by Charles Bonniwell | Jun 26, 2022 | Main Articles
by Charles Bonniwell
Rich History: The Denver Country Club possesses one of the oldest golf courses in Colorado and the club itself is the oldest country club west of the Mississippi, founded in 1887. It opened in 1905 and was designed by James Foulis, although a number of different golf designers have done renovations to the course over the years. The 18-hole, private course is 7,039 yards at its longest tees with a par of 71.
One of the oldest and most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the world returns to the Denver Country Club (DCC) for the sixth time on July 6-9, 2022. The Trans-Mississippi Amateur was first played in 1901 and came to the Denver Country Club in 1910. Prior winners of the tournament include Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Johnny Goodman, Bryson DeChambeau, and in recent years, Colin Morikawa and Will Zalatoris. This year’s field is to include 102 of the world’s top 200 amateur golfers, according to Gary Potter,
DU Star: Coloradan Cal McCoy tied for seventh place in the prestigious Trans-Miss Amateur Championship in 2021. He will compete in this year’s tournament as well.
local tournament chair and DCC member.
The Denver Country Club was formed in 1887 and is the oldest country club west of the Mississippi River. Originally located at Overland Park as a club focusing on horse racing, it was one of the original 15 clubs that formed the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association. In 1901 the club changed its name from the Overland Park Association to the Denver Country Club and in 1905 moved its location to its present Cherry Creek location.
The Trans-Mississippi is part of the recently formed Elite Summer Amateur Series composed of seven of the oldest and well-known amateur tournaments in the nation representing 680 years of championship golf. The other tournaments include the North South Amateur, the Pacific Coast Amateur, and the Northeast Amateur.
Local Favorite: Jackson Klutznick was the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado Tour Championship winner in 2018. He was also the 2019 Denver Country Club Men’s Champion. He is the son of John and Heather Klutznick, Denver Country Club members.
When the DCC hosted its first Trans-Mississippi championship in 1910 amateurs generally reigned over the world of golf. The DCC also hosted at the same time a tournament for professionals, but it was subsidiary to the amateur championship. Club President Frank Woodward was de-
termined to rule American golf. He felt he had to host the major championships at the DCC’s new course which was touted as one of the best and toughest in the country with The Golfer’s Magazine calling it “one of the best tests of skill and accuracy in the United States.”
Back in 1910, such tournaments were major social occasions with lavish balls held at the club and spectacular parties at private residences. The course proved every bit as difficult as advertised. The Denver Post noted that “players who should have done the course in less than 80 were running up scores of 100 to 120.” Only three holes of that original course remain with parts washed out in a flood in 1912 at the start of the Western Amateur held that year, and partially ruining Woodward’s plans.
The DCC has had a veritable who’s who of golf architects revise the course over the last 100 plus years, the most recent being Gil Hanse, who has also revised various US Open venues such as The Country Club outside of Boston and the Los Angeles Country Club.
One of the highlights of the 1910 Trans-Mississi
Elite Amateur Series: The 118th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship will be played July 5-9, 2022 at the Denver Country Club.
ppi was the rise of 19-year-old DCC youth Larry Broomfield who made it to the semi-finals against some of the best players in the country. He would dominate golf at the DCC and in Colorado for decades thereafter.
For the 2022 Trans-Mississippi, perhaps the greatest male DCC golfer since Larry Broomfield will be playing, 20-year-old Jackson Klutznick, the son of DCC members John and Heather Klutznick. A sophomore at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, he is the leading player on the university golf team and a finalist for the Jack Nicklaus Award for top collegiate player in NCAA Division III schools. He is a two-time DCC club champion and Kent Denver graduate. Klutznick has won various golf tournaments across Colorado and the United States. He first made the local papers news when at age 13 he drove a golf ball 357 yards at the DCC.
He will be facing such top players as Travis Vick who won the low amateur medal at the recent US Open at The Country Club outside of Boston, and Texas A&M star Sam Bennett. Locally another strong competitor will be Cal McCoy from Highlands Ranch who played for Denver University for three years before transferring to the University of Arizona. He finished tied 7th at last year’s Trans-Mississippi at the Windsong Farm Golf Club in Minnesota.
The tournament will be a 72-hole stroke play with the final two days cut to the top 54 players. The winner will earn points that will be applied to the PGA tournament in the fall in Bermuda.
by Ashe in America | Jun 24, 2022 | Feature Story Bottom Left
At the time of publishing, the 2022 Colorado Primary results will be rolling in. While this is largely a nonevent for Democrats running unopposed, for Republicans it’s a critical moment of choosing.
