She dreams of seeing her grandson take his first steps. We dare to make it happen.
At CU Anschutz, we’re innovating research and treatments for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and other blinding diseases. This is where dreams live.
cuanschutz.edu/dreams
2nd Place: Anthony Knight & Geoff Collins | 3rd Place: Jim Romano & Dave Findlow
On behalf of our entire team here at Colorado AvidGolfer, thank you for participating in the inaugural Central Bank Cup at Ravenna Country Club! Your enthusiasm, camaraderie, and sportsmanship made the day truly special. We hope you enjoyed the beautiful course, great competition, and memorable moments shared with friends and colleagues. Your participation helps make this event a highlight of the year, and we’re grateful for your continued support. Additionally, everyone’s generosity helped raised more than $17,000 (which brings our total to $357,000) that will directly support the PGA Reach Colorado Foundation. Thank you!
Congratulations to Russ McGrane who got a Hole in One on #6 to win a Colorado Golf & Turf Club Car valued at $10,000! (also pictured: Jaylee Tait)
Tee it up where desert drama meets pure golf. At We-Ko-Pa in Arizona, fairways wind through untouched Sonoran landscapes, framed by red rock peaks and endless sky. No houses, no distractions—just you, the course, and the adventure of golf at its most raw and breathtaking.
We-ko-pa stands alone// 34
Scottsdale’s We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is the rarest of courses – surrounded not by homes but by rolling beautiful desert surroundings that take you away from the crowds. By Jim Bebbington
WE ARE GOLF // 22
The Colorado PGA is launching an initiative to help players know better the teaching pros and professionals who help make Colorado golf happen. By Jim Bebbington
GREENS, POUR REDS // 24
Northern California’s Silverado and Yocha Dehe make it easy to relax, enjoy beautiful golf, and sip. By Jim Bebbington
CLUBBING WAY UP // 30
Ship Sticks founder and former state amateur champion Jonathan Marsico delivers more than golf with Ship & Play. By Jim Bebbington
THE BEST OF UTAH, NEVADA AND ARIZONA
38 – Greater Zion, Utah
40 – Mesquite Entertainment, Nevada
42 – Summerlin, Nevada
44 – Troon North, Arizona
46 – Troon Arizona
48 – The Boulders, Arizona
50 – Omni Tucson, Arizona
With federal subsidies ending, what EV’s are worth their full sticker price. By Isaac Bouchard
18// FAREWAYS
Napa Valley is a wine mecca; what are the best ways to make it enjoyable and affordable?
By John Lehndorff
8//
Everyone else seems to have something to say about Colorado golf courses; now it’s time for you to have your say. By Jim Bebbington
10//
People of the CGA – Lance Johnson. By Kayla Kerns
12//
The Colorado Open Golf Foundation is close to a new sponsor for the 2026 season; Colorado top teen golfers had success all summer at tournamentsr; the Colorado Senior Golf Association is alive and well.
Colorado’s newest golf resort, Rodeo Dunes, gave its members a sneak peek in October. By Jim Bebbington
contributors ANDY BIGFORD, ISAAC BOUCHARD, TONY DEAR, KEVIN GREENUP, CHRIS DUTHIE, SCOTT GARDNER, NICK MCQUEENEY, TED JOHNSON, JOHN LEHNDORFF, CHRISTIAN MARCY-VEGA, KIM MCHUGH, JAY MCKINNEY, JON RIZZI, JAMIE SIEBRASE, CHRIS WHEELER, DAVID YOUNG coloradoavidgolfer.com
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Every year a new set of golfers around the world seemingly discover Colorado golf courses for the first time.
Just in the past couple of months several Centennial State notables have made lists of great courses. Taking an angle from the fact that the Ryder Cup is being played at the open-to-the-public Bethpage State Park black golf course, Golf Digest recently included CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora as one of the nation’s public courses that could do well if a pro tournament were held there.
Castle Pines Golf Club regularly ranks No. 2 on the list of the greatest Jack Nicklaus-designed courses – his firm has designed more than 400 - behind only his pride and joy, Muirfield Village in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Colorado Golf Club, the private club near Parker, often gets shout-outs as a place that could host a pro tournament if they could only figure out where to park all the cars. Ballyneal Golf Club in Holyoke is in the top 50 on lists of the best U.S. courses.
So too with our people. Nick Clearwater, a teaching pro with GOLFTEC in Englewood, just again made Golf Digest’s list of Top 50 golf instructors in the country. Pros like Ed Oldham at The Ranch in Westminster, Trent Warner, and Elena King at ExperienceGolf are often called out.
Now it’s your turn.
Voting in our annual survey, the CAGGY’s, is open and runs through Dec. 31. To vote for the Best of Colorado Golf go to Coloradoavidgolfer.com/ bestof2026/
Why CAGGY’s, by the way? That is a question I hear every year when we launch this survey. Colorado AvidGolfer has been published for 24 years and over time we have used CAG as a shorthand name for the magazine. And thus the CAGGY’s were born.
In addition to kicking off our voting to help find the best of Colorado golf, this edition resumes a longstanding passion for us and for many of our readers – getting the best experience out of traveling with a set of sticks. While there is plenty of golf to be played in Colorado 12 months a year, many players get great joy out of visiting special places alongside special people.
This edition we are featuring Northern California, and two resorts in wine country which pay great dividends for visitors: Silverado in Napa Valley, and Cache Creek Casino and Resort.
In addition our annual special section on Great Golf Getaways is here. This section features courses and destinations that make perfect weekend getaways throughout the fall and winter to remind yourself that even if the snow is piled high here soon, good golf is still nearby.
Also in this issue is a great catch-up with Jonathan Marsico, the founder of the growing international golf club shipping company Ship Sticks and now it’s new parent company Ship&Play. Marsico hails from a longstanding Denver family with deep roots in Colorado golf, and shares with us what it takes to grow a great golf service brand.
Jim Bebbington//
jim@coloradoavidgolfer.com
BY KAYLA KERNS
Lance Johnson has dedicated more than three decades to the City of Westminster, where he currently serves as Parks, Golf, and Open Space Manager.
A Certified Golf Course Superintendent, Lance grew up in Fairfield, Iowa, and studied business management at Arizona State University. He spent three years as a professional baseball umpire in the minor leagues. A member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), the Rocky Mountain GCSA (RMGCSA), and the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), he is also a past president of both the Rocky Mountain GCSA and its nonprofit arm, the Rocky Mountain Environmental Golf Institute. In 2019, he chaired the statewide committee that developed the Colorado Golf Industry Best Management Practices Guide.
Through his career, Lance has been involved in the construction and growth of both Walnut Creek and Legacy Ridge, and he continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Westminster’s recreational landscape.
KK: What do you do in your role with Westminster?
LJ: A lot of meetings and emails! I oversee an operating budget of about $15 million and another $25 million in capital projects. My division covers 63 parks, 3,800 acres of open space, and two golf courses, and maintains roughly 30 percent of the city’s land mass. I manage 87 full-time staff and up to 300 seasonal employees during peak season. My job is to make sure everything runs smoothly — from parks to golf courses to open spaces. I work
closely with my department head, city manager, and city council to keep operations on track. Dayto-day, I’m focused on communication and problem-solving, finding ways to support staff so they can do their jobs effectively.
KK: How did you get here?
LJ: I grew up in a small farming town in southeast Iowa. After high school I moved to Arizona, attended Arizona State, and lived there for 13 years. My wife is from Colorado, and after our first son turned 3, she transferred her job, and we moved to Colorado. In 1993, I was working at Fox Hollow when I met Scott Tuggle, who was just starting as the construction superintendent at Legacy Ridge. He offered me a job, and I’ve been with Westminster ever since. In 1996, when Scott left, I became superintendent at Legacy Ridge.
KK: You mentioned kids and grandkids LJ: Yes—I have three grown kids: Greg in Roxborough, Kyle in Arvada, and our daughter Brett in Chandler, Arizona. Greg and Kyle are both married, and we have one granddaughter, Ava, who’s 2, plus a grandson on the way this November.
KK: How did you get into golf?
