WINTER 2012

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2 Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2012 ColoradoAvidGol fer.com

InsideContents

44Doubling DownCascata and Rio Secco combine to create the best bets in Las Vegas golf. By Jon Rizzi

46Phoenix Takes FlightThe Valley of the Sun remains a first-class destination.By Jake Kubié

52Coast to Coast to Coast to CoastSea-level golf hits the high-water mark:

54 Florida’s Streamsong By Tom Ferrell56 Mexico’s Costa Baja By Jon Rizzi58 California’s Pelican Hill By Jon Rizzi60 Hawaii’s Garden Isle By Vince Recine

Features

6 ForethoughtsWhere Golf Takes Us. By Jon Rizzi

13 Gallery Xerigolf, Canongate, Liselotte Neumann, pro and amateur award win-ners and Hall of Famers.

64 The Games of Golf Fact or Fiction?

Player’s Corner23 Course

Conestoga Golf Club in Mesquite, Nevada

24 Lesson Hitting from the Beach. By Sherry Smith

26 Lesson Ping-Pong Practice. By Andy Hilts

30 Gimmes Gifts for every golfer and every budget

Sidebets37 Nice Drives

The surprising BMW M5, Dodge Dart and Ford Fusion

40 Players Terry Johnson’s Classic Drives. By Dick Kreck

40 52

4613

30

26

Cover Photo: The 12th hole at Cascata, Boulder City, Nevada. Photograph by Brian Oar/Fairways Photography.

In Every Issue

64

Winter 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer 3ColoradoAvidGol fer.com

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Winter 2012 Volume 11, Number 3

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Allen J. Walters

e d i t o r Jon Rizzi

a s s o c i a t e p u b l i s h e r

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a r t d i r e c t o r

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e d i t o r - a t - l a r g e Tom Ferrell

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Where Golf Takes Us

This issue annually celebrates golf travel. Of all the game’s great qualities, I most appreciate its ability to transport us to some pretty amazing places: from Scotland to Scottsdale, from Bariloche to Beijing, from Cape Town to Cape Breton Island—and myriad points between.

And as I discovered one bracing Tuesday in October, golf can also take you from First Avenue to Franktown.

My morning round took place on the historic, tree-lined allées of Den-ver Country Club. This rare pleasure came courtesy of my friend, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Gary Potter, who treated our foursome—filled out, quite capably, by John Golden and Jeff Cohen—to a magnificent time as he il-luminated in great detail the numerous tweaks course architect Gil Hanse had recently made to the 110-year-old layout. The course and the stories flowed like Cherry Creek. So did the fun.

By 4:30 p.m. I found myself 35 miles away at The Links at Willow Lake, a 12-hole par-3 “xericourse” hand-hewn from the shrubby foothills near Castlewood Canyon by a group of colorful businessmen. The Links at Willow Lake features no irrigation, no bunkers, no slope or rating. Sand greens would represent a major upgrade of the mostly unmowed, 12-foot-diameter putting surfaces defined by spray paint and regulation-sized cups and flags. In addition to “experienced” golf balls and garage-sale irons, golf-ers carried bear spray in their bags and beers in their hands. Their stories flowed like Budweiser. So did the fun.

Within the span of hours, golf seemingly took me from the sublime to the ridiculous. That would be one way of looking at it. I take a much different view.

Denver Country Club represents an apotheosis of golf as both a sporting and social phenomenon. It is a revered bastion of sportsmanship, camara-derie, competition, etiquette and tradition. Those who play this stunning course—and, perforce, those who play any modern private or public golf facility—appreciate the game in its most highly evolved and refined form.

The crew at Willow Lake also appreciates the game. Their setup embod-ies an organic aboriginality that suggests the pastime Scottish shepherds pursued centuries earlier. In the same spirit that U.S. soldiers built driving ranges and golf holes in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Franktown 12-holer proves that golf can bloom wherever desire plants and nurtures it, and not just where some developer needs fairways to sell homes.

After a quick visit to Willow Lake on page 13, I invite you escape to the balmy destinations of Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, California, Florida and Mexico—all of which overflow with resorts and courses that celebrate golf and the world of experiences it opens up. That trip begins on page 44. May it take you away. —JON RIzzI

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Golf CoursesRates starting at Available Tee Times

Weekend Play # of Rounds

Antler Creek, Falcon $28 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 11am Yes 3

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Broadlands, Broomfield $32 Monday-Thursday after 12pm 3

Broken Tee, Englewood NEW $32 Monday-Friday after 12pm Yes Shoulders: 3 Peak: 2

Buffalo Run, Commerce City $39 Monday-Thursday anytime, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 3

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Foothills, Denver $33/$46 Any day after 1pm Yes 3

Fossil Trace, Golden EXCLUSIVE $45 Shoulders: Mon-Thur after 1pm Peak: Mon-Thur before 7am, after 2pm

Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 1

Fox Hollow, Lakewood $44 Mon-Thur after 1pm, Fri-Sun & holidays after 2pm Yes Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 3

Green Valley Ranch, Denver EXCLUSIVE $35 Mon-Thur before 9am, after 1pm, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes 3

Heritage at Westmoor, Westminster $40 Monday-Thursday after 12pm Unlimited

Heritage Eagle Bend, Aurora $34/$40 Any day after 12am Yes 2

Heritage Todd Creek, Thornton $40 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 3

Highland Meadows, Windsor NEW $34 Mon-Thurs after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 3

Highlands Ranch Golf Club, Highlands Ranch $43/$53 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes Shoulders: 2 Peak: 1

The Homestead, Lakewood $34 Mon-Thur after 1pm, Fri-Sun holidays after 2pm Yes Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 3

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Indian Tree, Arvada $31 Any day after 11pm Yes Unlimited

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Kings Deer, Monument EXCLUSIVE $32 Monday-Thursday after 11am 2

Legacy Ridge, Westminster $45 Mon-Thur after 12pm Unlimited

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Golf CoursesRates starting at Available Tee Times

Weekend Play # of Rounds

Mountain Golf Courses*Breckenridge Golf Club, Breckenridge* $99 Sun-Thur anytime, Sundays only Peak season Yes 2

Devil's Thumb, Delta $35 Any day, anytime Yes 3

Eagle Ranch, Eagle $35 Any day after 11am Yes 2

Eagle Vail, Avon $55 Any day after 12pm Yes 2

Golf Granby Ranch, Granby $50 Any day after 11am Yes Unlimited

Grand Elk, Granby $32/$37 Anyday after 12pm Yes 3

Keystone Ranch, Keystone $65 Any day, anytime Yes Unlimited

Lakota Canyon, New Castle $65 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 11am Yes 3

Pole Creek, Tabernash $45 Monday-Thursday after 12pm 3

The Raven at Three Peaks, Silverthorne $55 Sun-Thur after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 2pm Yes Unlimited

Redlands Mesa, Grand Junction $63 Any day, anytime Yes Shoulders: 1 Peak: 2

The River Course at Keystone, Keystone $75 Any day after 11am Yes Unlimited

Vail Golf Club, Vail $50 Monday-Thursday and Sunday after 1pm Yes 3

Meadows, Littleton $37/$49 Any day after 1pm Yes 3

Meadow Hills, Aurora EXCLUSIVE $31/$35 Mon-Fri after 11am, Sat-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 3

Murphy Creek, Aurora EXCLUSIVE $34/$41 Mon-Fri after 11am, Sat-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 3

Omni Interlocken, Broomfield EXCLUSIVE $55 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri before 12pm, Sat-Sun after 12pm Yes 3

Pine Creek, Colorado Springs $39/$44 Any day after 12pm Yes 9

Plum Creek, Castle Rock $40 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 2

The Ridge at Castle Pines, Castle Rock EXCLUSIVE $50 Monday-Thursday anytime Fri- Sun after 1pm Yes 3

Saddle Rock, Aurora EXCLUSIVE $36/$43 Mon-Fri after 11am, Sat-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 3

South Suburban Par 3, Centennial* $9 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 11am Yes Unlimited

Sumo Golf Village, Florence NEW $25 Any day after 12pm Yes 2

Thorncreek, Thornton $28 Monday-Thursday after 10am 3

* CommonGround offer: Must be CGA, CWGA or Golf Passport Plus member to get rate * Family Sports: 9 Hole Golf Course * South Suburban: Par 3 - Cart not included * Breckenridge offer: Open - 6/30 $99 (27 Holes); 7/1-8/31 $99 (18 Holes, Sundays Only); 9/1-Close $99 (27 Holes) * Shoulder and Peak seasons may vary

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NEWS | NOTES | NAMES

The X Game

The links at WilloW lake doesn’t ap-pear in any Colorado golf database. Yet the 12-hole, 1,768-yard course near Castlewood Canyon in Frank-town attracts a membership as devoted as any found at a private club. “We’re the XGA—the XeriGolf As-

sociation,” jokes commercial realtor Brad Slabaugh. “The only water we use is to make ice for our drinks.”

Four years ago, Slabaugh and insurance broker Bill Greer turned about 25 acres of rugged, unirrigated public and private land into a par-3 party—complete with a well-stocked cooler on the first tee, tented seating by each subsequent teeing area, and a “peanut gallery” behind the eighth hole where players chomp nuts while heckling members of the group behind them. Spray-paint defines the 12-foot

diameter “greens” centered with regulation-sized cups and flags. In what Greer aptly describes as a “psychedelic Stableford scoring sys-tem,” a shot inside one of these unkempt circles is considered holed, while actually holing one in the same number of strokes nets a more valuable “vulture.” A genuine ace off the tee counts as “zero and is called a dodo—because no one’s ever seen it,” explains Greer.

That scoring comes into play during a number of tournaments, where upwards of 80 similarly irreverent and colorful characters show up with beat-up clubs, balls and bear spray—as well as an ap-petite for barbecue, booze and an extremely untucked golf experi-ence. The 164-yard sixth requires a complete carry over water, but the only other hazards are rattlesnakes in the ravines and the poison ivy patches behind police tape. “There was the time I sliced my first tee shot and hit ‘Friendly,’ the neighbor’s mule,” recalls Slabaugh. “People think we’re nuts. But the course uses no water, needs no maintenance and everyone leaves with a story!” willowlakecc.com

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XERI-EYED: Willow Lake founders Bill Greer (left) and Brad Slabaugh.

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Geoff Keffler Keith HumerickhouseEd Kelbel Steven David Somin Lee


They Have the Honors

Every November the Colorado PGA Sec-tion, Colorado Golf Association and Colorado Women’s Golf Association recognize the golf professionals and amateur golfers who have distinguished themselves during the year.

On the professional side, the Colorado PGA Section named alan abrams (Indian Tree) its Golf Professional of the Year; erik billinger Teacher of the Year; erin Diegel (GolfTEC-Golden) Junior Golf Leader; casey Mckin-non (Cherry Hills) Assistant Professional of the

Year; and Geoff keffer (Murphy Creek) Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year. tim lollar (Lakewood) received the Vic Kline Award; Doug rohrbaugh (Ironbridge) earned Senior Player of the Year and Jared butler (Buffalo Run) won Apprentice Player of the Year. ste-ven David (Denver), Jim hajek (Fossil Trace) and russ Miller (The Broadmoor) were Mer-chandisers of the Year in the private, public and resort categories. keith soriano (City Park) took home the President’s Plaque; Joe assell (GolfTEC) the Bill Strausbaugh Award; and life member charlie cobb the Warren Smith Award. The late ed kelbel, who di-

rected the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs’ PGA Golf Management Program, was honored with the Horton Smith Award. Non-PGA members terry Minnick (Mercedes-Benz of Littleton) and Jon rizzi (Colorado AvidGolfer) respectively earned the President’s Award and Todd Phipers Media Award.

On the amateur side, the Colorado Golf As-sociation honored steven kupcho (Com-monGround) as its Les Fowler Player of the Year; keith humerickhouse (Gypsum Creek) Mid-Amateur Player of the Year; Da-vid Delich (The Broadmoor) Senior Player of the Year; and Jimmie Makloski (Pueblo)

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ColoradoAvidGol fer.com16 Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 201216 Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2012 ColoradoAvidGol fer.com

Prime, Fr esh, Award Winning

Junior Player of the Year. The Colorado Women’s Golf Associa-tion named somin lee (Heather Ridge) Player of the Year; kim eaton (Riverdale) Senior Player of the Year; Jennifer kup-cho (CommonGround) Junior Player of the Year; and ashlyn kirschner (West Woods) Most Improved Junior Golfer.

