The best golf courses in Colorado, USA

Ballyneal Golf Club, designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2006, lies in the high plains near Holyoke, Colorado. Revered for its authentic, wind-swept inland links style, the private club offers a rugged, minimalist design inspired by the legendary courses of Scotland and Ireland, with natural contours and strategic variety throughout its acclaimed layout.

Castle Pines Golf Club is a private, iconic Jack Nicklaus Signature course set amidst rolling wooded hills south of Denver. Opened in 1981, it is known for its scenic mountain views, championship pedigree, and pristine conditions. The course hosted the PGA Tour’s International from 1986–2006, and is renowned for its challenge, elegance, and member-centric exclusivity.

Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course, designed by Donald Ross and later enhanced by Robert Trent Jones Sr., is a legendary parkland layout nestled in the foothills of Cheyenne Mountain. Renowned for its wide, tree-lined fairways, expansive greens, and challenging routing, the East Course has hosted multiple major championships and is widely regarded among America’s premier resort courses.

Sanctuary Golf Course is a private, invitation-only 18-hole layout designed by Jim Engh and opened in 1996 just south of Denver. Set on dramatic Rocky Mountain foothills without residential development, Sanctuary is known for its isolation, natural terrain, and breathtaking views, playing host to select charity events while preserving its pristine ecosystem and tranquil atmosphere.

Cherry Hills Country Club, a classic William Flynn design established in 1922, is one of America's most historic private courses. Having hosted multiple U.S. Opens and national tournaments, it features tree-lined fairways, strategic bunkering, and fast bentgrass greens. The course underwent a significant Tom Doak-led renovation in 2009, restoring many original design elements while updating its championship challenge.

Colorado Golf Club is a private, championship course in Parker, Colorado, masterfully designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Opened in 2007, it’s acclaimed for its natural, rolling terrain, strategic design, and sweeping Rocky Mountain vistas. Renowned for hosting prestigious events like the Senior PGA Championship, the club is recognized as one of North America's elite modern golf venues.

Country Club of the Rockies is a private, member-owned club in Colorado’s Vail Valley, featuring a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course opened in 1985. The links-style layout follows rolling terrain, with four holes along the Eagle River and water in play on eleven holes, all kept in top condition by a dedicated agronomy staff.

The Broadmoor Golf Club West Course, set in the Cheyenne Mountain foothills, features rolling fairways, multi-level greens, and challenging hazards. Originally designed by Donald Ross and enhanced by Robert Trent Jones Sr., this 18-hole layout offers dramatic elevation changes and tree-lined doglegs in a picturesque mountain setting at 6,800 feet elevation.

Arrowhead Golf Course in Littleton, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Sr., winds through dramatic 300-million-year-old red sandstone formations in the Rocky Mountain foothills. Renowned for its breathtaking scenery and unique rock hazards, Arrowhead is one of Colorado’s most celebrated public courses, blending memorable, challenging holes with upscale amenities and hospitality.

Red Sky Ranch (Fazio) in Wolcott, Colorado, is a Tom Fazio-designed mountain golf course known for its dramatic Rocky Mountain vistas and strategic variety. Opened in 2002, it offers 18 distinct holes over 7,116 yards and has consistently ranked among Colorado’s best courses, delivering championship-quality experiences for both resort guests and members.

The Golf Club at Bear Dance, designed by the team of Craig Stadler, Mac Casper, and Perry Dye, is a highly regarded mountain-style public course near Denver. Set on 753 acres at 6,800 feet elevation, it winds through Ponderosa pines and oak-lined ridges, offering dramatic Rocky Mountain views, challenging bunkers, water features, and a true Colorado golf experience.

Roaring Fork Club is an exclusive private golf course in Basalt, Colorado, designed by Jack Nicklaus and Bruce Borland. Opened in 1999, the club offers 18 holes winding through rolling hills, along the Roaring Fork River, and through meadows, with dramatic mountain views. The course features small greens, tight approaches, changing elevation, and pristine bent grass surfaces.

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, designed by Jim Engh and opened in 2001, is regarded as one of Colorado’s premier public courses. Set beneath dramatic sandstone cliffs and surrounded by stunning natural scenery, the course features 18 holes, 11 elevated tees, and 37 bunkers, offering a challenging yet fun layout for all skill levels.

