Chasing little white balls in the high country.

Summit County, Colorado has some of the best golf courses in the country.  I know.  I’ve played them all.  They are all championship courses, and will challenge even the best golfers.  Yet, depending on the hole, the weather, the day, some of the holes can also be forgiving. 

First, there is Copper Creek at Copper Mountain.  A mix of links and mountain style holes designed by the venerable Pete and Perry Dye, Copper Creek accommodates the novice golfer from the forward tees while still providing a great test for the accomplished golfer.  Spellbinding views of the 10 Mile Range provide the perfect backdrop for any golf outing and Copper Creek's outstanding service is sure to impress. 

Copper Creek was awarded 3.5 stars (out of 5) from Golf Digest in its 2000 - 2001 places to play guide.  It’s a bit shorter than our other courses, and probably the most friendly to the novice golfer.  It is also the highest 18 hole championship golf course in the country.  Copper Creek was awarded 3.5 stars (out of 5) from Golf Digest in its 2000 - 2001 places to play guide. 

Then, there is The Raven at Three Peaks in Silverthorne.  It has some of the most demanding elevation changes, built on the side of Willow Mountain, part of the dramatic Gore Range.  I love this course, but it truly is not for walkers.  You can still get plenty of exercise, though, since much of the season, it is cart path only.  Views are generally across to the Williams Fork Range, though many of the holes aim west toward Buffalo, Red and Willow Mountains.  Wonderful!  And it was recently awarded the designation of #1 Golf Course for Company Outings by Colorado Biz magazine.

Finally, in Keystone, there are two courses, The Ranch being the oldest.  It is also a walkable course, but don’t hit into the rough.  Even a few inches in, the ball may never be found.  Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Keystone Ranch Golf Course follows the legendary links-style of a Scottish course on the front nine, while the back nine presents a traditional mountain valley layout.  "Keystone's Ranch Course, laid out by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. in 1980, is an open, high-meadow design with sagebrush and native grasses bordering many of the holes. The centerpiece of the course is the Ranch, on old log homestead that houses the clubhouse and a superb restaurant specializing in six-course meals served with Western flair. 'Best food in Colorado,' commented one reader."
-Golf Magazine, February 2002

And the River Course, the newest golf course in Summit County.  I probably played this more than any of the others, partly because I hung out for a year or two with the wrong people.  Well, I guess they were OK.  They just tended to beat me too often.  This course is more forgiving than the Ranch Course, with wide fairways and large greens.  It is, however, a cart-only play.  I have seen a couple of people walking the course, but they were either in much better shape than me, or they only played nine.  "The River Course, designed by Hurdzan-Fry, is an eco-sensitive marvel that skirts bike paths, wetlands and the Snake River on the front nine before ascending to higher ground on the back, where the views of the Gore Range and Continental Divide are spectacular - and the 200-foot drop at the par-four 16th is dizzying."
-Golf Magazine, February 2002

So, come to the high country – Summit County – where we have much more than skiing.  Our summers are marvelous.  When it’s 100 degrees in Denver, it’s 80 here.  What more could you ask for?