What is “Self-Governance”?
When I started fighting for election integrity in November of 2020, my desire was to reacquaint Americans with their self-governance. From November 2020 to November 2021, I watched regular Coloradans, who were formerly apolitical or only peripherally aware of their local political landscape, become strong grassroots leaders across all Colorado counties.
Robust and thriving communities of civic-minded Americans sprung to life — during a non-election year — as the stolen 2020 election awakened them to just how far America had fallen from her founding. These unexpected leaders became the voices of sound logic and reason in their local communities, and many of us who once marched together began sharing meals, attending church, and doing life together.
Then came the November 2021 municipal elections and, literally the next day, it was an election year.
What is “Conservative”?
The thing about growing leaders is that they then desire to lead. Who knew?
When the midterm election year officially kicked off, many of the strongest grassroots leaders in Colorado became candidates. Then they qualified through the caucus and assembly process, with many of them winning the most support at the assemblies. Those who gain the most support during the assembly process win the top line spot on the ballot. Go to toplinevote.com for more information.
The Republican establishment was caught off guard by the assembly results. The following Monday, card-carrying establishment member and Republican Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown went on The George Show, hosted by failed Republican Attorney General candidate George Brauchler, to lament the changing dynamics of the party.
The two establishment representatives were joined by Vice Chairwoman Priscilla Rahn, who added little to the conversation other than calling 67% of Republican delegates “Judas” during Holy Week. The show was dedicated to mocking and belittling the party they claim to lead. It was a stark moment of contrast for right-leaning voters, many of whom are, like me, unaffiliated from any political party. Not a good look.
Still, these unlikeable and ineffective Republican leaders call themselves “conservative,” rendering the term effectively useless in describing any meaningful distinction from, “Republican.”
Engaged voters, however, see a big distinction in these two types of candidates. For example, at a recent Liberty Girls gathering in Highlands Ranch, candidates for US Senate and Congressional District 4 faced off in debate…sort of. While America First candidates Ron Hanks (Senate) and Bob Lewis (CD4) showed up in person, the two establishment candidates Joe O’Dea (Senate) and Ken Buck (CD4 incumbent) sent surrogates.
The audience favorites were indisputable, to the point of feeling a little sorry for the surrogates who fundamentally misunderstood their audience. A group of us spent nearly an hour after the debate red-pilling Ken Buck’s surrogate to the point where we speculated that he would quit the campaign. He was passionate about election integrity and completely unaware of the positions and history of the candidate — for whom he was speaking — on that important issue. He hadn’t even heard about Buck’s disastrous, late 2020 Town Hall.
What is “American”?
In Colorado, the Republican establishment truly enjoys their minority party status. They campaign and fundraise, and give strongly worded statements, but when it’s time to represent their constituents, the answer is always, “Sorry! Democrats! There’s nothing we can do.”
In other words, they provide no recognizable distinction from Democrats.
Colorado’s America First candidates are that distinction — and arguably Colorado’s last chance. These candidates are running on the traditional American values of self-governance and conserving the Constitution. These are our most powerful weapons against the long train of abuses from the triple Communist majority in Denver.
For decades, regardless of which party was elected, globalism flourished, the state expanded, and Americans largely suffered. The grassroots candidates across Colorado provide a clear alternative to the Colorado contingent of the uniparty.
As the parties drifted father and farther apart in recent years, I’ve speculated that, “the people are in the middle.” That is, the people are, at their very core, still American.
I guess we are about to find out.
Ashe Epp is a writer and election integrity activist. Read her work at asheinamerica.com and follow her on Telegram and other socials @asheinamerica.
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 24, 2022 | Valley Gadfly
“Say it loud and make me proud, ooh I live in America,” proclaim the words of James Brown’s song “Living in America.” It’s hard for most of us to put our patriotism into words.
So we let music legends like Lee Greenwood — “God Bless the U.S.A.,” 1984 — and Bruce Springsteen — “Born in the U.S.A.,” 1984 — sing it out and ignite our 4th of July spirit.
To celebrate freedom, here are our choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment so your spirit soars to meet our mountains in a patriotic July 4th “Rocky Mountain High” salute:
3 Begin July at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival as it returns to the streets of Cherry Creek North, July 1-3. There are 15 performing artists, food stations, plus activities for the kids, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sun. to 6 p.m. Information: 303-355-2787.
3 Keep the festivities going at Four Mile Park’s Independence Day Fête, July 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There’s live music, games, crafts, and food. Information: 720-865-0800.
