Wellness 101: High Marks for a Mile High Gem

September 6, 2014

Editor’s Note: This post is one in a series featuring the journey of wellness guru and golf enthusiast, A.J. Ali, who is traveling through every state in America while playing golf as part of a 101-day journey from June 16 to September 24 to promote the wellness lifestyle. After losing his father and brother to health-related illnesses and after a close call with a blood clot and pulmonary embolism two years ago, A.J. has dedicated his life to living well and sharing his experiences to encourage others to focus on wellness.

This past August 22 – 23, I had the chance to stay and play at The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center, a gem in the Mile High City of Denver. It’s my 40^th state of golf since June 16. Hard to believe I have just 10 states left to go. The Inverness is one of those rare resort properties that is close to a city, yet transports you to a far-away land of peace and tranquility upon arrival.

There is a world-class spa here, amazing dining options, including the best Sunday jazz brunch in town, robust conference facilities, luxurious rooms, a beautiful and challenging golf course and much more.

The Inverness is a favorite for weddings, meetings and social events – and the NFL’s Denver Broncos, who were staying there at the same time I was, preparing for their pre-season home game that weekend. While it might sound strange, the highlight of my trip was a fire alarm drill that took place because during the drill, several guests and even one of the hotel employees mistook me for a Bronco player. It did wonders for my 50-year-old ego! I walked a little taller that day – and held my tongue about being a die-hard Ravens fan.

A FEW COURSE HIGHLIGHTS:

– No. 2 is a par 5 with a blind downhill tee shot. Your landing area slopes from left to right and your second shot is a 30° angle to the left. There is a pond on the right-hand side that can come into play either off of a very long drive pushed too far right or on your second shot. There is a boulder-lined creek cutting through the fairway about 50 yards from the green ready to catch the ball rolling down the second of two hills.

– No. 5 is a short uphill par 4 that plays to 377 yards. You hit your tee shot over a pond to an uphill fairway that is sloping from left down to right. Your approach shot is to an elevated green that features a few undulations. It is a very tricky green to read, which is probably why it’s the men’s number one handicap hole.

– No. 11 is a 175-yard par 3 with a pond to fly over and four greenside bunkers to miss. There’s a slope down on the front edge, so if your tee shot is barely on, it’s probably going to wind up off or even wet.

– No. 12 is a 422-yard par 4 straight downhill. That was our favorite driving hole of the day so far. It’s a grip it and rip it hole for sure, especially at this altitude, which makes even an average distance driver like me think I’ve got a shot at hitting the green from here.

– No.13 is a very scenic dogleg left par 4. If you hit a straight shot – not too long – you’ll be fine. If you can draw the ball, you can give yourself a huge advantage going into the green.

 

 

Featured image courtesy of Inverness Hotel.