LJ: By accident. At Arizona State I joined a fraternity and became close with my good friend Mark Bakeman, a great golfer who has been a PGA head professional and director of golf in the Phoenix area for over 40 years. Through him I started my career working on the clubhouse side of golf — cleaning carts and picking the driving range first at Papago Golf Course, then at Camelback Golf Club, where I also worked for the John Jacobs Golf School. Eventually I moved into my first job in golf course maintenance working as an irrigator at Camelback. Growing up around family and friends’ farms, turf maintenance clicked quickly. I never studied turf formally — my degree is in business — but the combination of on-the-job learning and farming roots worked in my favor. I umpired minor league baseball for three years in the ’80s. It was a great experience, but not the best lifestyle for raising a family. That’s when I pivoted myself to golf full time.
KK: When did you connect with the CGA?
LJ: Through Joe McCleary. In the early 2000s, after we implemented reclaimed water at both courses, Joe encouraged me to get more involved in our local golf associations. I served with the Rocky Mountain Golf Superintendents Associa -
tion from 2005 – 2010. After Hurricane Katrina our association raised funds to help support superintendents in Louisiana. Out of that was borne the Rocky Mountain Environmental Golf Institute where Joe and I both served on the board. In 2015, Joe asked if I’d serve on the CGA Board. They needed a superintendent’s perspective, and I’ve been with the board since.
KK: Any projects you’re especially proud of?
LJ: The recent CommonGround clubhouse remodel is a highlight. Ty Holt led that project, but it was a team effort, especially with the varied backgrounds of our committee members. For me, it’s less about one specific project and more about supporting the CommonGround staff. Looking at what CommonGround was in 2015 compared to now makes me proud of the collective progress.
KK: Do you have a favorite golf memory?
LJ: My family trip to Scotland this summer. Ten of us went — my kids, my wife, my friend Mark from Arizona, his wife, and a few others. We played five incredible courses. The wind blew every day but only had one day of rain. It was a dream come true to play true links golf and a trip of a lifetime. On the professional side, building Walnut Creek and Legacy Ridge was incredibly rewarding. Spending years in the dirt, growing grass, and finally opening the doors — it’s hard work but worth it.
KK: Outside of work, I know you and your wife started a non-profit
LJ: Yes, my wife Lynn founded All in Empowering Futures about four years ago. I help where I can and sometimes it’s a second full-time job. We support young adults who have aged out of the foster care system — 20,000 young adults age out every year nationally — with no family or safety net. We started by hosting 22 young adults at our home, and it’s grown into hosting retreats and activities that provide connections, mentorship, life skills, and more importantly chosen families for those who have no family when they age out of the foster care system. We’ve worked with about 170 young adults so far. Our retreats cover everything from financial planning and job prep to basics like changing a tire or tying a tie — things many of us take for granted but are things these young adults don’t experience while in the foster care system. Just as important, our retreats provide a sense of belonging. Some of the strongest outcomes are the organic relationships that form with mentors, giving these young adults the support they never had.
7120 W PRINCETON AVENUE
6 Beds | 4 Baths | 5,374 SF | $1,795,000 Private Schools: Mullen High School, Colorado Academy and Denver Christian School Country Club: Pinehurst Country Club
5 Beds | 4 Baths | 4,787 SF | $1,200,000 Main Floor Primary, Lots of Recent Updates Schools: Cherry Creek Schools and Regis Jesuit Nearby Country Club: Valley Country Club
The Colorado Open Golf Foundation is hoping to finish soon its search for a new title sponsor for the annual three-tournament series and the First Tee golf training program it operates out of Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.
Kevin Laura, the CEO of the Colorado Open Golf Foundation which runs the Colorado Open series, said they had hoped to have the new sponsor named by last August’s Colorado Senior Open but needed a more time to finalize a new partnership. Inspirato, the Denver-based travel company, told the Colorado Open Golf Foundation earlier this year that it would not be renewing its sponsorship.
The decision led the Open Foundation to reduce the prize money that was paid out for this year’s events. Since 2016 for the men and 2022 for the women the two championships paid $100,000 to the winners. The senior open champion received $20,000. This year the men’s and women’s champions received $50,000 and the senior champion received $15,000.
Those prize amounts were still more than sufficient to make the tournaments must-visits for top golfers from around the country. The Colorado Open series has enjoyed a two-decade run
as a stable and popular competition. Since 2003, when the previous organizers did not hold the tournament, the series came under the leadership of Pat Hamill, founder of Oakwood Homes, and the Foundation. The tournaments were moved to Green Valley Ranch Golf Course in Denver, and the combination of strong purses, excellent course conditions and well-organized events has made the tournaments popular stops for Colorado, national and international pros.
At the Senior Open in August, winner Jason Schultz of Texas was among several players who praised the greens and fairway conditions, despite several rains during the tournament. Schultz has now won the Senior Open twice and said he will be back.
“The course is in good condition, and this is the kind of grass I’m used to playing on and it just feels more like home,” Schultz said.
Laura said the title sponsor is the largest donor to the First Tee program as well as the tournament series. “It’s like they’re making a contribution to the First Tee program, but we give them title recognition to the Open tournaments,” he said.
The Foundation’s efforts are paying off. In addition to training young golfers every year, last year’s
tournament saw a Green Valley Ranch Golf Club First Tee alumni, Davis Bryant, win the professional flight of the Inspirato Colorado Open.
“With Davis winning last year, it was really a culmination of everything we’ve worked for the past 20 years,” Laura said. “It couldn’t have been more perfect.”
COLORADO JUNIOR GOLFERS SAW SUCCESS THIS SUMMER ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL STAGE
Castle Rock’s Ella Scott, a junior at Valor Christian, shot 2-under to win the girls 14–15 division at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf Regional Final in August. She is currently Colorado’s topranked AJGA girls’ golfer at No. 193. Scott’s summer also included a tie for 65th at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, where she narrowly missed advancing to match play in a nine-for-four playoff.
Earlier in the season, she captured the 5A state championship in May and the CGA Junior Championship in June, solidifying herself as one of the state’s brightest young talents.
Manitou Springs junior Addison Dorsey, ranked No. 226 in the AJGA, also enjoyed a strong summer. She placed third at the AJGA Junior Open at The Bridges and, along with Columbine Valley’s Sophia Lee, qualified for the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, S.C. Dorsey, ranked second in Colorado, recorded six top-three finishes since spring, including runner-up efforts at both the 2A state championship and the CGA Wom -
en’s Stroke Play. She and Scott hold the top two spots on the CGA girls’ points list.
On the boys’ side, Boulder’s Ash Edwards, a sophomore at Fairview High School and son of CU men’s coach Roy Edwards, emerged as the state’s top-ranked AJGA junior at No. 91. Edwards won the Mizuno Colorado Junior PGA at Pelican Lakes in July and finished runner-up at the AJGA Junior at Copper Valley in California after falling in a two-hole playoff. He also leads the CGA boys’ points list, with Aurora’s Bryan Forte close behind after winning the CGA State Junior Championship in June.
Parker’s Nicholas Brooks, a senior at Lutheran High School, also impressed nationally. Brooks advanced to the round of 64 at the U.S. Junior Amateur in Dallas, earning his spot with rounds of 73–70 in stroke play. Ranked No. 117 in the AJGA, he began his summer by winning the AJGA Colorado Springs Junior in June and has verbally committed to play college golf at Butler University.
This fall, escape to the mountains and discover the unmatched beauty of Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club. Surrounded by golden aspens and crisp alpine air, every round feels like a retreat. Experience championship golf, breathtaking views, and the perfect autumn getaway in Colorado’s most stunning mountain setting.
THE
The Colorado Senior Golfers’ Association is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year and the group is working to keep growing and giving back.
The group was founded in 1935 and for many years was a way for members of private golf clubs to compete against each other at each other’s club courses.
The group now plays 14 tournaments a year across clubs and public courses on the front range. It has also affiliated with the Colorado Golf Association to fund programs that help support youth golf and local caddie programs. In 2024 the Colorado Senior Golfers’ Association donated $10,000 to endow a fund at the CGA to help make money available for Colorado youth golf programs.
