Best Private Golf Courses in Denver
Four researched private golf-course picks in and around Denver, with reasons to consider each, actual locations, access guidance and cited sources.
Looking for the best private golf courses in the Denver area? Start with Denver Country Club and Cherry Hills Country Club and Lakewood Country Club (Lakewood, Colorado) and Columbine Country Club. These four researched selections offer different reasons to consider a round, rather than a claim that one course wins for every golfer. The shortlist includes nearby communities where explicitly identified below.
Compare the Denver-area shortlist
| Course | Location | Reason to consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Country Club | Denver | Compact layout with creek water hazards |
| Cherry Hills Country Club | Cherry Hills Village | Unique par-5 green and finishing holes |
| Lakewood Country Club (Lakewood, Colorado) | Lakewood | Ross architecture restored by Hanse |
| Columbine Country Club | Columbine Valley | Water hazards and demanding green contours |
Plan around the actual location
CommonGround is in Aurora, Cherry Hills in Cherry Hills Village, Columbine in Columbine Valley and Lakewood Country Club in Lakewood. Arrowhead is in the Roxborough Park area with a Littleton mailing address. Postal addresses and directory hub names do not always identify the municipality; confirm the operator's address before traveling.
This guide contains 4 selections supported by this source review, not a census of local golf. We have not filled the remaining places with courses whose identity, access or selection case we could not establish well enough. A shorter list does not mean the area has no other worthwhile courses. Use the locations in the table and the operator's address, not a directory URL's nearby-hub name, to plan your trip.
Denver Country Club
Denver Country Club — Denver. Situated in Denver, this golf course is built upon a limited area of land. The layout incorporates a local creek that impacts play on one-third of the total holes, requiring golfers to navigate the water hazards across multiple sections of the course.
Our selection focus: compact layout with creek water hazards. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private Denver Country Club golf requires membership or approved guest access; public club-history pages are not a booking route.
Cherry Hills Country Club
Cherry Hills Country Club — Cherry Hills Village. Cherry Hills identifies William Flynn’s 1922 design and a history of national championships. It is a relevant architectural and tournament-history selection for golfers comparing private Denver-area clubs, not a bookable municipal alternative.
Our selection focus: unique par-5 green and finishing holes. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private Cherry Hills invitation required; confirm course availability and guest arrangements with the club, not a hotel.
Lakewood Country Club (Lakewood, Colorado)
Lakewood Country Club (Lakewood, Colorado) — Lakewood. Lakewood traces its architecture from Tom Bendelow through Donald Ross, with a 2017 restoration under Gil Hanse. It is an architectural-history selection rather than a promise about current conditions.
Our selection focus: ross architecture restored by hanse. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private member club; confirm membership eligibility or authorized guest play with the club. This is Lakewood in Colorado, not Dallas.
Columbine Country Club
Columbine Country Club (official course website) — Columbine Valley. Columbine’s official hole tour describes water-lined approaches, tiered greens and risk-reward choices. It suits golfers who enjoy planning both the approach angle and the resulting putt.
Our selection focus: water hazards and demanding green contours. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private club in Columbine Valley; arrange golf membership or a hosted visit directly, not through a public tee-time search.
How we chose these courses
We compared published course descriptions from golf publications and, where linked, official club, municipal and golf-association sources. Selection emphasizes a documented architectural feature, tournament connection, historical interest or a distinctive local option. This is desk research, not a first-person playing review or an exhaustive regional ranking. Directory completeness, paid placement and an invented scoring formula do not determine this shortlist. Course names distinguish individual layouts where relevant; a club's founding date is not automatically its current course's opening date.
What should you ask before visiting?
- Have the club or your host confirm your invitation and the procedure for registering guests.
- Ask about dress, arrival, walking or cart rules, guest charges and cancellation expectations.
- Do not assume a reciprocal arrangement, membership opening or hotel stay provides access.
Looking for indoor golf near Denver?
If weather changes your plans or you want an indoor practice session, explore indoor golf simulators in Denver. Compare the listed venues and their simulator equipment, then confirm current hours, pricing and availability with the operator. These are directory listings, not an extension of our outdoor-course rankings.