At the turn of the last century, Philadelphia blueblood Spencer Penrose made a fortune in gold and copper mining in Colorado and decided to build a grand hotel near the source of his wealth. He chose a site in Colorado Springs with a view across a manmade lake of the Front Range of the Rockies. Sparing no expense, Primrose created an Italianate palace furnished with treasures from all over the world.

The Broadmoor opened in 1918 with 350 luxurious guestrooms and a Donald Ross-designed golf course. Dubbed the "Riviera of the Rockies," it became a haven for the wealthy, who relished the clear mountain air and pleasant year-round temperatures (winter days average 50 degrees). For nearly a century the resort has kept pace with the times, expanding and upgrading without compromising its heritage or style. It has maintained a Mobil Five-Star rating for 49 years, and an AAA Five-Diamond status for 33 years. Golf Digest gives it five stars, which only 12 U.S. properties

At the turn of the last century, Philadelphia blueblood Spencer Penrose made a fortune in gold and copper mining in Colorado and decided to build a grand hotel near the source of his wealth. He chose a site in Colorado Springs with a view across a manmade lake of the Front Range of the Rockies. Sparing no expense, Primrose created an Italianate palace furnished with treasures from all over the world.

The Broadmoor opened in 1918 with 350 luxurious guestrooms and a Donald Ross-designed golf course. Dubbed the "Riviera of the Rockies," it became a haven for the wealthy, who relished the clear mountain air and pleasant year-round temperatures (winter days average 50 degrees). For nearly a century the resort has kept pace with the times, expanding and upgrading without compromising its heritage or style. It has maintained a Mobil Five-Star rating for 49 years, and an AAA Five-Diamond status for 33 years. Golf Digest gives it five stars, which only 12 U.S. properties have earned.

Golf was an important resort element from the start, and Ross felt that he had done his "best work" on The Broadmoor layout, which proved to be a difficult test in a beautiful setting. Later, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was brought in twice to design new holes and change the configurations into what are now the East and West courses. Jack Nicklaus won his first major title (U.S. Amateur) at The Broadmoor in 1959. In 2006 his company completed a redesign of the resort's third track (a 1970s Ed Seay layout), the Mountain Course.

The East (7,355 yards) and West (7,016 yards) both offer interesting combinations of holes by Ross and Jones. Ross' wide fairways leading to oversized, sculpted greens contrast with Jones' tight landing areas, doglegs, and elevated greens flanked by sand or water. The East Course has hosted many a major tournament and will be the stage for the 2011 U.S. Women's Open. Its greens are so fast and complex that it's wise to play on foot with a savvy caddy. The West Course is tighter than the East, with heavily wooded holes as it passes near Cheyenne Mountain. The cardinal rule on both layouts is that putts break away from the mountain.

The Mountain Course is the most scenic of the three, with incredible mountain views. It stretches 7,637 yards from the back tees, but its length is mitigated by the fact that balls travel farther in the thin mountain air. The fairways are generous, but subject to ravine crossings and elevation changes. Putting takes a deft touch on the big, quick greens.

For more than 20 years freelancer Dale Leatherman has specialized in golf and adventure travel. Assignments take her all over the world, but she's always happy to be back home playing mountain courses in West Virginia. She is also president-elect of the Society of American Travel Writers.