They’re also among the groups that ask members to book rounds at the CGA’s CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora and to use a caddie there. The Solich Caddie and Leadership Academy there is designed to teach and train young people life and working skills while making them eligible for consideration for college scholarships. The Colorado Senior Golfers’ Association began at a time when it was difficult for men over the
age of 55 to find a lot of options for organized golf competition locally. It’s grown into a membership of 325 people with members affiliated with public and private clubs. “We’re alive and well and thriving,” said Bill Atkinson, 72, one of the group’s members and a member at Glenmoor Country Club.
The group’s season this year has included 14 tournaments held on Mondays beginning in early May. They played on courses up and down the front range from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins. This year’s final match took place at Cherry Hills Country Club.
“You get an opportunity to play different clubs every Monday if you want to, meet other golfers that are situated in life in a similar place, and it’s a great networking opportunity,” said Bill Atkinson. The group has a waitlist for members, but people interested in joining can find more information at ColoradoSGA.Org.
About the photo: Dick Lyford, who died in 2020 at the age of 89, with the ‘Dick Lyford’ Trophy, given by the Colorado Senior Golf Association to the winner of their year-end tournament. Dick Lyford, an influential 34-year member whose name graces the trophy given to the winner of the CSGA’s
year-end tournament. Membership in the CSGA is open, through election, to all gentlemen, 55 years of age and older, who are residents of Colorado and members of a Colorado Golf Club in good standing, which club is a member of the Colorado Golf Association (CGA).
Candidates for membership must be proposed and seconded by current CSGA members. The candidates are elected annually (usually in February) by the Board of Governors. The current initiation fee is $155, and annual dues are now set at $150 a year for members between 55 and 79, and $55.00 a year for life members over 80. Due to the interest in the CSGA by Colorado senior golfers, a waiting list usually exists, however most eligible candidates are elected within one or two years of their application.
BY ISAAC BOUCHARD
Now that federal support for electric vehicles is being withdrawn, it’s time to take stock of which ones hold their own against gasoline and hybrid vehicles, on their own merits. Here are some of the best new and refreshed models that stand tall without the need for subsidies.
Volvo’s smallest is a chunky little monkey that’s really fast and good-looking. It also is refined and rides really well over broken pavement. With muscular proportions and an interior that’s an exemplar of how to properly rethink material usage, it shows Volvo is really thinking things through. Its control minimalism extends a bit too far (having to push a separate button to roll down the rear windows and having no built-in sunblind for the full-length glass roof are demerits) but the EX30 is superb as an urban slot racer.
The first electric pickup still has many genuinely compelling attributes, including compact exterior dimensions that make it much better off road then recent entries from Ford and GM, a gorgeous interior and really cool features like the Gear Tunnel between the bed and cab. Short on range compared to the Chevy and GMC, the R1T’s much faster and more maneuverable in the real world. A tech tie-up with VW Group (expect the new Scout EVs to use much of Rivian’s know-how) should help the startup survive in this newly competitive market.
Sharing a platform with the Porsche Macan EV means there’s real engineering in Audi’s midsize EV. Good range, refined dynamics and a dramatic interior all hew to Audi’s traditional strengths. The Q6 is sized right too for most folks’ use, with a com -
A near-twin of the Hyundai Ioniq5 -- the gold-standard of affordable electronics -- the EV6 looks sportier and drives with more athleticism. Thanks to an updated battery and software, it has more real-world range than anything in the class (including a Tesla Model Y) and much better build quality. EV6 styling was smartly updated inside and out for 2025 too, though it lacks the hard buttons that make navigating menus in the Hyundai so intuitive and fast. The EV6 is fun, fast, well-built and doesn’t require owners to relearn how to interact with a car.
modious backseat and cargo area. It also charges fast thanks to its 800-volt architecture and looks properly upscale. Better than the equivalent Benz and less obnoxious-looking than BMW’s take, it’s a strong contender in its segment.
Most range? Fastest? Of course. What else does one expect from Lucid, the world-leader in EV genius. The Gravity has more room inside (and is more comfortable in the back) than the much larger and heavier Cadillac Escalade EV, and is much more of a hoot to drive. A refined, restrained exterior design could be considered audacious in this age of showing off, and inside the Gravity is a stunner, as well as being the best driving, fastest electric SUV there is.
John Lehndorff
Napa Valley beckons like a gilded frontier—lush vineyards, Michelin-star feasts, and prices sharp enough to make the boldest traveler wince. Beyond the clogged highways and costly tastings lies a realm of discovery: hidden cellars, eccentric winemakers, and valleys where time slows with each pour. This isn’t just wine country—it’s an odyssey of indulgence and endurance, where only the prepared can unlock its secrets.
The adventure begins with a single glass…
When first-timers visit California’s Napa Valley, they return using words like “mind-blowing,” “gorgeous,” “delicious” and always, “expensive.”
The outrageous prices for everything from hotel rooms to tastings and golf course fees in America’s premier wine region can take your breath away.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, current Napa County hotel prices are nearly twice those in San Francisco, a place not known for bargains.
In 2024, tastings in the Napa Valley cost $80 on average, according to a 2025 Silicon Valley Bank report. For example, a tasting at Vice Versa winery in Calistoga is $250 for a four-glass flight. Nevertheless, the stellar vintages, world class cuisine and only-in-Napa views are a magnetic vacation attraction for anyone who likes drinking a little wine.
Colorado AvidGolfer turned to two true insiders for tips on planning an experience that explores the best of Napa Valley, but avoids some of the hassles and costs.
STUCKEY’S KEYS TO ENJOYING NAPA
Bobby Stuckey is co-owner of the Michelin-starred Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder. The Master Sommelier has been awarded virtually every major national restaurant and hospitality recognition
available in the past few years. “For me, Napa is one of the perfect wine areas in the world to visit,” Stuckey says.“It’s an hour from San Francisco and well set up as an adult destination: great restaurants, absolutely beautiful country and so many interesting wineries to visit.”
Stuckey, who also operates Pizzeria Alberico, Tavernetta, and Sunday Vinyl locations in the Denver-area and Vail, knows and loves the Napa Valley. He worked at The French Laundry in Yountville, Thomas Keller’s Napa Valley shrine to fine cuisine, before opening Frasca.
Stuckey’s keys to enjoying a visit is advance planning and lots of reservations to avoid disappointment. “The time and the day you visit wineries really matters. You don’t want to waste your vacation fighting traffic on Highway 29,” he says.
State Highway 29 is the famously clogged main highway in the Napa Valley. The two-lane route connects the towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga. He warns rookie winery tourists not to try and cram as many stops in as they can.
“I personally don’t do more than two wineries in a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon with a lunch stop in between. Give yourself time to relax,” he says. Naturally, most Napa Valley eater-
ies also showcase Napa wines by the glass. There is another solution if you want to sample and learn about a lot of wine. Do what Stuckey and other wine experts do - taste fully and then spit. He admits that approach may be hard to swallow when sipping a pricey Napa Pinot Noir.
With more than 400 wineries and vineyards to choose from, Stuckey says visitors can plan an itinerary based on their favorite varietal ranging from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Getting tasting appointments at the Valley’s most prestigious vineyards is challenging, but there are dozens of less well-known but equally memorable destinations, according to Stuckey.
He suggests visiting Whetstone Wine Cellars near Napa and sipping the nuanced Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Failla Winery in Calistoga. “Larkmead Wines is one of the oldest organic family wineries in Napa and a beautiful setting,” Stuckey says.
Visit the winemakers, not the wine. As the head of education for 15 years at the Napa Valley Wine Academy, Catherine Bugue has an intimate knowledge of the splendors and hassles of enjoying the region. “I spend a lot of time getting to know wineries. The secret is to go during the week. We never visit on weekends. You have to plan ahead and make sure the smaller ones are open,” she says. More wineries are welcoming walk-in visitors now, according to Bogue. “You’ll see the signs on the
road. It’s because the past few years have been very challenging for the industry.”
There are a handful of large destinations that still offer free tastings, but they also tend to be the most crowded. “You don’t see long lines at most winery tasting rooms because now they go by appointment,” she says.
“If you go to a winery, you may feel obligated to buy something. Sometimes a bottle could be $150. If you do buy wine, they usually reimburse you the tasting cost.”There are various ways offered to trim the costs of tastings through organized tours or coupons from Valley hotels. The towns of Napa and St. Helena each offer a Wine Passport.
