Golf in Castlewood

LPGA teaching professional Lana Ortega is making her mark on the world of golf: she’s been named one of the 50 Best Women Teachers by Golf Digest on numerous occasions, works as an editor for Golf Tips Magazine, and contributes to a slew of other golf publications. Lana approaches lessons with the mentality that everyone has a unique swing, and she adapts her private and group lessons to help students develop a form best suited to their individual characteristics. An expert club fitter, Lana also ensures that her students are swinging with the right equipment, rather than subbing in a modified soup ladle for a sand wedge. Lana also embraces new golf technology such as video analysis and offers clinics for women.

With the help of Shakespeare Golf, bunker-dwelling wedge-wielders and rough-slashing excursionists can finally bring balance to their game without the use of a 15-foot tightrope-walking pole. As a former Nationwide Tour professional, Greg Shakespeare draws on more than 30 years of steady-handed golf expertise to iron out swing kinks with the devastating energy efficiency of a solar-powered steamroller. By working with scores of current pro and amateur players alike, Greg has developed an efficient instruction regimen that molds loose-swinging players into taut, ball-launching bazookas. Students will benefit from effective practice drills that help them uncover their own game-changing swing, plus a video analysis that lets them see for themselves exactly what point in their follow-through elicits a sad trombone sound. Finally, instruction on proper practice methods and the psychology of golf will help ensure continued success, as well as nurture the ability to psych out opponents with casual quips about their outfits.

Whether it’s the tiny town buildings, flowering gardens, or obstacle-like oddities that capture one's imagination, Putter's Pride evokes an ambiance of adventure as guests traverse its three 18-hole mini golf courses. From a toilet seat left ajar to a pink windmill and a purple dragon protruding from the turf, the unusual hole designs keep golfers guessing and scratching their heads with their clubs as they match putts with opponents during a round, which takes about 45 minutes. Around the greens’ edges, streams splash down tiered stone waterfalls, colorful blossoms overflow from wooden flowerboxes, and farm animals look out from the side of a pink barn to referee putter swordfights to determine the authenticity of an alleged hole-in-one.

The whimsical decor facilitates fun at birthday parties, where guests can chow down on their own snacks and cake around multicolored picnic tables before hitting the pintsize putting grounds.

With the aim of helping women learn golf fundamentals and find a network of like-minded players, golf visionary Nancy Collins founded the all-female league known as Sassy Golf. Throughout the week, members convene on different Denver-area golf courses to participate in stress-free nine-hole outings. Each round includes a 45-minute group lesson and concludes with a post-game gathering in the clubhouse to bond over divot-settling digestifs. The flexible scheduling allows busy members to register for the outings, clinics, and demonstrations that do not conflict with their personal schedules. In addition to ladies-only adventures, Sassy Golf coordinates monthly 18-hole coed outings during which the sun is converted into a giant disco ball. See the complete list of member benefits.

PGA Class-A professional and head of instruction Paul Surniak imparts hard-won golf wisdom accrued through 28 years of teaching experience to help his clients hunt birdies and evade mulligans. The six-time winner of the Colorado Long Drive Championship shares his knowledge through individualized lessons, while also utilizing advanced golf technology to develop consistent muscle memory and improve swing mechanics. During semiprivate lessons, Paul can address any aspect of the golf game, including short game, hitting off the tee, and golf-specific fitness. His video analysis and launch-monitor-assessment techniques also unveil whether players are using clubs that accommodate particular motions. In addition to physical guidance, Paul counsels students on the mental and strategic elements of the game, such as making swing adjustments on the fly and correctly answering the riddles of greenside gnomes.

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.