Golf recommendations for Avon Colorado area

[swomack]

I am going on a family trip to Avon around the first week of August and I'm looking for a couple of courses so that I can slip away.

 

I am looking primarily for a solid (doesn't have to be spectacular) course but with some amazing views. I live in Orlando so I'd like to get that different golfing experience that golf in the Rockies affords.

 

I'm also hoping to keep the cost under $200 per round. I don't really have the budget for some of the top courses so some insight from those who have been there would be very helpful.

 

Thanks!

[greg c]

Can't go wrong with Breckenridge. The Red Sky Ranch courses are really nice. Keystone River course is a very cool mountain layout.

[swomack]

Thanks! Do you know if there is a place to get specials or discounted greens fees for any of those?

[swomack]

Thanks for the info!

Regarding the courses at Red Sky Ranch, are they worth $250 for a round? If you had to pick the one with better views, which one would you go with?

[jth3333]

Red Sky has stay and play packages and I am sure they have green fee specials. I know you will not have your choice of courses they rotate public on oneside and members on the other each day. Both great courses I like the Fazio better.

[fairwayallday]

Wifey just booked a stay and play for early September at Red Sky and then playing a round at silverthorne.

I can't wait to get out there!

[powermacknyc]

Played both. Both are spectacular. Norman course has better views for sure. The course is set higher on the mountain compared to the Fazio course so the elevation changes off the tee are more dramatic. I thought the Fazio course had more character. Felt the Norman course was a bombers paradise. Both courses were kept up. Greens were running at 12. I'm on the plane headed out there now. Playing Lakota Canyon tomorrow. Since I've played Red Sky, I think I'm goin to try Raven at Three Peaks. 

[greg c]

If the views are all you are interested in, then you would probably prefer the Norman course at RSR. But if you're there for the quality of the course, then I think the Fazio is the better of the two. The Norman seemed too tricked up to me, and it is way over-bunkered. I wouldn't pay $250 for either though. The Raven at Three Peaks has great views, as does the River Course at Keystone. Any course in the mountains will have great views, though, if you just look around a bit.

[fairwayallday]

I love mountain golf. My job basically turns me into an a$$h@le so it will be nice to get out and get some fresh air, eat great food, enjoy it. What is the weather like in early September?

[swomack]

I would have booked a stay and play at RSR but I'm staying at the Ritz nearby on points. My job is a lot of travel and I always stay at Marriotts. I just hope this area doesn't get touched by the fires.

It's difficult to pay $250 for a course since I paid less than that for the Sawgrass stadium course, but then again Sawgrass doesn't have mountains.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Early September should be nice, by the end of the month it can get a little cool and windy.

[divebreck]

If your going to go to Raven play Breckenridge instead, great course, good views and a real challange. The Raven just has to many tricked up holes and I will guarantee the conditions will be better at Breck.

[fairwayallday]

I played out there about a year and a half ago, maybe two but I played two of the three nines up there and it was awesome.

Made me want to start making it a yearly trip. Course was in great shape and staff was great. I am sure I will be back sometime.

[nfinch10]

Vail/Avon has a few courses that are gonna be way below 250, but still in very nice condition as they cater to tourists during the summer. If you worried about views, don't be. Any course in that area has awesome ones. I'm a big fan of the keystone river course and know a bunch of people who love the Raven as well as brekenridge. RSR sounds amazing, but there is great golf to be had in the area for far less $.

[MileHighClub]

Have played Raven and both Keystone courses in past few weeks, and all three had a difficult winter, especially the Raven. Raven greens are horrible. I hope they are in better shape when you visit.

One course that doesn't get a lot of mention, but is a great value is Copper Creek at Copper Mountain. Not particularly long but a fun course with great views and very inexpensive compared to the other Summit County courses.

My favorite of all in the area is Breckenridge..

[MrMileHigh]

I live in Denver and am up in Beaver Creek 3 or 4 times a summer so I've played most of the mountain courses. I would say my favorites for value and fun are:

Keystone River, Eagle Vail (last 5 holes are really cool), the Vail Valley course is one hell of a value, Lakota Canyon (1 hour drive from Beaver Creek), and Cordillera Summit if you can manage to get on.

The colors could be changing when you're there and the weather should be perfect. That should be a great trip to a beautiful area!

[fairwayallday]

Thanks for the info guys! If the trees are changing that will be the icing on the cake.

I hope the greens are better at silverthorne. I can always play somewhere else. The two at RSR are the only "have to" plays this time.

Thought about Lakota but it is another hour west and we are coming from KC, I love Engh courses.

Cordillera is a separate trip altogether. I think 3 of 4 courses are closed for the remainder of the year anyway.

Suggestions for great food are welcome also!

[MrMileHigh]

[quote name='fairwayallday' timestamp='1341929890' post='5249098']
Cordillera is a separate trip altogether. I think 3 of 4 courses are closed for the remainder of the year anyway.
[/quote]

The situation at Cordillera is unfortunate. I've played the 3 championship courses and they are all a lot of fun.

As for food, I really enjoy Blue Moose Pizza in Beaver Creek Village. Good pizza and a little more budget friendly. The Vail valley can be outrageously expensive. If you like BBQ, Moes in Lionshead village in Vail is pretty good. A cool place in Minturn is the Minturn Country Club. It's about 10 minutes from Avon. You pick your cut of meat (great steaks) and then you throw them on the grill and cook them yourself. It's a fun place and a unique dining experience. As for high-end, Elways just opened at the Lodge at Vail. In my opinion, the Elways restaurants do some of the best steaks in the state. If you like beer, check out Crazy Mountain Brewery in Edwards. Great micro-brews and the folks that own and run it are great.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Lakota is good, back 9 is kind of dull, just too many houses and not enough mountains. Redlands Mesa is a must play Engh designed course, next time do them both!

