In the Swing of Things

High-altitude golfing is not your normal golf outing.

On Par
Tip: The thinner air in the mountains means less resistance, causing the ball to travel 15 percent farther than it would at a lower altitude. Use the driving range and putting green to gauge the distance of your clubs. Overshooting the green or driving through doglegs are common mistakes made in the mountains. While the thin air lets the ball fly farther, it also lets the ball travel farther left or right if you are using the wrong clubs. Hitting an 8-iron here, instead of the 6-iron you would use at lower altitude, doesn’t give you more accuracy.

Because of the thin air and difficult break in mountain greens, you will find the four public golf courses in Grand County enjoyable, challenging and designed to test your skill and reward your accuracy. The best part? Your drive goes 15 percent farther at this altitude. Fore!

Headwaters Golf Course at Granby Ranch

Two miles south of Granby, 15 miles north of Winter Park. 18 holes. Par 72. Front nine plays 7,200 yards. Elevation: 8,126ft. They have a full-service pro shop, PGA staff, grill, and a large practice facility.

The course is a distinctive, open, alpine meadow course in a secluded ranch setting with natural obstacles and the meandering Fraser River. On the back nine, golfers encounter several lakes, wetlands, elevated tees, and large deep bunkers. 888-850-4615, (970) 887-2709, www.granbyranch.com. Closes mid-October.

Pole Creek

12 miles north of Winter Park. 27 holes. Par 108. Plays 10,709 yards. Four sets of tees. Three distinct courses: The Ranch 9, The Meadow 9, The Ridge 9. All three nines play to a par 36. Elevation: 8,600ft New this year is a beautiful new club house with a golf shop and restaurant Bistro 28. They offer lessons, club rentals, reduced twilight rates, new electric carts, practice facility with chipping area. 800-511-5076, (970) 887-9195, www.polecreekgolf.com. Closes end of October, weather permitting.

Grand Elk Golf Club

Two miles south of Granby. 18 holes. Par 71. Plays 7,144 yards from the back tees. Elevation: 7,935ft There is a nice golf shop, PGA professional staff, full-service tournament hosting, practice facility, rental clubs, GPS on carts, locker rooms, restaurant. Designed by PGA champion golfer Craig Stadler and course architect Tripp Davis in the traditional heathland style to preserve the natural landscape. 877-389-9333, (970) 887-9122, www.grandelk.com/golfrates. Closes mid-October.

Grand Lake Golf Course

County Road 48 off US Hwy 34 past the entrance to the village of Grand Lake. 18 holes. Par 72. Plays 6,650 yards. Elevation: 8,420ft There is a golf shop, range with putting green, golf instruction, club rentals, GPS-equipped golf carts, Sly Fox Restaurant and Lounge. This tight, 18-hole tree-lined course is surrounded by national forest land and vistas of the snow-capped Never Summer Range. The course offers narrowly rolling fairways with subtle greens. Be alert; your approach shot just might be checked out by a curious mule-tail deer, moose, or fox. (970) 627-8008, www.grandlakegolf.com. Closes mid-October.