The Joy of SixThe streak is alive! For the sixth consecutive year, a member

of the Colorado PGA has earned national recognition by the PGA of America. And this year, the Section outdid itself, sending two of its professionals to the podium during an annual January awards ceremonies in Orlando.

The honors will go to PGA Director of Golf Dale smigelsky of Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins and PGA Head Profes-sional George kahrhoff of The Country Club at Castle Pines. Both were named Merchandisers of the Year (MOY)—Smigelsky in the public facilities category, Kahrhoff in the private. The award recognizes PGA Professionals who excel as businessper-sons/merchandisers in the promotion of golf.

The 52-year-old Smigelsky won the Section’s MOY award in 2010, a year after returning to Collindale, where he’d begun his career nearly two decades earlier. By emphasizing customer ser-vice, matching or beating the prices at big box stores, and con-stantly promoting a “buy where you play” message, Smigelsky and his staff moved impressive amounts of merchandise. “While

others have scaled back due to the economic times,” he explains, “our total sales have increased because we stay positive and proactive in our merchandising efforts.”

Kahrhoff, who won the Section’s MOY award in 2006 while at Son-nealp Golf Club and in 2010 at Castle Pines, started his PGA career in 1998 at Cherry Hills Country Club before moving to Sonnenalp in 2003 and to Castle Pines in 2008. For the past two years, his impec-cably appointed golf shop has ranked as one of the 25 private facilities selected for Golf World’s 100 Best Golf Shops.

They are the third and fourth Colorado Section members to receive MOY awards. The others were Castle Pines Golf Club’s Keith Schneider (1990) and The Broadmoor’s Russ Miller (2003). The PGA will honor both recipients January 18 at the PGA Magazine Merchan-disers of the Year Conference Awards.

theGallery

Dale Smigelsky George Kahrhoff


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VISIT OUR COLORADO LOCATIONSfor Tour-Level club fi ttings and repairs performed byPGA/LPGA Professionals and Certifi ed Club Fitters

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RIDING HIGH:PGA Professional of the year Alan Abrams is one of TK

Jimmy Vickers Tom Woodard Alan Abrams

Colorado state championships. He would go on to take the 1952 NCAA national champion-ship while at the University of Oklahoma, won countless amateur titles, three World Seniors Championships, and served as a director of the Trans-Mississippi and Western Golf Associations.

Woodard, a University of Colorado stand-out who became the first African-American to receive an Evans Scholarship and be named an NCAA Division I All-American, played on the PGA Tour for two seasons be-fore eventually becoming director of golf for

all eight Denver city courses and co-founding The First Tee of Denver. Currently director of golf for the Foothills Park and Recreation District, Woodard this year earned entry into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame.

Also honored at the June induction cer-emony will be Cherry Hills Head PGA Pro-fessional John ogden as Golf Person of the Year, tom kensler of The Denver Post and Colorado Open Executive Director h. Gale Godbey for Distinguished Service, and Rules official and volunteer rich langs-ton for Lifetime Achievement.

All in HallThe Colorado Golf Hall of Fame will welcome

three new members in 2013: alan abrams, Jim-my Vickers and tom Woodard.

Abrams, the longtime PGA Professional at Ar-vada’s Indian Tree Golf Course, instituted the fore-most junior golf program in the nation, for which the PGA of America recognized him as its 1997 Junior Golf Leader. His selfless devotion to golf and to the Colorado PGA Section has resulted in countless awards and tens of thousands of lessons to players of all ages.

At Regis College, Vickers won the 1949 and 1950


Canongate Roars

Three years ago, when Aurora’s Blackstone Country Club (above) and Parker’s Black Bear Golf Club became the first Colorado properties in Sequoia Golf ’s Canongate fam-ily of clubs, the prospects looked imminent for what Sequoia President and CEO Joe Guerra called a “daisy chain of courses around Denver.”

That expansion has yet to materialize. But by all accounts, the two Canongate clubs have thrived during a period of nationwide con-traction in the private club business. By drop-ping the initiation from $26,000 to the current $1,750 to join both Blackstone and Black Bear, and by charging monthly fees and green fees that run at least half those found at other clubs, Canongate has provided a value-proposition club that hadn’t existed in the local market.

“But,” Guerra says, “the cost and the brand are irrelevant if the experience doesn’t reso-nate with people.” To improve the experience Sequoia has pumped some $2 million into up-grading both facilities. Black Bear’s clubhouse and course are in better condition than ever; ditto Blackstone, which boasts daycare facili-ties, tennis, swimming, fitness, and a heavily programmed calendar of activities for every family member. “We do cooking classes, health and fitness classes, themed events, and dining is on the uptick,” reports Sequoia Regional Di-rector John Scappatura. “People no longer use golf clubs just for golf, like our dads did.”

Between them Black Bear and Blackstone are at 85 percent capacity. Most enjoy play-ing both courses, as well as having privileges (for $30 per round) at the 28 Canongate clubs Sequoia owns and operates in Georgia (where the company headquarters) and Texas, as well as at the 13 it manages in Ohio, Tennessee, California, Ohio, the Carolinas and Mississippi. “Reciprocity is a big part of our secret sauce,” Guerra says, adding that for $30 Canongate members can now play Fort Collins Coun-try Club, the 53-year-old member-owned fa-cility Sequoia began managing in September.

“We’re always trying to create more value for our members,” explains Guerra.

As of January 1, that value will translate to a higher entry fee. Canongate’s Colorado Associate or Full membership initiations will increase from $1,750 to $3,000, with Associ-ate monthly dues running $185 (plus $8-$10 green fees, $15 for cart) and Full member dues, $301 (no green fees). “Our goal is to make what you buy into more valuable,” says Guerra. “The higher the initiation, the lower the attrition because people see the club as successful.” And Blackstone and Black Bear both are. To that end, Guerra remains opti-mistic about acquiring another three or four courses on the Front Range. “But we’re go-ing to be patient as supply and demand come back into alignment. Time will tell.” canongatecolorado.com; 303-680-0245

A Quick 9 with Liselotte Neumann

The 2013 Solheim Cup European captain is used to leading. After all, she led what be-came a Swedish invasion on the LPGA Tour when she won the 1988 U.S. Women’s Open. Neumann won 13 times on the Tour, notched

another 13 international victories—including the 1994 Women’s British Open—and com-peted on six Solheim Cup teams. We visited with her at Colorado Golf Club, where the Cup will be contested August 13-18.

CAG: Where does the European captaincy rank in your career?

This brings it all full circle and makes me feel that my career is complete. I had a feel-ing I was in the mix, but it was very much a surprise. I thought maybe they would ask Alison (Nicholas, captain of the victorious 2011 European Solheim Cup team) again. It’s a great honor.

CAG: Whereas girls used to have to come to America to play at the highest level, now the La-dies European Tour is producing a lot of talent.

Women’s golf is growing. I played the Eu-ropean Tour from 1985 to 1987, and it was basically just British players. Golf in south-ern Europe and Scandinavia just wasn’t that popular. Some of the best players today are coming out of Spain and France and Italy and Germany. It’s a much deeper talent well. And

being in America doesn’t fit everybody. CAG: The men often talk about the camara-

derie of the European Ryder Cup teams as an advantage. Is it true of the women as well?

A lot of the men players live and play in Europe, whereas European players on the LPGA Tour might only go back a couple of times a year, so they don’t really know each other quite as well as the men do.

CAG: How will you make your captain’s picks?That will be one of the harder parts of be-

ing captain. When it comes down to it, I’m going to pick players who are playing well at that time. You want the confidence. But of course you want a player who will fit in with the team. It’s going to be a bit tricky.

CAG: How do you like Colorado Golf Club?I love it. I can’t wait for the girls to get to

know this golf course. It’s beautiful, with the mountains and the big open spaces. There are parts that play like a links, where you re-ally have to know what the ball will do when it lands. I don’t think this golf course favors any certain type of player. If you are playing well and with confidence, you will do well. If not, there is a lot of trouble. The greens and the surrounding areas are difficult and it will help to know them well.

CAG: How does the altitude affect the play-ers? Is that something you are concerned about?

I’ve played at The Broadmoor and in Mex-ico City, and it’s an important part of the preparation. It’s as much how the body feels as learning the right distance control. The shorter irons are key. The players will defi-nitely need to make some adjustments.

CAG: Your favorite Solheim Cup memory?It’s got to be when Europe won at Loch

Lomond (2000). It was the day we turned around the singles matches. The back nine was really exciting. We had a rain delay, and it let the team get together. We all pumped each other up to go out and take it. And we did. It was an amazing feeling.

CAG: And your least favorite?Also at Loch Lomond. I did not play well

at all in the morning foursomes match. The captain wanted me to play four-ball in the afternoon, and I sat myself down. I said I needed to practice. It was the hardest deci-sion to make, but it was right for the team. I was able to get a half-point in the singles.

CAG: What will surprise Colorado fans about the Solheim Cup?

The whole atmosphere is so amazing. The crowds, the cheering. The team experience makes things so exciting. And the number of European fans who will be here. It will be a fantastic experience of golf for everyone who comes out.

theGallery


BRANDEL’SRULES FOR

SCOTTSDALE GOLF

WATER IS NOT A HAZARDThere's plenty of world-class golf in Scottsdale. But, we all know there'smore to a great golf trip than chasing a little white ball. Whenever I'm intown, I make sure to enjoy Scottsdale's "other" attractions. And I promisethere is no penalty for being in the water.

RULE #5

I Love Scottsdale Golf and I promise you will, too. Learn more about how we play the game and start your next Scottsdale golf adventure at

— Brandel Chamblee, Golf Channel analyst and swimsuit model

iLoveScottsdaleGolf.com

SCVB #5 8.375x10.875_. 10/9/12 3:43 PM Page 1


Golf Mesquite Nevada - Colorado AvidGolfer 2 page spread.indd 1-2 10/24/12 10:41 AM


Golf Mesquite Nevada - Colorado AvidGolfer 2 page spread.indd 1-2 10/24/12 10:41 AM


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player’sCornerCOURSES | LESSONS | GIFT IDEAS


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Named for the Conestoga wagons that once carried settlers westward, this eye-popping, 7,232-yard Gary Panks layout invites today’s cart-riding, club-wield-ing pioneers to traverse the myriad washes, arroyos, ra-vines, bluffs and bunkers that marble its lush fairways.

Conestoga’s front nine uncoils through ruggedly undulant desert, with holes like the 188-yard second plummeting to a teensy green, and the 394-yard fourth tempting a blast to a second fairway well below the conservative landing area. Panks creatively builds risks and rewards into every hole. Number seven, for example, is an eminently drivable par-4. While some shots are blind, they’re not unfair, and many come with a view of the nearby Virgin Mountain snowcaps. The only water that

comes into play is a lake guarding both the ninth and tenth greens.The back nine winds mainly through the Sun City Mesquite develop-

ment, but still offers great views and fun. The finisher, a 470-yard par-4 pinched by fairway bunkers, drops almost 40 feet from tee to green. It’s a challenging finish to a course Golf and Golfweek ranked among the best in Nevada. Five sets of tees help eliminate some of the carries but none of the enjoyment. Bite off as much of Conestoga you like, but be sure to sink your teeth into a huge, succulent 1880 Burger in the club’s 1880 Grille. Follow it up with the signature cocktail, the Branding Iron.

Managed by Troon Golf, Conestoga is a host course of the Mesquite Amateur (May 27-31) and one of eight courses offered in stay-and-play packages by golfmesquitenevada.com; 866-720-7111.

Circle the WagonsMesquite’s Conestoga Golf Club represents the latest frontier in Nevada golf.

CONESTOGA PARTY: The 418-yard third zigzags through rugged high-desert terrain. CONESTOGA PARTY: The 418-yard third zigzags through rugged high-desert terrain.

ColoradoAvidGol fer.com24 Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2012

player’sCornerLESSON 1

In warmer Climates, greenside bunkers often contain sand that’s fluffier or harder than that at your home course. Escaping different types of sand requires differ-ent shots. But if you know where your swing hits bottom (where the club strikes the ground), any bunker shot becomes easier.

hitting Bottom: To find the bottom of your swing, head to a practice bunker (you can’t “ground” your club in a bunker during a round), draw a line between your feet (figure 1) and attempt to hit the line while making swings with your sand wedge. The ideal place for your club to strike the sand is about two inches behind the ball. If the line is in the middle of your stance, then your ball position would be two inches forward (towards the target) of the line. Remember: Hitting two inches behind the ball will decrease the distance the ball will travel, thus requiring a longer swing.