3 Enjoy marching bands, floats, classic cars, and costumed characters at the Park Hill 4th of July Parade, July 4, starting at 1:30 p.m. Information: 303-919-6517.
3 Revel in Mozart Under the Moonlight as Christopher Dragon leads the Colorado Symphony at the Arvada Center, July 15, 7:30 p.m. Information:720-898-7200.
3 Chow down as top chefs David Grant and Justin Brunson compete in Plant vs. Protein Showdown at Four Mile Park July 30, noon to 6 p.m. Eric Golden and the Honky Tonk Band provide the entertainment. Information: 720-865-0800.
3 Buy tickets, foursomes, and sponsorships to this year’s Willie’s Wishes Charity Golf Tournament at Quint Valley Golf Course in Byers. The Shotgun Willie’s event provides scholarships to entertainers. Information: 303-388-9601.
3 Enjoy bites from 60 independent restaurants, plus cocktails, wine-beer at The Big Eats in DCPA’s Galleria July 28, 6 to 9 p.m. Information: Info@eatdenver.com.
3 Shop food, crafts, and products at free Havana Street Global Market at 2802 S. Havana St. in Aurora, July 26 and 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Information: 720-788-8986.
3 Gather the kids and family and celebrate the Fourth of July at Infinity Park Stadium and turf in Glendale, July 1, 7:30 p.m. One of the largest and oldest in the Valley, for the first-time families and friends can view the mesmerizing free show from Infinity Park, preceded by movie shorts and videos on the stadium’s jumbo screen, with food trucks on site. Guests can also bring food and beverages, no glass containers or grills allowed. Information: InfinityParkatGlendale.com.
Cherry Creek Valley citizens remain crystal clear about their love of country. Our laid-back living, rugged individualism, and optimism are as classic as Don McLean’s “American Pie.”
Despite this being the start of the hot-sultry Dog Days of Summer, welcome July as the month dedicated to freedom, independence, and celebration of our country and culture.
As we hail the U.S.A., Greenwood’s lyrics say it all: “The flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away. I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.”
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Peter Boyles | Jun 24, 2022 | Blasting with Boyles
There’s a philosophical theory if you took all the money in the world and divided it up equally the same people who have all the money today would have all their money back in just a few years.
Wouldn’t you love to have a job where you vote yourself your own salary? What a gift. Recently one of the greatest lucky sperm club families in the history of Denver sports, the Bowlen’s sold your Broncos to an even greater lucky sperm club factory, the Waltons. No, it’s not John Boy; it’s not Walton’s Mountain. However, hide and watch.
The first thing on the agenda is Stan Kroenke, the founder of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, which is the holding company of the LA Rams of the NFL, the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, the Colorado Rapids soccer team, the Mammoth lacrosse team, the Arsenal FC and Arsenal WFC, and the esports teams the LA Gladiators and LA Guerillas.
Now his wife is the lovely Ann Walton Kroenke. Ann is the daughter of Walmart co-founder Bud Walton. Now enter the dragon. You call him Rob Walton and he is Ann Walton Kroenke’s cousin. He now owns your Broncos who play at Empower Field, previously known as Broncos Stadium at Mile High, before that INVESCO Field at Mile High, aka Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Is it all starting to come together for you?
He bought your Denver Broncos for a record $4.65 billion. The real question that seems to be pending in the background is a new stadium.
Now remember you marks paid $400.9 million in 1999 to keep Pat Bowlen from skipping out of town with your Broncos back then. It appears your current owners, the Bentonville gang, are going to want a new stadium. They probably will move Elitch Gardens and redevelop that entire valley where the Platte River runs, possibly move the Ball Arena along with a new stadium. How much money do you think they’re gonna make? How much will the Broncos fans go into their pockets again?
But the better one is for all of us in the media to know that Stan Kroenke controls Altitude Sports. If you put together a sports package for every Colorado team but the CU Buffs and Colorado Rockies these guys are going to have some serious power. KOA has the radio rights to broadcast the Broncos games and every TV outlet claims to be the official Denver Broncos station.
The Broncos haven’t been that successful in recent years and people I know and respect tell me Russell Wilson is the quarterback that saved KOA Radio. With one family owning almost all of the teams and controlling almost all of the broadcast rights that’s a lot of political and economic clout. Kind of reminds me of DIA, light rail, the 16th Street Mall, and every other such project where you paid for it and someone else got rich off of it.
This is an early warning. Watch what happens and see if after these people paid all that money how long it will take for the Bentonville team to get all of their money back… from you. You get marked again. That’s called sports grifting. You got sports grifted again.
— Peter Boyles
