May 20242024 Tee-Time Guide

1TitleHow to secure a prime tee-time during Colorado golf’s high seasonBy Susan FornoffGolf’s popularity has made weekend tee-times as hard to get as brunch reservations on Mother’s Day. You and your friends have got to plan ahead. You might have to pay extra or get up in the middle of the night for the course you want. And if you haven’t done that by a week in advance, you might have to either obsessively watch websites for late cancellations or settle for a course an hour’s drive away.A few new trends in Colorado golf might help CGA members this year:

You may have noticed that more courses are requiring credit cards with reservations. Some even require prepayment. While this may annoy those who like to make times at five courses and then decide at the last minute which one they’ll play, it makes more times available to golfers by minimizing the possibility of no-shows.

A new app called Noteefy is starting to catch on. Now at six Colorado golf courses, most notably popular Fossil Trace, Noteefy helps golfers by letting them select a tee-time window at the course and then texting or emailing when something opens up.

More courses are using apps, including apps that serve up more than one course. So players can get the Chronogolf app and make tee-times not only at the South Suburban Rec District Courses but at Spring Valley, King’s Deer and courses in Arizona, Nevada and elsewhere. Denver Golf’s app serves all the city’s courses.

More courses are opening their tee sheets in advance, so that those willing to pay an extra fee to play golf on a certain special day can go ahead and book it. You might be able to book your coveted Labor Day weekend tee-time right now!

