
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
favorable reviews. It didnt
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
tours longest hole, a 644 yard
par-five that plays downhill. The
hardest hole on the course is arguabley
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,
its more difficult.
Signature
Hole Comments: Number 18 features
menacing bunkers, a Nicklaus signature
feature.
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