Foothills Golf Course is more like a golf complex than just an 18-hole course.
The complex, run by the Foothills Park and Recreation District, just south of Hampden Avenue between Wadsworth Boulevard and Kipling Street, features an 18-hole championship course, a 9-hole executive course, a 9-hole par-3 course and a large lighted driving range and practice area that is open until 10 p.m., through August.
The facility is in the top three metro area courses for golf rounds played annually. Hyland Hills Golf Course in Westminster and Kennedy Golf Course in Denver, along with Foothills, are the three busiest golf courses in the state.
The Meadows Golf Club in Littleton is another asset of the Foothills Park and Recreation District. Foothills provides a great starting place for beginners, and it also keeps bringing experienced golfers back.
One hole was selected to represent Foothills in Mile High Newspapers’ top 18 holes.
No. 18, Par 4, 436 yards
The finishing hole at Foothills is a good microcosm of the entire facility — it gives the golfer a little bit of everything. The dogleg left requires a drive over a pair of bunkers to have an ideal approach shot to the green that has water on the left, right and in front. It’s a hole where birdie is possible, but the hazards put double- and triple-bogey in play. The closing hole can put golfers in a good mood about their round, or leave them with a bitter taste in their mouth.
Last look
This was the first time I’d had actually golfed the championship course at Foothills. I’ve played the executive course and the par-3 courses a number of times. Both are well worth the greens fees if you want to work on your game. Foothills’ head professional Jeff Freebury played along with my photographer and myself June 9. The fairways and greens were in great shape. My hope is the district is able to put a little more money into the course in the future to add some additional challenges on some of the holes.
Opened: 1971
Designer: Richard Phelps
City: Denver
Phone: 303-409-2400
Web site: www.foothillsgolf.org