Cherry Hills

Cherry Hills is located close to the “Mile High” city of Denver and Cherry Hills Village is one of the most sought after locations in Colorado. So it’s fitting that Cherry Hills Country Club is one of the best courses in the Centennial State.

A few of the older generation of readers may remember Arnold Palmer driving the 355-yard par four 1st on his way to victory in the 1960 U.S. Open – this was to be the King's only U.S. Open title. The club has hosted the U.S. Open on three occasions, most recently in 1978. Wisconsin-born Andy North won the 1978 title here and subsequently went on to win his second U.S. Open in 1985 at Oakland Hills.

William Flynn originally designed the layout in 1922 and if you do get the chance to play this famous course your driving distances will flatter to deceive. Denver is not called the Mile High city for nothing and Cherry Hills is certainly golf with altitude.

There are too many fine holes to mention them all, but we will touch on the par five 18th, which is named after President Eisenhower, a long standing Cherry Hills member. A lake on the left focuses the mind on this tempting closing hole and it’s certainly one of the finest finishing holes in golf.

Tom Doak’s Renaissance Golf Design Inc. completed an eight-month, $7.6 million renovation project in May 2009, which included the rebuilding of some green complexes, the installation of new tee boxes, bunkers and a new irrigation system.

The upgraded 7,442-yard Cherry Hills provided a fitting test for the world’s best amateurs when the club hosted the 2012 U.S. Amateur Championship, won by American Steven Fox. Two years later, the club staged the BMW Championship (formerly known as the Western Open), which Billy Horschel won by two shots from Bubba Watson.