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Jack Vickers had tried for more than
eleven years to obtain the rolling pine-clad land near
Castle Rock, Colorado. His dream?--a world-class golf
course hosting a major professional tournament. His
persistence was rewarded in the late seventies when
approval was given to purchase the 5,000 acre tract of
land about a half hour South and 1,000 feet above Denver.
The first thing Vickers did was secure Jack Nicklaus as
his architect. Within two years his vision--Castle Pines
Golf Club-- opened in 1981 to strongly favourable reviews.
It didn’t take long before Vickers realized the
other half of his dream. In 1986 Castle Pines was given a
spot on the PGA Tour hosting The International, a unique
tournament living up to its name, with a field of pros
from all over the world.
Castle Pines is the longest course on the PGA Tour. It
begins with the tour’s longest hole, a 644 yard par-five
that plays downhill. The hardest hole on the course is arguably the fifth hole going uphill the entire 477
yards with bunkers on both the drive and the approach.
The beautiful 10th hole at Castle Pines is downhill with
a lush fairway through deep stands of pine and oak--reminiscent
of the 10th at Augusta--with one major difference, it’s
more difficult.
Signature Hole Comments: Number 18 features menacing
bunkers, a Nicklaus signature feature.Castle Pines was
released in its' new LS version as part of Vol. 4 course
library. It is one of the hardest links courses and
therefore well worth playing.
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