in place. For 1999 you will have to be satisfied with the golf course and service at Highlands Ranch because they are in temporary trailers. But it is certainly nice to have two up-scale service facilities now available in south Denver.

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