What follows is a guide to making online tee-times at many of the state’s busiest public-access 18-hole golf courses. They’re mostly on the Front Range, but a few qualify as vacation destinations. Some still take reservations by phone, others have apps, but all these courses open their tee-times online at the precise time listed. To expedite the process, create your online profile in advance so that you’ll be able to log in quickly to secure your time. Go ahead and put that credit card in your profile, in case you don’t have your wallet handy when your coveted time opens up. There’s a welcome trend among courses to open their tee sheets at a time when golfers tend to be awake. But, if it’s not specified, remember that “seven days in advance” starts at precisely midnight, and a wee-hours alarm might still be your best call for a prime tee-time.And don’t forget to check the cancellation policy!THE CGA’S COMMONGROUNDCGA members who have set up an account on the booking website have advance tee-time access starting at midnight seven days before they want to play; nonmembers, it’s six days. But planners can book as far out as 90 days for a premium of $20 a player. commongroundgc.comONE CLICK, TWO OR MORE OPTIONSAurora’s municipal courses (Aurora Hills, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill): Go online at 8 p.m., 10 days before you want to play. If you prefer to make tee-times by phone, the window is eight days. golfaurora.comColorado Springs municipal courses (Patty Jewett and Valley Hi): Go online at 6:30 a.m., four days in advance, or call three days in advance. coloradosprings.govDenver’s municipal courses (City Park, Evergreen, Kennedy, Overland, Wellshire, Willis Case, Harvard Gulch): Whether or not you live in Denver, you can buy a Loyalty Card ($40) that gives you online access to tee-times 14 days in advance, starting at 7 p.m. Otherwise, you’re limited to searching the leftovers, seven days out. cityofdenvergolf.comFoothills Park & Recreation District (Foothills, Meadows): Go online 10 days in advance at 5 p.m. – no phone reservations – or 11-30 days for a prepaid “preferred” booking. Foothillsgolf.orgGolf Lakewood (Fox Hollow, Homestead): Go online or call at 5 p.m., seven days in advance. golflakewood.comGolf Longmont (Twin Peaks, Ute Creek, Sunset): Book 14 days in advance. golflongmont.comSouth Suburban Parks and Recreation District courses (South Suburban, Lone Tree, Family Sports, Littleton Golf and Tennis, Lone Tree): You really need a district ID card ($5). Then you can use the Chronogolf app seven days in advance at 7 p.m. and scramble for your tee-time. Nonresidents cannot book until noon 5 days in advance. golf.ssprd.org/Tee-times/City of Westminster (Legacy Ridge, Walnut Creek): Book starting at 6 a.m. 14 days in advance. cityofwestminster.us/ParksRecreation/GolfWestminsterFRONT RANGE SOUTHArrowhead: Book 30 days in advance. arrowheadcolorado.comBear Dance: You can make your tee-times up to 90 days in advance, but the best rates don’t go online until midnight, seven days in advance. beardancegolf.comBroken Tee: Go online at 7:30 a.m., eight days in advance. englewoodco.gov/parks-recreation-library-golf/broken-tee-golf-courseUniversity of Denver Golf Club: It’s semi-private; public tee-times at midnight, seven days in advance. ritchiecenter.du.edu/sports/golfThe Links at Highlands Ranch: Seven days in advance. thelinksgolfcourse.comPlum Creek: Seven days in advance for standard rates, longer with a $10 up-charge. golfplumcreek.comRaccoon Creek: Book 14 days in advance. raccooncreek.comRed Hawk Ridge: Online only. Castle Rock residents can book eight days in advance. Nonresidents, seven days advance. A foursome may reserve up to 30 days in advance for an extra $20 per player. redhawkridge.comRidge at Castle Pines North: Prepaid tee-times open 90 days in advance; standard tee-times 30 days out. Other tee-time windows depend on residency, punch card and membership status. playtheridge.comFRONT RANGE EASTBuffalo Run: Seven days in advance. buffalorungolfcourse.comGreen Valley Ranch: Bookings may be made as far as 90 days in advance for up to 24 players, dynamic pricing applies. Regular bookings include a bucket of balls and the par-3 course, eight days in advance. New this year but only in the course app: Tee Time StandBy, much like Noteefy, lets players sign up for last-minute notifications of available slots. gvrgolf.comHeather Ridge: Seven days in advance. golfclubatheatherridge.comHeritage Eagle Bend: Residents of the 55-plus community get first crack. What’s left goes online 10 days in advance. heritageeaglebend.comFRONT RANGE NORTHApplewood: Eight days in advance for Players Club, seven days in advance for public, or try the Noteefy app. applewoodgc.comColorado National: Book 14 days in advance, or 30 days beyond that for an additional $10. coloradonationalgolfclub.comCoyote Creek: Book 14 days in advance. coyotecreekgc.comFossil Trace: Fossil Trace puts its tee-times online in March at “preferred rates.” Regular-rate tee-times become available seven days in advance at midnight, or try the Noteefy app. fossiltrace.comHighland Meadows: Noon, eight days in advance, or for a $5 premium 14 days in advance. Also try the Noteefy app. highlandmeadowsgolfcourse.comHyland Hills: Eight days in advance at 11:59 p.m. That means if you want to book on a Saturday, look online starting at 11:59 the Friday of the prior weekend. golfhylandhills.comIndian Tree: Seven days in advance. indiantree.apexprd.orgLake Arbor: Starting at 8 a.m., seven days in advance, or 8-30 days at an additional fee. lakearborgolf.comCall the pro shop three days in advance. 970-674-0930RainDance National: Set up a guest profile in advance and then go online at midnight seven days before you want to play. raindanceresort.comRiverdale Dunes and Knolls: Online only, eight days in advance starting at midnight. riverdalegolf.comSaddleback: Standard, dynamically priced tee times are open up to eight days in advance; add $10 to book up to 90 days out. saddlebackgolf.comThorncreek: Book online only, 14 days in advance. thorncreekgc.comTodd Creek: Book 10 days in advance. toddcreekgolfclub.comTPC Colorado: Call the pro shop at (970) 663-5063 four days before you want to play. Public play is limited to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but if you call inside 24 hours in advance you may also snag a weekend time the members have left open.West Woods: Seven days in advance at 8 a.m. Or, up to 30 days in advance for an additional per player booking fee. westwoodsgolf.comBOULDER AREABroadlands: Seven days in advance, or try the Noteefy app. thebroadlandsgc.comCoal Creek: Book 14 days in advance. coalcreekgolf.comFlatirons: Seven days in advance. bouldercolorado.gov/guide/flatirons-golf-courseIndian Peaks: Book 10 days in advance online, seven days in advance in the golf shop. “Preferred” tee-times are available 11-60 days in advance, prepaid and including a $15 booking fee, online only. indianpeaksgolf.comOmni Interlocken: Members and hotel guests have 30-day access. Remaining tee-times go public at midnight four days in advance. omnihotels.com/hotels/Denver-interlocken/golfGRAND JUNCTION AREAAdobe Creek: Book 14 days in advance. adobecreekgolf.comBattlement Mesa: Book 14 days in advance. battlementmesagolf.comRedlands Mesa: Book 14 days in advance. redlandsmesa.comTiara Rado: Seven days in advance. golfgrandjunction.netGRAND COUNTY AREA (preseason information based on 2023 policies)Granby Ranch: Book 14 days in advance. golfgranbyranch.comGrand Elk: Seven days in advance. grandelk.comGrand Lake: Book 14 days in advance. grandlakerecreation.com/golf-coursePole Creek: Book 30 days in advance. polecreekgolf.comSUMMIT COUNTY AREA (preseason information based on 2023 policies)Breckenridge: The public may book for the season online with credit card prepayment. breckenridgegolfclub.comEagle Ranch: At 5 p.m. eight days in advance, or try the Noteefy app. Preferred times can be made for the rest of the season, however, for a nonrefundable add-on fee of $20 per player. eagleranchgolf.comEagleVail: Seven days in advance for standard rates. Tee-times are available for the entire season, however, for a supplemental fee. eaglevailgolfclub.comKeystone (River or Ranch): Book anytime for the entire season. riverkeystone.quick18.comRaven at Three Peaks: The public may book for the season online now. ravenatthreepeaks.comText in Box with ListsABOUT THE AUTHORVeteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She became a CGA member when she moved from Oakland, CA, to Littleton in 2016, and ghost writes as “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant in golf for fun.Cover & TOCWelcome MessageGolfTEC AdMember ZoneRules Of GolfColorado GolfState JuniorTravelInside The RopesSwing TIpCommunityA Closer LookOutside the RopesSpirit of the GameAdvocacyCGA Member ClubsVolunteer LeadershipRMGCSAGearFeatured Club: Eisenhower2024 Tee-Time Guide