TRINIDAD, Colorado – The new Cougar Canyon Golf Links has received the coveted distinction of Top 10 New Courses You Can Play by GOLF Magazine as listed in the January 2008 issue. Members of this prestigious group are considered to be the best new public-access courses that opened in 2007. Approximately 60 new public courses were reviewed.
GOLF Magazine compiles this list annually relying on the opinion of 95 independent course-ranking panelists, editors and field researchers. The Top 10 New Courses You Can Play category was established ten years ago, derived from GOLF’s Top 100 Courses in the United States list. Panelists play a variety of courses then submit reviews and comments to Joe Passov, Travel Editor and Chairman of GOLF Magazine’s Rating Panel. "In a very competitive year for new public-access courses, Cougar Canyon was one of the standouts. Nicklaus Design has compiled a superb track record in this category in recent years, so it should come as no surprise that when you combine an excellent layout with a dramatic natural setting, you have a recipe for a winner," says Passov.
Created by Nicklaus Design, this par 72, 7789 yard links style course is a unique combination of mountain and desert terrain with split fairways, pedestal greens, and black sand bunkers. The Sangre de Cristo mountain range provides the backdrop, setting the stage for this scenic location. The temperate climate of southern Colorado allows for play during all four seasons.
Eric Seise, Jr., Cougar Canyon Golf Resort Community Managing Director, is thrilled with the designation. “This is precisely what we have been striving for,” says Seise. “We designed Cougar Canyon to be one of the premier golf resorts in the country.”
PGA Director of Golf Operations Matt Reams says, “The course slope ratings at Cougar Canyon of 120 to 139 demonstrate the great diversity found throughout our four tee locations thereby offering a comparable challenge for all skill levels.” All abilities are tested on signature hole #16, a par 3 island green which will challenge even the most precise golfer.
Cougar Canyon Golf Links is open for public play and green fees are $59. The Pro Shop is located at 304 Shanahan Drive, Trinidad, CO. For information and tee times, call 719-422-7015. Visit online at www.cougarcanyonliving.com.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Bob Byman named for induction to Colorado Golf Hall of Fame
HENDERSON, Nev. -- The newly appointed director of golf at The Legacy Golf Club in Henderson, a surrounding suburb of Las Vegas, was inducted into Colorado’s Golf Hall of Fame on Thursday February 21, 2008. Bob Byman, who dominated Colorado golf in the early 1970s in similar fashion to Hale Irwin’s domination in the 1960s, will join his fellow former Boulder phenom in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
Byman had a brief but phenomenal run as a player while living in Boulder. He not only won three straight state stroke play amateur titles (1971, '72 and '73), but he did it as a 16, 17, and 18-year-old. Byman also captured the state high school title in 1973, leading Fairview High School to the team championship as well.
“It’s an honor for us here at OB Sports to have someone like Bob on our staff,” said Tom Vold, Director of Golf for The Legacy Golf Club. “The induction into Colorado’s Golf Hall of Fame is a very prestigious accomplishment and we are quickly realizing that Bob is a perfect addition to our already highly accredited staff.”
Byman went on to become a standout at Wake Forest, where he played on the 1974 and '75 NCAA championship teams with Curtis Strange and Jay Haas.
As a professional golfer, Byman won a PGA TOUR event in 1979 (Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Classic) and five national opens overseas. Byman's career as a player slowed after 1982; however, he’s maintained his passion for the game and has been a successful instructor for the past 20 years; most recently at The Legacy Golf Club outside of Las Vegas, where he's lived since 1999.
"The 1970s were incredible years for me; I played some of the best golf of my life," Byman said. "I don't know if the game can ever get any simpler than it was then. I always tried to get back to that simplicity I had as a kid. "It's a great accomplishment for me to be recognized in the same group of honorees as Hale Irwin and other fine professionals who contributed to the growth and status of Colorado golf.”
The Legacy Golf Club, a true test of golf at 7,233 yards from the back tees, is conveniently located 10 minutes from McCarran International Airport. The 10th hole may be the most recognizable in Las Vegas with tee boxes in the shape of a spade, club, diamond and heart. The rest of the course is memorable as well, especially the “Devil’s triangle,” holes 11, 12 and 13 that are crisscrossed with desert canyons and lava outcroppings. In fact, the 13th hole recently received honorable mention as “The Best Par-4 in Las Vegas” by VegasGolfer magazine in its annual poll of readers and staffers. To schedule your golf reservations call 702.897.2187, or visit www.thelegacygc.com.
