Colorado WRX 2025

[TheKrushh]

I'm going to Phoenix next weekend to play my father-in-laws course and then Florida the following week to play a member guest at my dads retirement course 🤣

[Dancin]

jealous 🤣

[Dancin]

3 hours ago, TheKrushh said:

Holy s***. Never thought I would see this. Te Arai North must be insane!

It's Doak turned to 11. He basically built a full length course with a majority of the greens like the Mulligan par 3 at Ballyneal. For that reason I doubt raters will ever mark the North really high, but I love that sort of stuff. Tara Iti is Ballyneal on the ocean with slightly tamer greens.

 

Supposedly Doak was pretty pissed at building them a top 30 or better in the world course with Tara Iti and then getting shafted on the amount of ocean front given to Coore/Crenshaw so he went all out with the North. Our host considers the North Doak's masterpiece and I agree.

 

I was glad I thought up and pulled off a great shot on 5 at Tara Iti. There is a kicker slope front left that fed down to the green. I sculled my approach over the back of the green on the fringe. It was a downhill multiple breaker putt from 35 feet or more if I putted it. I had looked at that kicker slope closely as I walked up to the green and it looked like it would feed right to the hole so I told my caddie I got this while he went to help look for another player's ball that went into the scrub over the green. I pulled my putter, but then thought better of that and grabbed the sand wedge and chipped it to the top of the kicker slope and it rolled all the way down about 60 feet into the hole for a birdie 4.

 

This is a screenshot from the golf digest tara iti video: Black line is pin location, black ball in back left is where I was. Arrow points where I aimed and landed my chip.

Edited March 25 by Dancin

[ASak10]

9 hours ago, Hardrain said:

Going to Mid Pines and Pinehurst this week for the first time. Any special tips I need to know?

 

Playing Tobacco, Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Pinehurst 2, 4, 10.

I’m jealous you’re going! I’ve played all those (multiple times for most) except for 10, that opened a couple weeks after I was there last year. 
 

Not sure there any special tips except to enjoy and soak it all in. Tobacco is super fun just don’t worry about your score or results of any single shot. You’ll get good and bad breaks. Just enjoy the ride, the scenery, and the craziness of it all. 
 

Pine Needles is a special place and one of my favorites. It’s just such a fun challenging course that’s a joy to play. Mid Pines is a blast too, especially the back nine. A few holes on the front I didn’t care for but otherwise it’s great. 
 

In my opinion 4 is better than 2 but…2 is 2. It’s awesome. Get a putter in your hand whenever you can, and I mean from 50 yards and in. Those greens are insane and so hard to hold. Don’t go full John Daly on the 8th. I did. It was ugly 🙈 4 is just a fantastic golf course, it’s pretty much all in front of you and has great views of the property. I’m even more jealous you get to play 10. 
 

Can you get on the cradle at all? It’s a blast. Even if you can’t, go grab a drink from the Pinecone and sit on the patio watching everyone. And take another drink over to Thistle Dhu and have some fun putting with your buddies. The Pinehurst brewery/bbq joint is a fun hang and the food is great. Enjoy man. It’s the best. 

[CDM]

On 3/24/2025 at 11:35 AM, Hardrain said:

Going to Mid Pines and Pinehurst this week for the first time. Any special tips I need to know?

 

Playing Tobacco, Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Pinehurst 2, 4, 10.

 

Great selection.  Played them a few times, nothing comes to mind then just enjoy the fun...!

[CDM]

On 3/24/2025 at 11:14 AM, Dancin said:

Back from epic golf trip. Te Arai North/South and Tara Iti as a combination is on another level over Bandon. Never thought I'd find a course I liked more than Ballyneal but Te Arai North is it. Tara Iti is close, but just behind BN if you take out the scenery. Te Arai South has the wildest Coore/Crenshaw greens I've ever seen, but is mostly an eye candy course. If I ranked everything we played it would go
Te Arai North
Tara Iti
The National Moonah
Te Arai South
Peninsula Kingswood North (most perfect and smooth greens I have ever played and nice layout too)
Victoria
St. Andrews Beach
Titirangi

Te Arai is doing the same deal as Bandon with second round half price and third round free. While we got it a lot cheaper as guest of a member at current exchange rates, Te Arai would be about $365 a round if playing 36 and I'd go back in a second at that rate. If you have the contact for Tara Iti too, that is probably the best 3 course in one location in the world.

 

As @Dancin notes there is some amazing golf in the area. 2 trips in 2 years and its worth it....! 

 

Granted it seems like it "word" is out and more people are going there vs other "top" locations. Sure longer flight but the reason is the Value vs Golf can not be beat IMHO.

