AURORA, Colo. – Tom Doak says he truly appreciates public-access golf. Three of the courses that helped put him on the map as an architect – Pacific Dunes in Oregon, Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand – are each public-access, he noted.
CommonGround near Denver takes that to another level.
Owned and operated by the Colorado Golf Association on the site of a previous course, CommonGround opened in 2009 as almost a municipal course of sorts with affordable green fees and an everyman vibe. Doak and his associates – Doak gives extensive credit for CommonGround to Erik Iverson, Jim Urbina and Don Placek – were tasked with making the most of every square foot of land on a flattish, open site.
The results include a popular and expansive driving range, a par-3 course that allows kids to play for free, the Solich Caddie and Leadership Academy, and of course an 18-hole main attraction that features many of the familiar strategic demands found on Doak’s more famous – and expensive – courses.
“I just never believed in dumbing down a course just because it was public,” Doak said. “But things are going to be more appreciated if you’ve got golfers who play it regularly, and they get to understand what you were trying to do.”
That’s the case at CommonGround, where peak green fees are $80 and most of the locals pay less through various programs.
“They had a pretty tight budget, and we did all the work there for $4 million,” Doak said. “And every penny counted. We figured out ways to do some cool things.”
It’s a perfect example of minimalism in every way: minimal shaping, minimal fuss, minimal costs. Don’t let that fool you, though, because it’s maxed out on fun.
Editor’s note: Golfweek’s Best course raters judge courses in 10 categories on a points basis of 1-10, then offer a non-cumulative overall rating.