Golf has often been described as a lovely walk spoiled by a little white ball ? and that's by the sport's ardent fans.
But the old joke notwithstanding, golf also offers a delightful mix of challenges and pleasures, not to mention exercise and scenic beauty, to participants. One of the lures of golf is that even terrible players will usually get off one admirable shot during a round, and, as anyone who has ever played the game will tell you, that's enough to keep you coming back for more.
Colorado seems to be enjoying a new boost in national prestige as a golf destination.
The Solheim Cup will be played at the Colorado Golf Club in Parker on Aug. 13-18, with the first day of competition Aug. 16. The event pits a team of United States golfers from the Ladies Professional Golf Association against a European team.
Launched in 2007, the Colorado Golf Club has drawn national praise for its beauty, which takes in Front Range views on a pine-studded course. In 2011 it hosted the Senior PGA championship, which saw crowds thronged around its massive stone-and-timber clubhouse.
While Colorado hasn't become a golf mecca quite in the way that California or the Carolinas are, it offers terrific courses, some with long histories of major tournaments.
Cherry Hills Country Club hosted the U.S. Open in 1938, 1960 and 1978, and the PGA Championship in 1941 and 1985. The BMW Championship will arrive in 2014.
The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs hosted the U.S. Women's Open in 1995 and 2011, the U.S. Senior Open in 2008, and U.S. Amateur Championships in 1959 and 1967.
Golf's status in the state is shown in these numbers:
Colorado has 239 golf courses generating nearly 11,000 jobs, according to ProCon.org, a California firm that assembles data on related issues. In 2012, they created $560 million in direct economic output.
So what is the appeal of golf in the Centennial State?
For starters, there is the scenic beauty. Sure, you can enjoy ocean views at South Carolina golf destinations such as Hilton Head and Kiawah Island. Ditto for Pebble Beach in California.
But there is something special about playing 18 holes with a Rocky Mountain backdrop, especially when it's a snowcapped peak and you're in a short-sleeved shirt.
Beyond that ? and tournament directors love this ? there is the reliable weather. The state enjoys 300-plus sunny days a year, and temperatures in non-snowy months tend to be in a friendly zone on the thermometer, unlike, say, Arizona, where a noon tee-time in the summer can be a death sentence.
You even get wildlife sightings. It seems like several times a year, there will be photographs or videos of some critter wandering onto the course: deer, elk, even bruins.
One other reason for the surge in major golf events: Colorado's golf courses are trying harder to land them.
"We had been thinking about this event from the time the club opened," said Tom Ferrell, the Colorado Golf Club's marketing director. "One of our original developers was a teaching pro who had worked extensively with a number of LPGA players, so we were familiar with the event and knew that it would be a great one to bring to the Colorado fan base."
The club's final pitch to the LPGA came in May 2009s.
It's the first Solheim Cup west of the Mississippi River.
"The golf course is absolutely stunning in terms of physical beauty, and is somewhat unique in Colorado with its foothills setting."
The Colorado Golf Club is part of a general push by local clubs to elevate their profile.
"I think the reason there are more major tournaments being held in the state is that we are actively seeking them through the USGA, LPGA and other associations," said Russ Miller of the Broadmoor. "Back in 2000, we made it one of our priorities to host more USGA championships. At that point, we began the dialogue with the executives and decision-makers of the USGA and were able to acquire both the 2008 U.S. Senior Open and the 2011 U.S. Women's Open."
Miller added that he felt championships return because of the "tremendous support" from the community, not just in ticket sales but in volunteer support and corporate hospitality.
And success breeds success, notes Neal Reid, who is handling public relations for the Solheim Cup.
"Having these legends come through here really helps put these courses on the map," Reid says. "I also think the players really enjoy golfing at altitude. The ball travels more, and the scenery is great. And the crowd support is fantastic.
"There are a lot of components to putting together a successful tournament, and Colorado offers the full package," he said. "These courses have everything on a tournament organizer's checklist."
While the Colorado Golf Club, which hosts the Solheim Cup, is an invitation-only private operation, other top courses in the state are open to the general public, although there are sometimes caveats.
The Broadmoor, for instance, is a membership club, but non-members who are willing to book a stay in the resort hotel can get tee times at one of its three courses.
William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp
SOME TOP PUBLIC COURSES IN COLORADO?
Feel like being more than a tournament spectator and actually playing a round of golf? Many top-flight courses are membership only, which means you must be a member of an invited guest. but there are plenty of public courses that make for a lovely walk with that little white ball. among them:
City Park Golf Course ? a deceptively challenging 18-hole course with beautiful views of the downtown skyline and rocky mountains. 2500 york st., 720-865-3410
Evergreen Golf Course ? This 18-hole course features many hillside lies and forested areas, which demand smart play. 29614 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. 720-865-3430
Wellshire Golf Course ? Regulation 18-hole course designed by Donald Ross in 1926, it's long been considered one of the nation's best public courses. 3333 S. Colorado Blvd., 303-757-1353
Willis Case Golf Course ? Just seven minutes northwest of downtown Denver, you get panoramic views in a layout that runs through mature stands of trees. This course can play tricky with its well-bunkered holes. 4999 Vrain Stree, 720-865-0700
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