Golf in Littleton

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.

Like farming, picnics, and attempting to climb a skyscraper with suction cups, golf outings are dependent on ideal weather conditions. Striker Golf's facility takes rain and cold out of the equation by offering golfers a chance to play in a climate-controlled compound. Within the 4,200-square-foot facility rest four expansive hitting bays for practicing long drives and a 700-square-foot putting green for fine-tuning one's short game. HD golf simulators replicate rounds on famous courses through vivid images and precise motion-tracking sensors to give players an authentic experience without having to dodge runaway golf carts.

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.

It’s possible to tinker with your swing all year long at Driving Force Golf—its 3,500 square foot indoor facility features practice equipment designed to help you hone all facets of your game. Feel free to practice on five hitting bays, an indoor putting green, and a short game practice area. In addition, Driving Force Golf's new golf simulator lets golfers play on 68 world famous courses.

The staff features instructors with PGA- and Titleist Performance Institute certification. Lessons cover a wide-ranging curriculum that includes golf-centric fitness evaluations, swing technique feedback, equipment fitting, course strategy advice, and demonstrations on how to turn a curtain rod into a sandwedge.