If golf is a regular part of your week, the Denver area gives you a lot of ways to live near it. The metro has city-owned courses in established neighborhoods, private clubs with long histories, executive courses, and newer golf communities that run from the foothills out to Parker and Castle Rock.

The nearest fairway is only one factor in where to live. You may want a course you can play without a membership, a private club with an active social calendar, a home directly on the course, or a neighborhood with several courses a short drive away. Your commute, the elevation, the winter weather, the age and style of the homes and how close you are to restaurants and trails count for as much.

This page lists the major golf courses and country clubs in Denver and the surrounding suburbs, grouped by part of the metro, with links to my neighborhood guides for each area. I am building an individual page for each course over time. Those pages will cover the neighborhoods around the course, the types of homes nearby and what is currently for sale.

What to sort out before you choose an area

Courses here are spread across a large metro area with very different terrain. A course that looks close on the map can feel far away once you add traffic, winter weather and your regular commute. These are the questions I start with.

• Do you want public access or a private club? Denver operates several municipal courses, and the south metro and Douglas County have many of the region’s private clubs.
• Do you want to live on the course? Some courses sit inside established city neighborhoods. Others anchor master-planned communities where course-front lots are part of the design.
• Does membership matter to you? A home beside a private course does not come with membership. Availability, initiation fees and waitlists change, so confirm them directly with the club.
• What kind of home do you want? The range runs from historic central Denver houses and mid-century neighborhoods to townhomes, custom homes and newer suburban construction.
• What else needs to be close? Think about work, schools, trails, restaurants, medical care, the airport and your route to the mountains.
• Are you comfortable with course-lot tradeoffs? Views and open space are real benefits. Ball strikes, cart-path traffic, mowing noise, irrigation and HOA rules are real costs.

Golf courses within the City and County of Denver

Denver’s municipal courses are spread across the city, and most sit in established neighborhoods rather than gated golf communities. You can live within a few minutes of a course here without buying into a club.

Denver municipal courses

City Park Golf Course

City Park is a few minutes from downtown, with skyline and mountain views from the course. Nearby homes range from historic Denver squares to condos and newer infill in City Park, Whittier, Cole and Skyland.

Willis Case Golf Course

Willis Case is in northwest Denver near Berkeley and Regis. Tennyson Street and several parks are close by, and the northwest side of the metro is easy to reach from here.

Overland Park Golf Course

Overland Park runs along the South Platte River and is close to central Denver, Platt Park, Ruby Hill and the Broadway corridor. The surrounding blocks include older single-family homes, renovated houses, townhomes and newer infill. See my guide to the Overland neighborhood too.

Wellshire Golf Course

Wellshire is ringed by established southeast Denver neighborhoods. You will find ranch homes, remodeled mid-century houses and larger custom homes in and around Wellshire, Southern Hills, University Park and University Hills.

Kennedy Golf Course

Kennedy has multiple golf options in southeast Denver and is close to Hampden, Interstate 225 and the Denver Tech Center. Nearby neighborhoods include Hampden, Hampden South and the streets along the Denver-Aurora boundary.

Harvard Gulch Golf Course

Harvard Gulch is a compact par-3 course that suits newer golfers, short-game practice and a quick round. It is near Platt Park, Rosedale, University and the South Broadway corridor.

Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

Green Valley Ranch is a different setting from Denver’s older urban courses. It is in northeast Denver near Denver International Airport, in a newer residential area of single-family homes and townhomes. My Green Valley Ranch guide covers the neighborhood.

Private country clubs in Denver

• Denver Country Club (private, central Denver, next to the Country Club neighborhood)
• Pinehurst Country Club (private, southwest Denver, surrounded by the Pinehurst neighborhood)
• Cherry Creek Country Club (private, gated community in southeast Denver with patio homes, townhomes and custom residences)

West metro golf courses: Lakewood, Golden, Arvada and the foothills

The west side of the metro puts you close to foothills trails and open space while staying near Denver. Housing runs from established Lakewood and Arvada neighborhoods to foothills properties and larger custom homes.

