OCR Text |
Show '$ 1 following dirt trails. The grass is green and healthy. And, Hardaway recently finished building a snack stand and restrooms. He plans this season to begin selling drinks, wine, beer and packaged sandwiches. Im over my embarrassment now, he says. It took time and money, but its a good value for the dollar. A HOLE IN ONE views of Part of that value can be found in the the area's stupendous mountains. lust, west, north and south there are expansive vistas unobstructed by trophy homes or vacation condominiums. Hardaway isn't interested, he says, in reaping financial benefits from building accompanying housing that attracts a golfing elite. I don't have any visions of expanding. Im not interested in building a $5 million golf course, because when you do you have to make your money through real estate and build houses," he says. That's why I went against the grain. At Hunter's Run there are no dress codes. Cleats arent necessary, and you are not likely to run into golfers wearing knickers, collared shirts with emblazoned logos, and tarns. You don't need tee times, and there aren't any time limits. Im not striving for the country club feel," Hardaway says. (Golf) has gotten to lx- a pretty uppity sport. I have a niche here. Kids can come out here and get indoctrinated in golf. Families can afford it. These kinds of places have a real need. Even having defined a niche, Hardaway still carries on his business modestly. He lives in a mint-greesinglew'ide trail1 in holes and between 9. The map on the er sandwiched He isn't even listed in the telephone scorecard is book, nor does he advertise elsewhere. I'm the very antithesis of a marketing guy, he explains. Hardaway relies on repeat customers, who hang onto their scorecards so they have the phone number. Although he doesnt tally the number of golfers he has each day or in a season, the business is successful, he says. It also is a popular g or place for organizations or companies to hold business tournaments. I think the best thing about this place and why people like it is because it s laid back. The course, I lardaway says, works for everyone and appeals to all levels even those 99 percent who dont golf well. 360-degr- Photo! by Nancy Richmond Left: Bob Hardaway stands on the 4th green at his Hunter's Run Golf Course near Ignacio. Hardaway, above, who has college degrees in horticulture and math, built the course on his private property between 1983 and 1996. ee - n, ground up the irrigation system, and estimate the amount of gravel and sand needed. You just blend the two sides of the brain and go at it, he says. id. To finance the course, Hardaway continued to work full OFF time. He spent evenings and weekends working on it, building signing the course was simple, Hardaway says, what he could afford at the time. Ultimately, he financed the lien I got my degree in horticulture at (Colorado State golf compound himself, with the exception of one small loan. rsity), the department head told me I had the two best In 1994, Hardaway retired from his teaching job at s for building golf courses. Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington to devote all of his rdaway used his right brain to artfully design the time to the course. He finished at the end of 1996 and . He used his left brain to do the calculations, figure opened for business. He put his efforts into the course itself and decided that building and providing amenities would 2,132 yards Driving range: No follow when time and money permitted. Practice green: Yes permitting When he initially opened for public use, Hardaway says ioles Dress code: No he was embarrassed that the course lacked facilities, that the Hardest hole: Nos. 4 and 8 Four is a long $325 fami- grass was barely budding from seedlings, and that golfers had par 4 with a 'helmetlike' green. Eight is a writer living in Durango who to traipse through persistent weedr and mud to make their Amy Maestas is a free-lanpar 3 with water on three sides. didn't know tfte club endfrom the grip end ofa club before doing Overall difficulty: 5 way around the course. But that has changed. around the this article. make course Today, you can easily your way i By Amy Maestas hand-draw'- TEE-IN- G n. fund-raisin- - ce 175-yar-d Public Pro: Glen Richardson History: Nine holes built in 1966, f er built in 1988 by local players Beta: 18 holes, par 72 - 6,120 - Blue Mountain Golf Course (435) 587-246- 4,725 Blue Mountain yards Season: 5 Year-roun- d Fees: $20 Good deals: Local motels offer golf spe-- r cials and packages Carts: $10 Pull T j 5 v s , y s carts: $3 Beer cart: Weekends Driving range: Yes Bucket of balls: $3 Practice greens: Yes Dress code: 'Just that people are - no shirt, no shoes, no service' Amenities: Pro shop, snack bar For beginners: Programs with the assis tant pro 5: 15 p.m. Tuesdays open to anybody. Also junior program. Hole least likely to par: No. 15 nar-- 1 row par 5, slight dogleg to the right dressed Overall difficulty: 6.5 VJh?f s 549 South Main, Monticello anoth- 8 Pro and wwMher? General Manager Lowell Young has just one request. Theres no metal spikes on the it wrecks the grounds, he says, course the same applies to cowboy that adding boots and high heels. Interestingly enough, Lowell says this with a straight face - in his eight years at Blue Mountain he's seen it all. For those who come equipped with the proper footwear. Blue Mountain presents a wonderful golf experience for the midhandicapped player, not real difficult but it has really challenging holes even for the lower handicap players (read good) from the back tees. In addition, since it is set in a mountain valley, You could call it hilly, says Young. Yet perhaps the biggest challenge of Blue Mountain, built in 1961, is its mature landscape. Because of its age, the trees are - F9v9rit My 'go to' nine iron." - Mike Dodds, assistant pro, rinon Hills Golf Course "I like 'em all, but if I really had to say, it would be my six iron.' - Lowell Young, pro. Blue Mountain Golf Course "Seven iron." - Bud Anderson, assistant pro, Hillcrest Golf Course 'The putter. - Brett Walton, pro. The Cliffs 'The sand wedge. - Scott Beaty, assistant pro. Conquistador Golf Course I April 21, I 1 2000 - Cross Currents all |