If you are having a hard time consistently hitting the line, you need help finding the bottom of your swing. Most players hit too far behind the ball, usually without a follow-through. This results in not hitting the ball far enough, or catching it on the upswing and blading it with the leading edge of the wedge. If you are having a hard time following through, you can try moving the ball back in your stance, but your ball flight will be lower.

hard: Hard, coarse, or compact sand requires the leading edge of your wedge to dig into the sand. Keep your clubface square for these shots. You still want to hit two inches behind the ball, but it will fly farther and lower since your clubface will be square. To control the distance, use a shorter more compact swing, but still follow through as you dig through the sand. The sand spash (figure 2) should be minimal.

flUffY: Some bunkers have soft, fluffy sand. To escape them, your club needs to bounce through the sand. To increase the bounce on your sand wedge, open the clubface. Hold the club up in the air, turn it to the right (for right-handed golfers), and put on your normal grip. Aim and swing left of the target, as the ball will fly to the right. Since the ball will fly higher and shorter, you need to take a longer swing. The sand splash (figure 3) should be bigger.

A Line in the SandWho doesn’t want to hit the beach come winter? Hitting from the beach is a whole other story. By Sherry Smith

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To see Sherry’s technique, go to ColoradoAvidGolfer.com. Cag

Class A PGA and LPGA Teaching Professional Sherry Smith (sherrysmithgolf.com) has taught in Colorado for the last 17 years—first at The Country Club of Castle Pines and currently at Valley Country Club in Centennial. Six times Golf Digest has named her one of the Best Teachers in Colorado. Contact her at [email protected].

ColoradoAvidGol fer.com Winter 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer 25

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player’sCornerLESSON 2


The Fixing Season Want to play better golf by spring? Take your game inside now. By Andy Hilts

How manY times have you heard it? “If you take lessons, you are going to get worse before you get better.” While not always true, you may regress as you try to incorporate something dif-ferent into your golf swing—and who wants to

risk that during the golf season? That’s why the off-season is the ideal time to fix your game, even though much of the work may be indoors.

Start with the full swing. Since you’re not consumed with immediately improving your ball flight, this is the ideal time to focus on your full-swing mechanics.

There are hundreds of drills and exercises you can perform while in the house, office or, better yet, with a video-based prac-tice routine at GolfTEC. Working with a coach to develop a plan will help you choose the correct off-season drills or exer-cises. Once you know what to work on, you can use video, mir-rors, or a sliding glass door at night to ensure you are properly practicing.

And you need to practice. It always amazes me when people have a microwave approach to improving their golf game—put it in, push 2:00 and it’s done. That’s not how golf works! You need to establish a game plan with a coach and stick to it. Dur-ing the playing season he or she will teach you to play better golf and during the off-season your coach will help improve your mechanics with an indoor program that will have you playing the best golf of your life.

drillYou can improve your short game indoors as well. Perhaps the most important factor in helping your touch around the greens is hitting the ball solid. To practice solid contact, hit a table ten-nis ball off the carpet.

CorreCt (figure 1) Listen for the simultaneous thump of the wedge’s sole on the carpet and the click of crisp contact with the ball. Hearing those two sounds at exactly the same time ensures you have made solid contact—whether indoors or out.

inCorreCt (figure 2) If you hit the ground first you will hear two different sounds: the thump and then the click. That’s a “fat” or “chunked” shot.

inCorreCt (figure 3) If you don’t hear the thump and all you hear is the click, you’ve bladed the ball. At least indoors with a ping-pong ball, you won’t break a window. Cag

Andy Hilts, a PGA Master Professional in Instruction, is the Vice President of Instruction and Education at GolfTEC, the Denver-headquartered company responsible for 20 percent of all United States golf lessons. He was the Colorado PGA’s 2005 Teacher of the Year and its 2008 Horton Smith Award winner for “outstanding and continuing contributions to PGA education.” Since 2009, Golf Digest has named him a Top 20 Instructor in America Under 40. Contact him at 303-223-2355 or [email protected]

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Dreaming of warmer weather? Leave the cold behind in favor of a sunny Southwestern retreat where great golf is available 365 days a year.

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player’sCornerGIFT GUIDE


Gifted PlayersBig- and small-ticket items for the golfers on your list.

Tend the FlagIntrigued by her booth selling homemade granola and crocheted hats featuring the familiar red and gold “C” of the Colorado state flag, a golfer at a farmer’s market approached Fay Plaza about making a head cover using the same vexillogical pattern. Plaza quickly whipped up a stylish way to show state pride every time you play golf. $25, plus shipping and handling. oldemangranola.com

“Hey, ‘Sprinklerhead’”Your playing partners might give you a new nickname if you wear this innovative GPS golf watch preloaded with thousands of courses. The Garmin Approach S3 features a high-resolution, glove-friendly touchscreen display, lets you adjust to the day’s pin location and provides distances to the front, back and middle of greens, as well as to doglegs, layups and hazards. It will tell you the distance of your drive and—get this—the time of day! $350. garmin.com

Pair of Jacks Jack Nicklaus would not have won a record 18 major champion-ships—and most certainly not the 1986 Masters—without Jack Grout, his “first and only” instructor. More than just the club pro at Scioto, where he met the 10-year-old Nicklaus in 1950, Grout was a four-time PGA Tour winner, frequent playing partner of Byron Nelson’s and Ben Hogan’s, and a highly innovative golf instruc-tor. In Jack Grout: A Legacy in Golf, his son Dick Grout teams with newspaperman Bill Winter to tell the compelling story of a fam-ily man whose indefatigable devotion to his the game left an indelible mark on it. $25. cardinalpub.com.

Off the WallGolf balls commemorating the different courses we’ve played make for lovely man-cave showpieces. Golf Gallery Pro’s rotating display takes your orbs off the wall and onto your desk. It holds 12 to 16 balls, comes in a variety of colors and bamboos, and can be person-ally engraved. $70 (12-ball display), $80 (16). golfgallerypro.com

Teed UpThese shirts probably say more about your golf game

than the actual brands they parody do. Created by

Bogey Pro—home of “honest golf gear”—they won’t

cut it as appropriate golf attire, but they might cut

up your friends when worn anywhere other than a golf

course. $20. bogeypro.com



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player’sCorner


If the Shoe FitsThe golf swing has a lot of moving parts; your feet shouldn’t be two of them. Par West Golf Shoes

fit as snugly as skin, creating the balance and stability that promote a consistent golf swing. Master tanner and cobbler Paul Raddatz guarantees a perfect fit, thanks to

an exacting measurement process. Using skins such as alligator, bison, lizard, ostrich and eel, Raddatz crafts elegant variations on classic wingtips

and saddles, as well as his distinctive Normandy, Stewart (as in Payne) and Riviera styles. His palette ranges from shades of

black, white and brown to rust, royal blue and jade. The shoes cost between $750 and $5,000, but they last for 20 years. parwestshoes.com; 800-PAR WEST.

Drive a FerrariFamous for its Testarossa (Italian for “redhead”) sport coupe, Ferrari has teamed up with Cobra Puma to create a signature red lightweight aerodynamic driver with a Ti 8-1-1 body. Fea-turing a kangaroo leather grip, regular or stiff Fujikura Motore Speeder shaft and a carbon fiber sole and crown, the stunning driver comes in 9.5˚ and 10.5˚ lofts. Ian Poulter plays one. You can, too. Unsheathed from its genuine Fer-rari leather head cover, it will generate com-ments on the tee and drives that go from 0 to 300 yards in five seconds or less. $2,000. ferrarigolfcollection.com

Putt for DoughA putt can be worth a small fortune. So can a putter created by Lee Thomas. Handcrafted from woods from around the world (including tulip poplars Thomas Jef-ferson planted at Monticello), Thomas’ flatsticks are highly functional, individual creations, each customized by wood, weight, inset, grip, engraving, logo and more. It takes him up to six weeks and more than 100 steps (including wood stabilization) to complete one. You might stand over your putt that long admiring the artistry. $650-$1,750. leethomasputters.com

Putt for DoughA putt can be worth a small fortune. So can a putter A putt can be worth a small fortune. So can a putter

Tome Sweet Tome Images of golf’s ancestral homeland never cease to quicken the pulse. Hence, 18 Greatest Scottish Golf Holes and 18 Greatest Irish Golf Holes, a pair of oversized, luxuriously bound limited editions featuring exclu-sive photography and illustrations from the world’s foremost links, all of which are also available singly as large format, hand-numbered limited-edition framed prints. The books run $199 apiece. Visit 18GreatestGolf.com and enter the promo code TEN for a 10% discount, free shipping and giftwrap.

Rolls CallTechnologies have evolved. Lines have simplified. Rides have smoothed. Still, Rolls-Royce has maintained its timeless proportions and attention to detail. Inspired by 1930s automotive and yachting designs, the new Phantom luxuriously cocoons its occupants. At your toes rests a lusciously supple lamb’s wool carpet, at your fingertips a state-of the-art “in-fotainment” system with 8.8-inch display, and above your head enough space to accommodate the tallest passengers—and biggest egos. Custom, seamless veneers, hand-stitched leathers and a V12 engine factor into the MSRP, which starts around $400,000. Available in sedan, coupé and convertible coupé models. rolls-roycemotorcars.com.

Flight ClubSome of the greatest golf courses are also the most remote—Bandon Dunes, Ballybunion, Ballyneal (and those are just the ones begin-

ning with “B”). But a private jet brings them much closer. Flexjet, a division of aircraft manufacturer Bombardier, makes private flight

relatively more affordable by offering programs that allow travelers to purchase flights in 50-hour increments on aircraft that suits

their needs. Aircraft options include light jets like the six-passenger Learjet 40 XR, large jets like the 12-passenger Challenger 605 and

the new eight-passenger Lear 85, the largest in the Learjet lineup and the first business jet built primarily from composite materials.

50 hours start at $100,000. flexjet.com; 888-275-8204

If the Shoe FitsThe golf swing has a lot of moving parts; your feet shouldn’t be two of them. Par West Golf Shoes The golf swing has a lot of moving parts; your feet shouldn’t be two of them. Par West Golf Shoes

fit as snugly as skin, creating the balance and stability that promote a consistent golf fit as snugly as skin, creating the balance and stability that promote a consistent golf swing. Master tanner and cobbler Paul Raddatz guarantees a perfect fit, thanks to swing. Master tanner and cobbler Paul Raddatz guarantees a perfect fit, thanks to

an exacting measurement process. Using skins such as alligator, bison, lizard, an exacting measurement process. Using skins such as alligator, bison, lizard, ostrich and eel, Raddatz crafts elegant variations on classic wingtips ostrich and eel, Raddatz crafts elegant variations on classic wingtips

and saddles, as well as his distinctive Normandy, Stewart (as in and saddles, as well as his distinctive Normandy, Stewart (as in Payne) and Riviera styles. His palette ranges from shades of Payne) and Riviera styles. His palette ranges from shades of

black, white and brown to rust, royal blue and jade. The shoes black, white and brown to rust, royal blue and jade. The shoes cost between cost between parwestshoes.com; parwestshoes.com;

fotainment” system with 8.8-inch display, and above your head enough space to accommodate the tallest passengers—fotainment” system with 8.8-inch display, and above your head enough space to accommodate the tallest passengers—and biggest egos. Custom, seamless veneers, hand-stitched leathers and a V12 engine factor into the MSRP, which and biggest egos. Custom, seamless veneers, hand-stitched leathers and a V12 engine factor into the MSRP, which starts around starts around $400,000.$400,000. Available in sedan, coupé and convertible coupé models. Available in sedan, coupé and convertible coupé models.


