The Roaring Fork Club

The Roaring Fork Club sits in the Roaring Fork Valley near Basalt, Colorado, roughly fifteen miles downstream from Aspen. Designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in the early 2000s, the course occupies high-desert terrain along the Roaring Fork River, where the valley floor meets the foothills of the Elk Mountains. The routing takes advantage of the natural elevation changes and the river corridor, with several holes playing along or near the water. The setting offers views of the surrounding peaks, and the high-altitude environment—above 6,000 feet—affects both playing conditions and the character of the turf and vegetation. Nicklaus incorporated the site's natural features into the design, working with the existing topography rather than imposing dramatic earthwork. The course features a mix of open meadow holes and more enclosed stretches where cottonwoods and scrub oak frame the fairways. Bunkers are strategic rather than excessive, and the greens vary in size and contour to suit the approach angles and shot values Nicklaus intended. Water comes into play on several holes, both from the river itself and from constructed features that tie into the irrigation and drainage systems. The Roaring Fork Club operates as a private facility and serves a membership drawn largely from the Aspen-Roaring Fork Valley area. The club emphasizes a relatively low-key atmosphere compared to some resort-oriented mountain clubs, focusing on golf and outdoor recreation in a landscape that remains visibly connected to the working ranches and open space that still characterize parts of the valley.