The excitement about Rodeo Dunes has been building since the Dream Golf project was announced in 2023.
The Michael Keiser Jr. project is located in Weld County’s Roggen just off of Interstate 76 and the first 18 holes are open to Rodeo Dunes founders. The course was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, who also designed Colorado Golf Club and more than 40 courses around the world.
Rodeo Dunes opens to the public in 2027 and The Denver Gazette was invited to play the course May 21.
Here are takeaways from the experience.
- The course is challenging but fair. Holes are surrounded by bunkers and the dunes create sandy, tough hazards if you miss off the tee. But the fairways are very big and if you hit them, a low score is out there on the almost 7,000-yard course from the tips.
- Driving the ball too far could be a problem. Several holes have a fairway run out to a steep dune ridge. Coore and Crenshaw show how they can be masters of using the land to have golfers be strategic off the tee.
- There are back-to-back par 3s on the back nine. And they could not be two more different holes. No. 13 plays 229 yards from the tips with a big bunker guarding the green. No. 14 is much shorter at 157 yards and plays downhill. Club selection will be key.
- The closing stretch is risk/reward. The par-4 17th hole is drivable for big hitters. It plays 348 yards downhill. The 18th hole is a 510-yard par 5 that gives golfers a chance to make birdie to close the round.
- Public tee times will start in May 2027. While the Rodeo Dunes founders will play the course for the rest of the year, the public will be able to play in May 2027. But Rodeo Dunes “Insiders” will be able to book tee times for next year starting sometime in June.
- The green fee will be $350. It will be interesting to see if the steep price keeps people away. The golf course will be worth it to a lot of players.
- The second course is being shaped. Another course at Rodeo Dunes is already being mapped out. Jim Craig, who has shaped courses at Sand Valley and Bandon Dunes, is set to design the next course and there could be preview play by next year.
- Rodeo Dunes lived up to the hype. The course was in immaculate shape, and the views were just as good. This could be the start of something special for Colorado golf.
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