Rodeo Dunes lies a few miles down a dirt road, which sets the tone of what’s to come. I live on a horse ranch, amongst a family of barrel racers and rodeo kids, and I’ve driven dirt roads more than most golfers. Pulling up to Rodeo Dunes felt less like arriving at a traditional golf destination and more like showing up at a rodeo. That feeling continues upon arriving – cowboy boots filled with golf balls at the makeshift driving range, a check-in trailer instead of a clubhouse, and coolers of water and snacks instead of a full restaurant or bar. None of it is polished in the usual sense, but it’s real. As Rodeo Dunes develops, I’m sure roads will be paved, buildings will replace trailers, restaurants, cottages, retail will appear. But I hope the feel doesn’t change – it’s unique to golf, and holds a special vibe.
Rodeo Dunes is vast. The dunes stretch out in every direction, and because there are almost no trees or structures, it’s extremely hard to judge distance. You’ll see massive sand formations that look miles away—and probably are. Most of Colorado golf I’m used to is pine trees, scrub oak, rock outcroppings, and wildlife like deer and elk. Here, it’s just sand. No trees. I’ve seen a bull snake, lizards, and heard stories of turtles. This isn’t the Colorado “Rocky Mountain State.”
The golf itself fits the land in a way that’s hard to describe without sounding cliché. The terrain is more rolling than dramatic mountains, which can be seen, still snow capped, in the far distance. This is very different from the steep, elevation-heavy courses around the Front Range where I usually play. A bad shot here doesn’t send you into the woods searching for a ball; it usually just drops you onto another part of a dune, still in play, still figuring things out. There’s a lot of variety, too, with back-to-back par 3s, a couple of reachable par 4s that create real risk-reward decisions for long hitters, and long par 4s with generally open fairways that still demand thought in terms of angles and positioning. Around the greens, some are simple and visible while others are tucked into dunes with blind shots and different options depending on where you end up off the tee.
But what I personally enjoy most is the feeling of being out there. The way the dunes roll and block sightlines means you often feel completely alone with your group and your caddies. You might catch a glimpse of another flag on a ridge or a group crossing in the distance, but for long stretches it feels isolated, in a good way, like the course disappears around you.
In a world where golf destinations are often defined by big clubhouses, practice facilities, and restaurants, Rodeo Dunes is the opposite. In its current form, it feels closer to backcountry skiing than Aspen – less about amenities, more about the land and the experience.
And for me, that’s exactly what makes it special. I love this place!