AURORA, Colo. – Tom Doak says he actually appreciates public-access golf. Three of the programs that helped put him on the map as an architect – Pacific Dunes in Oregon, Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand – are every public-access, he famous.
CommonGround close to Denver takes that to a different stage.
Owned and operated by the Colorado Golf Affiliation on the positioning of a earlier course, CommonGround opened in 2009 as virtually a municipal course of types with reasonably priced inexperienced charges and an everyman vibe. Doak and his associates – Doak provides in depth credit score for CommonGround to Erik Iverson, Jim Urbina and Don Placek – had been tasked with profiting from each sq. foot of land on a flattish, open website.
The outcomes embrace a well-liked and expansive driving vary, a par-3 course that permits youngsters to play without cost, the Solich Caddie and Management Academy, and naturally an 18-hole foremost attraction that options lots of the acquainted strategic calls for discovered on Doak’s extra well-known – and costly – programs.
“I just never believed in dumbing down a course just because it was public,” Doak mentioned. “But things are going to be more appreciated if you’ve got golfers who play it regularly, and they get to understand what you were trying to do.”
That’s the case at CommonGround, the place peak inexperienced charges are $80 and many of the locals pay much less via numerous packages.
“They had a pretty tight budget, and we did all the work there for $4 million,” Doak mentioned. “And every penny counted. We figured out ways to do some cool things.”
It’s an ideal instance of minimalism in each approach: minimal shaping, minimal fuss, minimal prices. Don’t let that idiot you, although, as a result of it’s maxed out on enjoyable.
Editor’s notice: Golfweek’s Greatest course raters decide programs in 10 classes on a factors foundation of 1-10, then supply a non-cumulative general score.
How properly the holes individually and collectively adhere to the land and to one another. For essentially the most half the entrance 9 loops across the again in reverse instructions. The comparatively flat format takes full benefit of its solely hill, atop which sits the clubhouse with the closing holes on either side enjoying uphill. The green-to-tee transitions are fast and most significantly protected, making for a straightforward stroll.My score: 7 out of 10
The extent to which course building creates design parts that slot in properly and supplies a constant look or sensibility.
No person will confuse this with one other Doak course in Colorado, the non-public and high-end Ballyneal. The whole lot at CommonGround is toned down. Nonetheless, the shaping seems seamless, particularly on the holes that climb towards the clubhouse. Fairway contours are deliberately restrained. My score: 6
CommonGround in Aurora, Colo., close to Denver was designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2009. The course was developed by the Colorado State Golf Affiliation. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Ease of integration of all built-out parts with fatherland, together with course, clubhouse, actual property, roads, native topography and landforms. Extent to which land plan facilitates lengthy views of surrounds and/or inside views of property.
From the clubhouse perched above the hill to the par-3 course tucked simply past the far finish of the driving vary, the whole lot was laid out to pack essentially the most punch for the best variety of golfers into a comparatively small website of just some 220 acres. My score: 7
Curiosity, selection and playability of placing surfaces, collars, chipping areas and greenside bunkers.
By no means loopy however definitely by no means boring, these bent grass and poa greens function an ideal introduction into the minds of Tom Doak and his associates whereas offering surfaces that may be dealt with by golfers of any ability stage. As for scoring, it’s all about enjoying the angles, particularly as you play deeper right into a inexperienced to a rearward gap location. The placing surfaces are sometimes at the least considerably open on the fronts earlier than rising into inside contours, which permits for ground-game approaches and a myriad of short-game choices. My score: 7
The par-3 sixth at CommonGround in Aurora, Colo. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Differentiation of holes by size, membership required, topography, look and angle of strategy.
Right here is the place Doak’s staff generally deviated from their open-front strategy, particularly on the entrance 9’s two par 3s which are shorter than the three par 3s on the again. Off the again tees, the par 3s develop in size from 144 yards at No. 2 to 243 at No. 17.My score: 7
The par-4 thirteenth at CommonGround in Aurora, Colo. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Vary of right-to-left and left-to-right drives and second pictures required, in addition to unfold of size, topography and look of the holes.
Even with out plenty of diverse topography with which to work, these par 4s supply loads of width and strategic worth. Time and again, gamers are requested to problem a key fairway bunker or patch of tough to arrange the very best line into angled greens. My score: 6
The par-5 third at CommonGround in Aurora, Colo. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Number of threat/reward alternatives on tee shot; how fascinating the second pictures are; number of third pictures required.
The three-shotters are robust, incorporating widespread Doak options akin to centerline and cross bunkers. Shorter-hitting gamers are sometimes compelled to select a route among the many sand, whereas stronger gamers should drive on the very best traces to arrange lengthy strategy pictures that can maintain the agency greens. My score: 6
Extent to which ornamentals, hardwoods, conifers and different flora improve the design and playability of a course with out overburdening it or compromising strategic flexibility and agronomy.
The format is basically devoid of bushes, with gamers free to deal with organising their subsequent shot unimpeded. The openness of the setting supplies a group vibe, with a number of holes at all times in view. My score: 7
General high quality of upkeep, discounting for short-term points (climate or high dressing); extent of native areas; range of flora and wildlife.
The circumstances are completely playable and much more completely suited to a course that hosts greater than 40,000 rounds per yr. Mowed tight below the steerage of director of agronomy Mitch Savage, the sometimes-brown enjoying surfaces (largely bluegrass and rye grass within the fairways) supply the very best type of golf: agency and quick. Don’t let a score of 6 idiot you into considering that’s a low quantity on a scale of 1 to 10, as CommonGround presents enviable circumstances for a facility operated on a decent price range. My score: 6
The par-5 eleventh at CommonGround in Aurora, Colo. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
The sense of the place as worthy of spending 4 hours on it.
There’s a gravel dam on one aspect of the course and busy roads on two others, and one way or the other it doesn’t matter. CommonGround presents an ideal expertise for locals on a course constructed for objective in what initially was meant to be an everyman’s recreation. In that regard, it’s extra like a traditional hyperlinks course – a part of its better group – than most high-end, walled-off golf equipment. I may stroll it each week with out criticism.My score: 7
This isn’t a cumulative rating.
If I lived close to Denver, I’ve little doubt this may very well be my residence monitor. The vibe is ideal for a group course, parts of technique are in play and the greens are a blast. Extra of this in different cities, please.My score: 6.5
Gap No. 2 on Pinehurst No. 10, the brand new and tenth course at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina (Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort)
