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The Rio Grande Club

South Fork, Colorado

The Rio Grande Club, South Fork, Colorado
The Clubhouse at the Rio Grande Club
Rio Grande Club

This is one of Colorado's newest semi-private 18-hole championship golf courses, a true mountain golf course alongside the legendary Rio Grande. Add to this Colorado's largest National Forest and Wolf Creek Ski Resort a short drive up the pass to the west and you begin to see why the Rio Grande Club in South Fork is like no other place on earth.

Course & Slope Ratings and Total Yards:

  • Blue - 72.1 - 133 - 7155 yards
  • White - 69.4 - 125 - 6609 yards
  • Gold - 67.1 - 117 - 5978 yards
  • Red - 69.7 - 127 - 5409 yards

USGA rules will apply. Par 72 for 18 holes.

  • Please be cognizant of your speed of play.
  • Our pace of play is 4 hours and 15 minutes.
  • Please respect the condition of our course.
  • Repair divots - Rake bunkers - Repair ball marks.
  • Please respect private property.
  • Wetlands and Natural Habitat areas are integral sections of the course - please respect and avoid contact.
  • Spikeless golf shoes required.
  • In the event of threatening weather, shelters are located by the 7-13-17 tees and, of course, the clubhouse.
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 Rio Grande Club, South Fork, Colorado

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.

The Rio Grande Club, South Fork, Colorado
#17 green, by Cliffside
Rio Grande Club
Green on #1
Rio Grande Club
The back 9 head up that way
Rio Grande Club
At the tee boxes on #11
Rio Grande Club
#11 from above
Rio Grande Club
The green on #13, looking back toward the clubhouse
Rio Grande Club
#16 and #10 greens, looking toward the clubhouse
Rio Grande Club
Outside lounge area at the clubhouse, South Fork in the background
Rio Grande Club
Swimming pool at the clubhouse
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Links map courtesy of the Rio Grande Club.
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