RainDance National Golf Course is a visually stunning high plains course in Windsor, Colorado, designed by PGA Tour Champion Fred Funk and architect Harrison Minchew. Opened in 2022, it offers 18 holes spanning 8,463 yards—one of the longest layouts in North America—featuring 250 feet of elevation change and strategic risk-reward options across an engaging, links-inspired landscape.

Breckenridge Golf Club is the only municipal Jack Nicklaus Signature course in the world, featuring three scenic nine-hole layouts (Bear, Beaver, Elk) amid the Rocky Mountains. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course sits at over 9,300 feet elevation, providing dramatic elevation changes, panoramic alpine views, challenging play, and frequent wildlife sightings.

Devil's Thumb Golf Course in Delta, Colorado is an 18-hole, par-72 public layout set among adobe hills at the southern base of the Grand Mesa, with sweeping views of surrounding mountain ranges. Designed in the early 2000s in a high-desert style, it features generous fairways, strong bunkering, and subtly contoured greens, earning recognition as one of Colorado’s better public courses and a Western Slope favorite for its scenery, value, and shot-making variety.

Maroon Creek Club in Aspen is a private club featuring a highly regarded Tom Fazio-designed course set amid the breathtaking Elk Mountain Range. Opened in 1996, the 18-hole layout integrates natural mountain beauty with strategic bunkering, fast greens, and pristine fairways, delivering a challenging and memorable golf experience for members.

Fossil Trace Golf Club, designed by Jim Engh, is set in the foothills of Golden, Colorado. The course is renowned for its prehistoric fossils adjacent to the 12th green and remnants of clay mining equipment throughout the layout. Acclaimed for its undulating greens, strategic bunkering, and fun, quirky design, it offers both challenge and memorable scenery.

TPC Colorado is an 18-hole championship course in Berthoud, designed by Arthur Schaupeter. It offers a Scottish-style links experience, pot bunkers, and panoramic Rocky Mountain views along the shores of three reservoirs. Opened in 2019, it hosts the Korn Ferry Tour's The Ascendant presented by Blue and caters to both professionals and daily-fee players.

CommonGround Golf Course, redesigned by Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design, is a public 18-hole facility in Aurora, Colorado. Emphasizing strategic angles, width, and thoughtful bunkering, it delivers a mentally engaging round for golfers of all skill levels, with excellent walkability and highly rated course conditions.

Lakota Links Golf Club, designed by James Engh, is one of Colorado’s top-rated public courses, offering panoramic mountain and canyon views. Open for most of the year, this 18-hole course features dramatic elevation changes and a layout that challenges all skill levels. Its mountain setting, modern amenities, and strong local and national reputation make it a favorite in the region.

Haymaker Golf Course, designed by Keith Foster and opened in 1997, is a public, links-style layout set in the scenic Yampa Valley of Steamboat Springs. This award-winning 18-hole course spans 233 acres with no residential development, ensuring panoramic views of Mount Werner and the surrounding mountains. The course is known for its challenging layout, environmental accolades, and top-tier playing conditions.

Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, designed by Jim Engh and opened in 1999, is a public 18-hole course in Castle Rock, Colorado. Praised for its dramatic elevation changes, rolling terrain, and risk/reward holes, it features bentgrass greens and bluegrass fairways. The course is known for excellent conditions, mountain views, and a fun, memorable layout welcoming golfers of all levels.

Pole Creek Golf Club, designed by Denis Griffiths, is a classic Colorado mountain course offering 27 holes across three distinct nines: the Ranch, Meadow, and Ridge. With dramatic elevation changes, fast greens, and panoramic alpine views, it provides a challenging yet rewarding golf experience at high altitude. Consistently ranked among Colorado’s best public mountain courses.

Eagle Ranch Golf Club, located in the picturesque town of Eagle, Colorado, is an Arnold Palmer Signature Design that opened in 2001. Nestled in the Colorado Rockies just 30 minutes from Vail, the course offers scenic mountain views, wide fairways, large greens, and a fair challenge for players of all abilities. Known for its friendly atmosphere and excellent conditions.

River Valley Ranch Golf Club is a scenic 18-hole public course nestled in the Crystal River Valley at the base of Mt. Sopris. Designed by Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Jay Morrish, it features lush fairways, fast greens, and dramatic mountain vistas. Routinely named one of Colorado’s top public courses, it is known for its welcoming atmosphere and superb conditions.