“There are tasting rooms in the towns that are comfortable places to try a lot of different local wines more affordably,” Bogue say. Located in the town of Napa, the Wine Academy also offers classes or exams for wine certifications in Denver, Nashville and Tampa.
“We have several hour classes in Napa where we take you off to some wineries to visit and the tasting is included with the cost,” Bugue says. Besides, Bugue insists, what makes these places memorable and worth the expense is more often
the winemakers, not the wines. Tops on Bugue’s must-visit list is Sill Family Vineyards near the town of Napa, simply to listen to owner Igor Sill.
“Igor is truly dynamic. You get excited about wine when he’s talking. One time when we took a group of students to Sill it started pouring rain when he took us out into the vineyard, but nobody wanted to go back inside,” she says.
Congeniality is also why Honig Vineyard & Winery in Rutherford is well worth a tasting. “Honig is one of the best-known, less-visited wineries staffed by the nicest people I’ve met,” she says. Smith Madrone Vineyards is situated on the eastern side of the Mayacamas Mountains. “The Smith brothers don’t have a fancy place. They welcome folks to really just one big room, but their ridge overlooks St. Helena with astounding views,” Bogue says.
When sipping, she recommends practicing the five wine “S’s”: See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, and Savor. You might also finally be able to sniff out those wonky wine review aromas like fruit, oak, butter, nuts and tobacco. Despite years of living and working in Napa, Catherine Bogue of the Wine Academy is constantly discovering new vineyards and wineries. “I just went to Allora Vineyards in St. Helena for the first time. It is so beautiful and the wines
that Angelina Mondavi makes are stunning. I think: ‘How did I not know about this wine?’” she says.
John Lehndorff is the former Dining Critic of the Rocky Mountain News and the Exhibit Historian for Boulder Eats! Exhibit opening November 15 at the Museum of Boulder.
A striking new chapter in Colorado’s golf scene is about to begin. Nestled in the picturesque Front Range town of Johnstown, Bella Ridge Golf Club is set to open for play soon, bringing with it an 18-hole premium course designed to deliver an unforgettable playing experience framed by scenic views of Longs Peak.
Positioned between Denver and Fort Collins, Bella Ridge aims to be more than just another golf course— it’s designed to become a premier destination for golfers across the region and beyond.
THE COLORADO PGA IS LAUNCHING A NEW CAMPAIGN TO SHOWCASE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE GAME — PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS, COURSE MANAGERS, AND OPERATIONS EXPERTS WHO HELP SHAPE COLORADO’S GOLFING COMMUNITY
BY JIM BEBBINGTON
The PGA of America is the training and certification organization that ensures standards and quality for PGA teaching professionals, club operations professionals and club executive managers. It has more than 30,000 trained professionals who are employed at courses and clubs throughout the country and world.
The Colorado PGA’s latest initiative is called ‘We Are Golf’ and is intended to help the average players understand the work that these PGA pros do behind the scenes to make the game enjoyable. While the separate PGA Tour gets most of the attention and TV time by entertaining millions of viewers through their excellent play, the 30,000 members of the PGA of America are the one’s building the game day-to-day.
“We are Golf is a way to let (Colorado players) know about some of our pros, how golf has impacted their lives and in turn impacted the lives of all the people they have taught,” said Steven Bartkowski, executive director of the Colorado PGA.
Maggie Hartman has been teaching young people to play golf as long as she can remember. She is only 30, but started teaching first while still in high school and working at City Park Golf Course in Denver. After teaching for several years she went on to get her PGA certifications and learned along
the way that the career held more for her than she expected.
“When I was younger, I didn’t realize how rewarding it would be for me,” she said. “For the most part we do it because we love golf. I didn’t suspect how cool it would be making connections and helping other people do it.”
Hartman is a teaching professional with the Trent Wearner Academy program and is based at Westminster’s Walnut Creek and Legacy Ridge courses. She teaches junior players, beginnings, adult beginners.
As the game has grown in popularity over the past few years Hartman has been among the PGA teaching professionals who have faced nervous, inexperienced adult and young players.
In addition to getting them to begin making their swings, she said the No. 1 goal is to get her new players to relax and remove judgement and criticism from their thinking.
“For most of my adult students it’s just a matter of being more confident and (them wanting to) not embarrassing themselves.” She has had students who suddenly had to face their first round of golf with their father-in-law, or work in a profession where there is a golf event coming up that they
don’t want to be left out of. Many of her students begin with a group class, then move to one-on-one and some go to playing-with-a-pro classes.
For her young students “my main space is getting kids where they can be independent on the golf course for the first time and maybe spark something for them,” she said.
Golf teaching and operations professionals famously work hours well beyond the normal 40 per week, and that can cause burnout in some. Hartman said she began her career like that but over time realized that if she wanted to sustain golf as a career she needed to find the balance of time on the course and away from it.
“That’s something I’m proud out – I still go camping, to to Water World,” she said. “If you’re not intentional about that balance then you won’t have it.”
And as her career has gone on she has also been surprised at the relationships she has maintained with many of her students. “The relationship side of it is big for me,” she said. “A lot of clients and students have become family. It’s not just transactional. I’m super happy in the space I’m in.”
Hartman is certified in Player Development by the PGA of America. She has worked in many areas already seeking to introduce the game to new players, including the PGA H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) program, MSU Denver women’s golf team, Denver East High men’s and women’s programs, the National Golf Foundation’s Welcome2Golf program, Colorado Golf Association’s outreach programs consisting of Special Olympics, Golf in Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Children’s Hospital Adaptive Recreation for Childhood Health as well as PGA Junior League, The First Tee and a National Life Skills and Leadership Academy.
What’s in her future? As her teaching career progresses she’s hoping to do more for women joining the game.
She has seen first-hand the fear and baggage about the game that many women have when they show up for their first lesson, and is hoping to be able to help more women feel the same comfort, challenge and enjoyment in the game that so many men do.
“There’s a missing link with women and the intimidation factor of getting on the golf course,” she said. “I want to make more of an impact on that.”
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IN THE FALL IS HARD TO BEAT, AND TWO GOLF RESORTS ARE CONTINUING TO ADD NEW AMENITIES TO KEEP VISITORS COMING BACK WORDS BY JIM BEBBINGTON
Fall trips to Napa Valley or California’s nearby agricultural heartland can mean milder temperatures, cooler mornings, fewer crowds and better rates.
Silverado Resort, a long-time Napa Valley resort that sets the standard for golf in the region, and the Cache Creek Casino Resort offer a threecourse opportunity that can augment a visit that also features winery tours, beautiful drives or hikes, and great food.
The Silverado Resort, in the heart of Napa Valley wine country, offers two golf courses and a spa and food services that can make it an ideal long weekend getaway or home-base for weeklong Napa excursions.
Silverado’s two 18-hole courses – North and South – both offer challenge and beauty, but the North Course is the cornerstone. The course just hosted the PGA Tour’s Procore Championship in mid-September, which the U.S. Ryder Cup team flooded with entries to use as a warm-up for the Cup at Bethpage Black two weeks later. The North Course opened in 1966 after being designed by Robert Trent Jones II. The course balances well the tug-of-war between being friendly enough for resort guests of all golf abilities, while being able to ramp up the challenge when the pros arrive.
The greens are pristine, and depending on weather conditions can roll extremely quick. They are similar to greens at The Broadmoor’s famous layout in Colorado Springs, even if they lack The Broadmoor’s deceptive reads. Putting off Silverado greens is a threat that begins on the first hole. Bunkers are a major defense of the course; they crowd many greens with steep walls that are just short of needing the revetted walls of sod common at links courses.
The South Course is slightly shorter but retains the identical pristine conditions and played back-toback the two courses offer a great golf anchor for a long weekend.
On both courses the pride-and-joy of the halfway house is the locally cherished burger dog – a hamburger shaped like a hotdog served in a bun.
