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In Memory: The Best Extinct Courses

CHU Denver

first course i ever played got a birdie on hole 12 and saw my buddy make a birdie through the hole in the willow tree
the course had multi pads and placements
including a 700-900 foot down hill hole
they added lower bonus holes that were so secluded and fun
it was a gem in the city of denver area
 
TheOtherBill said:
Bailey, Colorado is closed - pretty sudden notice. The local school district sold the land and as of today "No Trespassing" signs are posted per this link.
Click to expand...

Well that stinks. I loved playing Bailey, and can still vividly picture certain holes 4+ years later.
 
I'm kicking myself for running late and skipping Bailey on my Denver trip years ago. I took too long at Bucksnort (but worth it), stopped to actually sit down to eat afterward instead of from a drive-thru, and then played Bear Mountain instead on my way back to the hotel.
Local advice suggested if I had to play one, it should be Bucksnort and now it turns out that'll be the only one of the two I ever play. :(
 
Well that sucks. I was planning on finally playing that one this year.
 
Really sorry to see it go, great course. Bailey is the one course I thought I might die on.

I had played Bucksnort that morning, and by the time I got to Bailey the thunderstorms were moving in. I got through about half the the course and the rain and lightning started up, so I made a beeline to my car to wait it out. After about an hour, the rain let up some but there was still lightning around. I wanted to mark it fully played so I went back up the hill and finished my round, mostly at a run, with bolts of lightning raining down, lol.

I'm still here but sheesh, what some of us will do...
 
^^ did nearly the same thing at Beaver Ranch


any news on to who they sold the land? seems like the course might yet survive depending on who takes over. given that it was an outdoor rec area, it could be another city entity.


Bailey is my favorite course i have played in Colorado. i hope it works out
 
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dreadlock86 said:
^^ did nearly the same thing at Beaver Ranch


any news on to who they sold the land? seems like the course might yet survive depending on who takes over. given that it was an outdoor rec area, it could be another city entity.


Bailey is my favorite course i have played in Colorado. i hope it works out
Click to expand...

Bailey is my favorite as well. Beaver Ranch gets all the love, and rightfully so, but there was something a bit more rugged, a bit wild at Bailey, that I prefer. Less people too.

I haven't played it since 2013 but was hoping to get back out that way again soon and see how it had changed over the past decade. I hope it can survive in some capacity through the ownership change.
 
I loved the Bailey course when I played it in 2019. (I had played Beaver Ranch and Camenisch on previous work trips so had some experience throwing in CO, although it was early spring and snow on the ground (and this sentence is probably unnecessary)).

Anyway first course in CO on this roadtrip is Bailey after driving from Emporia which was the previous nights stop. Hike up to the majestic hole 1 teepad and throw a BH Wraith, immediate dump out left. Try another Wraith, same result. Huh this elevation thing must be real? Proceeded to get to know my most beat ass Surge SS again as well as the other super flippy discs I had the foresight to bring along. And by foresight I know I only have so many forehands in the tank before I have to go anny BH.

Have fond memories of that beautiful course and here's hoping some iteration can continue. That stretch of courses along the 285 road is among my favorites I've played.
 
It's great that Bailey got to be showcased on tour before closing. It really was something special. There are great courses in the area, but non were quite as awesome of tournament courses. Most the private ones are spectacular for a weekend afternoon with the boys. Beaver Gold is pretty awesome, but does not offer as complete of a challenge and is known for being a little more flukey. Glen Isle is a newer one up there, and could be a great tourney layout, but still lacks some open bomber type challenge that Bailey holes 1, 4 and 5 really showcased. Being pin deep on 4 was always a good sign that you were throwing well that day. Hole 5 being able to throw a slow approach disc on your second at the short pin was always a sign you crushed one... Then we go and watch AB throw about pin deep on the short pin to almost have a look at the long... Good memories.
 
It seems that it doesn't really matter private or public course, time has a way of changing this game, leaving only memories. With that said, some of my fondest memories of courses of yesteryear in no particular order.
Circle R in Wimberley TX, both the Meadow and the Hill, and I guess you could throw in the Back 50 where I threw an ace on hole 4 I think.
Circle R2 in San Saba TX, all three courses were great courses. Strawbale and Meandering Greenbelt were awesome, but I really enjoyed the Colorado River course.
Selah Ranch in Talco, Tx, another John Houck gem, and both Creekside and Lakeside were great courses.
Horseshoe Canyon in Jasper, AR, such a beautiful course.
I'll throw Copper Mountain on here because I've heard they no longer put it in during the off-season. The sites alone made this a must play.
Skyline (Lake Highlands) in Dallas, TX, was fun and holds a place as it was my first and I hit my first two aces there.
Same with Bear Creek in Grapevine, TX, not sure how many aces I hit there but it was a fun course as well.
Pease Park in Austin, TX, so many great views and always a must play while in Austin.
Round Top, TX, was a private course and Randon was always welcoming.
And I almost forgot Mike's place up in Gainesville, TX, another private course where I had a couple aces, both for money during invite tourneys.
It makes me want to take another trip to Trey Duece in Mount Vernon, TX, as that property has two John Houck courses, the Duece and Twist are both great courses. You can still play them but who knows for how long as the property is on the market.
And according to Steve, Shawshank in Huntsville may not be far behind, and that course is a great course as well.
There is probably more than the fourteen mentioned so just remember, when you get the chance to play a really good course, enjoy it because you just never know.
 
My regulars and I are down for Trey Duece on one of these nice Texas winter days. HMU if you find a good weekend day for it and I'll see if we can get out there, maybe drag a few others out for a mini-DGCR g'bye to the place.
 
With spring coming I'm reminded sadly that New Hampshire's Storr's Pond won't be reopening as this winter thaws. One of the best courses in an Upper Valley that has far to few courses for how great the landscape is here. The brutal front nine playing up and down and across ski slopes, with some of the most brutal free kicks possible, settles into a beautiful woodsy back nine across ravines that drain into the titular pond. Beautiful greens strewn with pine needles…great camping nearby for visitors. I'll miss trying to cut the corner on hole 3 and kicking way downhill and the beautiful green of 18 just on the edge of the cliff. It's been a real loss to the Dartmouth and surrounding community.
 
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