Cattails at Cattails Golf Course

Cattails Golf Course sits in the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado, near Alamosa at an elevation above 7,500 feet. Dick Phelps designed the course, which opened in the 1990s as a public facility serving the surrounding agricultural region. The high-altitude setting and valley floor location shape the playing experience, with thin air affecting ball flight and distance calculations throughout the round.

The layout occupies relatively flat terrain characteristic of the valley, with water features—including ponds and the cattail-lined wetlands that give the course its name—coming into play on several holes. Cottonwoods and other native vegetation frame fairways, while views extend toward the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west. The design incorporates the natural drainage patterns and existing water sources of the valley floor.

As a daily-fee course in a small mountain community, Cattails serves both local residents and travelers passing through the San Luis Valley. The facility provides a straightforward golf experience without extensive amenities, typical of rural Colorado courses that prioritize playability and maintenance within modest budgets. The high elevation and open landscape create conditions distinct from lower-altitude Colorado courses, with wind often a factor and the dry climate keeping fairways firm for much of the season.