Golf in Canon City

Nestled in the cool shadows of Cheyenne Mountain, Cheyenne Shadows Golf Club’s 18-hole course invites clubbers with its scenic layout cleaved through high-desert terrain. Drives knife through the air with a little extra gusto, as the dry desert air—at an elevation of 6,224-feet above sea level—and golf angels conspire to add length to shots. The club’s verdant expanse also encompasses a multifaceted learning center, including a driving range with grass hitting areas, a short-game green flanked by a practice bunker, a putting green, and a three-hole children’s course. The casual dining room of Mulligan’s Grill awaits to quench hunger pangs with a menu of burgers, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and salads.

Ten thousand railroad ties surround the par 3 12th green at Plum Creek Golf Club, bringing the contrast between Colorado’s rustic past and the course’s plush confines into stark relief. The course was once included on the prestigious list of TPC courses and hosted a Champions Tour event won by the legendary Gary Player. Today, golfers of all skill level navigate the same Pete Dye design played by past greats, culminating in the par 3 17th and its treacherous tee shot over water that prevents laying up or sneaking the golf ball aboard a passing golf-cart train.

After taking up the game as an adult, real-estate broker Shawn Jardine started Diva Golf to bring women of all ages and abilities together in a golf club that emphasizes fun and fellowship. The club lets members enjoy golf in a pressure-free, socially oriented atmosphere with its weekly Nine and Wine events, during which members test their swing in a nine-hole round before sipping a dulcet vintage, networking with fellow ladies of the links, and trading suspenseful golf-ball rescue stories at the clubhouse. Members also meet for group lessons, practice sessions, and community events such as wine tastings and charity gatherings. With optional events scheduled regularly at both public and private courses, Diva Golf provides members a path to new friends and improved golf skills without having to pose as Scottish socialites.

As part of the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex, located at the historic Chelsea Piers, the Golf Club perches over the same port that once welcomed ships into New York City. Now, golfers tee up in the driving range's 52 heated and weather-protected stalls, which overlook the glinting waters of the Hudson River. Automatic tee-up systems position balls for launch across the 200-yard, net-enclosed fairway. A putting green allows patrons to improve their short game, and two Full Swing simulators encourage them to take hacks in virtual environs, transporting them to famous courses across the country or fifth-grade birthday parties where they missed the piñata.

Children and adults alike can enlist in Golf Club at Chelsea Piers’ classes, which stratify students by experience level. The 13-member coaching staff includes PGA and LPGA professionals, and sessions take place in a 2,000-square-foot teaching facility.

Snow-capped peaks peer over Springs Ranch Golf Course, adding a scenic backdrop to a 7,107-yard layout that reflects the player-friendly design philosophy of course architect Richard M. Phelps. In a gesture of sympathy for golfers who crush seemingly perfect drives only to find their ball in the angry grip of a well-concealed bird watcher, Richard placed hazards in plainly visible locations with few to no blind spots. However, transparency doesn't always transfer to success on the course—Springs Ranch packs plenty of hazard-ridden holes that demand precise shots, including the 404-yard, par-4 third hole, where golfers must avoid a pond off of the tee and clear a waste bunker with their approach shot or a perfectly timed kick. Along with two ponds and a gauntlet of bunkers, tall grasses line the fairways, tempering aggressive play and adding an authentic, Scottish feel to the links-style layout.

Springs Ranch also offers a driving range, lessons, and clinics taught by resident aces. After a day at the links, golfers can revive muscles weary from bench-pressing golf carts with a burger, bratwurst, or platter of fish 'n' chips at the Springs Ranch Bar and Grill.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Length of 7,107 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.9 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 136 from the farthest tees
• Five tee options
• Scorecard