Silverado’s courses are available to guests at the resort, and the resort has been ramping up the quality. The complex is dotted with rooms and condominiums, some of which are not for rent. The resort coordinates bookings for 343 rooms and recently worked with owners of 280 of them to put through a complete refurbishment in early
2025. The newest rooms are pristine. “We wanted to embrace the original heritage and just make it a little bit more contemporary,” said William Santos, the resort’s general manager. “The feedback that we’ve had so far has been fantastic.” Over the next year the resort is moving ahead with a refurbishment of its spa – across the street from the main campus – adding more fitness and outdoor activity space. The campus is dotted with pools for hot days, but the spa has the adults-only fitness pool as well.
A complete racquet complex is a short walk away. Next they are renovating the main public restaurant on the grounds which serves as the main
dining for guests as well as post-round pit stop. The Silverado Resort is owned by Denver-based KSL Capital Partners and Arcade Capital, which bought it in 2022 and is leading the renovations and changes. The golf courses are managed by Troon, and visiting golfers will get the seamless and pleasant experience that Troon provides.
“We have this tagline ‘Where the good life becomes great,’ “ Santos said. “It encapsulates the wellness,, the sports and the leisure in in every possible way. So from the wellness side, you know our spa facilities, the grounds and the nature all blend in very well. So if you’re looking to get away, read a book, kind of be out where there’s no traffic
and and have a nature experience, you can have that here on this property. If you’re looking out here to have a sport experience, you can have that with our 10 tennis courts, three bocce ball courts. six pickleball courts and then the golf.”
To reach the Cache Creek Resort and Casino and it’s Yocha Dehe Golf Club visitors wind through some of the most productive farmland on earth. Nestled in the Capay Valley just west of Napa and east of Sacramento, the resort features gaming, golf and a growing wine and food tourism experience.
The course itself is more than worth a visit, whether it is the primary destination or a respite from the gaming tables. Yocha Dehe is an 18-hole val -
ley course surrounded by hills which are used to provide epic tee shots on some holes and stunning views on others. The hillsides are covered almost exclusively with native grasses which turn a golden color in the summer. Vineyards also run up against some holes. The golf experience is overseen by Director of Golf Will Foust, a former assistant professional at The Ridge at Castle Pines near Denver. First-time players should take a moment and climb to the back tees on No. 1; the tee box is the highest point of the course and the views are spectacular.
The resort course this spring was in perfect condition and the design uses the valley’s native grasses and well-placed bunkers to challenge players. Fairways are generous for the most part. The front nine is mostly straightforward holes with greens protected by bunkers and fairways lined
with young trees. The back nine brings more of the course’s ponds and creeks into play. No. 13 is a par 3 that brings it all together. Playing up to 254 yards from the back tees, the fairway is lined with vineyards on both sides and an enormous bunker complex in the middle of the fairway. The golden foothills lie in the distance, and driving the green is a must for a good score.
Off the course and outside of the casino the resort complex’s amenities include a growing agri-tourism component. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has been adding amenities to the complex throughout the Capay Valley and manages vineyards, olive tree and almond tree groves, and markets the products through the Seka Hills brand. The facilities include an Olive Mill and tasting room.
If the golfer Jonathan Marsico squared off today in match play versus the businessman Jonathan Marsico, they’d halve every hole with birdies or pars, with rare concessions. The contest would take place on one of the world’s top courses — probably Bandon Dunes — with both competitors using their own clubs, which were waiting for them at the course courtesy of ShipSticks, the company Marsico co-founded in 2011.
Despite a golf résumé that includes qualifying for three USGA championships, winning two Castle Pines Charlie Coe Invitationals and capturing the 2008 CGA State Amateur title, Marsico the golfer would ultimately fall to Marsico the businessman in extra holes.
“My competitive spirit lives in the professional business world now,” the 43-year-old 1.3 handicap at Castle Pines and Cherry Creek says. “Competing at work and coaching my kids’ teams is about all the competition I have time to focus on these days.”
Marsico started ShipSticks while honing his business, finance and management skills at Marsico Enterprises, the private investment firm founded by his father, Jim. He left the family business in 2022 after 16 years to focus on expanding the club-shipping service that he and partner Nick Coleman had unveiled 11 years earlier.
Coleman left the company three years ago, and Marsico has become not only the CEO and executive chairman of ShipSticks, but also of Ship&Play, a company he soft-launched last year for the delivery of golf, bicycles and ski/snowboard equipment, luggage, boxes, trunks, strollers, car seats and anything cumbersome except firearms.
“We’ve had hunters want to use us, but there are too many liability issues,” Marsico explains.
Ship&Play follows the business model of ShipSticks, which began after Coleman, a Florida resident, paid $400 to have his clubs sent ahead to Scottsdale rather than fly with him to a gathering in New York before heading to Arizona for golf with Marsico. The pair decided there was a market for a more convenient, efficient and affordable method of club delivery. They leveraged relationships with the major shipping companies to get volume rates, partnered with as many top-tier golf courses as possible (Bandon Dunes was an early, pivotal partner) and made booking pickups a snap to do online. Round-trip services started at $49 and went as high as $225.
The result: a hassle-free one-stop shop for get-
MAGGIE HARTMAN, PGA Director of Instruction Trent Wearner Golf Academy
DAVID HAVENS, PGA Director of Instruction Eagle Ranch Golf Course
JORDAN LEBLANC, PGA Assistant Golf Professional Buffalo Run Golf Course
HOLLY CHAMPION, MSOL, PGA Senior Director Communications and Programming Colorado PGA
With more than 900 Members and Associates, the Colorado PGA Section is made up of individuals who each leave their own mark on the game and the people who play it.
GEOFF KEFFER, PGA Assistant Golf Professional Lakewood Country Club To us, golf is far more than a pastime or a casual round with friends - it’s both our profession and our passion. For many, it’s what we know best. And every day, we’re driven to share that knowledge and our love for the game with you. Learn our stories and how golf has shaped who we are today.
ting your golf clubs to and from your destination. It eliminated schlepping your weighty, unwieldy hard case or travel bag to check-in and waiting forever to claim it at the carousel. And no more dealing with the anxiety over whether you’ll miss your coveted tee time because your clubs missed a connecting flight.
ShipSticks customers easily arrange pickup and delivery of their clubs online, print and attach a shipping label to the travel bag (or, if they don’t have travel bag, ShipSticks provides a box). A representative picks them up and has them delivered directly to the club or course you’re playing. You can track their location in real time. The clubs wait for you at the course, often on the back of the cart in which you’ll ride.
Thanks to the shipping rates ShipSticks negotiates, the cost usually lower than if you checked them as oversized luggage or sent them direct via UPS, DHL or Fedex. Plus, ShipSticks includes $1,000 of complimentary insurance and up to $6,500 more for a small fee.
And if there’s any issue, ShipSticks offers end-toend customer service, with 65 golf-savvy representatives under one roof in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., providing 24/7 assistance enhanced by perpetual technological innovation. The company now moves more than 500,000 bags per year and is the official club-shipping partner of the PGA of America.
In addition to Bandon, it also enjoys partnerships with courses at Streamsong in Florida and Pinehurst in North Carolina, as well as the hundreds of Troon properties and thousands of other resorts and clubs in the U.S. and abroad. Knowing the importance of those relationships, ShipSticks also staffs a “green grass” team that liaises with clubs, resorts and courses.
“We’ll always be ShipSticks,” Marsico says. “There is enormous brand equity there. We’ve built trust and a very loyal customer base. Now it’ll be “ShipSticks by Ship&Play.” Hopefully it will arouse a little curiosity and make people aware of what we offer.”
People might find it curious that ShipGo, an apparent Ship&Play competitor, is owned by Ship&Play. ShipGo — which targets family vacationers and travelers who have likely never heard of ShipSticks — stresses the convenience of shipping luggage while providing the same suite of services and price points as Ship&Play. “As we continue to build the Ship&Play brand in the market, we’ll evolve the offerings of each brand,” the compa -
ny’s Chief Marketing Officer Stephanie Retcho explains. Data and behavioral analysis about ShipSticks’ customers also informed the company’s expansion. “What do golfers do besides play golf?” he asks rhetorically. “They ski. They travel on vacation. They might send their kids to camp [Ship Camps is another Ship&Play company] or college [the shipplay.com blog also features such titles as “How to Pack for College”]. We can grow our ecosystem organically.”
