How to get a prime tee-time during Colorado golf’s roaring ‘20s
By SUSAN FORNOFF
You and your friends just capped off the weekend with a fun round of Sunday golf, and one of you says, “Let’s do this again next Sunday!” So after the 19th hole you stop in the pro shop to book a time, only to get a big eye roll from the folks at the counter: Next Sunday, they tell you, was all booked up five minutes past midnight.
Such is the state of golf in 2022, especially in Colorado’s most populated regions. The game’s boom has made weekend tee-times as hard to get as brunch reservations on Mother’s Day. You and your friends have to plan ahead. You might have to pay extra or get up in the middle of the night for the course you want. And if you haven’t done that by a week in advance, you’re either obsessively watching websites for late cancellations or settling for a course an hour’s drive away.
The CGA is here to help, however. What follows is a guide to making online tee-times at many of the state’s busiest public-access golf courses. They’re mostly in the Front Range, but a few qualify as vacation destinations. Some still take reservations by phone, others have apps, but all these courses open their tee-times online at the precise time listed. To expedite the process, create your online profile in advance so that you’ll be able to log in quickly to secure your time.
Now you’ll know exactly how become the most popular player in your foursome, the one with a weekend tee-time.
THE CGA’S COMMONGROUND
CGA members have advance tee-time access starting at midnight seven days before they want to play; nonmembers, it’s six days. But planners can book as far out as 90 days for a premium of $20 a player. commongroundgc.com
ONE CLICK, TWO OR MORE OPTIONS
Aurora’s municipal courses (Aurora Hills, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill): Midnight, 10 days before you want to play. golfaurora.com
Colorado Springs municipal courses (Patty Jewett and Valley Hi): Go online at 6:30 a.m., seven days in advance. coloradosprings.gov/parks/page/golf
Denver’s municipal courses (City Park, Evergreen, Kennedy, Overland, Wellshire, Willis Case): Whether or not you live in Denver, you can buy a Loyalty Card ($40) that gives you online access to tee-times 14 days in advance, starting at 7 p.m. Otherwise, you’re limited to searching the leftovers, seven days out. cityofdenvergolf.com
Foothills Park & Recreation District (Foothills, Meadows): Midnight, seven days in advance. foothillsgolf.org
Golf Lakewood (Fox Hollow, Homestead): Go online at 5 p.m., seven days in advance. golflakewood.com
Golf Longmont (Twin Peaks, Ute Creek): Midnight, 14 days in advance. golflongmont.com
South Suburban Parks and Recreation District courses (South Suburban, Lone Tree, Family Sports, Littleton Golf and Tennis, Lone Tree): You really need a district ID card ($5). Then you can go online seven days in advance at 7 p.m. and scramble for your tee-time. Nonresidents cannot book until noon 5 days in advance. ssprd.org/Tee-time/
City of Westminster (Legacy Ridge, Walnut Creek): Midnight, 14 days in advance. cityofwestminster.us
FRONT RANGE SOUTH
Arrowhead: Midnight, 30 days in advance. arrowheadcolorado.com
Bear Dance: You can make your tee-times up to 90 days in advance, but the best rates don’t go online until midnight, seven days in advance. beardancegolf.com
Broken Tee: Go online at 7:30 a.m., eight days in advance. englewoodco.gov/parks-recreation-library-golf/broken-tee-golf-course
University of Denver Golf Club: It’s semiprivate; public tee-times at midnight, seven days in advance. ritchiecenter.du.edu/sports/golf
The Links at Highlands Ranch: Midnight, seven days in advance. thelinksgolfcourse.com
Plum Creek: Up to 90 days in advance online without an up-charge. golfplumcreek.com
Raccoon Creek: Midnight, 14 days in advance. raccooncreek.com
Red Hawk Ridge: Castle Rock residents can book eight days in advance, starting at midnight. Nonresidents, seven days advance. Advanced reservations can be made for a foursome up to 30 days in advance for an extra $20 per player. redhawkridge.com
Ridge at Castle Pines North: Officially, tee-times open 30 days in advance, but you may find an even bigger window online if you’re willing to prepay. For 80108 residents desiring the locals’ rate, midnight seven days in advance is the time to book. playtheridge.com
