Local Golfers Can Tee It Up at Cherry Creek Once Again

The phone would ring each day or so and Sean Brogan, director of golf at , had to say not yet.

But he's a happy man again now that he and his staff can finally answer, "Yes, the course is open for the season. Come on out."

Sunny weather and melting snow triggered continued interest from local golfers to get the season started, but the absence of drifts across the local course’s 18 holes alone wasn't enough to send them to the tee. Frost had to be out of the ground to ensure no damage to the grass, downed tree limbs and other winter leftovers had to be taken care of and golf carts had to be charged up once again–even if they’d be restricted to cart paths only during the first week or two of play.

Ultimately, the determination to open the course to the public last Friday didn’t come from the golf professional staff or club management, but from Scott Schellpfeffer, the course superintendent.

“It’s always going to be the superintendent’s final decision,” Cherry Creek assistant golf pro Matt Promack explained. “We were here thinking it might have been Saturday, but Scott came in the day before and told Sean and the rest of us, ‘We’re good to go.’ He had been looking at the long-range weather forecasts all along to see when it looked like it would be possible.

“He’s been doing this for years and Scott knows when it’s the right time. So much has to do when the snow completely melts on certain areas of the golf course, and we’ve had a lot of snow this winter.”

The club’s acclaimed practice facility, with its 50-station driving range, opened the same day. Though it has a large grass teeing area, range usage is restricted to shots off of hitting mats for the time being.

Every year, Promack said, is different. In 2010, tree-lined Cherry Creek–6,784 yards from the back tees and designed by PGA Tour legend Lanny Wadkins and Mike Bylen–opened on March 15 as 14 golfers teed it up. Two days later, on St. Patrick’s Day, temperatures soared into the 70s and 127 players made it onto the golf course. This year, 28 players went out on the first day, with more to surely follow as temperatures rise.

There’s a sign out on 24 Mile Road announcing Cherry Creek open for golf and there’s a notice on the club’s website, but Promack says the patrons themselves best spread the news.

“Word definitely has to get around for us to get a lot of traffic,” Promack noted.

It doesn’t take long, though, where avid golfers are concerned.

Besides playing at Cherry Creek, Shelby Township golfers can stay local and get in 18 holes at ’s 6,928-yard layout, too. There is also a driving range in the township, Henricksen’s, located on Van Dyke north of 23 Mile Road, where golfers can work on their games.