The ShipSticks ecosystem greatly benefits from people with “real golf industry experience” in customer support. Marsico acknowledges that growing this ecosystem to serve customers more interested in, say, biking Tucson’s Starr Pass Loop than teeing it up at nearby Starr Pass Resort requires delivery of “broader customer service” to nongolf travelers.
It also requires keeping pace with technology and innovation—as well as the attendant customer expectations. “Our world today is all about ease of use and immediacy of response,” he says.
“So,” he says, “we’re in the early stages of integrating our system with Uber’s. Just like you’d get a ride — or food from Uber Eats — within minutes of booking your pickup, a car will arrive for your clubs, your skis, your luggage or whatever and deliver it to the nearest shipping location.”
Also, with advances in smartphones precluding the need for home computers and printers, the
printed shipping label may soon go the way of the printed airline ticket. And just as a QR code on your phone now serves as a boarding pass, so too will a QR code containing teach item’s shipping information appear on a customer’s phone once they have scheduled a pickup. The code gets scanned, and the information follows that item every step of the way to the destination and back again.
Now that those destinations also include cruise liners and other decidedly non-golf locations, Marsico is building those relationships the way he did with the courses, resorts, golf management companies and tour operators that helped establish ShipSticks as the leading golf-club shipping service in the US.
Luggage delivery service is a $6.13 billion global industry, with US travelers currently spending $2.27 billion for the convenience of not having to check their bags. Statistics suggest these numbers will continue to rise, and Marsico believes Ship&Play’s established track record in the golf niche—coupled with a robust infrastructure, innovative technologies, high-touch customer service and key strategic partnerships—position it for a chunk of that growth.
Of course, he now faces far more competitors with Ship&Play than he did when he started ShipSticks, but you just know the competitive golfer and businessman will take his best shot and concede nothing to outdo them.
The Coore/Crenshaw-designed Saguaro course (No. 1) and the Scott Miller-designed Cholla course (No. 11) have been ranked among the very best You Can Play in Arizona for a decade. And you can experience both within a 3-day period with the 36-hole package. Located minutes from Scottsdale, Arizona in the pristine Sonoran Desert of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
BY JIM BEBBINGTON
The We-Ko-Pa golf courses northeast of Scottsdale are longtime favorites for Coloradans seeking to escape the grey and cold of winter.
The two courses – Cholla and Saguaro - have elite pedigrees. The course conditions are perennially fantastic. And as the first of the courses to come on line is about to turn 25 years it, the resort and courses are worth revisiting.
In 2001 the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation built one resort course, which they named Cholla, at the same time as they opened their new We-Ko-Pa casino and resort nearby. Then in 2005 they added the Saguaro Course from the design team of Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. The two quickly became a popular overnight or day-trip destination for golfers from Colorado visiting Phoenix and Scottsdale. Because the complex is tribal land underwritten by a casino, the economics of the surrounding area are very different from nearly every other course in the region. There is no economic pressure to bring in housing development or more strip malls, and so the tribal leaders have not done so.
That has helped create a rare and precious experience for both the resort and the courses: solitude. The views of Red Mountain, Four Peaks and the rest of the Superstition Mountains are taken in without interruption of anything man-made. The
courses make use of the region’s natural arroyo’s – the channels cut by the sudden rainstorms which can bring torrents of water to bone-dry land seemingly out of nowhere. The results are courses that are allow players to focus on the challenge, the experience, and their playing partners – free from interruption. These are courses played best with your phone off and buried deep in your bag; they reward concentration.
The roar or the world is easily found again. The full restaurant and bar at the clubhouse – and the casino and resort across the road – are always there waiting to serve. But for at least a few hours, these two courses give you a chance for a quiet golf experience.
Cholla are the spiny cacti that dot the land in the Valley of the Sun, and without pushing the metaphor too far the course and the cacti are both cut from the same cloth. Both are at times narrow, floral, welcoming with their natural beauty, but exacting for visitors who do not know how to handle them.
Cholla, a Scott Miller design, is turning 25 years old this winter and the course has matured magnificently. The course begins with desert washes fronting the tee box on No. 1 and requiring a de -
cent carry. Most of the holes will require a good swat to clear a wash or desert terrain, but if players choose wisely on which tee box to start from it should become a cause of pride and not consternation. The greens on the first four holes all have knolls and significant contour changes. By the back half of the front nine greens level out slightly, but some more aggressive bunkering comes into play to offer a new challenge. Nearly every hole begins with a desert wash in front of the tee boxes that must be cleared. Rounds end with a rare greenside pond on No. 18.
The Saguaro course is the course which makes all the best-of-Arizona lists and is the one that visiting platers want to be good and warmed up for. The Coore/Crenshaw design has welcoming fairways, but driving angles from the back tees can be crucial. The namesake saguaro cacti tower over players throughout the course.
In the end, the experience for both courses starts with great design and conditions. Then as players wind through the desert the world outside slowly fades away. For a few hours players put their skills to the test and come away feeling as though they have accomplished something special, regardless of their score.
UTAH GOLF: WHERE ADVENTURE MEETS INDULGENCE
NEVADA: NATURE MEETS ADVENTURE PG. 40 GREATER ZION: UTAH SHINES PG. 38
ARIZONA’S BEST GOLF COURSES PG. 44
Greater Zion, named for its proximity to Zion National Park, has become a premier golf and resort destination. Within a 20-mile radius, the region boasts 14 outstanding courses paired with yearround sunshine and dramatic red-rock landscapes. Staying in St. George, Springdale, or nearby communities offers easy access to golf, resorts, and outdoor beauty.
Sand Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane, 25 minutes from St. George, is a must-play with a championship layout carved into desert terrain. The Ledges Golf Club showcases red-rock vistas and pristine greens, while Coral Canyon Golf Course provides a scenic, challenging round. Entrada at Snow Canyon, accessible to resort guests, remains a favorite. The new Black Desert Resort hosts the PGA Tour in fall and the LPGA in spring. Copper Rock Golf Course adds a links-style twist across rolling desert fairways. Other fun stops include Sky Mountain Golf Course. For details on all options, visit GreaterZion.com.
Springdale sits at Zion’s front gate, offering charm and easy park access, while St. George anchors the golf resort scene. Sand Hollow Resort provides vacation-rental-style lodging beside its courses
for an immersive golf escape. For a unique stay, Zion White Bison Resort features camping, glamping, and RV accommodations close to the action.
The region has many options for dinner after your round. Some of the best include the Spotted Dog at Flanigan’s, MeMe’s Café, Oscar’s Cafe in Springdale, the Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon, the Whiptail Grill. Whiptail Grill. The Zion Canyon Brew Pub, casual and steps outside the park entrance, is a good place for a burger and local brews.
Mesquite, Nevada, has become a winter golf haven for Colorado players seeking sunshine, with more than a dozen courses set amid stunning desert landscapes. Anchored by the CasaBlanca Resort and Virgin River Hotel and Casino, the town offers great golf, entertainment, and relaxation.
CasaBlanca Golf Club delivers a classic desert challenge, while The Palms features more than 200 palms and water hazards. Jack Nicklaus’ Coyote Springs tips out over 7,400 yards, while Wolf Creek stuns with dramatic elevation changes and desert vistas. Conestoga Golf Club sits at the base of the Virgin Mountains, blending rugged terrain with lush fairways.
For approachable fun, Mesquite Golf Club provides an affordable, traditional layout welcoming to all skill levels. The Oasis Golf Club offers two tracks: the Arnold Palmer–designed Palmer Course, with wide fairways and challenging greens, and the tighter, more demanding Canyons Course
Beaver Dam Lodge, just north of town, is a hidden gem with spectacular scenery and a relaxed pace. Sunset Golf Course, a friendly 9-hole public track, is perfect for a quick round. Falcon Ridge rounds
out the list with 6,500 yards of mountain and valley views.
CasaBlanca Resort combines golf, gaming, a spa, concerts, dining, and a sprawling pool complex for a full resort experience. Virgin River Casino and Lodge keeps the fun affordable, with stay-and-play packages at both CasaBlanca and The Palms.
With golf variety, resort amenities, and natural beauty, Mesquite is the perfect desert golf getaway.
Experience championship golf set against breathtaking desert landscapes at Casablana Golf Club and The Palms Golf Club. Each world-class course offers a new challenge—inviting you to test your game and embrace your sense of adventure. Then unwind in style at Katherine’s Lounge with live music every Friday and Saturday night.
