Bear Dance GC, Larkspur. Brian Whitcomb, 2002.

This is a wonderful front range golf course with a good mix of holes in the meadow and holes in the trees, holes over gentle ground and holes in the hills.

The sixth is a potentially reachable hole that tempts you to go for it by putting the entire hole in front of you, though I think features like the bear claw bunker cluster are kind of silly.

The final three hole stretch is also strong. The 16th feels shorter than it is with a downhill drive to a fairway in the trees. The fairway tilts ever so slightly left-to-right but the left side is the ideal side to approach the green from as the green is wider and more open from that side. An approach from the right will be fully over the small pond that protects the green.

The 17th is a short, slightly uphill par 3 with a green set in a natural amphitheater of rock with a creek and pond framing the green to the right and short. Finally 18 is a long par 5 where you drive out of a chute of trees and the second shot fights a slight reverse camber. All three of the holes coming in are potential birdie holes but can also lead to big numbers if you play loose. It’s a fun finish.

Well south of Denver, the course is a bit of a drive (especially with I-25 forever under construction), which helps keep it from being too busy or too expensive, but this course is every bit the golf experience of busier, more expensive options closer to the city.

Colorado 1st Decile [2005]