FRONT RANGE EAST
Buffalo Run: Midnight, 14 days in advance. buffalorungolfcourse.com
Green Valley Ranch: Bookings may be made at midnight as far as 60 days in advance for up to 24 players, at full rack rate plus $10 per player, and each player receives a sleeve of logoed balls in appreciation. Regular bookings, midnight, eight days in advance. gvrgolf.com
Heather Ridge: Midnight, seven days in advance. golfclubatheatherridge.com
Heritage Eagle Bend: Residents of the 55-plus community get first crack. What’s left goes online at midnight, seven days in advance. heritageeaglebend.com
FRONT RANGE NORTH
Applewood: Midnight, seven days in advance. applewoodgc.com
Colorado National: Midnight, 14 days in advance, or, if you’re willing to prepay for your foursome, 30 days in advance. coloradonationalgolfclub.com
Coyote Creek: Midnight, 14 days in advance. coyotecreekgc.com
Fossil Trace: Fossil Trace puts its tee-times online in March at “preferred rates.” Regular-rate tee-times become available seven days in advance at midnight. fossiltrace.com
Highlands Meadows: Noon, eight days in advance. highlandmeadowsgolfcourse.com
Hyland Hills: Eight days in advance at 11:59 p.m. That means if you want to book on a Saturday, look online starting at 11:59 the Friday of the prior weekend. golfhylandhills.com
Indian Tree: Midnight, seven days in advance. indiantree.apexprd.org
Lake Arbor: Starting at 8 a.m., seven days in advance. lakearborgolf.com
Riverdale Dunes and Knolls: Midnight, eight days in advance. riverdalegolf.com
Saddleback: At a variable time, most likely after the course opens at 6 a.m., 14 days in advance. The staff manually turns on access, which is why it’s not automatically available at midnight. saddlebackgolf.com
Thorncreek: Book at 8 a.m., 14 days in advance. thorncreekgc.com
Todd Creek: Midnight, eight days in advance. toddcreekgolfclub.com
West Woods: Midnight, seven days in advance. Or, up to 30 days in advance for an $8 per player booking fee. westwoodsgolf.com
BOULDER AREA
Broadlands: Midnight, seven days in advance. thebroadlandsgc.com
Coal Creek: Midnight, 14 days in advance. coalcreekgolf.com
Flatirons: Midnight, seven days in advance. bouldercolorado.gov/guide/flatirons-golf-course
Indian Peaks: Midnight, 10 days in advance. “FirstPlay” tee-times are available 11-60 days in advance, prepaid and including a $10 booking fee. indianpeaksgolf.com
Omni Interlocken: Members and hotel guests have 30-day access. Remaining tee-times go public at midnight four days in advance. omnihotels.com/hotels/Denver-interlocken/golf
GRAND JUNCTION AREA
Adobe Creek: Staff unsure of time, 14 days in advance. adobecreekgolf.com
Battlement Mesa: Staff unsure of time, 30 days in advance. battlementmesagolf.com
Redlands Mesa: Staff unsure of time, 14 days in advance. redlandsmesa.com
Tiara Rado: Midnight, seven days in advance. golfgrandjunction.net
GRAND COUNTY AREA
Granby Ranch: Midnight, 14 days in advance. golfgranbyranch.com
Grand Elk: Midnight, seven days in advance. grandelk.com
Grand Lake: Midnight, 14 days in advance. grandlakerecreation.com/golf-course
Pole Creek: Midnight, 30 days in advance. polecreekgolf.com
SUMMIT COUNTY AREA
Eagle Ranch: At 5 p.m. eight days in advance. Preferred times can be made for the rest of the season, however, for an add-on fee of $20 per player. eagleranchgolf.com
EagleVail: Midnight, seven days in advance for standard rates. Tee-times are available for the entire season, however, with a $10 per player early booking fee. eaglevailgolfclub.com
Keystone, River Course or Ranch Course: Book anytime for the entire season.
River – riverkeystone.quick18.com
Ranch – keystoneranch.quick18.com
Raven at Three Peaks: Midnight, 14 days in advance. Midnight, 15-90 days in advance at higher rates. ravenatthreepeaks.com
_________________________
Do you know of a course’s tee time policy that is not listed here? Email jmarks@coloradogolf.org to get the information added to this page!
_______________________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Veteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She became a CGA member when she moved from Oakland, CA, to Littleton in 2016, and ghost writes as “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant in golf for fun.