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Golf, With Altitude Pros Offer Tips on Most Scenic Holes in Grand County, Colo. – and How to Play Them

About 67 miles west of Denver, up beyond 8,500 feet, you’ll find panoramic views of the Gore Range, pine forests, clean air, the bluest of skies…and four scenic, individual golf courses, all within a 15-minute drive.

The four courses that make up Grand Links wind through Grand County, Colorado, between Winter Park on the south and Grand Lake, sitting on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, on the north. Framed by forests, streams, lakes, and mountains – very tall mountains – very few holes in the Grand Links are not scenic. But for a tour of the best of the best, the course’s pros and managers weigh in.

Pole Creek Golf Club www.polecreekgolf.com , 800-511-5076

Zagat Survey of America’s Top Golf Courses named Pole Creek the “Best Golf Course in the Rocky Mountain Region.” Offering 27 holes to play (Ridge, Meadow, and Ranch Nines), the Denis Griffiths-designed course sports tree-lined fairways and open-valley holes. Picks for the most scenic, according to Larry Burks, general manager, are:

1.   # 9 on the Ridge Nine – At an elevation of 8,570 feet, the hole sits at the highest point on the course. “It’s like sitting on top of the world,” says Burks. The view from the elevated tee box pans the Continental Divide, with James and Parry Peaks in full view. The hole is a relatively easy Par 5 if your tee shot is in the center of the fairway. If, however, you miss it to the right, you will be in the trees; if you miss it to the left, the rough rolls quickly down into the native grass and trees, making the second shot a challenge. From the center of the fairway, a second shot can easily reach the green when played slightly right, letting the ball roll from the hill beside the green.

2.   # 4 on the Ridge Nine – With views of the Never Summer Mountain Range that are not seen from anywhere else on the course, perfectly manicured turf flows downhill into one of the course’s many ponds. Just beyond the water sits the menacing putting surface. The hole is a downhill, 439-yard, Par 4 slight dogleg left. A 260-yard tee shot that skirts the trees on the left will get you to position. A second shot, over a pond, takes you to a green that sits perpendicular to the fairway and slopes from back to front.

3.   # 4 on the Meadow Nine – The 181-yard, Par 3 hole features views of the Continental Divide and the jagged peaks of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. From the white tee box, this seemingly easy Par 3 is all carry. Choose your club wisely, hope that the wind is at your back, and carry to the center of the green. It’s only 161 yards, but make sure to aim slightly below the hole if you want to have an uphill putt. If you miss it to the left, the downhill greenbank will take your ball into Pole Creek.

4.   # 4 on the Ranch Nine – The 420-yard Par 4 looks west over the Just Ranch, a homestead from the 1800s. The teeing area starts out through a chute of trees to an open meadow, with views of Sheep and Blue Ridge Mountains into the prevailing wind. The second shot must carry over the tranquil lake to the green, while staying short of Pole Creek in back. Bunkers to the left and right eat up any errant shots.

Grand Lake Golf Course   www.grandlakegolf.com , 970-627-8936

Known as “The Crown Jewel of Mountain Courses,” thanks to David Nelson of the Rocky Mountain News, Grand Lake features lodgepole pines among narrow fairways. The course was designed by Dick Phelps. Bill Winfield, general manager of the Grand Lake Metropolitan Recreation District, offers his picks for the most scenic holes.

1.   # 1 – The Par 5 hole looks directly toward the Never Summer Range. The contrast of the green fairway and treetops with the snow-capped mountain peaks is dramatic. (Snow is visible year-round, confirming the mountain range’s moniker.) With out-of-bounds on the right, a good drive followed by a shot that favors the right-hand side of the fairway will leave a good view to a small green.

2.   # 3 – The view from this tee box is breathtaking, according to Winfield, with almost perfect 360-degree views of mountain peaks. The hole plays slightly downhill with greenside bunkers left and right.

3.   # 14 – Another stunner, Baldy Peak sits in the foreground. Big hitters can challenge this hole, but the approach to this green is often misjudged. The large bunker on the right causes many to second-guess the yardage and come up short.

4.   # 17 – A short dogleg right Par 4 may tempt you to cut off a little extra. But beware: This usually leads to problems. Be happy with a right-center tee shot of about 200 yards, leaving an approach to a green that has a difficult bunker on the right. The views from this tee box are worth the travel.