 

Going foward might be harder or more costly accessing some of the courses...just my speculation. As we all know once the word is out everyone goes there and it gets over done and prices sky rocket.  Ie: Ireland.  

 

My rankings:

 

1. Tara Iti 

(Amazing place.  The facility is 4 Seasons on steriods soon as you pull in.  The greens as noted are pretty mild for Doak, but still fantastic. In some aspects IMHO the layout has a CC vibe, yet still Doak for sure)

2. Te Arai North

(Flat out fun / mix of awesome holes.  Doak got to be "Doak" on a number of aspects.  I thought Barnbougle Dunes was my favorite Doak but North passes it) 

**Pick between Tara Iti or Te Arai North is like picking a favorite child. They are different but both are sooooo good.  10 rounds I would lean 6 out of 10 to Tara Iti BUT that could also depend on the day of the week. A number of people liked Te Aria South over North so it all comes down to personal preference. 

3. Victoria  (Classic "old school" course that has some amazing bunkering on it. Tough course, probably the toughest we played on the trip.) 

4. Te Arai South  (Probably the best CC course I have played.  If you like ocean views this is the course, unless you can get on Tara iti)
5. The National Moonah  (Fantastic links course. Tame course to start but kicks in and it has to have the best 4 finishng holes.  If your in an event (stroke / match) you are either winning it or loosing it on these 4 holes...!)  

 

** You could flip the 3 above around all day long.   It all comes down to personal preferences.  If you could play any of them you would be extremely happy. 

6. Peninsula Kingswood North (Great course and layout.  As noted some of the best rolling greens you might ever play. Crazy pure / true greens) 

7. St. Andrews Beach (Excellent public course everyone raves about and its well worth it if have time.  Loved the fact that is had a great mix of holes and green complexes. Plus it has small greens on a number of holes, not just the 1/4 greens used to for a public course. Talking 5000 SF greens which you only see on "old school" courses) 
8. Titirangi  (Only Alister McKenzie course in New Zealad.  Great design and stout test at par 70 but not in the s ame league as the others)

** like the others you could flip St Adrews Beach and Ttirangi, all based on the type of course you like. 

 

Te Arai and Tara Iti might be 3 of the best courses in one location you can play. Not cheap and access to Tara it is not easy by any means, but if you can get on Tara iti you would be crazy to not go and play all 3 in there...!   Pure golf...! 

 

Tooks some decent photos but still trying to get back to normal after the flight plus work is complete chaos right now.  Will try to post some later.  

Edited May 2 by CDM

[Dancin]

3 hours ago, CDM said:

Granted it seems like it "word" is out and more people are going there vs other "top" locations. Sure longer flight but the reason is the Value vs Golf can not be beat IMHO.

 

Going foward might be harder or more costly accessing some of the courses...just my speculation. As we all know once the word is out everyone goes there and it gets over done and prices sky rocket.

That's why you need to join Te Arai now at the relatively cheap price they are currently asking.

 

The other thing we didn't mention is we rented a whole two bedroom beach house with kitchen for about $60 a night in Mangawhai which was about 25 minutes from the course. (If you were a Tara Iti member, it would only be about a 10-15 minute drive). Also the local public course in Mangawhai looked interesting too and the caddies all said it was good, but we didn't get a chance to play it.

Edited March 26 by Dancin

[CDM]

13 hours ago, Dancin said:

That's why you need to join Te Arai now at the relatively cheap price they are currently asking.

 

The other thing we didn't mention is we rented a whole two bedroom beach house with kitchen for about $60 a night in Mangawhai which was about 25 minutes from the course. (If you were a Tara Iti member, it would only be about a 10-15 minute drive). Also the local public course in Mangawhai looked interesting too and the caddies all said it was good, but we didn't get a chance to play it.

  

 "Relatively Cheap Price" .......... that is a double negative when talking about Tara iti, Te Arai maybe not so much 

 

I can not confirm or deny I have or have not been in contact with the GM at Tara iti this week, but the wife pretty much put a reality check on it last night with law school cost coming. 😂

[Dancin]

I didn't mention Tara Iti at all. All you need to do is play 9 days a year (or 6 rounds in 3 days) to more than recover the Te Arai annual and once you are in at Te Arai you'll make contact with the Tara Iti guys that are members at both and be able to get on there occasionally too. You know you want to pull that trigger. 😁

Edited March 26 by Dancin

[CDM]

1 hour ago, Dancin said:

I didn't mention Tara Iti at all. All you need to do is play 9 days a year (or 6 rounds in 3 days) to more than recover the Te Arai annual and once you are in at Te Arai you'll make contact with the Tara Iti guys that are members at both and be able to get on there occasionally too. You know you want to pull that trigger. 😁

 

..........your a bad influence.