bound limited editions featuring exclubound limited editions featuring exclubound limited editions featuring exclubound limited editions featuring exclubound limited editions featuring exclubound limited editions featuring exclu--sive photography and illustrations from sive photography and illustrations from sive photography and illustrations from sive photography and illustrations from the world’s foremost links, all of which the world’s foremost links, all of which are also available singly as large format, are also available singly as large format, hand-numbered limited-edition framed hand-numbered limited-edition framed hand-numbered limited-edition framed hand-numbered limited-edition framed

apiece. apiece. and enter the and enter the

promo code TEN for a 10% discount, free promo code TEN for a 10% discount, free

Rolls CallTechnologies have evolved. Lines have simplified. Rides have smoothed. Still, Rolls-Royce has maintained its timeless Technologies have evolved. Lines have simplified. Rides have smoothed. Still, Rolls-Royce has maintained its timeless Technologies have evolved. Lines have simplified. Rides have smoothed. Still, Rolls-Royce has maintained its timeless Technologies have evolved. Lines have simplified. Rides have smoothed. Still, Rolls-Royce has maintained its timeless proportions and attention to detail. Inspired by 1930s automotive and yachting designs, the new Phantom luxuriously proportions and attention to detail. Inspired by 1930s automotive and yachting designs, the new Phantom luxuriously proportions and attention to detail. Inspired by 1930s automotive and yachting designs, the new Phantom luxuriously proportions and attention to detail. Inspired by 1930s automotive and yachting designs, the new Phantom luxuriously cocoons its occupants. At your toes rests a lusciously supple lamb’s wool carpet, at your fingertips a state-of the-art “incocoons its occupants. At your toes rests a lusciously supple lamb’s wool carpet, at your fingertips a state-of the-art “incocoons its occupants. At your toes rests a lusciously supple lamb’s wool carpet, at your fingertips a state-of the-art “incocoons its occupants. At your toes rests a lusciously supple lamb’s wool carpet, at your fingertips a state-of the-art “in

JOB: HR1212A

CLIENT: VI

MEDIA TYPE: Magazine

PUB: Colorado Avid Golfer

ISSUE: None

AS: Laura Meitzner

AD: Thomas Richie

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PP: Carrie Seanor

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Majestic mountains in the background.

EXCEPTIONAL VALUE IN THE FOREGROUND.

Vi at Highlands Ranch is a Type A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) designed

to make you retire the typical notions about retirement living. Like the notion that you have to choose between living in a refi ned setting and having access to care for life.

At Vi, you’ll enjoy chef-prepared meals, a culture of wellness and the freedom to pursue your passions, unencumbered by household chores.

And living at the only Type A CCRC in Colorado, with a fully integrated on-site care center, means you can take pride in the fact that you won’t

burden loved ones with difficult decisions about your care—and keep your life decisions in your own hands.

With the majestic Rocky Mountains to the west and acres of pristine wilderness to the south, Vi at Highlands Ranch is a truly breathtaking place to call home. And with pricing on our independent living homes that’s as attractive as the surroundings, this just may be the best-kept secret in town.

It’s time to explore the life you deserve, but may not have known you can afford—until now.

888.929.8784 | ViLiving.com/HighlandsRanch

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Not all retirement communities are created equal. For 25 years, Vi has had a reputation for quality services, environments, and care. We encourage you to compare your options and choose carefully.

Outstanding AmenitiesWhy shouldn’t the environments be stunning? Why shouldn’t you be able to walk past beautifully landscaped gardens on the paved walking paths, and then enjoy a swim in the heated, salt-fi ltered pool? At every turn, you are surrounded by opportunities for greater health, wellness and inspiration.

Exceptional DiningOur celebrated dining program adds spice to your life. Each day, choose from nutritious and fl avorful menu items prepared from carefully selected ingredients and tailored to the fl avor preferences of older adults. Our chefs have received customized training provided by The Culinary Institute of America on nutrition, healthy cooking and baking techniques, fl avor dynamics and food and wine pairing. And like fi ne restaurants, our distinct dining venues feature extra attention to detail, including rich linens, fi ne china, crystal glassware and sparkling silverware.

Wellness and CareAt Vi, the focus on wellness is woven into the fabric of the community. It starts with the wellness center, staffed by a registered nurse, where you can get scheduled health screenings. We offer programs that support multiple dimensions to whole person wellness including physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual and vocational. Should you need care, there is a fully integrated, beautifully appointed on-site care center. It’s a continuum of care that you won’t fi nd at home.

The Vi difference?

IT’S IN THE DETAILS.


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issue: None

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At Vi, you have a variety of social, cultural and recreational activities to choose from every day. You can meet friends at yoga, join a writers’ workshop or spend the day shopping. In the evening, you can celebrate a special occasion in the dining room. Or you may

Living life to the fullest

STARTS HERE.

Take control of your

FINANCIAL FUTURE.

Research shows that you can help maintain your health and happiness as you age by remaining socially active and engaged with friends and loved ones.

Vi at Highlands Ranch, Colorado’s only Type A (most extensive) Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), offers more inclusive care than Type B or C Continuing Care Communities for assisted living, Alzheimer’s/memory support care and skilled nursing. When residents move to the on-site care center, they continue to enjoy a private room and pay the same monthly fee (plus charges for additional meals and ancillary items, which will cost considerably less than increasing market rates). Other retirement communities in the area may not offer this level of care, so be sure to understand the differences.

prefer to go to the theater or plan a special night on the town. With so many choices, boredom is simply not an option. Residents help shape our offerings by chairing social committees, serving on the resident council, and by giving feedback on their own interests. Our staff members strive to demonstrate a caring, friendly attitude, and contribute to the sense of community.


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LIVING ROOM14'2" x 19'3"

BEDROOM 112'0" x 15'0"

KITCHEN8'6" x 13'0"

DINING ROOM10'0" x 11'4"

BEDROOM 212'4" x 14'0"

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Each floor plan is designed to provide you with the style and space for furnishings, personal treasures and plenty of living.

Standard amenities include:•Well-appointedkitchenwithgranitecountertops•Spaciousbathroomswithspecialsafetyfeatures•Washeranddryer•Balconyorpatio•Expandeddigitalcabletelevisionservices•Emergencycallsystem•Generousclosets•Individualclimatecontrol•Electricity,water,sewer,heatingandairconditioning

Uncompromising luxury. Unprecedented value.

IT’SALLINTHEPLAN.

•Housekeepingand maintenance•Scheduledtransportation•Heated,salt-filtered indoorpool•Fitnesscenterwithon- sitepersonaltrainers

•Wellnesscenterstaffed byaregisterednurse•Complimentaryvalet parkinginourheated garage•24-hourconciergeservice

Steamboat Two bedroom, two bath1,566 square feet

888.929.8784|ViLiving.com/HighlandsRanch

the Vi lifestyle also includes:

For more than 25 years, Vi has been dedicated to providing quality environments, services and care to enrich the lives of older adults.

2850 Classic Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126888.929.8784

DirectionS to Vi at highlanDS ranch

Arizona • California • Colorado • Florida • Illinois • South Carolina

Vi at Highlands Ranch is owned by CC-Denver, Inc. and managed by Classic Residence Management Limited Partnership. Classic Residence Management Limited Partnership and CC-Denver, Inc. are separate corporations. CC-Denver, Inc., d/b/a Vi at Highlands Ranch, is the sole entity responsible for the performance of the continuing care contracts at Vi at Highlands Ranch. CC-Denver, Inc. does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact the director of human resources, (720) 348-7800/TDD 711.

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sideBetsCARS | PLAYERS

2013 BMW M5Price as tested: $103,195

AmazinglY the Bmw m5 has been with us for 27 years. While it’s the original super sedan, it has had to change in order to stay relevant within the market it created.

Gone, due to fuel economy regs, is the last M5’s be-spoke V10 engine, with its searing 8300 rpm redline and uniquely amaz-ing soundtrack. In its place is a more mainstream mill—if such a descrip-tor can be applied to a twin-turbo, 560 horsepower V8.

While no longer quite as sonorous, the new 4.4-liter counters with

500lb-ft of torque—117 more than its predecessor—that comes onstream at only 1,500 rpm. This 4,300-pound M5 isn’t only quicker to 60 than its forebear by a half-second at 3.7, but it roars past slower traffic with a dis-tain that eluded the older model. Yet it still can turn 25mpg at cruise.

The wonderful 7-speed DCT twin-clutch transmission marks one of the biggest improvements to this latest M5. Its shifts can be syrupy smooth or rapid-fire quick, with none of the lurching about of the older single-clutch box.

This M5 is less a pure sports sedan and more of a luxurious, super-GT, with a better, quieter ride, a sumptuous interior, one of the best infotainment setups going, and easier-to-access performance, thanks to all that low-end torque.

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Surprise MattersEach in its own way, the BMW M5, Dodge Dart and Ford Fusion astound the market. By Isaac Bouchard

BEAMING WITH PRIDE: The BMW M5


sideBets


2013 Bentley Continental GT

Even though they dumped the normal 5-series’ electric power steering for a fully hy-draulic setup, the M5’s helm isn’t quite as talk-ative as expected, though it’s accurate enough. Likewise, the brakes: despite their beefy fixed calipers, there’s a bit of a dead spot at the top of the pedal—though ultimate stopping power is still awesome.

The M5’s chassis doesn’t disappoint. Thanks to the active M Differential, this rear-drive car finds huge traction—even over leaf-covered, wet roads—yet can still be slid around with abandon if the mood strikes. It also has three settings for its shocks: its softest irons out the worst broken tarmac; the middle will handle 90% of enthusiastic driving; and “Sports Plus” is best saved for smooth roads and track days.

When the M5 was introduced in 1985, it was the world’s first super-sedan, and it took years before others kenned to its winning for-mula. This latest version faces the stiffest field yet: Various AMG Mercedes, Audi S- and RS-models—even the Cadillac V-series—all beat it in some area. But the M5 remains the most well-rounded, enthralling example of the breed—the standard by which others are judged.

2013 Dodge DartPrice as tested: $25,065

Alfa Romeo-donated chassis and steering. 1.4-liter turbo with the most advanced valve-train in the world and 133lb-ft of torque per li-ter. Sumptuous, heated leather power seat and steering wheel. Dual-zone climate control. Smart key access. Configurable LCD main in-strument display and fast-acting infotainment touch screen. Backup camera and blind spot monitors.

It’s Dodge’s entry-level car. And they call it the Dart.

Coming as quite a surprise, this American “economy” car is roomy and plush, quiet and refined, and yet still engaging to drive. All the standard and optional amenities make it feel richly appointed and a good value too.

Demerits include what’s referred to as the “Italianate” driving position: the steering wheel’s a ways off, the pedals too close—and they are horribly placed for heel-toe down-shifts, unforgivable in a model that only comes with a six-speed manual transmission with its best engine.

That mini mill cranks 160hp (related to the one in the crazy Abarth 500), is sporty sound-ing and fun to play with when on boost. It gets the Dart to 60 in 8.2 seconds, but its power-

band is very narrow, meaning lots of shifting of the slick gearbox. And while you can coax it to its EPA ratings of 27/39, any exuberance causes those numbers to plummet.

As a whole, though, the Dart is quite re-markable. Its high quality materials, com-petitive price, and frisky character mark it out against the cheap-feeling Civic and mundane Corolla. Its driving dynamics place it near the top of the class with the Fusion and Mazda3. And the Dodge’s gobs of gizmos make it a valid competitor to the Elantra. Though it borrows from around the world, the distinctly American Dart is a uniquely appetizing and satisfying confection.

2013 Ford Fusion Price range: $25,290-38,170

Always a battle-ground, the mid-size sedan market has reached a new level of ferocity this year, with redesigned combatants from Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Now Ford sends the completely new Fusion into the fray.

It certainly appears fit for the fight. If the Fusion isn’t the best looking car in the class, I need new glasses. And unlike competitors that have relied on “surface excitement” like faux vents and extra toppings of chrome, it has the basics like stance and proportion right; its squinty headlamps and Aston-esque grill just make it that much sexier.

Inside the Fusion also plays for keeps. This is the best Ford interior in modern history, with

most easily reached surfaces being soft to the touch, nice detailing in the instrument cluster, and comfy, supportive seats. Back seat space is tighter than some competitors, however.

There’s loads of cutting-edge tech, but much of it is controlled through the MyFordTouch infotainment screen, which—despite updates—often freezes up and is slow to respond.