Headwaters Golf Course www.granbyranch.com , 970-887-2709

Set amid the beauty and drama of the Fraser River Valley, Headwaters provides a beautiful and challenging round. Elevated tees offer dramatic views of mountains, wetlands, and lush alpine meadows. The Nicklaus Design course features 7,268 yards of groomed fairways that wind around strategically placed bunkers, lakes, and ponds.

1.   # 7 – Hole 7 is a 597-yard downwind Par 5, playing the entire distance along the Fraser River. The hole will likely yield more pars and birdies than the sixth hole, says Kory Atkinson, PGA professional and general manager of Granby Ranch. The fairway is undulating and inviting, with a strategically placed bunker approximately 320 yards from the championship tee on the left. The small, slightly elevated green is guarded on the front right by a large deep bunker. The hole, which Atkinson claims is “in complete harmony with its natural surroundings,” will prove to be an equalizer between the long and accurate players. It is very demanding for those trying to reach the green in two shots, with challenging recoveries surrounding this elevated green. If you aren’t careful, a bogey is likely.

2.   # 9 – The 421-yard Par 4 plays from the river back to toward Quarry Hill and the clubhouse. The hole is specially spectacular in the early evening, claims Atkinson. The fairway landing area is pinched between two gaping bunkers and is surrounded by native vegetation. The elevated green is large, with a false front surrounded by a large amphitheater hill and a significant drop off on the right side into a grassy low.

3.   # 13 - Stop for a moment to take in the views on this tee box, the first panoramic vista on the upper part of the course. Never Summer Mountain Range is left of the fairway over Granby, while the Continental Divide sits to the left. The 388-yard Par 4 plays short, but demands accuracy and placement. Tee shots to the right will bounce off the slope back into the middle, but shots outside the fairway will be unplayable. The small green will also punish any shot missed long, left, or right. Club selection is crucial.

4.   # 18 – From a spectacular elevated tee, the bunkers in the background of this 546-yard Par 5 offer a perfect target line…make sure to avoid reaching them. Long hitters can reach this green in two, but trouble lurks for a missed shot. You’ll find water to the left, right, and behind the green. The bunkers are set 70 yards in front of the green, making golfers think on lay-up shots. Conservative plays can leave a blind approach while the narrow area past the bunker can offer an easy pitch.

Grand Elk www.grandelk.com , 970-887-9122

Every hole at the Craig Stadler-designed course provides excellent views of aspen-covered hills, native grasses and wetlands, and majestic peaks of the Continental Divide, says Mike Ritter, PGA head professional. Golfers often single out the stretch from Hole # 15 through 18: Bordered by a working ranch to the north and federal land to the west, the holes play along Ten Mile Creek and the largest lake on the course. Wildlife is abundant, with striking white pelicans making an appearance each spring.

1. # 15 – The Par 4 hole (410 yards from the back tees) plays along Ten Mile Creek and through wetlands both right and left, bordered by the ranch on the right. This is a good hole to play conservatively off the tee with a long iron or fairway wood, leaving a 150-yard approach shot. Don’t go long, though, unless you want to visit the creek. If you come up short here, you have a number of “Scottish” options, like many holes at Grand Elk. It may feel most comfortable to putt from well off the green here, or hit a low running chip shot to stop the ball close to the hole. Yards? Par?

2. # 16 – A long Par 3, up to 218 yards from the back tee, often into the breeze, makes this a challenging hole. Coming up short here and chipping on for your chance at par is a frequent option. The main objective off the tee is to find the short stuff.

3. # 17 – Be sure to take a moment to soak in the incredible views and beautiful design of the course’s signature hole, Par 5 and 539 yards. According to Ritter, it is one of the most peaceful places in Grand County. A gambler’s delight, #17 challenges you to “go for it” off the tee – over the largest lake on the course – and be rewarded with an iron into the green. If you can play a draw with your driver, now is the time to execute it and watch your ball sneak past the fairway bunkers and bound down the fairway towards the green. Finding the green in two, however, doesn’t guarantee anything; the wide green has often been compared to a rollercoaster. This is another hole where landing short and running the ball onto the green is often the best strategy, especially with the wind at your back. Yards? Par?

