I took a different route back to Dallas and cut through Utah to the I-70. The drive was scenic (compared to the I-80) and part of my reason for picking this route was the abundance of golf courses along the interstate in Colorado. 

The timing worked best at Lakota Canyon Ranch because the afternoon tee sheet had plenty of openings (a big plus when traveling). I figured I’d be able to get around quickly, and I did. I played in 3.5 hours, although it could have been quicker if a group would have let me through on the back nine. It wasn’t a bad place to wait on some shots though because of the stunning scenery.

As the name indicates, the course is located in one of the area’s many canyons. The front nine plays up into one of the canyon walls while the back nine heads down into the valley. Both nines feature dramatic elevation changes, especially from the black tees. Even if you don’t play from the black tees (a handful I’ll add) I’d suggest taking your camera up to a couple of those tee boxes!

Lakota Canyon Ranch is designed by Jim Engh and that was another reason for me stopping to play here. I got a taste of Engh’s work when I played Fossil Trace Golf Club (outside Denver) and loved it! Engh’s courses seem to be a bit like Mike Strantz’s courses in the fact that people either seem to love them or hate them. I’m sure you know where I stand for both architects (love).

Lakota Canyon Ranch is a wild ride, both for the shots it requires and for the cart ride! The front nine begins by climbing the hill and then it is mostly downhill holes until you get to the 14th, where you start the uphill climb back to the clubhouse. The front nine was my favorite because it is more secluded and the community isn’t/hasn’t been built up in that area.

There could be quite a few signature holes at Lakota Canyon Ranch. If forced to pick them I’d go with the 8th, 9th and 17th. The 8th is a 398 yard par-4 that plays massively downhill. I’m not a longer hitter but I hit 4-iron then 8-iron pin high.

The 9th and 17th are pretty downhill par-3’s. The 9th has trouble to the right and features a small green, which was tough to hit from 205 yards. The 17th is 198 yards but played at least two clubs less. The green slopes back to front and has a small elevated tongue at the rear of the green.

Against my better judgment I opted to play the black tees, which are 73.0/154/7111. No way around it, Lakota Canyon Ranch is tough! In typical Engh style the course has fairways and greens that sit in bowls. I thought the course was playable off the tee but super tricky on the approaches. If you hit the bowls around the greens you can get close, but if not then you’ll find trouble or have impossible downhill chip shots. 

Unfortunately, the conditions at Lakota Canyon Ranch were disappointing. From what the proshop told me new owners took over a couple weeks ago and it looks like improvements are happening. The course’s fairways and rough had large dirt patches (other spots were lush), the bunkers are in need of a refresh, some back tee boxes were overgrown and things had an overall unkempt look. The greens rolled well with some speed.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Lakota Canyon Ranch is a clever design in a beautiful area. The only flaw I see is that the yardages for the five par-3’s didn’t vary much. As things stand at this moment though, it is hard to encourage you to play here (even for $70) until the new owners get the course into better shape.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):