Still, the Fusion is a true driver’s car. Using more of their engineering resources to hone one vehicle for several international markets, Ford has created what is most certainly the best handling car in the midsize class, with precise (if anesthetized) electric steering and a superbly capable chassis. It feels a bit like a

front-drive BMW—the fluid way it turns in, remains planted, and fires out of tricky turns. There’s a wide range of Fusions available, from a frisky front-drive manual transmission model with a 1.6-liter turbo to a more mature 2-liter EcoBoost with AWD. All Fusions ride well, absorbing pave-

ment blemishes with a sophisticated shrug and exquisite quiet.

Even if Ford doesn’t win the sales contest—which is often decided the number of rental cars a company moves—the Fusion is, for now, the best combination of virtues avail-able in a mainstream midsize sedan: it has a powertrain choice for nearly everyone, is very rewarding to drive, democratizes high-end technology and is simply gorgeous. Cag

Read more of Isaac Bouchard’s automotive writ-ing at nicedrivz.com.

BULL’S EYE: The Dodge Dart

MIDSIZE MONSTER: The Ford Fusion.

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Make Your Next Golf Retreat a Championship Event18 Hole championship course • Large or small groups welcome

Located in Washington, UtahFor tee times, green fees and custom event reservationsplease call 435-688-1700 • www.coralcanyongolf.com

Colorado Golf Association Members Receive Local Rates

Expires Dec. 31, 2013

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This desert layout features some of the most beautiful golf landscapes in Mesquite.Spectacular elevation changes, numerous water features and high mesa views combine with a course design that is playable for all golfers.

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Vanguard CAG.indd 1 11/16/12 3:25 PM


sideBetsPLAYERS


It CoUld have Been 1950. There I was, driving behind Terry Johnson as we slowly made our way down the dirt lane from his house, trees crowding both sides of the narrow road. Johnson,

wearing a ball cap, was at the wheel of one his prize possessions, a 1947 Chrysler Windsor convertible with the top down. I kept look-ing for Nick and Nora Charles to step out of a Thin Man movie.

Johnson is a do-it-now kind of guy. He bought his house next to Cherry Hills Coun-try Club, where he’s been a member for forty-two years, the same day he saw it for sale. The two-story white house sits on one

and a half acres adjacent to the twelfth hole, a perfect base for his love of golf. “I have a back problem so I don’t play often,” he says. “I play maybe once or twice a month.” The home site is convenience itself. “That’s the twelfth hole, that’s a water hole,” he said, pointing out the window. “We (his wife, Kay, also plays) often will go out and walk thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and then come back on eleven. That’s about 45 minutes and it’s a little exercise and it’s really handy.”

For Johnson, Cherry Hills is not about hanging around the nineteenth hole. “Cherry Hills doesn’t seem to be the average country club. Cherry Hills is made up really serious

golfers and what I see is people belong to play golf and not necessarily for the social part. They are serious about their golf and, of course, what’s resulted is that they’ve held two PGA tournaments and eight USGA championships.”

Buying his house hours after he and his wife looked at it is typical of Johnson. “I get very motivated and then I want to move quickly on my decision,” he says with a grin as we walked through his dazzling collec-tion of vintage automobiles, some of them bought at the spur of the moment and some purchased only after years of pursuing their owners.

Playing DriverTerry Johnson’s car collection is as rich in history as the course behind his home is. By Dick Kreck

PRIDE AND JOY: Johnson and his 1933 Packard Twelve-Cylinder Coupe-Roadster convertible.

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10750 E. Arapahoe Rd. Centennial, CO 80112303-708-2000 • 1-800-NEW HONDA

www.Kuni-Honda.com

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† NEGATIVE EQUITY APPLIED TO NEW LOAN BALANCE. BASED ON CURRENT MONTH’S KELLEY BLUE BOOK FAIR TRADE VALUE LESS EXCESS MILES, DAMAGE, WEAR & TEAR. EXCLUDES ADVERTISED SPECIALS, CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.*DAILY PAYMENTS BASED ON A 30-DAY MONTH. ALL DAILY PAYMENTS BASED ON 36-MONTH CLOSED-END LEASES, 12,000 MILES PER YEAR, 15¢ MILE THEREAFTER $4000 DUE AT INCEPTION (INCLUDES SECURITY DEPOSIT), PLUS TAX, TAG AND TITLE, WITH APPROVED CREDIT. **DAILY PAYMENTS BASED ON A 30-DAY MONTH. ALL DAILY PAYMENTS BASED ON 36-MONTH CLOSED-END LEASES, 12,000 MILES PER YEAR, 15¢ MILE THEREAFTER $0 DUE AT INCEPTION, PLUS TAX, TAG AND TITLE, WITH APPROVED CREDIT. PICTURES ARE FOR ILLUSTRATION ONLY. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHIC ERRORS. SEE DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. OFFERS EXPIRE 12/31/2012.

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It’s been that way his whole life. As a teenager in Rockford, Ill., he owned eleven different cars. His second marriage, after the death of his first wife, led to his move to Denver in 1969. “We got married on a Sat-urday, packed up on a Sunday and left town on a Monday.”

Johnson, 76, a former real-estate invest-ment broker, went to work for a bank when he landed in Denver, read one of those in-spiring how-to books—William Nickerson’s How I Turned $1,000 Into $3 Million in Real Estate in My Spare Time—and launched a new career. “We followed what he did and bought a small apartment project, a thirteen-unit, on Capitol Hill,” Johnson explains. “I started to put partnerships together and that’s how this whole thing started.”

On the way, he amassed an eye-popping collection of vintage automobiles, a passion that began in the 1940s at his father’s filling station in Rockford. “When I was nine years old I was able to pump gas and help him with little things, grease jobs and things,” Johnson recalls. “Pretty soon I was working every Saturday and every night and I learned to do this on the thirties and forties cars. So that’s where my passion went.”

Johnson’s ever-evolving collection now has 19 cars, ranging from a 1933 Packard roadster to a 2003 Ferrari. The most famous historically is the 1941 Cadillac used to car-ry President Dwight Eisenhower from his in-laws’ house on Lafayette Street to Fitz- simons Hospital after he suffered a heart at-tack in 1955. It’s a two-tone brown beauty with only 23,000 miles on it.

Of course, Johnson has a story to match the car. “I’ll tell you the story about how this happened. Eisenhower was in a party at Elvira Doud’s house there on Lafayette Street in 1955, He had an upset stomach or something and the thought it was his heart. The doctor was there and said, ‘Why don’t you just go upstairs and lay in Elvira’s bed for awhile and see how it goes.’ So he did and then he decided to stay the night. In the morning, about six or seven, he still had the pain and Ike said, ‘Listen, I don’t want to arouse the press so let’s go out the back door, down the sidewalk to the alley and I’ll get into Elvira’s ’41 Cadillac and you can drive me to the hospital.’ They drove him out there and it was at the White House

for six weeks.”As hobbyists are wont to do, Johnson en-

joys sharing with like-minded collectors. He and late-night television host and avid car collector Jay Leno have exchanged visits and become friends. “I was with Jay Leno just last week at his collection,” Johnson says.

“He came to town once and I drove him to a charity affair in the car President Eisenhower was driven to Fitzsimons in. I told him, ‘Jay, sit in this seat. This is where Ike sat.’ We had a great time over that.”

The Eisenhower car has the most history but it is not the apple of Johnson’s collecting

COLLECTION AREA (right): Johnson’s 1946 Ford Sportsman, 2003 Ferrari Spider and 1953 Buick Sylark.

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5-9 Evans and Klattwith Mike Evans and Joel Klatt

9-12Clough Talk

with Sandy Clough

12-3Drew and Scott

with Drew Goodman and Scott Hastings

3-6 The Drive

with Big Aland D-Mac

6-9Nights on the Fanwith Nate Lundy

Denver’s home for the best LIVE and

LOCAL sports coverage

TO THE MOTOR BORN: Johnson has coveted cars, such as this ’47 Town & Country, since haggling with his brother 73 years ago.

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eye. That would be his 1933 maroon twelve-cylinder Packard coupe-roadster complete with rumble seat. “It looks like no one has ever sat on the seats,” he says, beaming. “They show no wear. It’s art deco to the greatest de-gree. It’s when Packard in the thirties outsold Cadillac two-to-one. Packard was really ‘it.’” The stylish Packards were the darlings of the Hollywood film community during the 1930s; owners in-cluded dashing lead-ing men Cary Grant, Errol Flynn, and Clark Gable. At a time when a new house cost $3,800, a top-of-the-line Packard set you back $6,000. Johnson doesn’t talk dollars when he waxes poetic about his cars, but a recent Internet search reveals a Packard of a similar vintage for sale recently for $255,000.

Among the vehicles currently in John-son’s collection are a 1937 Ford cabriolet, a 1940 Buick four-door convertible Road-master a 1946 Ford Sportsman, and a 1953 Buick Skylark, all in original condition. He recently purchased a 1948 Chrysler Town & Country framed with white ash and a 1947 Buick Super Convertible, “both in ‘time warp’ condition—they look brand new.” He doesn’t do restorations. “The spirit of my collection is originals. I like them that way because you restore a car and take everything apart, you can never put it back together so that it drives like the manufacturer intended.”

And drive them he does. “Every car, every month and I keep a chart. It depends how I feel: ‘Well, what should I take out today?’”

If vintage cars are his passion, Johnson also has had an on-and-off love affair with model trains his entire life. His automobiles share space in his enormous garage and a nearby warehouse with two huge, elaborate

model layouts. His fixation with trains also dates to his child-hood. “I had a train given to me when I was three, and I still have it. When I was twelve and working for my father I earned enough to buy a new Lionel train, then I bought several others and then, when I dis-covered girls and cars, the trains went out the door.” Thirty years later his love of model trains re-emerged. His collection con-tains thousands of cars and locomotives dating to the early

twentieth century.But, he said, it’s time to divest himself of

the trains—layouts and all. He needs more room for his cars—including a 1966 Jaguar E Type coupe he parks in a bunker below an intricately landscaped latticework of model train tracks. Cag

An editor and columnist at The Denver Post for thirty-eight years, Dick Kreck is the author of five books on Colorado history, including the best-selling Murder at the Brown Palace.

PACK-12 CHAMPION: The art deco grille shines on Johnson’s 1933 Packard.


Congratulationsto the 3 winners of the 2012 Fan Golf Tour

on winning The Fan’s AvidGolfer Cup!

Eric SanchezJerry MillerRyan Axlund

A special thanks to our Sponsors, including Horseshoe Bay Resort!


CARDING A TWO: Cascata (top) and Rio Secco rank among Rees Jones’ most inspired designs.


Las Vegas translates to “the fertile plains.” It’s an apt description, because the agricultural richness of this parched land is as much an illu-sion as just about every-thing else in this city of

make-believe. Vegas is fertile—in fantasy. It takes the form

of the myriad fountains, Egyptian pyramids, New York skyscrapers, medieval turrets and iconic towers that serrate the skyline like so many multicolored cornstalks; it finds ex-pression in entertaining blue men and im-possibly acrobatic circus performers; and it encourages us to become someone else, to hit it big and live larger than we are.

Caesars Palace, which in 1966 pioneered the fantasy resort with its Roman Empire-themed hotel and casino, remains synonymous with The Strip. The resort itself boasts nearly 4,000 rooms, thousands of gaming tables, numerous stores and 11 restaurants. It stages Elton John and other headlining acts, and, thanks to an ac-quisition by Harrah’s in 2005, the Palace is the centerpiece of a four-continent gaming and en-tertainment empire worthy of Caesar himself.

That empire includes seven properties I con-sider the ultimate fantasy worlds: golf courses. And the finest two—Cascata and Rio Secco—lie within a short drive of The Strip. You don’t have to stay at Caesars or one of its properties to play them, but guests do get priority tee times.

CascataOriginally conceived as MGM Grand’s $60

million answer to The Mirage’s ultra-exclusive Shadow Creek Golf Club, Cascata is every bit its luxury equivalent. After a 30-minute ride to the outskirts of Boulder City, your limo arrives at the turreted 37,000-square-foot Tuscan-style clubhouse highlighted by thick beams, high ceilings and rich textures and colors. Through the building streams the cascata (waterfall in Italian) that starts some 400 feet up the moun-tain behind the practice range. A locker bear-

ing your name etched in pewter awaits. So does the mandatory Tour-class caddie whose tariff is included in your green fee (as high as $375) and worth every penny.