[jda]

Do you have to take your sig other's when you golf half way across the world?  I could barely muster the courage to ask about going to Cabo to Quivira, but somehow anything in the US is totally OK.  I don't even know why.

 

I am asking for a friend...

[TheKrushh]

21 hours ago, Dancin said:

That's why you need to join Te Arai now at the relatively cheap price they are currently asking.

 

The other thing we didn't mention is we rented a whole two bedroom beach house with kitchen for about $60 a night in Mangawhai which was about 25 minutes from the course. (If you were a Tara Iti member, it would only be about a 10-15 minute drive). Also the local public course in Mangawhai looked interesting too and the caddies all said it was good, but we didn't get a chance to play it.

What did you two do with the the second bed?

[CDM]

5 hours ago, jda said:

Do you have to take your sig other's when you golf half way across the world?  I could barely muster the courage to ask about going to Cabo to Quivira, but somehow anything in the US is totally OK.  I don't even know why.

 

I am asking for a friend...

 

No significant others on this trip. I will admit I am very lucky she is cool with it..but given I have a few odd medical issues that "may" make it harder to do down the road she was the one said do before you cant. 

Edited March 26 by CDM

[Dancin]

1 hour ago, TheKrushh said:

What did you two do with the the second bed?

lol. There were actually 4 beds and a couch.

[CDM]

1 hour ago, TheKrushh said:

What did you two do with the the second bed?

🤣  

[bobbyclampett!!]

Collindale was glorious this morning, not because of the course conditions, but because we got that rain last night and some cool cloud cover and the air felt incredible with that little moisture in it. God maybe I should move to Oregon or the UK. 
 

I guess Collindale lost its water source (Warren Lake had a leak?) it won’t be back until mid summer. I have no idea what’s going to happen out there. Pray for us. 

 

Game is slowly coming back. Hit some really good shots. Wish I could get out more and keep the insights and momentum going in the right direction. Oh well. It was a pretty walk!

[MickeyTankBank]

Got out and played Ute yesterday, little windy and the course is still in rough shape. Greens were pretty sandy. Shot a nice little 87 and was feeling real bad about my game. 

 

Played today at Hyland Hills. Course was wet from the rain last night but it's in good shape this early in the year. Shot a 74 with 5 birdies and 7 bogeys. Putter was on fire. 

[HelloPhrends]

New to Colorado WRX. I live in Fort Collins and mostly play the city courses. Recovering from a shoulder injury, so this week was my first week on the course this year.

 

Played City Park 9 on Saturday morning. Rain was in the forecast but it never showed up, so the course was relatively empty. Tee boxes aren't in use yet, so the tees were all 20-30 yards in front of their normal spots. I shot 40 on the front and was having so much fun I got permission from my wife to play another nine. Shot 33 on the back nine for my lowest nine hole score since high school. But hard to get too excited about it since I was basically playing from the ladies tees.

 

Anyway, this seems like a fun forum. Looking forward to following along this year. 🍻

[jda]

Mariana Butte late last week.  So dry that I felt like Joel driving the ball well over 300-320 even in the rough.  Had 111 into the green on Par 5 hole 1.  Even hit my wooden driver over 300 a few times - it is meant to find fairways and not be super long.  Big hops on greens and stuff and you kinda had to play balls short and let them edge up.  Fun to play a different kind of golf.

 

So glad for this rain, but sorry that it came on a Sunday for the M-F working folks.

[RCL]

Hi All!

 

First off, very jealous of some of the NZ trips being discussed. That is at the very top of the bucket list when I can find the time to make the trek.

 

I'm from South FL, but a good friend and I are going to be coming out in September to play Colorado GC for the Fried Egg event. I'm an enormous Coore Crenshaw fan so this is a bucket list course for me. While we'd love to play a practice round prior, I don't think the event/club is going to allow that. Do you all have any recommendations for another course we could play in the Parker/Denver area that would be a good tune up for CGC? Something with similar elevation and greens would be ideal since that will be the biggest change for us coming from Florida. I'm roughly a 4 handicap and my buddy is in the 8-10 range.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice/input!

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan

[jda]

18 hours ago, RCL said:

Hi All!

 

First off, very jealous of some of the NZ trips being discussed. That is at the very top of the bucket list when I can find the time to make the trek.

 

I'm from South FL, but a good friend and I are going to be coming out in September to play Colorado GC for the Fried Egg event. I'm an enormous Coore Crenshaw fan so this is a bucket list course for me. While we'd love to play a practice round prior, I don't think the event/club is going to allow that. Do you all have any recommendations for another course we could play in the Parker/Denver area that would be a good tune up for CGC? Something with similar elevation and greens would be ideal since that will be the biggest change for us coming from Florida. I'm roughly a 4 handicap and my buddy is in the 8-10 range.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice/input!