4. # 18 – Although the finishing hole is a long Par 4 (up to 474 yards from the back tees), the wide fairway encourages players to grip it and rip it off the tee. Check the GPS and subtract 20 yards on your approach shot. As long as you avoid the bunker on the left, your ball should run onto the green and might get you close to the pin. Four in One

During the 2008 season, Grand Links is offering the Grand 4-Pack. You’ll receive a round of golf with cart and practice balls at each of Grand County's four golf courses for $245 – a savings of $119. Packages with nearby hotels and restaurants, along with endless hiking, biking, fishing, and other outdoor activities, make for a convenient vacation for the entire family.

Four for fore Cooperative involving Grand County courses promotes valley golf
Tom Kensler Denver Post Sports Writer

   GRANBY - All for one and one for all could be a borrowed motto for a foursome of golf courses in Grand County. In a cooperative arrangement unique to Colorado for golf facilities under different ownership, Pole Creek Golf Club in Winter Park, Grand Elk Golf Club in Granby, SolVista Golf and Ski Ranch in Granby and Grand Lake Golf Course in Grand Lake have combined to form "Grand Links," a marketing strategy to promote Grand County as a golf destination.

   "We've got a long way to go, but it's pretty impressive that all four golf courses are working together," said Phillip Martin, director of golf at Grand Elk. "It's a struggle in our valley; we haven't been getting any more tourists. So instead of the four golf courses getting into a price war, we're working together to get more people to visit."

   Formed last year, Grand Links is on a shoestring budget of $10,000, with $5,000 provided by the Grand County Tourism Board and a combined $5,000 from the four golf courses.

   "I hope that budget increases because we can all help each other," said Brian Ryall, director of golf at SolVista. "It's like gas stations. If you put four gas stations at an intersection they'll do better than if they're standing alone."

   A cooperative marketing strategy has worked for golf destinations elsewhere. Notable success stories include "Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday" in South Carolina, and Reno-LakeTahoe's "Golf the High Sierra".Golf the High Sierra is a coalition of 19 courses and dozens of hotels.
"Together they do things in marketing that otherwise they couldn't do separately," said Phil Weidinger, whose firm handles public relations for Golf the High Sierra.
Pole Creek general manager Larry Burks is noticing more hits on Pole Creek's website are coming from the link on the Grand Links site.

But Burks said it is imperative that Grand Links create a central reservation system with a toll-free number. With one phone call, vacation planners calling Golf the High Sierra, for example, can make reservations for tee times, hotel rooms, casino shows and dinner.

"Everybody feels that if we all market this together, golfers who come to Grand County are going to want to play all four courses," Burks said.

   Ten hotels and lodges in Grand County are listed in the Grand Links brochure. More could come aboard. Large increases in funding from the golf courses could be a challenge because two of the four - Grand Lake and Pole Creek - are governed by public recreation districts.
"As soon as we get more lodge people involved, this could be a great thing," Burks said.

   As a golf destination, Grand County has some advantages. Three of its courses are within a 10-minute drive of each other, while Grand Lake is 25 minutes up the road. Weekend peak season greens fees at the Grand Links courses range from $65 at SolVista to $125 at Grand Elk, high prices but typically lower than rates at facilities in Summit County, the Vail Valley or Steamboat Springs.

   Grand Links courses are relatively close to the Front Range, although the switchbacks on U.S. 40 over Berthoud Pass increase travel time for Denver-area golfers.

"People like it here because when they get off Interstate 70 they're in a remote spot," SolVista's Ryall said. "But you have to get them to turn off I-70."

Martin conceded that Grand County is associated mostly with Winter Park skiing, Rocky Mountain National Park, hiking, boating, hunting and fishing. Golf has been well down the list as a recreational option for most visitors. Grand Lake Golf Course opened in 1964 and stood alone for two decades until Pole Creek's original 18 holes were opened in '84 (a third nine was added in '99). SolVista began play in 2001 with nine holes, and its back nine was added this year. Grand Elk, designed by Tripp Davis and touring pro Craig Stadler, debuted last August.

The four Grand Links courses offer a different golf experience. Grand Elk is a Scottish-style, meadows links course. Pole Creek includes some open valley holes weaving around wetlands and other holes with dramatic elevation changes. SolVista sits in its own valley and offers a secluded, desert-links feel. Grand Lake's narrow fairways were carved through an alpine forest.
"I know one thing, this is going to be a great case study for creating a market," Martin said.