That’s because architect Rees Jones played David Copperfield when he designed this 7,137-yard feat of engineering into the finger ridges flanking Red Mountain. Optical illusions abound in the form of false fronts, blind shots, upward-breaking greens and deceptive distanc-es. Trouble, often in the form of water or deep bunkers, hides from view from the tee box on a number of holes. Trust your caddie from the get-go (like when he says the first green spits short shots back down the fairway) and there will be at least seven or eight times he’ll suggest you did come all the way here to lay up.

Covering an astonishing 450 acres in the Eldorado Valley, Cascata serves up a blissfully hermetic experience. It receives only select play, and each hole is isolated from the ones around it, framed by outcroppings and flora. The winding, climbing par-5 third and 16th of-fer particularly dramatic views, while the par-3 fourth, seventh and 12th all tuck picturesquely into the mountainsides, with the waterfall on 12 especially enchanting. Water figures into nu-merous holes, including the double-dogleg 559-yard finisher. A stream bisecting the fairway leads to a pond di-rectly in front of the green. Only a lucky bomber can get home in two.

More than once, you’ll wonder how Jones could have envisioned this surreal work of art. Like Sanctu-ary in Colorado, Cascata is the kind of fantastical experience every golfer should enjoy at least once in a lifetime.

Rio Secco Butch Harmon, Golf Digest’s perennial No.

1 teacher in America, headquarters his acad-emy at Rio Secco. Tiger Woods, one of his former pupils, shares the course record of 64 with Nick Watney, who in November at Rio Secco won the 21st annual Wendy’s Three-Tour Challenge with partners Davis Love III and Jason Day. It marked the fifth straight year the event has taken place at this challenging (7,313 yards, 142/75.7) Rees Jones design that winds through the Black Mountain foothills and offers views of the Strip from 800 feet up.

If you don’t fantasize about playing a course with those credentials that costs less than $200 per round, how’s this?

A witnessed ace on the seventh—a par-3 that measures between 147 and 208 yards—qualifies you for Rio Secco’s semi-annual $1,000,000 Hole Finals, wherein you and 11 other qualifiers (including customers drawn from a lottery) each receive three nights at a luxurious Caesars hotel, rounds at Cascata and Rio, meals, drinks, ground transportation and awesome swag. You all then return to No. 7 for three tee shots in front of TV cameras. Dunk one and you’re $1 million richer. “And it’s not paid through hole-in-one insurance,” says Mark Blais, the director of golf sales and marketing for both courses. “It’s our money. We assume all the risk. That’s the beauty of working at a gaming company.”

In fact, one of the beauties of Rio Secco can accompany your foursome. T-Mates, the ef-fervescent nubiles who serve as trained, high-ly-skilled caddies and course concierges, have helped Rio Secco players since 2006. “They’re a great complement to the club,” says Blais. “At first people were skeptical, but they’ve won a lot of guests over.”

An attractive woman who’ll track your shots, make you laugh and lower your score? At $200 per foursome, a T-Mate is a fantasy worth putting money on. Cag

Jon Rizzi is CAG’s editor. For more information, visit caesarsgolf.com or call 702-731-7786.

Cascata andRio Secco Combine to create one of the best bets in Vegas golf. By Jon Rizzi

TOP GUN: Rio’s Butch Harmon

SUPER LOOPERS: Rio Secco’s T-Mates.


The Valley of the Sun remains a first-class destination.By Jake Kubié


t about 2,500 feet,right before the captain notifies the atten-dants to secure the cabin, the approach into Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport reveals a city built around golf courses. Countless bright green beacons of verdant bliss—outlined by homes of all shapes, col-ors and sizes—speckle a rusty palette of des-ert browns. The sight alone inspires envy of the ant-like figures scurrying around the

fairways and greens a half-mile below. With more than 250 golf courses, the greater Phoenix area is undeniably

one of the best golf destinations in the West, especially for Coloradans, who can choose from a buffet of inexpensive direct flights. Once on terra firma, golfers have options well beyond the greens–plenty of shopping, world-class dining and a vibrant nightlife.

In an area so densely packed with quality courses, it’s impossible to choose a favorite daily fee course–or even 12–but you can certainly have fun trying. Options include multiple-course challenges at Talking stick, Troon North and We-Ko-Pa (36 holes each); The Wigwam (54); The Verdes (90) and Westin Kierland (27). Don’t overlook the courses at eagle Mountain, Longbow, McDowell Mountain or the Raven golf Club-Phoenix.

The Raven that tops my list is Raven golf Club at Verrado, located about 30 minutes west of downtown Phoenix in Buckeye. Situated in the foothills of the White Tank Mountains, the 7,258-yard Tom Lehman/John Fought design is elevated enough to give golfers great views of the valley below while keeping them grounded with challenging elevation changes, water hazards and forced carries.

Every year the PGA Tour makes one of its most exciting stops in Phoenix for the famously raucous and rambunctious Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC scottsdale. The 7,216-yard stadium Course is almost worth the $300 greens fee, even if it’s just to play the last three holes, includ-ing the par-three sixteenth, which is one of pro golf ’s most celebrated holes. Don’t be disappointed, however, by the absence of 50,000 screaming fans.

For $150 less you can play the adjacent Champions Course. Following a $12 million renovation in 2007, the often-overlooked 7,115-yard layout has a whole new attitude and sharp enough teeth to rival its cooler sibling. The biggest changes exist on the last four holes, especially the fun and drivable 15th and intimidating finisher, which forces long hitters to lay up short of a bunker on one side and a lake on the other, only to be left with a lengthy approach.

Coloradans looking for a second club will find themselves overwhelmed by the roster of exquisite options here: Desert Mountain, Mirabel, sil-verleaf, DC Ranch—to name but a few. The best of the best may be es-tancia Club. Situated in a horseshoe shape around Scottsdale’s iconic Pinnacle Peak and recently ranked one of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” by Golf Digest, Estancia is perhaps Tom Fazio’s finest desert design and offers enough yardage (7,314 yards) to contain its most famous and


eccentric member–Bubba Watson. Rumor has it the sand is sourced from the same quarry as Augusta National’s is, and one of its former greenkeepers might just be main-taining its exquisite turf.

The club most famous for its PGA Tour connection is Whisper Rock Golf Club. With two courses designed by Tom Fazio and Phil Mickelson, Whisper Rock is as close as most mortals will ever get to the experience of playing in a Tour event. It’s not uncommon to hit balls or have a beer in the spectacular clubhouse next to one of reportedly 30 guys who play golf for a living, including Phil and his caddy, Bones Mackay. Why so many high-profile members? The courses are just that good and the atmo-sphere is even better.

Just down Dynamite Road from Estancia

is The Golf Club Scottsdale, designed by Jay Morrish and Dick Bailey. Similar in landscape and layout to the aforementioned clubs, the stout 7,561-yard layout distin-guishes itself by a noticeable lack of homes bordering its fairways. That sense of seclu-sion and serenity extends into its rustic and charming hacienda-style clubhouse.

Phoenix has an abundance of spectacular resorts and hotels to accommodate visitors pouring in throughout the winter. Located just a few minutes from both TPC Scottsdale courses, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princessis one of the region’s classic destinations. Its sprawling grounds encompass more than 830 stately guest rooms, suites and casitas, several of the area’s best restaurants, five swimming

pools and Willow Stream Spa, featuring a rooftop oasis, stunning men’s and women’s indoor facilities and a waterfall that cascades down to a private hidden courtyard. Rates in December and January start around $350 per night for non-refundable reservations.

Located right next door to the Fairmont, Zona Hotel & Suites offers more afford-able options, especially for groups, families and extended stays. The resort’s one-, two- and four-bedroom suites, ranging from 600 to 1,800 square feet, include well-equipped kitchens, dining and living areas and private balconies, and its 14 well-maintained acres feature four swimming pools and manicured gardens. Rates start at about $230 per night in January for a one-bedroom suite.

Head 20 minutes south to Paradise Valley and north of $400 per night and you’ll find Royal Palms Resort & Spa, easily one of the finest and most romantic hotels in the Phoenix area. Its 119 guests rooms are set amidst stone pathways, fountains and lush gardens, all of which help to accentuate an unparalleled sense of European charm and authenticity. The only downside is you might actually feel guilty leaving Royal Palms to spend five hours on a golf course.

As opposed to places like Denver, where the best restaurants are located downtown and in small neighborhoods, Phoenix’s are built into its many resorts. At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, it’s a toss-up between Bourbon Steak and La Hacienda. Fortu-nately the two serve up very different cui-sines, making it easier to choose between Chef Michael Mina’s contemporary Ameri-

Whisper Rock Raven-Phoenix

Eagle Mountain


JOB #: 6348-2_TSR_GolfandStay_CoAvidGlfr · Client: Talking Stick ResortAgency: RIESTER · Trim: 8.375" x 10.875" · Bleed: 8.5” x 11.125” · Color: CMYK · Pub: Colorado Avid Golfer

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can fare and Chef Richard Sandoval’s mod-ern Mexican creations. Mina’s classics include tapioca-crusted snapper and ahi tuna pot roast. Sandoval dishes up mero a la Veracruzan (oven roasted grouper) and filet a la parilla (grilled co-riander beef tenderloin).

T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort & Spa is con-sistently and rightfully ranked one of the best res-taurants in the Valley. The cuisine mimics the re-sort’s sense of Old World Europe with an eclectic mix of Mediterranean dishes enhanced by Span-ish, French and Italian influences. Favorites from the recently updated dinner menu include lobster tortellini, roasted eggplant ragu and slow-roasted lamb with rosemary fontina gratin, braised kale and minted lamb jus. Cag

CAG Contributor Jake Kubié lives in Denver. For more articles on Arizona golf or to discuss this one, visit coloradoavidgolfer.com.

eagle Mountain golf Club14915 Eagle Mountain Pwy, Fountain Hills480-816-1234; eaglemtn.com

estancia Club27998 N. 99th Pl., Scottsdale480-473-4400; estanciaclub.com

Longbow golf Club5601 East Longbow Parkway, Mesa480-807-5400; longbowgolf.com McDowell Mountain golf Club10690 East Sheena Drive Scottsdale480-502-8200; mcdowellgc.com

Raven golf Club-Phoenix3636 East Baseline Road Phoenix602-243-3635;theravensouthmountain.com

Raven golf Club at Verrado 4242 N. Golf Dr., Buckeye 623-388-3000; ravenatverrado.com

The golf Club scottsdale29001 N. 122nd St., Scottsdale480-443-8868; thegolfclubscottsdale.com

TPC scottsdale (Stadium & Champions Courses)17020 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale888-400-4001; tpc.com/scottsdale

Talking stick golf Club9998 E. Indian Bend Rd., Scottsdale480-860-2221; talkingstickgolfclub.com

Troon North golf Club10320 East Dynamite Blvd., Scottsdale480-585-5300; troonnorthgolf.com

The Verdes 25609 N Danny Lane, Rio Verde480-471-3232; theverdes.com

We-Ko-Pa golf Club18200 East Toh Vee Cir., Fort McDowell480-836-9000; wekopa.com Westin Kierland golf Club15636 North Clubgate Drive, Scottsdale480-922-9283; kierlandgolf.com

The Wigwam golf Club300 East Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park623-935-9414; wigwamgolf.com

Whisper Rock golf Club32000 N. Old Bridge Rd., Scottsdale480-575-8700; whisperrockgolf.com

Fairmont Princess scottsdale7575 E. Princess Dr., Scottsdale866-540-4495; fairmont.com/Scottsdale

Royal Palms Resort & spa5200 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix602-840-3610; RoyalPalmsHotel.com Zona Hotel & suites7677 E. Princess Blvd., Scottsdale888-222-1059; ZonaScottsdale.com

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Florida


Winter 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer 53ColoradoAvidGol fer.com Winter 2012 |Colorado AvidGolfer 53ColoradoAvidGol fer.com

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From new resorts in Florida and Mexico to revamped classics in California and Hawaii, sea-level golf

has hit the high-water mark.


Streamsong Polk County, Florida


Two-Part Harmony

How Tom Doak teamed with Coore & Crenshaw to make 36 holes of sweet music on the Florida prairie.

By Tom FerrellImagine if Red and Blue could stand together on common

ground. If they could retain their own ideologies and principles, yet still share the best of each other’s vision and work together to bring those two distinct styles and views closer together rather than further apart.

A Utopian vision? A bipartisan dream, too far-fetched in this election-weary land?

