One of my favorite “best of” lists to review is America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses. On this list, you’ll find Red Sky Golf Club, one of my favorite courses I’ve played in recent memory. This list reminds me of lists put out by Michelin and Eater that I check out before any trip that I book. Other fun lists to check out our America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses and World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.
Red Sky Golf Club is without a doubt deserving of a spot on America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses. Separately, I’ve played other courses on this list that I’ll flag in case you’re looking for golf trip ideas. Courses I’ve played include #8 Bethpage Black, #25 Omni Homestead Resort Cascades Course, #34 The Greenbrier Old White Course, #36 Torrey Pines South Course, #38 Fallen Oak, #60 Old Waverly Golf Club, #61 Tullymore Golf Course, #63 Mossy Oak, and #97 Poipu Bay Golf Course.
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Best Credit Cards to Use at Red Sky Golf Club
Interestingly, the golf club coded as “other” and “restaurants” during our trip. When paying for the rounds themselves, Chase coded the purchase as “other.” In contrast, when paying for food and drink at the on-course snack shop, Chase coded the purchase as “restaurants.”
The Chase Freedom Unlimited worked wonders for me at the golf club. For purchases that were coded as restaurants, I earned 3% cashback. For purchases that coded as other, I earned 1.5% cashback. Separately, Chase Freedom Unlimited earns cash back at the following rates:
- 5% on Chase Travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% on drugstore purchases
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2022
How to Get to Red Sky Golf Club
Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is 18 miles from Red Sky Golf Club. So, it’s likely the closest regional airport to the course. Denver International Airport (DEN) is 140 miles from Red Sky Golf Club and your next best airport option. Here are nonstop flights from around the US to both airports.
- Eagle County Airport > Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) – American Airlines
- Eagle County Airport > Denver – United Airlines
On the way to Red Sky Golf Club, I flew Southwest Airlines from Dallas Love Field to Denver Airport. For the return, I flew American Airlines from Eagle County Airport to Shreveport via Dallas/Fort Worth. Eagle County Airport is by far the way to go.
Best Time to Visit Red Sky Golf Club
There are no questions June through August is the best time to play Red Sky Golf Club. Highs average 73-77 degrees and the lows average 36-40 degrees. Your next best option to visit is May and September. Anytime outside of May to September is likely going to be too cold as these courses are truly mountain courses at elevation.
We visited in August and couldn’t have experienced more ideal weather. Think low 40’s in the morning when we teed off around 8 and upper 70’s late afternoon when we finished up around 4. We actually had a frost delay one morning, which delayed our tee times by 30 minutes. Keep in mind that the temperatures get cold even in August.
Where to Stay at Red Sky Golf Club
Admittedly, I’m not an expert on this question as I didn’t book our lodging. The guy who heads our golf group booked this Airbnb. For our group of 12, this house was more than adequate. It offered plenty of places to sleep, a game room downstairs, a hot tub, and sweeping mountain views.
To my knowledge, the golf club itself doesn’t offer lodging. So, Airbnb and Google Hotels are your best friend. Wolcott Colorado is fairly remote compared to Vail Colorado. Generally speaking, you should be able to find something close to the golf resort on Airbnb or Google Hotels.
Red Sky Golf Club Fazio Course
Our 12-man, Ryder Cup-style golf trip, called for five rounds starting on Thursday and ending on Saturday. We started with a two-man scramble on the Fazio Course on Thursday. This was by far the worst weather day we had all trip. It rained with temps in the low 50’s. So, obviously, it wasn’t ideal. However, the Fazio Course still showed out.
We returned to the Fazio Course on Saturday with a morning best ball followed by afternoon singles matches. The Fazio Course showed its true colors giving us ideal playing conditions. Compared to the Norman Course, the Fazio Course is at a much lower elevation. Tom Fazio’s par 72 design tips out at 7,116 yards. The course offers incredible views of Vail’s Back Bowls. Sage-covered hills with aspen forests surround the course. Fazio wonderfully incorporated native vegetation giving the course a natural fee.
Red Sky Golf Club Norman Course
Greg Norman-designed an insanely awesome second course at Red Sky Golf Club. His design has the front nine working Its way up the rocky outcroppings and scrub oak on the mountain. The back nine works its way back down the mountain towards the snack bar. This part 72 tips out at 7,580 yards, with the most incredible views of the mountain that you may find throughout all of Colorado.
Our group played a morning best ball followed by an afternoon scramble at the Norman Course. The weather on Friday that we played could not have been more perfect. Conditions truly felt like how golf is meant to be played. By far, the Norman Course was my favorite of the two courses.
Impressions of Red Sky Golf Club
Two eighteen-hole courses designed by two of golf’s finest course architects make Red Sky Golf Club one of Colorados’ top golf resorts. The Fazio Course sits at a lower elevation with a more desert-type feel. Comparatively, the Norman Course sits at a higher elevation offering players the chance to play true mountain golf. It’s important to note the club is semi-private. One course is closed each day to the public. for members to play. The next day the members then play the other course. Overall, these two courses offer everything you could want for a golf trip.
Now, on the downside, the customer service, particularly the marshalls and the pro shop staff leaves much to be desired. Yes, some employees were incredibly warm and welcoming. Unfortunately, a few of the guys out there didn’t represent the resort well. There’s simply no need to be super aggressive towards customers paying the rates this resort charges.
What do you think about Red Sky Golf Club? What’s your favorite Colorado golf course? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.
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