Lakewood and Golden

• Fox Hollow Golf Course (public, 27 holes, Lakewood)
• Homestead Golf Course (public, shorter championship-style layout, Lakewood)
• Lakewood Country Club (private, near central Lakewood and the Lakewood Country Club neighborhood)
• Bear Creek Golf Club (private, Lakewood)
• Applewood Golf Course (public, serving the Applewood and Golden area)
• Fossil Trace Golf Club (public, close to downtown Golden and the foothills)
• Rolling Hills Country Club (private, Golden)

Arvada

• West Woods Golf Club (public, 27 holes, surrounded by northwest Arvada neighborhoods)
• Indian Tree Golf Club (public, central Arvada, with regulation and shorter-play options)

Evergreen

• Evergreen Golf Course (public mountain course, owned by the City of Denver but located in Evergreen)
• Hiwan Golf Club (private, serving Evergreen and the foothills community)

For homes in this part of the metro, see my guides to Lakewood, Golden, Arvada and Evergreen.

Northwest and north metro golf courses

Westminster, Broomfield, Thornton and Brighton mix mature neighborhoods with newer communities, and they have fairly direct routes to both Denver and Boulder. The terrain opens up as you head north and northeast.

Westminster and Broomfield

• Legacy Ridge Golf Course (public, within a residential golf community)
• Walnut Creek Golf Preserve (public, open natural setting)
• Hyland Hills golf courses (public complex with regulation, nine-hole and par-3 options)
• The Broadlands Golf Course (public, surrounded by a large Broomfield residential community)
• Eagle Trace Golf Club (public, Broomfield)
• Omni Interlocken Golf Club (public resort golf, 27 holes, close to the US 36 corridor)
• The Ranch Country Club (private, Westminster)

Thornton, Brighton and Commerce City

• Thorncreek Golf Course (public, Thornton)
• Todd Creek Golf Club (club and residential golf community, north Thornton)
• Riverdale Dunes Golf Course (public, near Brighton)
• Riverdale Knolls Golf Course (public, near Brighton)
• Buffalo Run Golf Course (public, Commerce City)
• Coyote Creek Golf Course (public, Fort Lupton, at the northern edge of the greater metro area)

My guides to Westminster, Broomfield, Thornton, Brighton and Commerce City cover homes and neighborhoods in this part of the metro.

Aurora and east metro golf courses

Aurora has one of the largest collections of public golf courses in the metro. You can choose established neighborhoods closer to Denver or newer communities farther southeast, where the course is a defining feature of the neighborhood.

Public and daily-fee courses

• Aurora Hills Golf Course
• Meadow Hills Golf Course
• Murphy Creek Golf Course
• Saddle Rock Golf Course
• Springhill Golf Course (executive length)
• CommonGround Golf Course
• Heather Gardens Golf Course (executive course serving the Heather Gardens area)
• Heather Ridge Golf Course
• Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club (golf club and residential community)

Private clubs

• Blackstone Country Club (private club and golf community in southeast Aurora)

Valley Country Club sits on the Aurora and Centennial line, so it is listed in the south metro section below. For homes in this part of the metro, see my Aurora guide.

South metro golf courses: Englewood, Littleton, Centennial and Greenwood Village

The south metro has public courses and a cluster of private clubs, several of them in Cherry Hills Village and Columbine Valley. If you work in the Denver Tech Center or want established southeast suburban neighborhoods, this is a logical area to compare.

Public and resort-access courses

• Broken Tee Golf Course (public, Englewood, with regulation and par-3 play)
• Littleton Golf and Tennis Club (public, executive length)
• South Suburban Golf Course (public, with regulation and par-3 options)
• Family Sports Golf Course (public nine-hole executive course, Centennial)
• The Links Golf Course (public, Highlands Ranch area)
• Highlands Ranch Golf Club (public and daily-fee, surrounded by residential neighborhoods)
• Lone Tree Golf Club & Hotel (public course and hotel, Lone Tree)
• The Club at Inverness (hotel and golf club near the Denver Tech Center)

Private country clubs

• Cherry Hills Country Club (historic private club in Cherry Hills Village)
• Columbine Country Club (private, Columbine Valley)
• Glenmoor Country Club (private, Cherry Hills Village and Centennial area)
• Meridian Golf Club (private, near Lone Tree and the Denver Tech Center)
• Valley Country Club (private, convenient to Centennial and southeast Aurora)

My guides for this area include Englewood, Littleton, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, the Denver Tech Center, Cherry Hills Village and Columbine Valley.

