The state of Colorado offers the golf enthusiast a choice of 163 courses to play.
Take into account the conditioning and vastly different types of design layouts, by world-leading experts, the spectacular scenery will make up for any off day you may have with your golf.
The 10 Best Colorado Golf Courses Ranked in Order
- Red Sky Ranch and Golf Club | Norman Course
- TPC Colorado at Heron Lakes | Berthoud
- Broadmoor Golf Club| East
- Redlands Mesa Golf Club
- Breckenridge Golf Club | Bear Elk
- Arrowhead Golf Club
- Bear Dance Golf Club
- Riverdale Golf Course | Dunes
- Fossil Trace Golf Club
- Eisenhower Golf Course | Silver
Ranking golf courses is never an easy task and defining the 10 best golf courses in Colorado certainly is a challenge.
This task has been eased with a collaboration with TheGrint, our favorite mobile app that helps golfers track their handicap and stats. They have collected golf course reviews from millions of real golf rounds from real golfers.
1. Red Sky Ranch and Golf Club | Norman Course
- Site Link
- Location: Wolcott, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,837 meters off the Tips and 5,411 meters off the Front. (7 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The 259-meter par 3 16th is the signature hole and like many other courses, the elevated tee playing downhill, to the bunker protected green makes club selection the key.
Red Sky Ranch has 2 18-hole courses on offer and the Greg Norman-designed course is spectacular in every way.
The scenery, challenging undulating holes, set in the hillsides of the mountains will keep you deciding whether to pull a club or your camera.
Norman has used the natural terrain to perfection in his design.
Select the correct tee for your skill level to maximize enjoyment and challenge.
2. TPC Colorado at Heron Lakes | Berthoud
- Site Link
- Location: Berthoud, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,304 meters off the Tips and 5,059 meters off the Front. (5 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The short but very tricky 128-meter par 3 16th hole is the signature hole and aptly named center stage.
It plays downhill to a massive raised green, protected by bunkers, and offers a bold or safety shot off the tee.
Get your distance control correct or par becomes a problem.
TPC Heron Lakes is a new era (length) golf layout and presents a few par 5s that measure 508-meters and 707-meters off the tips.
To the adventurous long-hitter, it offers some bold shots but allows for conservative play for the average golfer.
Select your tee to fit your game and enjoy the challenge.
3. Broadmoor Golf Club | East
- Site Link
- Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,682 meters off the Tips and 5,338 meters off the Front. (4 tee options available).
ING
Signature Hole- The 396-meter dogleg right par 4 18th is the signature hole on the East course.
It provides beauty and a challenge with an extremely tense approach shot over a pond situated in front of the green and patrons sitting on the clubhouse patio.
The Broadmoor facility has 3 golf courses and the East is the choice of most.
No forced carries, and this parkland layout, with tree-lined fairways, is an easy play for the higher handicap golfer, including women.
Rapid undulating greens complete the enjoyment.
4. Redlands Mesa Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Grand Junction, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,401 meters from the Tips and 5,336 meters off the Front. (3 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The 199-meter par 3 is the signature hole, but can be rivaled by others.
Rated as possibly the most picturesque par 3 within Colorado, the large green is set in an auditorium of natural rock.
This course offers a great variety of holes and is a firm favorite with the accomplished golfer, but can be enjoyed by lesser-skilled golfers who opt to play from a forward tee.
Rugged rocks surround the layout and the scenic value is hard to beat, but beware of the tiered greens on approach shots.
The golf ball flies at this altitude, so bad judgment will cost you on the scorecard.
5. Breckenridge Golf Club | Bear Elk
- Site Link
- Location: Breckenridge, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,634 meters off the Tips and 5,265 meters off the Front. (4 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The 3 9-hole courses at Breckenridge offer some magnificent challenging holes and to define one, would be unfair.
Bring your best game and test the layouts to select your own best hole.
Breckenridge golf course offers 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus signature course design and the surrounding vistas can be a distraction during the round.
Bear 9 is the most open of the 9s but requires good judgment to score well.
Now take in the Elk 9 and accuracy is the name of the game. Hit it offline and water or bush will swallow your golf ball.