	Press Fairway News - Arizona Golf & Travel - Read "Grand" Delight in Colorado by Wes Bolyard Mile High Sports Magazine Golf 2009 Digital Edition - Click Here Golf, With Altitude Pros Offer Tips on Most Scenic Holes in Grand County, Colo. – and How to Play Them About 67 miles west of Denver, up beyond 8,500 feet, you’ll find panoramic views of the Gore Range, pine forests, clean air, the bluest of skies…and four scenic, individual golf courses, all within a 15-minute drive. The four courses that make up Grand Links wind through Grand County, Colorado, between Winter Park on the south and Grand Lake, sitting on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, on the north. Framed by forests, streams, lakes, and mountains – very tall mountains – very few holes in the Grand Links are not scenic. But for a tour of the best of the best, the course’s pros and managers weigh in. Pole Creek Golf Club www.polecreekgolf.com , 800-511-5076 Zagat Survey of America’s Top Golf Courses named Pole Creek the “Best Golf Course in the Rocky Mountain Region.” Offering 27 holes to play (Ridge, Meadow, and Ranch Nines), the Denis Griffiths-designed course sports tree-lined fairways and open-valley holes. Picks for the most scenic, according to Larry Burks, general manager, are: 1. # 9 on the Ridge Nine – At an elevation of 8,570 feet, the hole sits at the highest point on the course. “It’s like sitting on top of the world,” says Burks. The view from the elevated tee box pans the Continental Divide, with James and Parry Peaks in full view. The hole is a relatively easy Par 5 if your tee shot is in the center of the fairway. If, however, you miss it to the right, you will be in the trees; if you miss it to the left, the rough rolls quickly down into the native grass and trees, making the second shot a challenge. From the center of the fairway, a second shot can easily reach the green when played slightly right, letting the ball roll from the hill beside the green. 2. # 4 on the Ridge Nine – With views of the Never Summer Mountain Range that are not seen from anywhere else on the course, perfectly manicured turf flows downhill into one of the course’s many ponds. Just beyond the water sits the menacing putting surface. The hole is a downhill, 439-yard, Par 4 slight dogleg left. A 260-yard tee shot that skirts the trees on the left will get you to position. A second shot, over a pond, takes you to a green that sits perpendicular to the fairway and slopes from back to front. 3. # 4 on the Meadow Nine – The 181-yard, Par 3 hole features views of the Continental Divide and the jagged peaks of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. From the white tee box, this seemingly easy Par 3 is all carry. Choose your club wisely, hope that the wind is at your back, and carry to the center of the green. It’s only 161 yards, but make sure to aim slightly below the hole if you want to have an uphill putt. If you miss it to the left, the downhill greenbank will take your ball into Pole Creek. 4. # 4 on the Ranch Nine – The 420-yard Par 4 looks west over the Just Ranch, a homestead from the 1800s. The teeing area starts out through a chute of trees to an open meadow, with views of Sheep and Blue Ridge Mountains into the prevailing wind. The second shot must carry over the tranquil lake to the green, while staying short of Pole Creek in back. Bunkers to the left and right eat up any errant shots. Grand Lake Golf Course www.grandlakegolf.com , 970-627-8936 Known as “The Crown Jewel of Mountain Courses,” thanks to David Nelson of the Rocky Mountain News, Grand Lake features lodgepole pines among narrow fairways. The course was designed by Dick Phelps. Bill Winfield, general manager of the Grand Lake Metropolitan Recreation District, offers his picks for the most scenic holes. 1. # 1 – The Par 5 hole looks directly toward the Never Summer Range. The contrast of the green fairway and treetops with the snow-capped mountain peaks is dramatic. (Snow is visible year-round, confirming the mountain range’s moniker.) With out-of-bounds on the right, a good drive followed by a shot that favors the right-hand side of the fairway will leave a good view to a small green. 2. # 3 – The view from this tee box is breathtaking, according to Winfield, with almost perfect 360-degree views of mountain peaks. The hole plays slightly downhill with greenside bunkers left and right. 3. # 14 – Another stunner, Baldy Peak sits in the foreground. Big hitters can challenge this hole, but the approach to this green is often misjudged. The large bunker on the right causes many to second-guess the yardage and come up short. 4. # 17 – A short dogleg right Par 4 may tempt you to cut off a little extra. But beware: This usually leads to problems. Be happy with a right-center tee shot of about 200 yards, leaving an approach to a green that has a difficult bunker on the right. The views from this tee box are worth the travel. Headwaters Golf Course www.granbyranch.com , 970-887-2709 Set amid the beauty and drama of the Fraser River Valley, Headwaters provides a beautiful and challenging round. Elevated tees offer dramatic views of mountains, wetlands, and lush alpine meadows. The Nicklaus Design course features 7,268 yards of groomed fairways that wind around strategically placed bunkers, lakes, and ponds. 