The volunteer golf course raters overseen by the CGA’s Aaron Guereca can’t seem to reach the proverbial green, they’re so busy trying to keep up with the industry-wide trend to rate more sets of tees for more players.
With that, there’s no such thing anymore as “the ladies’ tees.” Women now have more choices than ever, which is why this month’s Fab 5 has turned into a Fab 6 – and an intimidating one at that!
Last month’s Fab 5 listed Colorado’s five hardest sets of tees as rated for male players, and all five were in the 8,000-yard neighborhood. The average woman amateur drives the ball 50 yards shorter than the average male, and that number pretty much doubles at elite amateur and professional levels. So it’s not yet necessary for, say, RainDance to have its 8,314-yard tour tees rated for the female bomber. But it’s eye-opening to see how difficult golf can be for the Colorado women who dare to swing away from the most challenging tees rated for them – all in the 7,000-yard neighborhood.
Keep in mind as you read on that these toughest courses for women are those courses rated from a particular set of tees, and they’ve all got forward tees more accessible for average hitters. Look at the rating for difficulty, not slope, says Aaron. “The higher the course rating, the harder the course. Remember, slope is simply the mathematical difference between the scratch and bogey players’ difficulty and really isn’t as good of an indicator.”
The player most suited to these tees is frequently described by her friends as Boomer, Bomber, BamBam, BoomBoom, Crusher and maybe Bryson. Her handicap is a single digit, maybe with a + in front of it, and she’s been seen to yawn at the suggestion of playing “the ladies’ tees.”
I don’t know her, but I’d sure love to watch her play one of Colorado’s toughest courses for women. If you’ve got a tee-time, shoot me an email at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com and I’ll bring the camera.
1. (tie) Castle Pines Golf Club, 2 Bird (80.2 rating/155 slope) and Meridian Golf Club, Black (80.2 rating, 153 slope)
The elevation and lighter air will only help a player so much, should she choose to play either of these toughest sets of tees rated for women in the entire state. Both private courses bear the signature of the great Jack Nicklaus, famed for designing challenging layouts for men but with a reputation for friendlier play for women. Those women are playing from the forward tees, not next-to longest (6,836 yards) at narrow, hilly Castle Pines or back tees (7,036 yards) at Meridian, more open but wind-swept with forced carries.
3. Colorado Golf Club, Paintbrush (79.8 rating/155 slope)
The Coore-Crenshaw beauty in Parker had barely opened when it was tapped to host the 2010 Senior PGA Championship and then the 2013 Solheim Cup. From the back tees it measures 7,647 yards and from the front Wildflowers 5,187. The Paintbrush falls in the middle at 6,929. Colorado Golf Club sets a fine precedent for giving members choices, with all nine configurations rated for men and five of those for women. Short hitters, choose the Wildflowers for a 70.3 rating and 132 slope.
4. Denver Country Club, 1 (79.3 rating/153 slope)
This may be the oldest country club west of the Mississippi but it’s got a contemporary mindset when it comes to challenging its female members and guests. With yardage on the compact layout, most recently updated by Gil Hanse, capped at just over 6,926 yards, all the tees are rated for both men and women. The woman who dares to play the back tee will enjoy a several-stroke advantage over male companions and stands to bring home the bacon if she can stay out of Cherry Creek.
5. (tie) Flatirons Golf Course, Black (78.9 rating/142 slope) and Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, 2 (78.9 rating/152 slope)
It’s worth noting that these are the only two municipal golf courses on the list, with Flatirons catering to the college kids and other residents of the city of Boulder and Walnut Creek challenging the Westminster community. With all five sets of tees at Flatirons rated for both men and women, and at Walnut Creek seven configurations rated for men and all but the longest for women, inclusivity is the name of the game. At 6,824 yards, Flatirons is the shortest course on this list, but lady sluggers, keep pumping that iron: Par is only 70.
Veteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She provides the voice of “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant on golf for fun. Mr. McMulligan, Keith DuBay, is also an accomplished journalist and especially enjoys reviewing golf courses. Email the McMulligans at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com.
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