COURSE
REVIEWS
Buffalo Run: Commerce City’s Must-Play “Western” Golf Course
By Diana Rowe Martinez,
Regional Staff Writer
COMMERCE CITY, CO - "Buffalo Run will, in time, become recognized statewide as a bold and powerful golf course. Its inspiration... the vastness of the ground, commanding views to the west and its link to golf in the British Isles." Keith Foster, Course Architect
Mr. Foster’s prediction is right on the money. Commerce City’s Buffalo Run opened in 1996 to rave reviews. In 1997, Foster’s debut was named one of the best, new and affordable public courses, by Golf Digest. In 2001, CITYSEARCH [Denver] named Buffalo Run a TOP 10 public course (#10).
Architect Foster’s name might not be as well known as other architects, like Palmer or Hills, but he’s certainly fast gaining his own stellar reputation in the golfing community. Before going solo, Foster did his tenure with Arthur Hills and worked on Walking Stick and Legacy Ridge. Buffalo Run is Foster’s first solo run in Colorado. Other courses under his belt are The Quarry in San Antonio and Sun Ridge Canyon of Fountain Hills, AZ.
North of Commerce City near Denver International Airport territory,
Buffalo Run is a jaunt to get to and to find, especially with
all the construction going on throughout the city, but it is a
find well worth the hassle. Not only are the views spectacular
and open to the vast country of the northern metro area and sweeping
Rockies, but also the price is half what other courses might charge.
Kudos to the architect for his links style course design, perfect
for the flat land and surroundings.
Buffalo Run welcomes you with a western style theme beginning with the bronze statue of a buffalo in full gallop. This statue is a nostalgic reminder that these wide-open spaces used to be graced by the not-so-elegant stampeding herds of buffalo. The buffalo guards the bag drop circle and greets its golfers in the parking lot.
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The stampede to Buffalo Run includes many visitors as well as golfers that have chosen this as their home course. And why not? An 18-hole, link-style public course, at an unbeatable price, Buffalo Run offers up challenges unlike other Denver metro courses. Measuring 7,411 yards from the back tees and 5,277 from the forward tees, every skill level of golfer is accommodated. There isn’t one tree on this course, but water comes into play on five holes. Deep and wide sand bunkers come into play at every hole. If you find yourself in the latter, your golf game will definitely begin to enter the twilight zone.
The Pro Shop is definitely worth returning when your game is done. Rustic in style with dark wood and again high vaulted ceilings, the shop is filled with a wide range of shopping choices: clothing, shoes, belt, accessories and even clubs--a golfer’s delight.
The practice area is state-of-the art, especially for a public golfing facility, and the other perk is that it’s location is convenient to the first tee. The entire pace of a round at Buffalo Run is slow and easy, again fitting with the western theme. Their tee times are not scheduled so close together that you find yourself breathing down the neck of the golfers in front of you and fretting about the golfers behind.
When I asked (okay, begged) the rather young, but very helpful
staff for some course tips, the mutual consent was aim for the
150-yard marker, a tall striped post in the middle of each fairway.
Another suggestion was to make sure your approach shot to the
green landed on the side of the flag. Of course, my first thought
was that naturally that’s my intention, but…
Until I approached the first green, I had no idea how good that advice was. The greens on this course are long, deep, undulating and extremely challenging, and oftentimes hard to read, very much like the practice putting greens. If your approach shot to the green lands on the opposite side of the flag, your putt could end up being a frustrating 50 footer!
However, Buffalo Run gives all golfers many birdie and par opportunities, and these golfers will be the ones that play it safe. Hitting for the 150-yard marker, approach shots on the flag side of the green, and balls that stay on the fairway and out of the water, bunkers and/or native grass are the simple requirements. Risks can be taken here and will be rewarded, but these risks can just as often add several strokes to an otherwise good golf game.
A memorable, possible secondary signature hole is the fourth hole’s uphill 181-yard, par 3. A babbling brook winds the length of the hole through the middle of the fairway from the tee to the right side of the long green. The right side of the brook runs across several tiers and rocks cascading into mini-waterfalls. Deep, wide bunkers open up trouble on the right. With the wind in your back, a landing short will likely carry to the green. If you hit the bunker, beware, as the green is not as wide as it is long and it may carry to the creek that is otherwise not in play.
