Teed Off

 

I am perfectly happy when Randy is "teed off." I am not a golfer, but I do like golf courses. When we're on vacation and the weather is right, we usually include one or two stops at golf courses. Who can argue with pretty scenery and a quiet place to read a book?

We didn't make it out of Kansas on our October 13-20 trip to Colorado before stopping at the first golf course. (Yes, I am late posting this.)

 

 Randy has always wanted to golf at Buffalo Dunes south of Garden City. So he did. 

 

Buffalo Dunes - a 72-par golf course - opened in 1976. A course-wide renovation plan has been put into action by current Superintendent Clay Payne, set to be completed in 2026 to celebrate the course's 50th anniversary. 

And - bonus! - their wildflowers were in full bloom and just beautiful (at that time).

 

I didn't need my book for awhile.

This beautiful array of colorful wildflowers was on the Back 9. They attract butterflies ...

... And people who appreciate nature's beauty. 

The beautifully-manicured course seems an anomaly in Western Kansas. I'm sure it benefited from better-than-average rainfall this summer and fall. 

BRIDGES - Montrose, Colorado

 The other golf outing was midway through our vacation in Montrose, Colorado. 

The par-71 Bridges course is a Nicklaus-designed course that features a number of golf cart and walking bridges, as well as native plantings, natural arroyos, rock features and waterfalls winding through 400 acres in the heart of historic Montrose. 

 

The 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks make for a memorable and scenic round of golf. Multiple tees vary the length of the course from 5,380 to 7,207 yards. Randy says he plays the "old man" tees.

 

The website says: 

The Nicklaus design team has incorporated a degree of difficulty into the course, but has also made it an enjoyable layout for the average golfer. The Bridges offers a true western club lifestyle to its residents and the Montrose community. The championship golf course is the heart of The Bridges golf community, complemented by a luxurious 23,500 square foot clubhouse, with 11,000 square feet of patio off our award-winning Remington’s Restaurant. 

We can't speak for the restaurant, but the course was beautiful. 

The Bridges at Black Canyon is approximately 65 miles south of Grand Junction and 65 miles north of Telluride on Colorado’s western slope. The property is surrounded by many natural wonders – to the east is one of the Nation’s newest National Parks – The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. To the north is the Grand Mesa – the World’s largest flattop mountain. The views of the San Juan Mountain range from The Bridges at Black Canyon stretches the length of the southern horizon. The gently ascending Uncompahgre Plateau extends west of Montrose clear to the Utah border.

 

We would recommend both golf courses ... if you're into that kind of thing!