76 Few clubs will get the chance to perch a putting course on a cliff ’s edge, with a panoramic mountain view. So when that opportunity arose for The Country Club at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, Colorado, the club grabbed it with both hands. After five years of evaluation, discussion and negotiation, in late 2019 the stars aligned and a land swap was completed that allowed The Country Club to build its dramatic new addition, called ‘The Crags’. “The new land provided the perfect location,” says Sean McCue, the club’s director of agronomy, who designed the expansive green. “The result sees the new offering perched upon a steep clifftop with views of the entire front range of the Rocky Mountains.” Construction of the green, by McCue’s in-house team, was completed in 2020, and The Crags is now in full operation, having been limited during 2021 due to a clubhouse renovation. “The design concept merged features found on the Punchbowl at Bandon Dunes along with the lost twelfth green at Sitwell Park in England,” said McCue. “These inspirations helped serve to create a wildly over-the-top green that is decidedly specific to our local topography and mountainous terrain. “The bold contouring goes against modern golf green design, by paying homage to the Golden Age of golf architecture. The putting surface is oversized with steep slopes – some as much as 20 per cent – that move the ball in ways that one could not imagine until they play the course. The internal rock outcroppings and trees that were preserved also add to the design element, creating natural barriers that add a unique setting to the course, with players also able to work their ball around them too. “The reaction to The Crags has been overwhelmingly positive by both members and guests alike. For almost everybody who sees the green for the first time their reaction is ‘wow’, followed by pulling out their phone to take a photo of it.” GCA Image: Country Club at Castle Pines HOL ING OUT Image: Country Club at Castle Pines Cliffhanger A dramatic new putting course gives a Colorado club the wow factor
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