The consensus for the most memorable holes seems to be thirteen
and fourteen. Thirteen is another long par 3. At 260 yards from
the back tees, most golfers will choose their driver. Best advice
is playing it safe with a par-mindset. There is plenty of room
short and right--anything else is a risk.
My favorite hole was fourteen. This par 4 is only 342 yards, but your drive is a blind shot on a dogleg right fairway to an elevated green. The golfers ahead of you are just visible above the bunker hill. At the dogleg at about 200 yards from green, a bunker and a hill block a clear view of the green. A shot to these bunkers will spell disaster for this hole. Still, if you can drive the green, drive it. Once over these bunkers, it is pretty open. The green is small and tight. The forward tees have a decided advantage at only 214 yards, drivable for me and doable for most beginners. Those with shorter drives should hug the hill and keep away from the bunkers. This hole has definite birdie possibilities.
Buffalo Run’s finishing hole is a beauty and you have to play 4 hours to get to their true signature hole. Another blind shot over a hill requires your focus to be on the ever-present marker in the middle of the wide-open fairway. Once across the top, the fairway bends left at the lake beside the clubhouse to the bunker and water-protected wide green. This hole is a beauty and a tough finishing par 5.
Another heartening bonus to this course as compared to other metro
courses is that you’ll not see many houses. With golf courses
springing up in all directions, golf communities spring up right
beside them. Other courses may be environmentally sound, but the
houses that are lined up along the fairways and greens can sometimes
detract from the golf game, not even to mention raise the cost
of your golf game when slicers happen to find a window or two.
Not at Buffalo Run. As open as any course I’ve seen, this
is truly a journey and an exciting glimpse at what Colorado used
to look like before progress took over.
The day I played was a beautiful and sunny July day with only a slight, but very welcome breeze. Because of the openness of the course, I can only imagine how much the wind will affect your game on this course come fall or in the spring. Be sure to keep that in mind, depending on the time of year you choose to play.
Once your game is complete, the restaurant is topnotch with an open view of the course and an outdoor patio if you haven’t gotten enough of the Colorado sun. The patio skirts the left side of the 18th hole, so you can look back and congratulate yourself on a good game, or commiserate over a cold brew. The menu is not your typical choice of dried up hot dogs or club sandwiches, although these are also available for those diehard golfers. The restaurant menu is impressive and tasty, including a buffalo burger.
Some reviewers have suggested that this course is only for those
of intermediate skill or better, but I have to disagree. The forward
tees are perfect for beginners and seniors, presenting them the
full range of a golf game and a challenge that at times can be
frustrating but other times rewarding. The challenge holds true
for all levels of players with Buffalo Run’s risk/reward
opportunities, through extensive mounding, 65 strategically placed
bunkers, greenside lakes and streams.
Buffalo Run is a western golf experience that will last any golfer a lifetime.
Buffalo Run
15700 E. 112th Avenue
Commerce City, CO 80022
Telephone: (303) 289-1500
www.golfexperience.com/buffalorun
Head Golf Professional: Ted Parker
Architect: Keith Foster
Rating Slope:
Black 74.3/129
Gold 72.6/128
Blue 70.0/122
White: 68.3/117
Red: 68.8/117
Green fees:
Range from $16 to $25.
Residents can make tee times 5 days in advance; 3 days in advance
by non-residents.
Directions given by Buffalo Run: North on I-25 to I-76 and East on I-76 to 120th Ave. East about 1/2 mile to Chambers Road, turn right. Go 1 mile on Chambers to 112th Avenue, go 1/4 mile to course.
Diana’s alternative directions: With so much construction north at I-76 and 120th, I’d suggest driving north on I-25 and East on I-76, head left at the Highway 85 intersection to Brighton off of I-76. Turn right at the 104th Avenue stoplight, the first light. 104th will take you directly to Chambers Road, turn left on Chambers and voila, you are there with less construction hassle.