The Legacy Golf Clubs is professionally managed by OB Sports Golf Management, a diversified, golf-oriented company with a long history of success. OB Sports currently manages 30 premier golf courses and country clubs throughout the United States and Mexico. Known for its comprehensive and personalized services since 1972, OB Sports has become widely acclaimed as the leader in boutique-style golf course management. For more information on OB Sports, visitwww.obsports.com or call 480.948.1300.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Pioneers Finish 15th in Hawaii
Koprivetz shot 68-70-67 – 205 (11-under par) to finish just four strokes out of first place. Stephen Hale of
Next for Denver was sophomore Espen Kofstad (Oslo, Norway), who shot three consecutive rounds of 2-under par 70 to finish with a 54-hole score of 210 (6-under par) and in a tie for 25th place, nine strokes back.
Senior Scott Tashie (
DU’s two other players were playing in their first collegiate tournaments. Freshman Austin Uhl (
DU is next in action beginning Monday, March 18 when the Pioneers play in the 2008 Barona Collegiate Cup in
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Major golf heading back to Colorado
Hale Irwin stood on a makeshift tee box on a third-floor balcony of The Broadmoor clubhouse on Monday, staring at a pin some 76 yards away.
Wearing dress shoes and no glove and swinging a borrowed a 56-degree wedge, he promptly lofted a shot to within five feet of the pin.
With that shot, Colorado was back on the clock for a return of professional golf. Irwin and his band of senior players will return to the state - at least for a year - with the 2008 U.S. Senior Open next July.
The state has been left with a void since the loss of The International earlier this year.
"Colorado's naked with professional golf now," Irwin said. "Colorado deserves professional golf."
Irwin still can't believe The International is no longer around. The tournament began in 1986 and featured a unique scoring system that rewarded aggressive play. But the tournament needed $8.5 million in sponsorships and Jack Vickers, the founder and president of Castle Pines Golf Club, wasn't going to cut corners.
"I'm either going to do it right or I'm not going to do it," Vickers said in February, and withdrew The International from the Tour.
"I was saddened by it," Irwin said. "I loved the whole idea behind The International. I think it was very popular. It's beyond me to say why it went on its way."
The 2008 Senior Open is already benefiting by the defunct tournament. The Senior Open has 1,700 volunteers lined up, most of whom used to work at The International.
"It's truly a shame we're not going to have an International this summer," Senior Open championship director Douglas Habgood said. "We're hoping that (fans) will be real hungry for golf in 2008. We're going to do our best to take care of those people."
This will be the sixth United States Golf Association event staged at The Broadmoor, and the first since the 1995 U.S. Women's Open, which was won by an up-and-coming golfer named Annika Sorenstam. Jack Nicklaus won the 1959 U.S. Amateur at this course.
Although the tournament is still more than a year away, some of the golfers expected to show include Mark O'Meara, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson and Craig Stadler. Irwin is the honorary chairman of the event that will be held July 28 to Aug. 3, 2008.
"This is a wonderful spot," Irwin said. "I think the players who come here for the 2008 Senior Open will be extremely pleased with what they find. It's unbelievable."
The purse for the Senior Open is expected to be $2.5 million with the winner getting around $470,000.
"It's never enough," Irwin said as media relations manager Pete Kowalski announced the winner's cut of the earnings.
Irwin would love nothing more than to be in contention on the final day at the Senior Open.
"That would be another one of those dreams," said Irwin, who was a defensive back for the Buffaloes before focusing on golf. "Just give me a chance. That's all I've ever said. Give me a chance going into the last nine holes, then it's up to me."