The journey just got an upgrade. At CasaBlanca Resort & Casino, newly remodeled rooms bring fresh style for recharging between adventures.
Bold discoveries await at new eateries like Jersey Joe’s, a classic East Coast diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner 24/7. Or dive into regional Mexican flavors at Ritas & Fajitas, home to Mesquite’s only dedicated tequila bar.
Virgin River Casino & Lodge brings you all the action of a state-of-the-art, upgraded Sportsbook, and the newly expanded gaming floor keeps the adventure going.
West of the Las Vegas Strip, the community of Summerlin offers a quieter escape with excellent golf, dining, and access to the scenic parklands west of the city.
Golf Summerlin features three welcoming yet challenging courses designed by PGA Tour veteran Billy Casper and Greg Nash. Highland Falls Golf Course, the first to open in 1999, winds into the foothills, providing rare elevation changes and sweeping views of downtown Las Vegas. Generous fairways are balanced with ponds, creeks, and bunkers that keep golfers engaged.
Eagle Crest Golf Course is Summerlin’s executive layout, perfect for a quick round. Most players can complete it in about three hours, making it ideal for those short on time. Palm Valley Golf Course combines the best of both, with rolling fairways and greens where strategic bunkering demands accuracy.
Summerlin is the gateway to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a stunning spot for hiking, scenic drives, photography, and desert exploration—especially beautiful in winter. Downtown Summerlin complements the outdoors with
shopping, dining, entertainment, concerts, and the Las Vegas Ballpark , home of the Aviators, for family-friendly baseball.
Local favorites include Honey Salt, offering farmto-table cuisine with fresh ingredients, and Ai Pazi, an elegant Italian option at the JW Marriott. Fine Company delivers polished American fare all day, while Vintner Grill is a stylish bistro perfect for a relaxed evening. With golf, nature, dining, and entertainment, Summerlin is a perfect complement to any Las Vegas trip.
In north Scottsdale, Troon North features two beautiful 18 hole championship courses: the Pinnacle Course and the Monument Course. They were designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish to take advantage of the rugged Sonoran Desert terrain. Both offer dramatic vistas of granite boulders, desert flora, and sweeping fairways framed by saguaros.
There is some debate over which one is better, but The Pinnacle course has been rated as one of the top public courses in Arizona. It measures more than 7,000 yards from the back tees and has wide fairways with tight greens and excellent routing. The Monument course can also reach more than 7,000 yards and features nearly the same experience. Both courses are among the leaders in irrigation conservation with just enough water being applied to offer lush tee boxes, greens and fairways, and the natural terrain taking over from there.
The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North offers what’s called the Troon North Golf Retreat, which includes perks like breakfast and a credit toward green fees per night. There are also package deals like the Best of Scottsdale Package which bundle lodging with multiple rounds of golf
at Troon North and other premium courses. Troon. com
The Dynamite Grille at Troon North in the main clubhouse provides a full three-meal menu, with breakfast, lunch and beginning at 4 p.m. dinner. The Four Seasons nearby has four restaurants, from light fare by the pool, the Onyx Bar and Lounge, to American comfort food and a full Spanish steakhouse. Old Town Scottsdale, with galleries, shops and restaurants is a 30-minute drive south.
Cherish the ultimate golf experience at Troon North’s Monument and Pinnacle courses for the best desert golf in Arizona. Located in the golf mecca of the Southwest, these two North Scottsdale courses offer golf connoisseurs the best luxury golf experience. Pure. Desert. Classic.
Visit TroonNorthGolf.com for the best available rates and 36-hole packages.
To experience Troon North, visit TroonNorthGolf.com or call 480.585.7700 today.
Troon Golf Arizona brings 18 Arizona golf destinations to life. The world’s largest golf management company, Troon has a reputation for providing courses with excellent conditions and enjoyable experiences. Troon’s Arizona properties range across the state – from Tubac Golf Resort & Spa in the south to Sedona Golf Resort in the north.
Grass Clippings Rolling Hills in Tempe, is Arizona’s first lighted golf course. The 18-hole executive-length golf course is in Papago Buttes, near the Arizona State University campus and Old Town Scottsdale. Tee times run to 10 p.m. and later, and the course makes a perfect place for a
• Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club
AkChinSouthernDunes.com
• Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale
TheBoulders.com
• Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club
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DoveValleyRanch.com
nightcap round or as a way to beat the afternoon heat.
The Club at Starr Pass in Tucson provides 27 holes designed by Arnold Palmer; players get a premier club experience. The three nine-hole routes – Rattler, Coyote and Palmer – can be mixed to provide players with fascinating options.
In Scottsdale, The Phoenician is a luxury resort with the beautiful Troon-managed course playing at the base and up the slopes of nearby Camelback Mountain. The Westin Kierland Golf Club offers travel packages for visitors – stay at the Westin Kierland
Resort and get a Troon Golf Vacation package that includes rounds at the club as well as nearby Troon North Golf Club and The Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale
Nestled in the Sonoran Desert, Golf Club of Estrella in Goodyear is a Nicklaus Design, with Jack Nicklaus ll as the primary designer. The rolling foothills of the Sierra Estrella mountains nearby give players variety and challenge throughout the 18 holes.
With this portfolio of courses across the state, Troon Golf Arizona remains an excellent one-stopshop for golfers making a fall or winter visit. VisitTroonGolfAZ.com.
Carved into Arizona’s rugged desert, the Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale offers one of the most scenic golf experiences in the world. Designed by Jay Morrish, the two championship courses blend seamlessly with a landscape of towering saguaros, massive granite formations, and wide desert vistas. Native wildlife, from roadrunners to bobcats, makes the 1,300-acre setting even more memorable.
The North Course, stretching 6,959 yards, challenges players with forced carries over desert washes while showcasing views of Black Mountain. The South Course, at 6,888 yards, winds through dramatic rock outcroppings and narrow fairways. Standout holes include the fifth, set against the towering Boulder Pile, and the seventh, where balancing boulders rise beside the tee.
Golfers can sharpen their game at the Boulders Golf Academy, featuring the “Golf Simplified” program, which combines video analysis with oncourse lessons. Both courses have been upgraded with resurfaced TifEagle greens, improved bunkers, restored tees, and enhanced practice facilities for consistently smooth play.
Beyond golf, the resort offers a Tennis & Pickleball Garden, guided hikes, nighttime bike rides, and
adventure activities like rock climbing, hot-air ballooning, horseback riding, and jeep tours.
For relaxation, guests can enjoy four pools or the 33,000-square-foot spa, complete with a fitness center, yoga and meditation spaces, Spa Café, and golf-focused recovery programs. Accommodations range from cozy casitas with fireplaces and patios to spacious villas ideal for groups. With five restaurants featuring fresh ingredients from its organic garden, the Boulders blends world-class golf, adventure, and luxury into an unforgettable desert escape.
Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa on Tucson’s north side has been a golf landmark since the 1960s and a destination resort since the 1980s. Its two championship courses make it a prime warm-weather escape for players from colder climates.
The Catalina Course is the resort’s signature layout. Host to more than 35 PGA Tour events, including the Tucson Open, it was designed by Robert Van Haggen and Bruce Devlin. Nearly every hole features an elevated green, and its 18th hole—set between two lakes—long ranked among the Tour’s toughest finishers. The University of Arizona’s men’s and women’s golf teams also call Catalina home.
The Sonoran Course, redesigned in 2005 by Tom Lehman, offers a true desert golf experience. Drives often carry over washes and natural terrain, while strategically placed bunkers add to its challenge and drama. Together, the two courses deliver 36 holes of variety and championship pedigree.
With just 128 guestrooms, the Omni Tucson offers a more intimate resort experience while still delivering full amenities. Guests enjoy three restau -
rants, two pools, tennis courts, and the expansive Mokara Spa.
The Mokara Spa provides a full range of massage, facial, and salon treatments, complemented by a 1,400-square-foot fitness center, making it the perfect fall/winter escape. Outdoor relaxation comes easy with the Catalina and Sweet Water Terrace pools, while tennis courts and spacious desert surroundings round out a stay ideal for golf getaways or winter retreats.
At Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa, our two championship courses blend stunning Sonoran Desert views with perfectly groomed fairways, unique bunkers, and water features. Every round is an adventure.
With our PGA Golf Tour Package, enjoy daily golf for each registered guest, unlimited driving range access, a $100 resort credit, and a PGA welcome amenity.
Gain exclusive access with a golf membership. For details, contact Andres Ramos at 520.877.2302 or andres.ramos@omnihotels.com.
At Barotz Dental, world-class care meets zero judgment. Discover how Dr. Charles Barotz transforms lives with fast, full-service dentistry designed to restore confidence, health and joy in just one visit.
For Dr. Charles S. Barotz, dentistry has never just been a career—it’s been a lifelong calling. “Since I was eight years old, I knew I wanted to be a dentist,” he says. “I loved arts and crafts, even as a kid. Dentistry gave me the perfect blend of creativity, precision and the opportunity to help people in profound, lasting ways.”
After nearly five decades in practice, Dr. Barotz still shows up every day with passion and purpose. “We’re not just fixing teeth. We’re helping people reclaim their confidence, their health and sometimes even their lives,” he says. “People who haven’t smiled in years suddenly light up the room. People who couldn’t chew their favorite foods are dining joyfully again. It’s incredibly fulfilling.”
“We’ve built a system that prioritizes both quality and efficiency,” Dr. Barotz says. “I call it Q²: Quality Quickly. Anyone can do quality work slowly. But if you can deliver world-class results without the typical delays, that’s transformative.”
This streamlined model saves patients months of waiting and unnecessary back-and-forth between offices. “In the traditional setup, complex cases can take four to six months or longer. In our practice, we can often complete a full smile transformation in days—or even one visit.”
What sets Dr. Barotz’s practice apart is a bold and innovative philosophy he calls Total Dental Solutions—a comprehensive, all-under-one-roof approach to care. Unlike the conventional dental model, which sends patients to multiple specialists for different procedures, Dr. Barotz and his team handle virtually everything in-house: root canals, extractions, implants, gum treatment, cosmetic makeovers—you name it.
But fast results aren’t everything. What truly resonates with patients is the welcoming, nonjudgmental environment Dr. Barotz has created. “So many people avoid the dentist out of fear—not just fear of pain, but fear of being scolded or judged for letting their teeth deteriorate,” he explains. “That’s not what we’re about.”
Dr. Barotz has designed his practice to be a safe space, especially for those who’ve been hiding their smiles for years. “We don’t care how long it’s been or what your teeth look like now. We’re here to help you feel whole again, not to make you feel ashamed.”
The Art and Science of Confidence
While some people seek out Dr. Barotz for functional issues, others come for purely aesthetic reasons—and he welcomes them all. “Some call it vanity, but I call it confidence,” he says. “When your smile matches your personality, your success, your spirit—that’s powerful.”
He recalls treating a chemical engineer with noticeable gaps in his teeth. After receiving veneers on both his upper and lower teeth, the patient later returned and shared that his professional presentations were being taken more seriously. He believed his previous smile had led others to underestimate his intelligence. The experience stuck with the doctor. “That’s what drives me—helping people align their outer image with their inner success.”
Experience That Speaks Volumes
Dr. Barotz has dedicated his career to mastering every facet of dentistry so his patients don’t have to wait, worry or wonder what’s next. From lifechanging full-mouth restorations to cosmetic enhancements and advanced implant solutions, his office is a destination for people who want fast, expert care under one roof.
Whether you’re struggling with a compromised mouth or simply want to love your smile again, Dr. Barotz offers something rare in today’s dental world: total solutions, extraordinary results and zero judgment.
Ready for a transformation?
Discover what’s possible at denverdentist.com or call 303-595-4994 for a free consultation.
On behalf of AvidLifestyle, Colorado AvidGolfer, our Title Sponsor Central Bank, and our Presenting Sponsor Howard Lorton Furniture & Design, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your presence at the 5th Annual Wheels of Dreams Charity Experience at Hangar Club.
Because of your generosity and kindness Wheels of Dreams raised $151,000 for the FullCircle Program on Saturday evening! Thank you. In 5 years, Wheels of Dreams has raised more than $489,000 for local kids charities! Every penny has stayed in our local communities helping kids and families.
We hope you enjoyed this signature event, which raises critical support for FullCircle—a nonprofit devoted to helping young people struggling with mental health and addiction, along with their families. The evening featured captivating performances by Narrow Gauge and FullCircle’s own DJ, as well as live artistry from James Holmes and Brook Proctor. Guests also had the exciting opportunity to win an exquisite pair of 2-carat, $3,200 diamond earrings from Trice Jewelers. To complete the experience, attendees relaxed in beautifully appointed lounges graciously provided by Howard Lorton Furniture & Design and Lehrer Fireplace and Patio—adding a touch of elegance to an unforgettable night.
We trust you admired our stunning collection of over 34 personally owned classic, exotic, and dragster cars, alongside exotics from Mike Ward Automotive, Bentley Denver, Lotus Denver & John Elway Cadillac & Chevrolet. Guests indulged in delightful culinary offerings from Salt Water Social, FOGO de Chão, Hickory House BBQ, Black + Haus Tavern, Seasons 52, Ornery Olive, P.F. Chang’s, Ted’s Montana Grill, Zig Zag Smokin’ Burger & Meatball and Imperial Chinese paired with beverages from AnheuserBusch, wine from Delicato and cocktails by Turnbuckle Distillery, Mile High Spirits and Rocker Spirits.
A special thank you to Phil Long Dealerships the sponsor of our Stage Presentation, as well as Gold Sponsors Closet Factory, Dream Makers Landscape, Thurston Kitchen + Bath and Guiry’s Paint Source. Additional Sponsors MaK Construction, Wowzers, Cherokee Ranch & Castle. Our audiovisual partners, Multimedia Audio Visual, Sweetin Photography, and our gracious host, Hangar Club.
Your support made this years event a success, and we eagerly anticipate celebrating with you at the 6th Annual Wheels of Dreams Charity Experience!
BY JIM BEBBINGTON
The developers of Rodeo Dunes, the new golf complex under construction northeast of Denver, could not keep a good thing under wraps forever.
Rodeo Dunes is the latest project by Dream Golf, the purveyors of Bandon Dunes’ six courses in Oregon and Wisconsin’s Sand Valley resort. Announced in the spring of 2023, a portion of the project’s first golf course was unveiled in October to the project’s ‘founders’ – investors from around the country who paid $80,000 to be members of the course.
The first course is envisioned to be the first of up to six to be built over the next 20 years. The Rodeo Dunes course was designed by the architect team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the team that designed one of the first inland dunes courses built – Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, Neb. Eleven holes at Rodeo Dunes were sufficiently fully grown in by September to allow
Dream Golf to bring in founders and guests for a two-day special event to show the project’s progress. The final seven holes are expected to grow-in next spring.
“I think the golfers of Colorado are going to get an authentic prairie links golf course,” said Tom Ferrell, the communications director for Dream Golf. “The roll and expansiveness of the dunes gives you a seaside feel. You come over the top of a dune and you expect to see an ocean… and you do, it’s just land.”
The property was undeveloped ranchland for much of its recent history. The village of Roggen is nearby to the south of the course, but otherwise the prairie land rolls to the horizon uninterrupted in all directions.
Some of the prairie dunes tower overhead, and Coore has said that some holes had to be shaped very carefully to avoid having nearly every shot be blind. Several natural sand blowouts
that dot the land were repurposed as bunkers, but some had to be avoided because they are so deep that they would have to be treated like ponds – balls that go in cannot be retrieved.
“The terrain lends itself so well to the drama and the sublime,” Ferrell said. “The opportunity to play this kind of golf course within an hour of the front range is just mind blowing.”
When will the public have access to the course? As the course is completed next summer Dream Golf is planning to offer their founders, guests and invitees the opportunity to play. Public tee times be available beginning in 2027, and reservations for those tee times will be available in spring 2026. Golfers interested in being notified when reservations become available should visit RodeoDunes.Com to sign up for the course’s email notifications, Ferrell said.
“Rodeo Dunes is getting close,” he said.
