"They suggested things that looked out of play for me but at this elevation are in play for a really good player."

Tom Kensler profiles the new Renaissance Golf Design work at the former Mira Vista Golf Course, renamed to sound like a drug rehab center CommonGround), but thankfully serving a greater purpose (at least, if you are a golfer).

CommonGround is a 7,198-yard complete redo of the former Mira Vista Golf Course at Lowry. Co-owned by the Colorado Golf Association and Colorado Women's Golf Association, CommonGround was constructed with a budget of $4.8 million. By comparison, Doak recently completed work on $100 million courses in Palm Springs, Calif., and in the Hamptons on Long Island.

I don't even think Fazio can say he has two $100 million jobs!

The Mira Vista redo was a natural because three Renaissance Golf Design staffers grew up in Colorado. They contributed their "local knowledge" to the project. For example, their familiarity with playing golf at elevation convinced Doak that bunkers and other hazards must be placed farther down the fairway.

"For those guys, it was a rare 'home game,' " Doak said. "They suggested things that looked out of play for me but at this elevation are in play for a really good player."

That's not to say that Doak was a newbie to Colorado. Early in his career, in the mid-1980s, Doak worked for Pete and Perry Dye on Riverdale Dunes near Brighton. In 2006, Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club opened in Holyoke to much fanfare. Meandering through natural sand hills, Ballyneal is ranked No. 8 among Golfweek's top-100 modern (1960-present) golf courses in the U.S.

Apparently at press time the names of Eric Iverson and those other staffers who did the dirty work, were unavailable. Either way, nice work Team Renaissance, sounds like a great addition to Colorado golf.