Top 10 True Western Towns of 2008 by True West Magazine
TRINIDAD, CO We’ll admit it—we didn’t think of Trinidad (the one in Colorado, not the one in the Caribbean) as a big tourist spot. We were wrong. More than 400,000 people visited in 2006. And they’re following a lot of folks from the past. In the 1800s, thousands passed through Trinidad on the Santa Fe Trail. Others stopped by en route from New Mexico to Denver (now I-25). In 1882, that group included Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, fresh from the infamous Vendetta Ride and running from Arizona authorities; their pal Bat Masterson was Trinidad’s town marshal. Things haven’t changed much since they dropped by. The El Corazon de Trinidad National Historic District basically covers downtown and more than 40 buildings. Some 6.5 miles of brick streets meander through Trinidad, giving even greater authenticity to structures like the Baca House, an 1870 adobe restored to its traditional look and containing period furnishings and art. The Bloom Mansion, built in 1882, is currently being renovated. The Santa Fe Trail Museum is housed in the former workers’ quarters at the Baca House and features exhibits of the area’s past. Several other preservation projects are either underway or in the planning stages. One of Trinidad’s largest commercial buildings, the McCormick, is almost finished. The Toltec Building is being converted to retail and residences. Owners had to replace a back brick wall and strengthen the first floor supports of the Barela Building. The White/Glenn residence is being changed from a B&B into meeting rooms and antiques. The Jaffa Opera House has a new owner who plans to restore it to its 1882 appearance. All of those are private efforts, undertaken by individuals or businesses. Some public projects include a facelift for city hall, stabilization of the Bloom House and restoration of the Temple Aaron. The bottom line: Trinidad works hard to maintain its heritage. The city celebrates that heritage by hosting events like the Santa Fe Trail Festival and the County Rodeo and Fair, which dates back to 1910. Frankly, this description covers just a fragment of the historic sites, institutions, events and preservation efforts that make Trinidad special. You’d be surprised, just as we were. Maybe the best way to find out is to join the hundreds of thousands who visit this Top True Western Town each year.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Colorado Buffalo Golfers Move Into 10th In Hawai'i
HILO, Hawai’i — The University of Colorado men’s golf team moved into 10th place after recording its best round of school year here Thursday in the second round of the first round of the Hawai’i-Hilo Intercollegiate.
No. 5 Stanford took over the team lead with a 22-under par team score of 538; the Cardinal was on fire with a 263 score for the second round, or 17-under.
CU, Stanford and Oregon State were the only three teams to have five of their players shoot par or better on the 6,738-yard, par-70 Waikoloa Village Golf Course layout.
Senior Michael Baird matched his CU career low score by carding a 4-under 66, which gave him a 5-under 135 score through two rounds, tying him for 11th place overall.
Senior Jim Grady, who had recorded his first round in the 60’s in his college career on Wednesday with a 1-under 69, matched that effort again and is tied for 18th with a 2-under 138 total.
Sophomore Justin Bardgett also shot a 1-under 69 and stands at 2-over par 142, tied for 51st; it bettered his previous college best by four strokes as he put his first sub-70 score in the books.
Freshman Michael Imperato and sophomore Luke Symons each shot even par 70, and have 143 and 144 totals, respectively, entering Friday’s final round.
“I felt good about how the way guys responded from yesterday,” head coach Roy Edwards said. “Everything we stressed last night in our team meeting we did well. We really were focused on our next shot ahead of us and were more confident.
“The guys are doing the important things that will make you better, and we’re starting to see the results,” he added. “We still left some shots out there, which is good in a manner of speaking because there’s room to improve.
“But I am encouraged we’re doing this so early. The guys have done a good job of getting out in
Two players share the leads, as Arizona State’s Jesper Kennegard and USC’s Jamie Lovemark are in with 9-under 131 totals through 36 holes; Kennegard was one of two players to record a 63 Thursday.
The tournament concludes with the final round Friday.
T11.
T18. Jim Grady................................. 69-69—138
T51. Justin Bardgett.......................... 73-69—142
T60. Michael Imperato...................... 73-70—143
T64. Luke Symons............................ 74-70—144
TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
1. Jamie Lovemark, USC................ 66-65—131
1.
3. Rob Grube, Stanford .................. 65-67—132
3. Sihwan Kim, Stanford................. 69-63—132
3.
3.
TEAM SCORES
1. Stanford................................. 275-263—538
2.
3. Southern
4.
5. Georgia Tech......................... 275-272—547
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. TCU....................................... 284-275—559
12. UC-Davis................................ 288-277—565
13. CSU-Bakersfield.................... 283-283—566
14.
15. Hawai’i-Hilo.......................... 282-286—568
16.
17.
18. Pacific................................... 291-282—573
Pioneers Wrap Up 13th Place Finish at Regional Challenge
LAS VERDES, Fla. — The seventh-ranked University of Denver women’s golf team shot a final round 27-over par 311 Wednesday and finished in 13th place at the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge held at Palos Verdes Golf Club. The Pioneers, playing their first competitive tournament since November, shot 316-303-311 – 930 in the 54-hole event and finished back in the pack. Second-ranked UCLA won with a 24-over par total of 876, defeating runner-up
Pacing the Pioneers was junior Katie Kempter (
Next for the Pioneers was sophomore Stephanie Sherlock (
Being from warm-weather climates seriously helped the teams in the tournament, as 11 of the 15 schools in the event come from warmer climates and those schools took each of the top 11 spots. BYU finished 12th (925) followed by
DU is next in action beginning Friday, March 7 when the Pioneers tee it up at the Texas A&M “Mo” Morial at Traditions Golf Club in
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)