Parker, Castle Rock and Douglas County golf communities

Douglas County has many of the metro’s residential golf communities, from approachable suburban neighborhoods to gated enclaves and large custom properties. You will find newer construction, more space and neighborhoods organized around club amenities.

Parker

• Black Bear Golf Club (private club and golf community, Parker)
• Colorado Golf Club (private club and residential community)
• The Pinery Country Club (private, serving The Pinery community)
• The Club at Pradera (private club and golf community)

Castle Rock and Castle Pines

• Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course (public, Castle Rock)
• Plum Creek Golf Club (public course in an established residential area, Castle Rock)
• The Ridge at Castle Pines North (public and daily-fee, surrounded by Castle Pines neighborhoods)
• Castle Pines Golf Club (private, nationally known, surrounded by luxury homes)
• The Country Club at Castle Pines (a separate private club and residential community)

Larkspur and Perry Park

• The Golf Club at Bear Dance (public, wooded foothills setting)
• Perry Park Country Club (private, surrounded by the Perry Park community)

See my guides to Parker, Castle Rock, Castle Pines and Lone Tree for homes and neighborhoods in this part of the metro.

Boulder County and the northwest corridor

Boulder County is technically its own metropolitan area, but many people relocating to greater Denver compare it with the northwest suburbs. It is worth including if you work along the US 36 corridor or want to be close to Boulder.

• Flatirons Golf Course (public, Boulder)
• Boulder Country Club (private, Boulder)
• Coal Creek Golf Course (public, Louisville)
• Indian Peaks Golf Course (public, Lafayette)
• Colorado National Golf Club (public, Erie)
• Lake Valley Golf Club (Niwot)
• Ute Creek Golf Course (public, Longmont)
• Twin Peaks Golf Course (public, Longmont)
• Sunset Golf Course (public nine-hole course, Longmont)

My guides to Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Longmont and Superior cover this corridor.

Which part of the Denver area fits what you want

No single area is right for every golfer. What you want outside the course matters as much as the course itself, so here is how the metro breaks down.

• If you want city living, look at City Park, Willis Case, Overland Park and Wellshire, which all sit in established Denver neighborhoods.
• If you want foothills access, explore Lakewood, Golden, Arvada and Evergreen.
• If you want a large selection of public courses, look closely at Aurora and Denver’s municipal system.
• If you want private clubs and club-based communities, compare Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Parker, Castle Pines and Pradera.
• If you want newer suburban construction, consider northeast Denver, southeast Aurora, Parker, Castle Rock, Erie and parts of Broomfield.
• If airport access matters, Green Valley Ranch, northeast Aurora and Commerce City sit closer to Denver International Airport, depending on the exact address.

Buying a home on or near a golf course

Course-front living can give you views and a sense of openness, but two homes in the same community can have very different experiences. Before I would tell you to buy one, I check:

• Where the home sits relative to tees, greens, landing areas and cart paths
• How likely golf-ball strikes are, and whether protective netting already exists
• Privacy during the playing season
• Early-morning maintenance activity
• Course lighting, events and clubhouse traffic
• HOA restrictions and maintenance obligations
• Whether club membership is optional, required or completely separate from owning the home
• Initiation fees, dues, assessments and current membership availability
• Irrigation areas, drainage and landscaping conditions
• The future ownership and stability of the course
• Resale patterns for course-facing homes compared with the surrounding neighborhood

Course views can be valuable, but weigh them against the specific lot, its orientation, the condition of the house and the wider neighborhood market. There is no metro-wide premium that applies to every course property, so I would want comparable sales for the street you are considering, not an average.

Course operations, public access and membership policies change. Confirm them with each course or club before you plan around them. Owning a home near a private course does not include membership in that club.

Marla Doughty
Broker Associate, Compass
720.454.5432 · marla.doughty@compass.com · calendly.com/marlamdoughty