Broken Tee Golf Course

Signature Setup

Broken Tee sits in Englewood, just south of Denver, on the floodplain of the South Platte River. The current 18 reopened in 2008 after a full rebuild of the old Englewood Municipal site, which dates back to the 1930s. It is a city-run course, not a resort, so the value here is honest: river-corridor terrain, cottonwoods, and the single biggest variable in Colorado golf — altitude. At roughly 5,350 feet, your ball carries noticeably farther than at sea level, and that changes every club decision before you ever read the wind.

Hole-by-Hole Wind & Playing Lines

The defining wind pattern is diurnal. Mornings are usually still; by early afternoon a southwest upslope flow builds off the Front Range foothills to the west.

• No. 1 handicap par-4: Into that afternoon SW wind, a stock 150-yard approach plays closer to 165. Club up one and aim right, away from the river left.
• A long par-3 on the back: When the wind is crossing left-to-right off the foothills, start the ball at the left edge and let it ride — I have watched a well-struck mid-iron drift two full paces right in that breeze.
• 18th, the par-5 finish: Downhill with a South Platte carry short of the green. With altitude help and a tailwind it is reachable in two; into the wind, lay back to a full wedge instead of flirting with the water.

Green & Fairway Characteristics

Greens are bentgrass and roll true, medium-paced for a muni — figure low-double-digit stimp on a normal afternoon, faster when baked out in July. Fairways are bluegrass/rye, generous off the tee but firm in late summer, so expect roll. Slope from the back tees runs in the mid-130s. The front nine plays the flatter river-bottom land; the back has more movement and the better closing stretch.

Seasonal Weather Pattern

Denver-area golf is a long, dry season with sharp daily swings. Spring (April–May) brings wind and the occasional wet snow that melts by noon. Summer mornings start in the 50s°F and climb into the 90s, with afternoon thunderstorms most common in July and August — lightning is the real hazard, not rain. Fall is the prime window: stable highs, light wind, daytime 60s–70s into October. The first time I teed off here on an October morning the air was 48°F and dead calm, and the ball still flew a club longer than I expected — that is the altitude, not me.

Local Play Tips

Walk-on tee times are easiest on weekday mornings; the course fills with Denver locals after work in summer. The early slot matters twice over: calm air and softer greens before the afternoon dries them out. Bring more water than you think — high, dry air dehydrates you faster than the temperature suggests. I have not played it in deep winter, so I can only speak to the April-through-October stretch.

Pre-Round Weather Workflow

Check the 7-day G-Score and the windExposure rating the night before. For Broken Tee, prioritize the morning slot: G-Score typically reads 8–12 points higher before 10 a.m. than in mid-afternoon, when the upslope wind and summer storm risk peak. If the forecast shows afternoon convection, move your tee time earlier rather than gambling on a lightning delay.