I play a lot of golf. I also have a golf blog (welcome!), so I figured it would be beneficial to both you and I to begin reviewing golf courses. We'll talk about the course, the conditions, the price, the beverage cart and if it's worth the visit. If you've played, leave some comments. Here we are, golf course reviewing.
When you call Arrowhead Golf Club, the pleasant recorded message lets you know you're headed to "a top-10 most picturesque golf course in the world." You might not totally believe them as you battle the front nine, but boy did they get it right on the back. Right up there with Kingsbarns in Scotland and our own Pebble Beach, Arrowhead is a beaut, and don't worry, they charge handily for your viewing pleasure. Teeing off at 3 PM, we were charged $79 a person, but got all 18 holes in with plenty of sunlight to spare.
The condition of the course is very, very mediocre. I don't know if you can blame Arrowhead as much as the mini-drought Colorado is in, but on numerous holes the fairways were splattered with manual sprinklers just to keep them from completely burning out. The greens were exactly what'd you expect from a top-tier public golf course, nothing extremely special but smooth and receptive to good shots.
A bonus to playing Arrowhead is the wildlife. During our 18 hole adventure, we caught two foxes, a handful of deer (that you can practically pull right up to) and some intense bullfrogs. With your camera obviously around at all times, it's pretty awesome to click some shots of the animals as you are admiring the great par-3s.
Oh, and have I mentioned, it's beautiful.
The cart girl was the best I'd ever had (probably 7-9 views), and always had the cart stocked with whatever you needed. The staff was solid, but they dropped the ball with the bar design. It's perched overlooking the majestic red rocks, but they only have one balcony and when we were there, it was reserved for a wedding. If they had planned for such a thing, two balconies would have been perfect and we would have had the option to enjoy a cold Guinness overlooking their signature rocks instead of having to stare at each other while the bartender was getting her cash in order.
Overall I'd say it was a solid B+. The course is fair, the condition were shoddy but the views were stunning and well worth the price, even if the range makes you hit off mats. You're not going to play Arrowhead three times a year, but if you're in the area, it's worth the trip. Also, forewarning, it's a long way from anything so plan accordingly.
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