True links style; great layout; very playable; several memorable holes; great conditions; only $32!!!

some holes play very short; greens are slow; surroundings are not scenic; slow play

Riverdale is a 36-hole course in Adams County about 30 minutes north of Denver. The two courses are completely different in terms of design, with the Pete and Perry Dye designed Dunes course being the most popular among visiting players.

The Knolls course plays about 6,700 yards from the blue tees, with a par of 71. The course is mostly flat and open, without many distinctive features although water comes into play on a few holes. While lacking the character of it’s sister course, the Knolls course is kept in good condition from tee to green and the fee of just $20 makes it popular with local players.

The primary reason golfers make the trip to Riverdale is the Dunes course, which has made the various “best public courses” lists of the National golf magazines. It’s a links design the players of all skill levels will enjoy. While the tees, fairways, greens and first cut of rough are in uniformly excellent condition, the in-between areas are kept in a barely maintained condition that is entirely true to an authentic links. Where many courses claim the “links style” because they throw in a few mounds and some pot bunkers, the Dunes course gives you almost the entire treatment. Geographically speaking, only the absence of ocean prevents the course from completing the picture. It’s also fair to say that the course isn’t an absolutely true links course because course conditions are better than you would find on a Scottish links course, especially the greens, which hold shots very well. (In true links fashion, however, the speed of the greens is usually slower than average.)

The par 72 layout measures 7,000 yards from the tips, 6,400 yards from the blue tees and only 5,800 yards from the white tees. Most players will want to play from the blue tees. The course features extensive mounding that is used very effectively to obscure views of landing areas, greens and a few of the hazards. The result is visually deceiving in that much of the course plays easier than it looks. The slope rating is 129 from the championship tees, 120 from the blue tees and 117 from the whites.

While much of the course plays a bit easier than it looks, there are several holes that deliver all the challenge any player could ask for. If you’re on your game, the first six holes might lull you to sleep, but you had better be fully alert when you reach the 7th tee. The 375-yard par four is pinched by a small lake that guards the left side of the hole all the way to green, while mounds to the right of the landing area and smallish green ensure bogey or worse for anyone who bails out away from the water. The par three 8th hole measures about 175 yards with water guarding the green short and left -- you can bail out to the right but you’ll be left with a roller-coaster pitch or a putt across the width of the two tiered green. At 500 yards and playing slightly downhill, the par five 9th hole is reachable in two, but the blind second shot provides the kind of gut check that you expect from true links golf.

The back nine starts off with a gentle par four, but then it hits you flush in the gut with the par five 11th where water on the right squeezes fairway to barely twenty yards. Good players can relax a bit on 12, 13 and 14, but everyone needs to put on there game face at the 15th tee where you are faced with a 385-yard, dogleg left par four where water is in play until your ball finds the bottom of the cup. If you manage to hit it straight off the tee, you’ll be left with a short iron across the corner of the lake to a small green framed by Dye’s signature railroad ties. The long par five 16th hole doglegs to the right, leaving all but the longest hitters with a blind second shot. And water comes into play on the par three 17th, and on the tee shot of the short par four 18th.

Riverdale Dunes is a great course for anyone who wants to experience links style golf. It’s also a great testament to the value a world-class course architect brings to course design: Very few layouts offer a better mix of challenge and playability. At only $32, this is definitely a great golf value.

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Course is walkable; grass driving range is just OK, nice practice greens; restaurant is just OK