The Rio Grande Club

The Rio Grande Club offers a unique opportunity for all member golfers. The course plays from 5800 to 7200 yards, depending on which of the 4 sets of tees you choose to play from. The course has been meticulously crafted on nearly 300 acres and is surrounded on 3 sides by state, BLM and National Forest lands.

You will play down to the Rio Grande River and then across to holes #4 and #5, then back across the river again to #6. From there the course winds it's way up to ancient rock palisades created during the last Ice Age.

All together there's 8 miles of paved cart path through towering ponderosa pines, aspens, and spruce (look out for the deer and elk). This creates much more than an ordinary round of golf.

The new clubhouse is 26,000 square feet. It features a restaurant, lounge, fitness center, pro shop, offices and membership facility. Outside there's a 4-season pool for adults and a separate heated pool for the kids. There's also ice skating, tennis courts and, if needed, a ski shuttle to Wolf Creek Ski Resort and back.

The course at the Rio Grande Club was designed by Ric Buckton. A primary spokesperson for the Club is Dow Finsterwald. For 28 years Dow was director of golf at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, succeeding Ed Dudley. He won 12 PGA Tour events, including the 1958 PGA Championship the first year it went to medal play. In 1957 he lost in the PGA finals to Lionel Hebert, the historic and lamented last year of match play. Dow won the Vardon Trophy (70.30 strokes average) in 1957, was the 1958 PGA Player of The Year, lost the 1962 Masters title to best friend Arnold Palmer and won the PGA Club Professional title in 1979. He made the Ryder Cup teams of 1957-59-61-63; captained the 1977 Ryder Cup Team; was a member of the PGA Tournament Committee 1957-59; PGA vice-president 1976-78; served on the USGA Rules of Golf Committee during 1979-81 and is a member of the Masters Tournament board, all of which underscore the respect with which he is held for his judgment and playing abilities.