[swomack]

Just played the Vail golf club yesterday and it was a blast. Got paired up with some great guys and we all had fun. The course is in great shape and the greens even more so. The staff was friendly and the cost was decent. $107 with cart. Just be aware that this time of year it rains most afternoons around 3pm. We had a 10:20am tee time and it was sprinkling a bit on the last hole.

Not only are there great views of the mountains, but the homes nearby are incredible! The biggest challenge for me (aside from my lack of general skill) was trying to figure which club to pull when there was elevation change involved. It was only an issue on three holes but it's a rare experience for a Florida golfer. Looking forward to playing Eagle/Vail later this week.

I'm staying at the Ritz in Bachelor Gulch (on my travel points). If you ever stay here DO NOT eat on site. Spago is good but waaaay overpriced and all the other restaurants are expensive, slow, and have mediocre quality. Luckily I have a suite with a kitchen so we either eat in or go into one of the villages.

Here are the food recs I have for good value:

Ticino - pizza, italian
No Se Hagan Bolas - Mexican
Gashouse - steak
Nozawa Sushi - sushi, thai
Ludwigs - family, German, breakfast
The Little Diner - breakfast 7a-2p
Blue Moose - pizza
Minturn Country Club - pick and cook your own steak
Agave - Taco Tuesday

There is a Costco in Gypsum as well.

[Crab Daddy]

[quote name='swomack' timestamp='1343908081' post='5395114']
Just played the Vail golf club yesterday and it was a blast. Got paired up with some great guys and we all had fun. The course is in great shape and the greens even more so. The staff was friendly and the cost was decent. $107 with cart. Just be aware that this time of year it rains most afternoons around 3pm. We had a 10:20am tee time and it was sprinkling a bit on the last hole.

Not only are there great views of the mountains, but the homes nearby are incredible! The biggest challenge for me (aside from my lack of general skill) was trying to figure which club to pull when there was elevation change involved. It was only an issue on three holes but it's a rare experience for a Florida golfer. Looking forward to playing Eagle/Vail later this week.

I'm staying at the Ritz in Bachelor Gulch (on my travel points). If you ever stay here DO NOT eat on site. Spago is good but waaaay overpriced and all the other restaurants are expensive, slow, and have mediocre quality. Luckily I have a suite with a kitchen so we either eat in or go into one of the villages.

Here are the food recs I have for good value:

Ticino - pizza, italian
No Se Hagan Bolas - Mexican
Gashouse - steak
Nozawa Sushi - sushi, thai
Ludwigs - family, German, breakfast
The Little Diner - breakfast 7a-2p
Blue Moose - pizza
Minturn Country Club - pick and cook your own steak
Agave - Taco Tuesday

There is a Costco in Gypsum as well.
[/quote]

Did you play Eagle-Vail yet? Just got back from Beaver Creek and played EV while I was there. I'm a flat lander, as well, and loved that course - very entertaining. I think Beaver Creek GC let's non-guests on in the afternoon. Looked like a nice layout.
If you're still in Avon, you may want to check out a restaurant called e-town in Edwards. Not cheap, but easier on the wallet than the resort restaurants.

[swomack]

I did play Eagle-Vail. Wow, that first tee is incredible! I was nervous but put a good drive down the middle. That elevation change is fun. The one that really freaked me out was that par 3 from the side of the mountain. For once I can truthfully say I played a 9 iron on a 197yd par3 and hit the green.

I was staying at the Ritz near Beaver Creek so I could have gotten on. Maybe next trip.

[MrMileHigh]

Eagle-Vail has some fun holes with crazy elevation change and some fun ones by the river. Sounds like you had a great trip!

[swomack]

I had a great trip. I would highly recommend this area for a golf trip but you better bring some bucks. Everything here will be more expensive. Food, hotels, golf. I guess I am spoiled because all this is much cheaper in Orlando for the same quality.

[nfinch10]

[quote name='fairwayallday' timestamp='1341929890' post='5249098']
Thanks for the info guys! If the trees are changing that will be the icing on the cake.

I hope the greens are better at silverthorne. I can always play somewhere else. The two at RSR are the only "have to" plays this time.

Thought about Lakota but it is another hour west and we are coming from KC, I love Engh courses.

Cordillera is a separate trip altogether. I think 3 of 4 courses are closed for the remainder of the year anyway.

Suggestions for great food are welcome also!
[/quote]

For food, I'm pretty partial to The Dam Brewery in Silverthorne/Dillon. It's been kind of a tradition, as we've been going there since we were little kids after skiing. To be honest, I can't say much about the food (pretty sure it's decent but won't knock your socks off). The main attraction for us going there was to be able to say "give me a Dam burger!", which later morphed into "give me a Dam beer!", without anyone thinking we were dicks. It's almost automatic that if we're going out for dinner, we're going there.

[gould.cooper]

[quote name='swomack' timestamp='1340802445' post='5176540']
Thanks for the info!

Regarding the courses at Red Sky Ranch, are they worth $250 for a round? If you had to pick the one with better views, which one would you go with?
[/quote]

Norman Course