Colorado golf friends, is any season more beautiful than fall on our home courses? The mountain courses are soon to close, but they’re in their best shape of the year and offer colorful aspen-filled views. The mile-high courses, with more deciduous trees, can barely keep their fairways green with leaf blowers. And the 19th hole patios have finally cooled off enough to invite us to linger in the fresh air.
Finally, let us not forget those two Colorado favorites, the elk and the Broncos!
Here are five courses oozing with autumn appeal.
Grandote Peaks Golf and Country Club (La Veta): We made a spring visit here in 2024 and couldn’t help but hope that the new owners continued to restore this Tom Weiskopf gem. The 2025 reviews are so gushy, they obviously have. The Cuchares River feeds the trees, so there will be fall color even at 7,000 feet, and the Spanish Peaks provide don’t-miss viewing year-round. The weather dictates closings, but through November and into early December it’s a good bet.
Pole Creek Golf Club (Tabernash): Climate change has gradually lengthened the season for this 27-hole gem in Grand County, but once September arrives there’s not much time left to beat the snow. Mr. McMulligan and I have a special affection for the Ridge 9, where in the fall aspen groves dot the slopes in view from the 9th tee. But the closing holes of the Ranch 9 offer different scenery just as spectacular in the fall. Go now, and maybe through mid-October.
RainDance National Golf Club (Windsor): RainDance touts its down-here-looking-up views of the Rockies, but that’s not why it’s on this list. Football fans, the 19th hole here is a sports bar with a wall of screens perfect for fall viewing! The Grainhouse has become a community hangout for members, golfers, sports fans and families, and Sundays bring “Funday” specials, including $1.50 chicken wings and $3 street tacos. Open to the public year-round, weather permitting, until it becomes a private/resort course.
Estes Park: At 7,500 feet elevation, this public 18 at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park will not be open much longer, but wildlife lovers should put it on the calendar every late summer and early fall. It’s a haven for elk, deer and of course the occasional coyote, but even though the course is a delight to walk, it might be a good idea to take a cart during the fall rut! In golf, it’s always safety first. Open through Halloween, weather permitting.
Lakota Links (New Castle): A beautiful autumn drive along I-70 leads to Lakota Links, formerly Canyon, just outside Glenwood Springs on the Grand Junction side. Jim Eng designed this fun layout with elevated tees galore, so at just above a mile high you’re eyeballing colorful groves of trees all around the course. Then you get to find a perch in the Lakota Lookout for your 19th hole and the big game. Fall bonus: Rates drop October 5 and you can play for $49 after 1 p.m. any day.
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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. Email her at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com.
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