First tee time: 10:30am
Registration fee: $FREE for Schmeider, Macy & Nisensen trophy winners, $TBD for notable season-play invitees.
Almost as spacious as the wild blue yonder itself, the United States Air Force Academy spans more than 18,000 acres of the razorback foothills in the Rampart Range just north of Colorado Springs.
Elevations climb to 7,100 feet with ponderosa pines and scrub oak dotting a rugged landscape that’s home to deer, elk, black squirrels, bears, mountain lions and wild turkeys, as well as cadets earning the right to be the next generation of Air Force officers.
The undulating bentgrass greens of the Blue at Eisenhower Golf Course and bluegrass fairways roll out to 7,301 from the back tees. There are no houses, no out of bounds, a generous amount of directional and greenside bunkers, but very little water.
The 11th hole is considered the most scenic. It is a 557-yard par 5 that doglegs left with water fronting the green. No. 15 is another favorite — a difficult 480-yard par 4 with a dogleg right with a challenging green and greenside bunker. No. 17 is a daunting 216-yard par 3 with a kidney-shaped green and presents a tiny target when the pin is tucked into the right corner. There’s no water on the finishing hole, but the 434-yard par 4 has bite.
