ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – “What are your plans tonight?”
It’s an innocent question from my playing partners as we wrap up the 18th hole at The Club at Inverness. “What do you suggest?” I ask, ever the clueless out-of-towner.
Rattling off options, they pull out their phones. “You could go to Red Rocks. I wonder who’s playing?”
Red Rocks? Red Rocks!!
Seeing a concert at the legendary outdoor concert venue has long been on my bucket-list. I had no idea it was so close, just 24 miles northwest of The Inverness Denver, A Hilton Golf & Spa Resort where my wife and I were staying. And on that night, we couldn’t have been any luckier, scoring affordable tickets for two of my favorite bands from my youth – Cheap Trick and Cracker – opening for Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Suddenly, a golf trip became a golf trip that rocks!
Cheap Trick plays Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in July. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
Employees like to call the Inverness Denver, A Hilton Golf & Spa Resort, their little hidden gem. It’s centrally located but tucked into a technology office park, just 15 miles south of downtown and 30 minutes from the airport. A complimentary shuttle can take you to a nearby light rail transit that can easily take you downtown for a Rockies game or other city festivals. The Club at Inverness is a private oasis of green grass only available to members or hotel guests. You can choose to rock or relax – we did both – during a recent golf vacation stay.
A weekend at the Inverness Denver
The soaring lobby of The Denver Inverness, a Hilton Golf & Spa Resort is welcoming to guests. Courtesy photo
Staying two nights allowed us to sample almost everything the 302-room resort has to offer. While I played golf, my wife lounged at the pool, which pipes in the same good old 1980s tunes that tend to dominate my Spotify playlists.
The outdoor pool at the Inverness Denver, A Hilton Golf & Spa Resort, gets busy on summer weekends. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
To unwind further, we spent one afternoon at the spa getting a couples massage. I felt like I could hit 300-yard drives afterward. The spa is also attached to a heated indoor pool and 24-hour fitness center.
It’s always fun to be lazy on vacay, but that feeling only lasts so long. We found some fun ways to get some exercise. We took full advantage of the Adventure Vault, a room stocked with family-friendly toys to rent, ranging from hula hoops to corn hole boards.
Guests of the The Inverness Denver, a Hilton Golf & Spa Resort can rent all sorts of equipment and toys inside the Adventure Vault. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
We also rented some bikes, riding a miles-long loop around the surrounding office park. On checkout day, after a morning walk along a similar route, we rented pickleball paddles and whaled away for an hour with no reported injuries.
Try the flat iron steak at the Fireside Bar & Grill at The Inverness Denver, a Hilton Golf & Spa Resort. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
All of this sweating was an attempt to work off the calories from the breakfast buffet at the Garden Terrace, which can be included depending on your package, and dinners at the Fireside Bar & Grill, where live music played on Friday night, and the Breckenridge Brewery Ale & Game House downstairs. The brewery was packed both nights inside and out on the patio, attracting guests and locals who ordered bison burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, poke bowls, smoked brisket chili and other casual bites.
It being wedding season in the mountains, multiple wedding parties were staying on property, hosting private functions in conference rooms or banquet spaces. There’s plenty of room for everyone – golfers, bridesmaids and regular guests – to get along.
Playing The Club at Inverness
A stream protects the green of the 562-yard second hole at The Club at Inverness. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
The Club at Inverness definitely plays more like a challenging private club than a resort course. As a par 70, it feels extra long from any set of tees, whether that’s the 7,057-yard tips or even the 6,454-yard whites.
Although Englewood sits more than 5,300 feet above sea level – higher than the Mile High City – it never feels like the ball is jumping off the club face. I sank multiple shots in the six water hazards that dot the routing.
I love that it’s a pleasant walk, even if my playing partners were in a cart. The second hole, a par 5 with a tilted fairway, and all four par 3s are very memorable.
I’ll echo the three GolfPass reviews of The Club at Inverness that it’s a really strong test of golf kept in great condition. The rough was tough but fair and the greens speedy.
Golfer ‘Chuckendra’ called it “A golf oasis in a big city” and ‘Bunkertown20’ took the words right from my keyboard, noting “You can play this course over and over and not get bored of it. I’d recommend Inverness to anyone who gets the opportunity to play. Par 3s here are brutal.”
I concur. The 178-yard third and 175-yard 11th took me to double-bogey town. I wasn’t too concerned, however. Colorado’s summers are so pure, whether you’re at a concert or course. They both rock.
The 15th hole is one of three par 3s at The Club at Inverness that require a water carry. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
