Plum Creek - Colorado - USA

Typical Dye. A shotmaker's course. There's not much need for a ton of distance off the tee. Even if you stretch it all the way back, it is a reasonable course to play if you have 280 off the tee. Accuracy is far more important.

Where Plum will stress your game is on the approach shot. It is definitely a second shot golf course. Many of the par 5's are short, but have small, undulating greens. If they ramp up the speed to an 11, putts can really get away from you. There are some short par 4's that fit the same mold. The par 3's are surrounded with challenges around the greens, but are generally short and playable, although the 2nd hole can be a long par 3 from the tips.

This course has been abused for the past decade. It seems to be making a bit of a comeback. This is one of those courses that could use $3M of investment, and if conditioned well and with some changes made to the rough could really make this place a [email protected]

Giving it 3 1/2 because the layout is deserving of a 4, but the conditions a 3.

Plum Creek was on the verge of shutting down several years ago because of bankruptcy, and it was very clear to see how seeing the condition of the course back in 2012 or 2013. It's bounced back recently, however, which is relieving since it's got the history of Champions Tour golf, and exemplifies prototypical Pete Dye golf. The Par 3 12th, touched on in the bio, is the signature hole here with a downhill tee shot over a massive sandy area. The one issue with it, and the entire course, is that it's surrounded by a housing development taking away from a lot of the ambiance.

16-18 feature a signature brutal Pete Dye finish. Beginning with a long Par 4 with water all along the right and OB left, followed up by a short Par 3 over water with no margin for error anywhere, and finished up by an even longer Par 4 with water running right, you have to be on top of your game to leave the course without ballooning your score a few shots. Again though, the one downfall with these holes is the amount of houses surrounding them; eliminating the feeling of exclusivity throughout the round. There are still beautiful views across this course, but between the residences, and I-25 running parallel to a few holes on the front, the sound and close proximity of other Castle Rock features doesn't make Plum Creek seem like an escape from the rest of the world.