The elevation changes enhance the challenge and enjoy mountain golf at its best.
6. Arrowhead Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Littleton, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,082 meters from the Tips and 5,247 meters off the Front. (3 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The 158-meter par 3 13th is the signature hole at Arrowhead.
A steep downhill, flanked by tall red sandstone, and protected by bunkers in the front of the green, has incredible scenic views.
This course has it all. Rated within the top 75 public courses in the USA, the red sandstone rock formations, are a trademark.
Abundant wildlife, rolling terrain, with undulations and elevation changes, will challenge even the most skilled golfer.
Water hazards and bunkers make this course a challenge but it has a fun element.
7. Bear Dance Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Larkspur, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,062 meters off the Tips and 5,752 meters off the Front. (6 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The short par-4 6th hole is the signature hole.
A drivable hole, but beware of the bear claw traps that await the errant tee shot.
Making par from these is an accomplishment.
A mountain-style course with dramatic elevation changes, tall pine trees, and native grass, presents many challenges, but fun can be had by all.
The Rocky Mountains in the background, offer little relief to the long undulating greens that will test the golfers putting skills.
8. Riverdale Golf Course | Dunes
- Site Link
- Location: Brighton, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,460 meters off the Tips and 5,355 meters off the Front. (3 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- Difficult to establish a signature hole, but reviews rave about the par-3 8th, played over a pond, and the par-3 17th which features railroad ties behind the green and on the tee.
The par-4 15th which has water down the left side fairway and demands a forced carry into the green is also rated.
This facility houses 2 18-hole golf courses and the Dunes is a Scottish-links style course with gnarly rough on mounds, plenty of pot-bunkers, and water hazards that come into play on 9 of the holes.
The different sizes and shaped, tiered-greens demand skill, and should the wind blow, expect a few 3-putts.
Rated as one of the best public courses in Colorado and home to the Colorado Hall of Fame.
9. Fossil Trace Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Golden, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,244 meters off the Tips and 5,081 meters off the Front. (3 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The 535-meter par 5 12th hole is the signature hole and rock pillars flank the fairway.
The very long hitters may have a go at this green, which is surrounded by rock walls and protected by a front bunker.
Although intimidating it is also rated as one of the best fun holes in America.
Fossil Trace golf course set at the base of foothills has traces of ancient fossils embedded in the surrounding rock formation.
These formations add to the challenge as they flank the fairways, block out of position shots, but also create fun during the round.
Add a few risk and reward holes, good greens, and fantastic scenery, and walk off the course with plenty to smile about.
10. Eisenhower Golf Course | Silver
- Site Link
- Location: USAF Acadamy, Colorado.
- Par: 72
- Length: 5,951 meters off the Tips and 5,487 meters off the Front. (2 tee options available).
PLAYER RATING
Signature Hole- The 193-meter par 3 17th is the signature hole.
Played downhill to a narrow green protected by sand on the right and water on the left.
It looks simple off the tee, but select the right club.
The USAF Academy has 2 full 18-hole courses and they complement one another.
The Silver, although shorter, is tight and requires pinpoint accuracy.
The uneven lies and slick tricky greens will require all the golfer’s skill to score well.
Other Notable Courses In Colorado
1. Keystone Golf | The Ranch
- Site Link
- Location: Keystone, Colorado.
PLAYER RATING
An 18-hole layout that drifts through the valley and large pine trees, utilizing a massive lake to create challenging holes.
It is a true mountain valley course.
2. Broadmoor Golf Club | West
- Site Link
- Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado.
PLAYER RATING
The West course provides more elevation challenges than the popular East course, but the fast tricky greens and penal rough, require accuracy in your game.
3. Breckenridge Golf Club | Elk Beaver
- Site Link
- Location: Breckenridge, Colorado.
PLAYER RATING
Any Jack Nicklaus signature course is worth playing, and this combination provides challenges and a test for all skill levels.
Final Thoughts
The golf courses in Colorado offer players of all skill levels the opportunity to enjoy a round of golf in some of the most fantastic scenic terrain.
The variety of layouts make the choice where and when to play, a difficult one.
What a nice problem!!
Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
