What is it like playing in a 27-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus? You wouldnt know unless you have played at the Breckenridge Golf Club in Summit County. The championship course started in 1985 with 18 holes. After it proved to be successful, the town decided to add nine holes, still designed by Jack Nicklaus. The new 9-hole course is called The Elks Nine and its players enjoy the highest part of the Breckenridge Golf Club as well as a very good view of the magnificent mountains and the elks.

The Praise

The praises that Breckenridge Golf Club gets from many golfers are made formal by the recognitions it gets from the likes of Colorado Golfer which named the Nicklaus-designed course both the Best Mountain Course and the Toughest Mountain Course. Another confirmation came from Golf Digest which gave it 4-1/2 stars in its Places to Play guide while naming it among the nations top Upscale Places to Play.

The Courses Distinct Features

The High-Altitude Game

What reasons give this course its edge other than its Jack Nicklaus design? There is always a stamp of superiority in Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses. But the Breckenridge Golf Club offers more than the prestige of its designer, such as playing at almost 10,000 feet over the sea level. At that elevation, lower pull of gravity and lower air resistance propel your ball higher and with more accuracy to the target spot than when you are at lower elevations. Golfers know what those conditions do to their scores.

Great Golf Weather

Temperatures at higher elevations are much cooler compared to those at lower elevations. Golfers love cool temperatures because they dont sweat that much even if they stay long in the courses, walking from one hole to another hole. If its summer, the temperature is leaning towards the 70s range, sometimes 80 degrees but it seldom happens. During spring and fall, have your jacket on and you can stay in the golf course for hours.

Demanding Terrain

Even the experts find the course a challenge (Since Jack Nicklaus is the designer, what do you expect?). There are four teeing points. Pick your course according to your level of skills- from the Easiest which include less obstacles to the Experts terrain which include more obstacles and difficult terrains.

The Vista

If you are at the greens in Breckenridge, it is most likely that you have the double enjoyment of your game plus the wonderful, wide backdrop. Furthermore, if you happen to be facing Bear Nine, youre looking at historic land, the former site of the gold miners tent city in Breckenridge. The golf course is maybe one of the best vantage points to have the best view of the dazzling beauty all around, particularly the Ten-Mile Range, the wetlands and the Breckenridge Ski Resort. If it is of interest to you, Beaver Nine has some of the rock piles that are remainders of what the former miners did not bring with them. You may see that beaver ponds are adding to the problems in some holes. However, dont let that get at you. Buffalo Mountain is so magnificent that in no time, you are not blaming the beavers anymore. As a final point the best view of Breckenridges Ten-Mile Range can be seen at the Elk Nine golf course. Even the greenery and the lake that add to the level of difficulty of the course also provide spectacular scenery to the golfers. With the beauty of nature easing the frustration of playing in a tough course, Breckenridge is truly a joy to many golfers.

Such extraordinary effects make Breckenridge a joy to any golfer. If you choose to stay in a Breckenridge condo or in a vacation home that are just short distances from the golf course, you wont be taking much time away from golf. A widely recognized golf course, combined with golf weather and magnificent scenery-where else can you find a better place?

Having lived in the charming mountain town since she was four years old, Monique Mertrandes gives advice on how to get the most out of a stay in Breckenridge. Learn more about what to do in Breckenridge Colorado from other locals like Monique.