1. # 7 – Hole 7 is a 597-yard downwind Par 5, playing the entire distance along the Fraser River. The hole will likely yield more pars and birdies than the sixth hole, says Kory Atkinson, PGA professional and general manager of Granby Ranch. The fairway is undulating and inviting, with a strategically placed bunker approximately 320 yards from the championship tee on the left. The small, slightly elevated green is guarded on the front right by a large deep bunker. The hole, which Atkinson claims is “in complete harmony with its natural surroundings,” will prove to be an equalizer between the long and accurate players. It is very demanding for those trying to reach the green in two shots, with challenging recoveries surrounding this elevated green. If you aren’t careful, a bogey is likely. 2. # 9 – The 421-yard Par 4 plays from the river back to toward Quarry Hill and the clubhouse. The hole is specially spectacular in the early evening, claims Atkinson. The fairway landing area is pinched between two gaping bunkers and is surrounded by native vegetation. The elevated green is large, with a false front surrounded by a large amphitheater hill and a significant drop off on the right side into a grassy low. 3. # 13 - Stop for a moment to take in the views on this tee box, the first panoramic vista on the upper part of the course. Never Summer Mountain Range is left of the fairway over Granby, while the Continental Divide sits to the left. The 388-yard Par 4 plays short, but demands accuracy and placement. Tee shots to the right will bounce off the slope back into the middle, but shots outside the fairway will be unplayable. The small green will also punish any shot missed long, left, or right. Club selection is crucial. 4. # 18 – From a spectacular elevated tee, the bunkers in the background of this 546-yard Par 5 offer a perfect target line…make sure to avoid reaching them. Long hitters can reach this green in two, but trouble lurks for a missed shot. You’ll find water to the left, right, and behind the green. The bunkers are set 70 yards in front of the green, making golfers think on lay-up shots. Conservative plays can leave a blind approach while the narrow area past the bunker can offer an easy pitch. Grand Elk www.grandelk.com , 970-887-9122 Every hole at the Craig Stadler-designed course provides excellent views of aspen-covered hills, native grasses and wetlands, and majestic peaks of the Continental Divide, says Mike Ritter, PGA head professional. Golfers often single out the stretch from Hole # 15 through 18: Bordered by a working ranch to the north and federal land to the west, the holes play along Ten Mile Creek and the largest lake on the course. Wildlife is abundant, with striking white pelicans making an appearance each spring. 1. # 15 – The Par 4 hole (410 yards from the back tees) plays along Ten Mile Creek and through wetlands both right and left, bordered by the ranch on the right. This is a good hole to play conservatively off the tee with a long iron or fairway wood, leaving a 150-yard approach shot. Don’t go long, though, unless you want to visit the creek. If you come up short here, you have a number of “Scottish” options, like many holes at Grand Elk. It may feel most comfortable to putt from well off the green here, or hit a low running chip shot to stop the ball close to the hole. Yards? Par? 2. # 16 – A long Par 3, up to 218 yards from the back tee, often into the breeze, makes this a challenging hole. Coming up short here and chipping on for your chance at par is a frequent option. The main objective off the tee is to find the short stuff. 3. # 17 – Be sure to take a moment to soak in the incredible views and beautiful design of the course’s signature hole, Par 5 and 539 yards. According to Ritter, it is one of the most peaceful places in Grand County. A gambler’s delight, #17 challenges you to “go for it” off the tee – over the largest lake on the course – and be rewarded with an iron into the green. If you can play a draw with your driver, now is the time to execute it and watch your ball sneak past the fairway bunkers and bound down the fairway towards the green. Finding the green in two, however, doesn’t guarantee anything; the wide green has often been compared to a rollercoaster. This is another hole where landing short and running the ball onto the green is often the best strategy, especially with the wind at your back. Yards? Par? 4. # 18 – Although the finishing hole is a long Par 4 (up to 474 yards from the back tees), the wide fairway encourages players to grip it and rip it off the tee. Check the GPS and subtract 20 yards on your approach