Enter Streamsong, a new retreat-resort located in the remote cen-tral Florida prairie and golf ’s most eagerly anticipated new destina-tion. Design firebrand Tom Doak and minimalism’s elder statesmen Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have cooperated to produce two re-markable courses—the Red and the Blue—on an otherworldly land-scape of towering dunes, rambling fields and deep ponds dug by the mining giant, Mosaic Company.

“I remember talking to Ben (design partner Crenshaw) years ago,” says Bill Coore, “about how cool it would be if we could find a site that had a good sand base and had been worked over pretty good and then left to settle for 20 years. Not a natural site in the pure sense, but one that had become natural over time. And you know, we basically got that at Streamsong. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

There’s a good reason most people haven’t seen this part of Florida, a vast open space located some 90 minutes southwest of Orlando and an hour southeast of Tampa, according to Tom Sunnarborg, vice president of land de-velopment and management for Mosaic. “The reason is that we own most of it.”

With 253,000 acres of land, Mosaic, the world’s largest producer of phosphate and potash, had a secondary mission, which became the Streamsong blueprint. “Once we started looking at the highest and best use for this land, the idea of a golf retreat-resort quickly emerged,” Sunnarborg says. “We wanted to show what we can do with reclaimed land and to take environmental sustainability and add to it economic sustainability and support for the communities and the region that has been so good to us.”

To best showcase its striking landforms, Mosaic commissioned two 18-hole courses and signed up Doak and Coore & Crenshaw af-ter winning pledges from them that they could cooperate and work

concurrently on their designs. But neither firm expected to work as closely as they finally did.

“The idea was to do two distinct courses that kind of met back at the clubhouse,” Coore says, “but we found ourselves gravitating toward the same land.”

Sometimes working on their own and sometimes together, the architects identified 36 holes covering the same general swath of terrain. Doak sat down then and tried to decipher the possible holes into two courses. One, he outlined with a blue marker. The other, he outlined in red (hence, today’s Blue and Red courses at Streamsong).

There was one task left—to determine who would do which course. Someone suggested a coin flip, but Doak demurred. Coore and Crenshaw consulted with one of their longtime team members

who, acknowledging the challenging economic conditions in play at the time, suggested taking the one that would provide the most work. So Coore & Crenshaw chose the Red Course, which featured some the most uneven and challenging land on the property.

And then both crews got to work. The resulting golf destination, with holes from each course weaving and intertwine with each other, is already being mentioned in the same breath as Bandon Dunes.

“The landforms are just incredible,” Coore notes. “You play into and out of situations I’ve just never encoun-

tered on any site. I think people are going to love the experience. There’s nothing else like it, anywhere.”

With a Grand Opening slated for January, 2013, Sunnarborg says that online bookings have exceeded even their most optimistic projections. “We believe we have something very special,” he says. “Two of the best design teams in the world. The ability stay on-site and just lose yourself. There’s no traffic noise. No light pollution—the stars are overwhelming. Great food. Fishing and shooting. It’s an old-school retreat, a resort with the feel of a private course. The entire experience is going to blow your mind.” Cag

Tom Ferrell is Colorado AvidGolfer’s editor at large. For more informa-tion and to reserve tee times, visit streamsongresort.com.

DIVIDED CONQUEST: The Red 16th (opposite) and Blue 7th (above).

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CostaBajaLa Paz, Mexico


UThe Pearl of La Paz

Five minutes from a city named for peace emerges a golf resort that has perfected the practice of it.

By Jon RizziUntil the middle of the last century, La Paz, the capital of the

Mexican state of Baja California Sur, enjoyed international fame for its pearl-filled oyster beds. The port city became known as the “Pearl of the Pacific,” even though it sits an hour’s drive from the ocean on the Sea of Cortez. It famously inspired John Steinbeck’s 1947 novella, The Pearl, about an egg-sized gem that spawns greed and tragedy. Ironically, around the same time the book came out, a mysterious disease wiped out the area’s oyster beds and pearling business, effectively insulating La Paz from the commercialization that would eventually transform Los Cabos two hours south.

Today the pearl of La Paz is CostaBaja Resort and Spa. But unlike Steinbeck’s ill-starred object, this multimillion-dollar, 550-acre re-sort, marina and real estate development brings nothing but pleasure to those who experience it.

That pleasure begins a short ride from the airport at CostaBaja’s bou-tique hotel, where all 115 rooms come with a view of the glasslike sea, sere mountains, Gary Player-designed golf course or 250-slip marina. Relax at a poolside palapa with a prickly pear margarita while savoring a light ceviche or spritzing jicama sticks with lime juice and dip-ping them in chili powder.

You’ll enjoy heartier fare in the ho-tel at Steinbeck’s Restaurant, where the fine-dining menu overflows with fresh, delectable seafood—scallops in aguachile; brandied shrimp bisque; and fresh tuna or yellowtail with mojo de ajo or one of four other spectacular sauces. The more casual Mosaic also proffers an excellent breakfast buffet featuring tiradito, a piscatorial cross between carpaccio and sushi.

Located at the CostaBaja Golf Club, La Pintatada Grill and Bar specializes in golf gastronomy—hearty breakfasts and lunches—for those taking on the breathtaking Gary Player design that’s already been ranked in Mexico’s top 10 in only its second year of operation. It’s easy to see why. Perched on rocky cliffs tumbling hundreds of feet towards the sea, the 7,081-yard layout seamlessly harmonizes elements of desert and seaside golf. The fairways forgive, and the wind factors into your approaches to ample, paspalum greens. Holes like the 451-yard seventh and 612-yard 14th plummet more than

100 feet from tee to fairway. Birdie opportunities abound, as do bird sightings. Xantus hummingbirds and other avian species hover and alight on flora along the course. My foursome played around a peli-can sleeping in the middle of the 10th fairway.

Player is a long-standing environmentalist, and so are Costa Baja’s developers. In fact, the entire resort, including the marina, leaves so little impact on the area’s ecosystem that Mexico’s Federal Environ-mental Protection Agency (PROFEPA) awarded it the Certificate of Environmental Excellence. A “Living Green” manifesto hangs in the real estate sales office, where the development’s luxurious condos, Tuscan-style hillside homes (the Las Colinas development), and de-luxe casitas and residences (VistaMar) are sold.

In addition to 340 days of sunshine, dozens of shops and restau-rants ringing the marina, and a raft of world-class amenities—including Espiri-tu Spa, where director Gloria Guerrero holds a Biotensor near your body to gauge which of six essential oil “syner-gies” will balance or elevate your energy levels—what sells CostaBaja is its prox-imity to the cultural richness of a capital city and its access to the Sea of Cortez, or what Jacques Cousteau called “the aquarium of the world.”

Charter a boat to scuba or snorkel amid the real-life versions of the painted and ceramic manta rays that decorate many of the resort’s walls. Rays and hundreds of other fish dart about the Sea of Cortez near the environmentally protected islands of Espiritu Santo, Isla

Partida and Cerralvo. You’ll also have an opportunity to swim with sea lions and, between November and March, watch for gray whales, orcas, humpbacks and whale-sharks.

Anglers can hunt for trophy dorado, marlin and sailfish. These and other sea creatures—including sea bass, tuna, crabs and lobsters—find their ways onto the menus at Steinbeck’s and at CostaBaja’s other restaurants, including Barcaccia, an upscale Italian eatery located at the marina. Al-though the once-famous oysters rarely appear, La Paz now has a five-star pearl of a resort on which to hang its reputation. Cag

Jon Rizzi is Colorado AvidGolfer’s editor. For more information, visit costabajaresort.com or call 877-392-5525.

MEXED OUT: CostaBaja’s signature 7th (opposite) and Beach Club.

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Pelican Hill Newport Beach, California


Paradise Reperfected A half-decade into its renaissance as a five-star

resort, Pelican Hill is deservedly earning its wings. By Jon Rizzi

The photographs suggest Pebble or Torrey—courses with which we’re on a first-name basis. And the accolades—including “World’s Top-Rated Golf Resort” in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2012 Reader’s Poll and the ranking of its two courses among Top 100 U.S. public facili-ties by Golf Digest, Golf and Golfweek—certainly put Pelican Hill Golf Resort in the same echelon as, say, Kiawah.

So why does Pelican Hill rarely make any golfer’s must-play list? Is it the lack of a Tour event? Its over-the-top Orange County location? Its custom golf cars with canopies and contoured, stitched seats like those found in luxury cars? Hardly. Whatever the reason, it’s time this Pelican stopped flying under the radar.

Situated 15 minutes from John Wayne Airport and 45 from LAX, Pelican’s two Tom Fazio-designed courses, Ocean South and Ocean North, originally opened in 1991 and 1993 on close to 400 stunning acres along the Pacific Ocean. In 2005, however, Fazio returned, as he curiously put it, to “re-perfect” both courses. The tweaking process shut down golf for two years, during which time Irvine Company Resort Properties built a 44,000-square-foot clubhouse and a sumptuous Palladian-inspired resort—complete with a 22 treatment-room spa; exqui-sitely appointed accommodations in 204 bungalows and 128 villas; three stellar restaurants, including the Peli-can Grill; and an enormous, circu-lar “Coliseum” pool featuring tiered decks and luxurious cabanas and lined with a million hand-laid glass tiles.

The resort’s plush four-bedroom vil-las afford the ultimate way for golfers and their spouses to experience this magnificence. Between January and March you and up to nine guests can stay for two nights, play two rounds and avail yourselves of a personal butler, concierge and evan a personal chef. You’ll also have access to a private heated pool and whirlpool spa and receive pre-ferred pricing on Pelican’s signature “Golfer’s Massage,” in which the body-worker employs golf balls to apply specific friction and pres-sure to relax and warm the muscles golfers use most. This Seaside Villa Golf Getaway package runs $2,630 per foursome, plus taxes and gratuities.

Not having played them in their pre-reperfected states, I can’t vouch for the “tweaks” and “haircuts” Fazio says he made to the Ocean South and Ocean North courses. But after two exhilarating rounds, I easily understand why he hopes “it’s never finished so I can

always come back. This is one of the great places in the world.”Maximizing this greatness by minimizing the time and strokes it

takes to play is, of course, the paradoxical goal of every golfer. That’s why Pelican Hill provides seasoned forecaddies at no extra charge. They’ll point out trouble and disabuse you from hitting driver to reach fairways that appear more distant than they actually are. They re-perfect the experience by at least four shots per course. And if you really need help, PGA Director of Instruction Glenn Deck can impart the wisdom of a Top 100 Teacher.

Although the Ocean South sits higher in the national rankings, play the par-71 Ocean North first. Its 6,945 yards perch high above the ocean, with some straddling the cliffs and all 18 tee shots offer-ing views of the Pacific. The fairways and greens all sit well below them—a score-enhancing trend that begins with the right-dogleg par-5 birdie opportunity on hole one and finishes with two more right-dogs on 17 (a 558-yard par-5 with water right and an “infinity”

green) and 18 (a fiesty 430-yard par-4). Like its sibling, the Ocean South

threads through stunning, vibrant and fragrant vegetation. With a par of 70, it plays one shot less and almost 400 yards shorter than the Ocean North, but it’s significantly tighter, funneling through the lower contours of the land. There aren’t as many ocean views, but the holes have greater variety, including reachable par-4s on nos. 2, 3, 5 and 11, and back-to-back par-3 stunners on nos. 12 and 13—the latter of which boasts two greens “for maximum exposure to the ocean,” says Fazio. The long par-4 finisher requires a 250-yard tee ball over

a chasm to leave a shot at the green.And, speaking of green… The Resort at Pelican Hill is as environ-

mentally sustainable as it is beautiful. The “reperfection” introduced a water quality management system that collects rainwater in un-derground tanks, recycles runoff and prevents it from reaching the ocean, and annually conserves more than 50 million gallons of water. Golf this year honored it with its Eco-friendly Green Hall of Fame Award, which recognizes extraordinary achievement in environ-mental stewardship.

With accolades like that, watch Pelican continue to soar. Cag

Jon Rizzi is Colorado AvidGolfer’s editor. For more information, visit pelicanhill.com or call 800-820-6800.

ON THE WATER: Ocean North’s 17th (left) and the Coliseum pool.

