| Around of golf at the Homestead at Murphy Creek
will have golfers feeling as if they have taken a journey back in time. A journey back to
the way Old Tom Morris intended golf to be - straightforward and unpretentious. When
guests arrive at Murphy Creek they are greeted by the old town clock. Behind the clock
sits the old homestead, the 1920s-style clubhouse complex with its multiple buildings,
green roofs and white lap siding. Enter the golf shop, and the journey to Murphy Creek has
begun. Murphy Creek is a brand new golf course located in
southeast Aurora, Colorado, that opened at the end of July. This 7,456-yard championship
course with multiple tees to accommodate all golfers was designed by Ken Kavanaugh of
Tucson, Arizona. Kavanaugh and the project team set out to create more than just a golf
course. The team's goal was to provide a golf experience that surrounds the golfer with
wonderful golf and nostalgia.
The clubhouse complex creates the feeling of the old family farm
of the 1920s, and this theme is prevalent throughout the course. The steel-wheeled antique
farm implements found around the course are reminders of the hard times the eastern plains
experienced during the Dust Bowl era. The cart storage building is reminiscent of an old
dairy barn and the large silo next to the driving range tee welcomes golfers and provides
unique range ball storage. The full-service restaurant has vaulted ceilings, a tall,
wonderfully inviting fireplace, and some of the most comfortable vintage furniture ever
seen in a golf course clubhouse. The pro shop is beautiful, carrying an extensive
assortment of golf equipment and stylish merchandise.
Once on the course, golfers find that Murphy Creek has the look
and feel of a turn-of-the-century course. It is also an experience in contrasts that begin
with the course's five sets of tees, which are subtle and understated. The fairways are
wide and forgiving. The greens vary in size with gentle contours that invite a birdie
putt. If your ball should stray, however, the fescue rough is natural and untamed. The
bunkers are numerous, haunting, strategic, and heroic. To round out the golf experience,
there are water hazards, wetlands and wildlife. The water holes at Murphy Creek are truly
stunning. From waterfalls to a beach bunker, Kavanaugh's creativity is clearly seen at
Murphy Creek.
After a terrific round of golf, golfers can sit on the patio at
the clubhouse and enjoy great food and drinks, review the round with friends, and admire
the beautiful artwork in the golfers' plaza. Murphy Creek's public art is a scene of
famous golfers with life-size bronze sculptures of Mildred "Babe" Didrikson
Zaharias, perhaps one of the greatest woman athletes of the 20th century, and Old Tom
Morris, famous green keeper at St. Andrews and four-time British Open Champion. Bronzes of
professional golfing great, Ben Hogan, the consummate amateur Bobby Hones, a typical caddy
from the 1920's, and the noted golf course architect Donald Ross will join these pieces,
over time. This amazing collection of golf icons sculpted by Nancy Golden of Evergreen,
Colorado, is known as A Quintessential Gathering.
The adjacent tournament pavilion is an ideal setting for
corporate outings and large shotgun tournaments. Murphy Creek also boasts a superior
practice facility with three separate chipping greens, a convenient practice green and a
very large driving range with bunkers and target greens.
"Head Pro Leslie Core, Superintendent Dean Lindsey and the
entire Murphy Creek team have done a tremendous job opening Murphy Creek," says
Aurora Manager of Golf Dennis Lyon. "Golfers are in for a wonderful treat when they
play golf here. The City of Aurora is extremely proud to offer this high-caliber course to
the public."
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