Yes...this photo is of CommonGround...

Can you believe how dense the grass is getting? I took this shot on #12 green this morning! For the rest of this weeks photo updates, click here: June 27th Photos

Well the team had another great week of moving forward, and is still on schedule. Some of the construction highlights are: Hole #8 and most of #16 have been seeded, irrigation is virtually complete, and shaping has begun on the short course. Work began on the practice facility, and holes #2 and #17 are next in line to be seeded.

As far as the construction of the Starter Clubhouse goes, our architects and engineers are in the process of submitting our plans to the city. After a meeting with the City of Aurora yesterday, everything is looking good, and we should be on schedule to begin construction by mid September.

Have a Great Weekend!

The tee sheet is full this weekend, but....

I'm kidding of course. Although, holes #5, #12, and #13 are looking pretty playable these days! Tracy and his crew are consistently mowing the greens on those three holes, and he was even able to mow the fairway on #12 this week.

With the good weather this week (although a day without wind would be nice), the team was able to get a lot accomplished. Hole #7 seeding was completed early in the week and the majority of hole #3 was able to be seeded toward the end of this week. So to date, nine holes are complete. Additionally, greens mix was added to #8 and #16 this week, and the drainage was completed on the green complexes for holes #2 & #17.

Looking forward, Renaissance Golf Design is moving into the home stretch of their work. Irrigation on holes #1 & #10 should be complete by the end of next week. The short course should be stripped of vegitation next week, with shaping to begin in the next 3-4 weeks. And seeding of #8 and some of the practice facility is next on the schedule.

I did my best to take some "aerial" pictures of the site without an airplane this week, which can be found by clicking here: June 20th Photos

Have a great weekend, and keep it in the short grass!

I knew I moved back to paradise!

After spending an amazing morning taking this weeks photos, I realized just how lucky I am to be part of such an amazing project! Everyone knows how beautiful Colorado is, but who knew
(I didn't) that in the middle of a city as large as Denver, you could feel so serene. Tom Doak and his crew have done a spectacular job of designing a golf course that compliments the native landscape of Colorado right in the heart of the city. Not only are the views phenomenal, but I think that the future golfers are going to be amazed at how close to nature they are going to feel during a round at CommonGround.

Well despite some challanges with the wind this week, the team was able to get holes #14, #15, the rest of #6, and half of #7 seeded. The irrigation is complete on all but three holes. Tracy was able to put a mow on the 5th green, and Renaissance has continued to move forward with the preparation of the greens and features for the holes that will be seeded next. Next week the team plans to finish up seeding #7 and move on to #3. Hole #1 has had the weeds removed, so at least now I can see "golf" and not just "construction" from my office window.

Finally, the feedback from the CJGA staff was nothing short of unbridled delight after having the opportunity to tour the routing of the short course. They are absolutely exstatic about having a home course for their programs, and can't wait until they host the first 10 & under event here.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I hope yours will be as enjoyable as mine..... a day of watching the US Open with my kids!

For this weeks photos, click here: June 13th Photos

And then there was grass......

Everything is on schedule!! To date, all of my colleagues who are doing the real work (Tracy, Bobby & Crew, Renaissance Golf Design, Modern Golf, and ACC), have already managed to get 4+ holes seeded. Holes #4, #5, #12, #13, & #6 (tee boxes) are completed and have moved from construction stage to grow in stage. Tracy was even able to put the first mow on #12 green this week! If the weather stays this good, the team is hoping to have everything seeded by August 1st.

Additionally this week, Eric Iverson of Renaissance, layed out the preliminary routing for what promises to be an outstanding par 3 course. I know I'm not the only one looking forward to seeing an entirely new generation of golfers learn to love the game on the short course.

Have fun on the links this weekend! If you would like to see more pictures of the course, please follow this link: June 4th Photos

CommonGround Golf Course

On Friday, May 23rd, the CGA and CWGA hosted a naming ceremony for the new golf course. After months of research, idea gathering, and discussions, the associations unveiled the name of the new facility as CommonGround Golf Course.

“When it came to a name for this facility, we had a much larger task than simply naming a golf course,” said CGA President Bill Fowler. “Our challenge was to name the place, but more importantly to name the purpose behind that place—to name the mission. What is the right name to describe a place that is shared and that is reached by keeping everyone’s needs in mind? What is the right name for the ground that is founded on the common interests of all? Ladies and gentlemen--CommonGround Golf Course.”

Why the name CommonGround?

The facility doesn’t just belong to the CGA and CWGA, it belongs to the community.

It belongs to golfers of all playing abilities, ages and socio-economic backgrounds.

It belongs to golfers, but it also belongs to non-golfers as a wonderful preservation of nearly 400 acres of open space.

It is common location for all we do to serve the game of golf including junior golf programs, caddie programs, Rules of Golf eduaction, state championships, and turfgrass research to name a few.

It is also represented by the USGA who issued a $175,000 grant toward the creation of two kids courses.

It is also represented by the rest of the allied associations of Colorado including the Colorado PGA, RMGCSA, Colorado Turfgrass, GMAA, and GCOA.

COMMON is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "In joint use or possession; to be held or enjoyed equally by a number of persons."

COMMON GROUND is defined as "A foundation of common interest or comprehension..."

The ground is common to both Denver and Aurora.

It belongs to this generation and it belongs to the next generation and the generations to follow.


Prior to the naming ceremony, the USGA was proud to present a donation of $175,000 to help with the construction of the short course to promote junior golf and all that it teaches.