As they rise toward nearby Engineer Mountain, the San Juans provide a spectacular if not intimidating backdrop from here, on what will be the back-back tees on No. 7 at Dalton Ranch Golf Club,
Engineer peaks at around 13,000 feet. Impressive, although for serious types who would rather don climbing shoes than golf shoes, it’s no “14er.”
And while Dalton Ranch, from the championship tees, can be a challenging adventure in itself, it, too, comes up short for some.
It’s no “7,000er.”
Until now – or, at least, in the very near future.
Dalton is making the climb to that next level, extending that seventh hole that shoots north along Highway 550, as well as No. 16, so as to finally boast a set of tees that plays 7,000 yards – the equivelant of a “14er” in mountain climbing and, for some, the yardage needed to be considered a serious golf venue.
It’s part of a fairly significant renovation effort at the club just north of Durango.
The driving range has been expanded, and off-course, the kitchen and restaurant have been upgraded, adding space and luxury to both.
But for particular golfers, it’s the lengthening of the par-5 7th and 16th that is getting most of the attention these days – the new back tees on No. 7 should be playable in the next week and at No. 16 in the next month.
Both holes will be lengthened by about 30 yards, so instead of the course playing 6,940 yards from the tips, that distance will creep past that magic number and play at 7,002 yards.
According to Pier Nielson, first assistant/pro shop manager at Dalton, the holes are being extended for that reason, and that reason only – to push yardage from the back tees beyond 7,000 yards. But adding length also will add nuances to the two shortest par-5s on the course.
Instead of playing 506 yards, No. 7 will shake out at 536 yards from the tips. It still will be the shortest of the four par-5s, but with trees lining the back end of an already tight tee area, that additional yardage will create an even more dramatic tunnel effect off the tee.
“It will play a lot tighter,” Brandon England, PGA general manager at Dalton, said of the No. 9-handicapped hole.
Two of the three other sets of tees also will be pushed back on both the seventh and 16th. England added that, with players hitting the ball farther and farther because of new ball and club technologies, extending the two holes made sense for that reason, too.
On No. 16, the black tees, or the championship tees, will go from 514 to 546 yards, still making it the second-shortest of the par-5s. No. 13 is the longest hole on the course at 566 yards and No. 4 is 558 yards from the tips.
As it’s fairly wide open, especially off the tee, No. 16 is the No. 12-handicapped hole. But like on No. 7, the new tees will make for a tighter feel from the tips.
“Before,” Nielson said, “they’d just hit it out there anywhere.”
bpeterson@durangoherald.com
