Golfers talk endlessly about design, strategy, and history. But ask anyone who plays Colorado Golf Club, and they’ll tell you the same thing: the course feels alive. That feeling doesn’t come by accident. It’s the result of careful planning by architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, paired with the daily attention of Steve Eller, Head Greenskeeper at Colorado Golf Club, who has transformed rugged ranch land into one of the country’s premier championship venues.
As you consider what makes a great course—whether you’re a golfer or a greenskeeper—Colorado Golf Club offers a lesson in the art of balancing design intent with practical maintenance.
From Ranch Land to Championship Course
When the club opened in 2007, it was more than just a new course. Built on the former Bett’s Ranch outside Parker, Colorado, the 1,700-acre property was a blank canvas. Coore and Crenshaw routed 18 holes through ponderosa forests, open meadows, and rocky barrancas. The result is a layout that looks like it was discovered, not manufactured.
But designing a course is one thing. Preserving that vision year after year is another. This is where Steve Eller becomes the central figure. At Colorado Golf Club, Eller is not just a caretaker but a partner in shaping how players experience the property…