shot. As long as you avoid the bunker on the left, your ball should run onto the green and might get you close to the pin. Four in One During the 2008 season, Grand Links is offering the Grand 4-Pack. You’ll receive a round of golf with cart and practice balls at each of Grand County's four golf courses for $245 – a savings of $119. Packages with nearby hotels and restaurants, along with endless hiking, biking, fishing, and other outdoor activities, make for a convenient vacation for the entire family. Four for fore Cooperative involving Grand County courses promotes valley golf Tom Kensler Denver Post Sports Writer GRANBY - All for one and one for all could be a borrowed motto for a foursome of golf courses in Grand County. In a cooperative arrangement unique to Colorado for golf facilities under different ownership, Pole Creek Golf Club in Winter Park, Grand Elk Golf Club in Granby, SolVista Golf and Ski Ranch in Granby and Grand Lake Golf Course in Grand Lake have combined to form "Grand Links," a marketing strategy to promote Grand County as a golf destination. "We've got a long way to go, but it's pretty impressive that all four golf courses are working together," said Phillip Martin, director of golf at Grand Elk. "It's a struggle in our valley; we haven't been getting any more tourists. So instead of the four golf courses getting into a price war, we're working together to get more people to visit." Formed last year, Grand Links is on a shoestring budget of $10,000, with $5,000 provided by the Grand County Tourism Board and a combined $5,000 from the four golf courses. "I hope that budget increases because we can all help each other," said Brian Ryall, director of golf at SolVista. "It's like gas stations. If you put four gas stations at an intersection they'll do better than if they're standing alone." A cooperative marketing strategy has worked for golf destinations elsewhere. Notable success stories include "Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday" in South Carolina, and Reno-LakeTahoe's "Golf the High Sierra".Golf the High Sierra is a coalition of 19 courses and dozens of hotels. "Together they do things in marketing that otherwise they couldn't do separately," said Phil Weidinger, whose firm handles public relations for Golf the High Sierra. Pole Creek general manager Larry Burks is noticing more hits on Pole Creek's website are coming from the link on the Grand Links site. But Burks said it is imperative that Grand Links create a central reservation system with a toll-free number. With one phone call, vacation planners calling Golf the High Sierra, for example, can make reservations for tee times, hotel rooms, casino shows and dinner. "Everybody feels that if we all market this together, golfers who come to Grand County are going to want to play all four courses," Burks said. Ten hotels and lodges in Grand County are listed in the Grand Links brochure. More could come aboard. Large increases in funding from the golf courses could be a challenge because two of the four - Grand Lake and Pole Creek - are governed by public recreation districts. "As soon as we get more lodge people involved, this could be a great thing," Burks said. As a golf destination, Grand County has some advantages. Three of its courses are within a 10-minute drive of each other, while Grand Lake is 25 minutes up the road. Weekend peak season greens fees at the Grand Links courses range from $65 at SolVista to $125 at Grand Elk, high prices but typically lower than rates at facilities in Summit County, the Vail Valley or Steamboat Springs. Grand Links courses are relatively close to the Front Range, although the switchbacks on U.S. 40 over Berthoud Pass increase travel time for Denver-area golfers. "People like it here because when they get off Interstate 70 they're in a remote spot," SolVista's Ryall said. "But you have to get them to turn off I-70." Martin conceded that Grand County is associated mostly with Winter Park skiing, Rocky Mountain National Park, hiking, boating, hunting and fishing. Golf has been well down the list as a recreational option for most visitors. Grand Lake Golf Course opened in 1964 and stood alone for two decades until Pole Creek's original 18 holes were opened in '84 (a third nine was added in '99). SolVista began play in 2001 with nine holes, and its back nine was added this year. Grand Elk, designed by Tripp Davis and touring pro Craig Stadler, debuted last August. The four Grand Links courses offer a different golf experience. Grand Elk is a Scottish-style, meadows links course. Pole Creek includes some open valley holes weaving around wetlands and other holes with dramatic elevation changes. SolVista sits in its own valley and offers a secluded, desert-links feel. Grand Lake's narrow fairways were carved through an alpine forest. "I know one thing, this is going to be a great case study for creating a market," Martin said.
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