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TThe photographs suggest Pebble or Torrey—courses with which TThe photographs suggest Pebble or Torrey—courses with which we’re on a first-name basis. And the accolades—including “World’s Twe’re on a first-name basis. And the accolades—including “World’s Top-Rated Golf Resort” in TTop-Rated Golf Resort” in and the ranking of its two courses among Top 100 U.S. public faciliTand the ranking of its two courses among Top 100 U.S. public facilities by Tties by Golf Digest, GolfTGolf Digest, GolfResort in the same echelon as, say, Kiawah. T

Resort in the same echelon as, say, Kiawah.


Kauai Hawaii


Some Enchanted Island

Come winter, it’s easy to answer the call of Kaua‘i. By Vince Recine

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WWhen my longing to play golf gets buried beneath a foot of snow, I often find myself humming South Pacific: “Bali Ha’i may call you…any night…any day: here am I your special island, come to me, come to me.” I know my heart is telling me to go to Kaua‘i, the smallest of the four major Hawaiian Islands and home of the mystical Bali Ha‘i.

Kaua‘i’s compactness makes it an ideal golf destination. An hour’s drive separates the island’s three golf areas—Lihue, Poipu, and Princeville—and their eight courses. While the recession hit Kaua‘i hard, the decrease in golf rounds allowed several cours-es to take turns closing for major improvements. They are all now open.

Lihue, at the center of the island, is the heart and soul of Kaua‘i golf; its three championship courses are all open to public play.

After a hearty breakfast of scratch-made macadamia nut and ba-nana pancakes at Tip Top Motel and Café (owned by Hawaiian Golf Hall of Famer Jonathan Ota), take on the famed Wailua Munici-pal Golf Course. Ota’s family co-founded the course, and he remains a fount of local knowledge.

Hardly your typical muni, Wail-ua has thrice hosted the US Pub-lic Links Championships, and the USGA is again considering it as a future championship site. From the tips, the course stretches 6,981 yards both inland and along the ocean. The highlight comes at the oceanfront 173-yard 17th, which Arnold Palmer listed among his favorite holes.

Next in Lihue is the Robin Nelson-designed Puakea Golf Course, which for seven years had only 10 holes, the result of construction finance issues. Finally completed, this inland layout measures 6,954 yards. After the first five holes fool you into thinking that this is just an average play, the par-3 sixth plunges you into a tropical garden. Water fronts a green sur-rounded by thick flora, while Mount Ha’apu hovers behind. The remaining holes traverse lush vegetation that’s easy on the eyes but hard on your score if your ball finds it.

Just five minutes down the road from Puakea sits the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club, a five-star blend of time-share and hotel units on 800 acres. Site of one of the state’s largest family swimming pools and the ever-popular Duke’s Kaua‘i restaurant, Kalapaki Beach is also home to the Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club.

Jack Nicklaus redesigned the Lagoons between 2009 and 2011. Although nine of the original 36 holes gave way to new luxury housing units, the remaining 27 challenge golfers of all abilities. Juniors and families opt for the wide fairways and special rates of the Waikahe nine. The Moana and Mauka Nines form the cham-pionship Kiele Course, which tips out at 7,120 heavily bunkered yards. The Moana’s half-mile of ocean holes is the longest con-tinuous waterfront stretch of golf in Hawaii. The highlight comes at the breathtaking par three fifth, with drops a devilish 210 yards downhill to a green atop a bluff. Miss left, and your ball will dive into the ocean. Miss right and you have to pitch over bunkers to a putting surface that abuts a perilous cliff.

After your round, shuttle over to Duke’s for some wahoo, ahi or mango-glazed barbecue ribs and famous Hula Pie, or step back to the 1930s, when Groves Farm owner Gaylord Wilcox built his 16,000- square-foot dream home, Kilohana. This mansion now

houses Gaylord’s Restaurant, which in addition to great lunches and dinners serves a splendid Sunday brunch that includes the delectable ahi tuna bene-dict with wasabi hollandaise. Kilohana also contains shops, including Men’s Hardware, where for $1,100 you can purchase a William Henry-designed divot-repair tool made from fossilized mammoth bone. Or not.

Gaylord’s also provides a train ride through the flora and fauna plantation. There is, however, no better way to experience the beauty of “the Garden Isle,” than with a 45-minute flight with Jack Harter Helicopters (808-245-3774).

You’ll survey Waimea Canyon (“The Grand Canyon of the Pacif-ic”), which runs 10 miles long and over 3,000 feet deep; fly above the breathtaking cliffs of the spectacular Napali coastline and the beaches of Hanalei (made famous by “Puff the Magic Dragon”); and glimpse the waterfalls that appeared in Jurassic Park.

Seeing the North Shore of the island from the air affords an even greater appreciation of Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s masterful courses at Princeville—the Makai and the Prince.

The home of the LPGA‘s Kemper Open from 1986 to 1990, the Makai closed between 2008 in order to complete $6 million in renovations. Similar in setup to the Lagoons, the Makai’s 27 holes divide between two distinct entities: The family-friendly Woods nine, where kids play free when accompanied by an adult; and The Makai Course, a 7,223 yard championship test overlooking the

GARDEN GOLF: Kaua‘i Lagoons (opposite) and The Prince (above).


ocean. The best views come on the 181-yard par-3 third, where your ball seemingly floats above the ocean as it descends to the green, and the back tees on the seventh, which overlooks bathers in the ceremonial salt water pond of Queen Emma.

For most avid golfers, the one must-play in Kaua‘i is The Prince Course. Often ranked among the Top 100 U.S. courses, The Prince closed for renovations in 2010 and is now fully reopened. Greens and bunkers were redone, teeing areas were changed to improve playability, and the dense vegeta-tion was cut back making shots into most greens less severe. The trimming enhanced the beauty of the course and uncovered the Anini Stream that runs through it. It didn’t make it any easier, however. The unofficial course scoring record is only 67. Like Makai, The Prince sits on a high ver-dant bluff and plays like a rugged mountain course with a tropical twist. It will take you over ravines, near cliffs, and across very tricky fast greens. All the holes are tough; all the holes are beautiful.

When you walk off the 18th green at The Prince, treat yourself to the amenities of the newly renovated clubhouse—including items from the “Toni Richard” line of de-signer Hawaiian shirts. The locker rooms are elegant and massage services are avail-able nearby. After cleaning up, wander over to The Tavern, which is owned and

operated by Roy Yamaguchi and serves up a great view of the Kaua‘i sunset along with classics like braised short ribs with creamy cheese grits and country bacon green beans. Desserts include such treats as creamy guava cheese cake and a pie made of Haupia chocolate and a macada-mia nut crust.

A slightly more luxurious repast awaits at Princeville’s St. Regis Hotel. Partially built into a seaside cliff, this 252-room prop-erty features a ninth-floor lobby entrance and, one floor below, Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Kaua‘i Grill, which lives up to its billing as one of the top restaurants on the island. Every dish—from the rice crusted ahi appetizer to the daily fresh fish catch with red chili sauce to the mango upside-down cake topped with home-made basil ice cream—will make your taste buds burst with delight. Eat at sunset: you will see surfers in Hanalei Bay, the green mountains of Bali Ha‘i and the sun seem-ingly drop straight into the ocean.

The beauty continues on south shore. And so does RTJ Jr.’s love affair with the is-land, where he designed two more courses at Poipu. The most famous, of course, is Poipu Bay Golf Course, which from 1994 to 2006 annually held the Grand Slam of Golf. On a very calm day in 2004 Phil Mickelson carded a 59 here. But Poipu Bay’s 7,123 yards play along the ocean, so

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Kukui’ula’s 16th

Makai Poipu Bay

Puakea

Crazy About Kukui’ula

If the first new development to open on Kauai in 20 years were just another acclaimed high-end club and community from DMB Associates Inc.—built on the most beautiful of this island’s loca-tions, the South Shore—that would be enough. In fact, if it were just the latest golf course design from PGA Tour legend Tom Weiskopf—complete with whales jumping just off the coast beyond the 14th green—that would be enough. But Kukui’ula is much more, thanks to a hospitality team that considers every member and guest an exten-sion of its Hawaiian family. Home-sites for purchase and nightly-fee resort cottages are now available. kukuiula.com —Brian Oar


Take the ChallengeTo encourage play, Kaua‘i’s PGA Profession-als are offering the Kaua‘i Golf Challenge. For $435 you can play three rounds from a list that includes Kaua‘i Lagoons, Puakea, Makai, The Prince, and Poipu Bay. If you’d rather not travel with your clubs, Kaua‘i Golf Rentals (808-346-0626) will deliver to your hotel or condo the latest Callaways for $135 a week. For more information, contact the following courses directly:

Marriott’s Kaua‘i Lagoons: 800-634-6400Kukuiolono Park and Golf Course: 808-332-9151Makai Golf Club at Princeville: 808-826-1912; princeville.com/golfPoipu Bay: 800-858-6300; poipubaygolf.comPrinceville Prince: 800-826-1105; princeville.com/golfPuakea: 866-773-5554; puakeagolf.com/Wailua Golf Course: 808-241-6666For more information: 800-GO-HAWAII; gohawaii.com/kauai

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the wind has a habit of shifting on every hole and the ocean spray can spritz your face—hardly the recipe for going low. Still, every hole’s a postcard, the conditioning is impec-cable and the shop is first-rate.

Poipu’s “other” course, Kiahuna Golf Club, stretches 6,885 yards with a par of 70. While short, it still challenges with narrow fairways, tricky greens, and strong ocean breezes. Nat-ural lava walls surround it and it sits by Joe’s On the Green, where breakfast, lunch and happy-hour menus list satisfying ways to be-gin or finish your round.

Poipu offers many fine dining choices, and one recent addition stands out: Josselin’s Tapas Bar and Grill. Renowned chef Jean-Marie Josselin, formerly of 808 Restaurant at Caesars Palace, offers a unique and dynamic tapas menu consisting of 36-hour braised pork belly and organic beet ravioli. Surprise yourself with the steak naan bread or the slow-cooked butterfish.

While on the south shore, surprise your-self as well with a visit to Kukuiolono Golf Course & Park in Kalaheo. The wealthy planter Walter D. McBryde built the nine-course in 1929 for his own use. He left the course and its beautiful Japanese rock gar-den to the people of Kaua‘i with the proviso that it always remain a golf course. McBryde is buried next to the eighth tee box. A fun place for beginners as well as experienced golfers, Kukuiolono rewards you with ter-rific ocean views from almost every vantage point. Hundreds of feral chickens scurry about for food, and feed is available, which adds to the fun. Conditions are at times less than perfect but when you pay ten dollars or less for all-day golf in your own Bali Ha’i, why complain? Cag

Vince Recine is a Centennial-based writer.


PUZZLERS | WORD GAMES | TRIVIA

Fact or Fiction?

CaLL THeM suBuRBaN LegeNDs oR FaiRWay FoLKLoRe.The following nine “facts” have been repeated so many times in relation to Colorado golf that most consider them true. Are they?Test your knowledge at coloradoavidgolfer.com.

theGamesOfGolfDenver Country Club has a polo pony

buried under the 6th hole.

FACT | FICTION

The logo for Grand Elk Golf Club actually depicts a caribou forming the initials of Caribou Ranch, the development for which it was originally designed.FACT | FICTION

Castle Pines Golf Club was in line to host the 2001 U.S. Open until Southern Hills made the USGA a better offer.

FACT | FICTION

After winning the 1948 Denver Open, Ben Hogan didn’t bother staying at Wellshire Golf Club long enough to receive his trophy or check.

FACT | FICTION

President Dwight Eisen-hower suffered a heart attack at Cherry Hills Country Club.

FACT | FICTION

Officials at the 1963 Denver Open mistook Chi Chi Rodriguez for a caddie before the event, which he eventually won.

FACT | FICTION

Liniger refused President Bill Clinton’s request toplay Sanctuary before it officially opened because he didn’t agree with his politics.

FACT | FICTION

Anything we missed? Share your “conventional wisdom” via facebook or at coloradoavidgolfer.com.

RE/MAX founder Dave Liniger built Sanctuary because Castle Pines Golf Club denied him admission.

FACT | FICTION

CThe logo for Grand Elk Golf Club actually depicts a caribou forming the initials of Caribou Ranch, the development for which it was originally designed.FACT | FICTION

Willis Case Golf Course takes the name of a wealthy bachelor murdered there by a jilted lover.

FACT | FICTION

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WINTER 2012