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan

 

Most of the courses south of Denver are at that elevation, or close enough.  Don't know what course to recommend that is similar to CGC.  Sorry.

 

Don't trust any "typical" type of yardage calculations that you see online - when we go to sea level, some of my clubs go the same distance (wedges and short irons) and some are shorter (longer clubs) but not the 10% that people like to say.  Some of my friends are just the opposite.

 

Maybe some of the other dudes down south will chime in with a course to recommend.

[ASak10]

Nothing can really compare to CGC but CommonGround would probably be a good way to get used to yardages and it is more in the style of CGC than others. 

Edited April 2 by ASak10

[TheKrushh]

1 hour ago, ASak10 said:

Nothing can really compare to CGC but CommonGround would probably be a good way to get used to yardages and it is more in the style of CGC than others. 

This is the right answer!

[TheKrushh]

On 4/1/2025 at 2:47 PM, RCL said:

Hi All!

 

First off, very jealous of some of the NZ trips being discussed. That is at the very top of the bucket list when I can find the time to make the trek.

 

I'm from South FL, but a good friend and I are going to be coming out in September to play Colorado GC for the Fried Egg event. I'm an enormous Coore Crenshaw fan so this is a bucket list course for me. While we'd love to play a practice round prior, I don't think the event/club is going to allow that. Do you all have any recommendations for another course we could play in the Parker/Denver area that would be a good tune up for CGC? Something with similar elevation and greens would be ideal since that will be the biggest change for us coming from Florida. I'm roughly a 4 handicap and my buddy is in the 8-10 range.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice/input!

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan

Colorado Golf Club is one of the best CC's in my opinion. Especially for longer golfers it plays majestically. Sandhills is still my #1 but CGC is close behind

[ASak10]

It's my favorite course. Unfortunately my connection there is no longer a member 😭

 

@RCL shoot me a message closer to when you are out here if you want someone to play CommonGround with you. I play there pretty much weekly, happy to go out.  

[CDM]

19 hours ago, TheKrushh said:

Especially for longer golfers it plays majestically. 

 

What about short hitters who can not hit a green from 70 yards and in...? The good thing is as we progressed on holes I got "better" 😎

 

Edit:  your "shocker" comment on our last hole will go down in history....!  Paul is never going to let that go 🤣

Edited April 3 by CDM

[CDM]

On 4/1/2025 at 2:47 PM, RCL said:

Hi All!

 

First off, very jealous of some of the NZ trips being discussed. That is at the very top of the bucket list when I can find the time to make the trek.

 

I'm from South FL, but a good friend and I are going to be coming out in September to play Colorado GC for the Fried Egg event. I'm an enormous Coore Crenshaw fan so this is a bucket list course for me. While we'd love to play a practice round prior, I don't think the event/club is going to allow that. Do you all have any recommendations for another course we could play in the Parker/Denver area that would be a good tune up for CGC? Something with similar elevation and greens would be ideal since that will be the biggest change for us coming from Florida. I'm roughly a 4 handicap and my buddy is in the 8-10 range.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice/input!

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan

 

RCL Denver has some amazing public couress so you have options.   Colorado golf club is pretty cool place and sure you will like it. I agree that Common Ground might be the better one to play prior.  It still will not be the same as CGC overall.  

 

Given HDCP's I would think it may not matter where you play IMHO.  You just need a round here to get used to the elevation and ball flight.   Part of me thinks and many may say not a good tune up course but cool to see would be Bear Dance. 

 

If you have connections a second option, well maybe more like an 8th option and granted kind of a dog track...😎....see if you can get on Ballyneal.   

 

I stay away from the Fried egg events. Meet Andy a couple of times actually.  I know members at clubs that have had issues with the Fried Egg events... but others not......seems hit or miss.  I think is not Fried Egg but more so how some who sign view what is allowed.      

[Dancin]

The courses hosting fried egg events are renting their facilities out for the day at a very high price. While members might not be happy, they shouldn't be on site at the same time and their dues stay lower because of it. Any animosity they might have should be directed at the board/owner running the club and not the participants.

[MickeyTankBank]

I mean after seeing RCL's post I did consider paying $750 to play CGC, probably the only chance I'll get to play there. Then I remembered I have a trip to Bandon this summer to pay for and that thought disappeared.

[pseudoswede]

My kid's high school club golf team is looking for indoor sim facilities near Lone Tree that would be used in case of inclement weather. One bay on Wednesdays and/or Friday mornings (around 10:30am/11:30am) for an hour. Since this is a public school, budget-friendly is ideal. Feel free to reply here or DM me.