10 MAY 14-20, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | champion) at the time. That was not my goal. But I’m glad it was accomplished and it’s nothing but a good feeling.” The action moved off the course in 1962, when a fi re tore through the original Tudor Revival-style clubhouse, designed by Denver architect G. Meredith Musick, causing mas- sive damage to the second fl oor and roof. The city rebuilt the facility, remodeling it to accommodate a golf shop and restaurant, a few of which cycled through the space until 1977, when legendary Denver restaurateur Leo Goto took over the concession contract. Backed by businessmen Howard Torgove and Larry Atler, an East High classmate of Goto who’d also partnered on his popular downtown restaurant Leo’s Place, the space got a makeover that turned it into the Wellshire Inn, which thrived as a fashionable dining spot and meeting place for the community. The Wellshire Inn was known as a classy place with a gracious host. Future Mayor Michael Hancock was once a waiter there. It was where John Elway took his family on Christmas Day and where former Senator Gary Hart chose to end his 1988 campaign for president. Goto built a reputation as the consummate front-of-house man. Alter, who was married to former Miss America Mari- lyn Van Derbur, and Torgove were known as business and philanthropic leaders who sat on a number of civic organizations. After the market crashed in 2008, Torgove bought out Goto’s interest in the Wellshire Inn and transformed the clubhouse from a community staple into an event space no longer open to the public, but is frequently used as a wedding venue and a host for corpo- rate events. Wellshire LLC, the concessionaire, owns the contract through 2043. It currently pays $100,000 per year to book and operate the venue, which also includes the Golfer’s Pub, a small res- taurant and bar adjacent to the pro shop that offers patio seating with folding chairs and checkered tablecloths. “I know community members, golfers and non- golfers, would love to see a restaurant and bar again in the Wellshire clubhouse,” says Kendra Black, a former Denver City Councilmember who represented the area. “This was a perennial topic with my constituents. Many remember the Wellshire Inn where they dined and the big bar that was a community gathering space.” Losing the Inn Crowd With the loss of the Wellshire Inn, the neigh- borhood lost an iconic hot spot – but that did not stop golfers from fi lling up the tee sheet. Before a recent round at Wellshire, Denver resident and frequent Willis Case golfer Geraud Gonzales educated his playing part- ners on the course’s bona fi des. “Did you know this is a Donald Ross course?” Gon- zales asked. “They used to host PGA events here back in the day.” “Members take a great deal of pride in Wellshire,” says Denver Auditor Tim O’Brien, a longtime member of the Wellshire men’s club. “We think we have a terrifi c asset and are proud of the course.” Modern golfers using modern equipment have ren- dered Wellshire obsolete as a championship-level course. At around 6,600 yards from the back tees, Wellshire would be the shortest course on the PGA tour, and the lack of space between the fair- ways would make it extremely diffi cult to accommodate spectators. It is unlikely the course will ever return to the days of hosting players like Palmer and Hogan, but its place in the local golf community has not wavered. This Labor Day, Wellshire will host its 83rd annual Wellshire Four-Ball Championship, the longest-running tournament in Colorado. “There are several four-ball tournaments in Colorado, but Wellshire is one of the most prestigious,” says Tom Woodard, the former head of Denver Golf and a past winner of the Wellshire four-ball. “It’s amazing. You get the best players in the region teaming up. It’s so much fun to play in and quite an accomplishment to win.” Denver municipal golf courses operate as a self-sustaining enterprise fund, mean- ing no general-fund dollars or tax revenue support their operations. Course and facil- ity improvements are paid for by revenue from greens fees, cart fees, concessionaire contracts, and merchandise sales at the city’s six public courses. In September 2021, O’Brien led an audit of the city’s golf operations, which recom- mended that course managers address big- picture issues by creating a strategic plan for the future. None have materialized, much less one that calls for restoring the Wellshire Inn. In fact, the most high-profi le project underway at Wellshire is a new driving range, a plan launched in 2018 – before the audit – that required draining Skeel Reservoir and is on track for completion next year. A cur- rent list of capital improve- ments on the Denver Parks & Recreation website also includes cart-path repairs and a new roof for the pro shop at Wellshire. In a 2016 audit of Denver Parks & Recreation, O’Brien was critical of some of the terms of the Wellshire con- cessions contract. “Fifty years is way too long in my opinion. If this is a nuclear power plant, I could under- stand 50 years, but not to op- erate a concession at a golf course,” he told Denver7. (He declined to discuss the contract this round.) According to that 2016 audit: “The Director of Fi- nance and Administration explained that, in this in- stance, the lengthy term was justifi ed because the con- cessionaire is responsible for significant investment related to maintenance and repair costs of the facility, which is aging.” No major renovations have been made to the Wellshire golf course since Ross drafted the layout in 1924. Bunkers, which can often be the most expensive part of a course to maintain, have been added and removed throughout the years, and natural growth has transformed the shape of the fairways and greens. A kids’ course called Hogan’s Alley was added in 2006. Named after Denver golf legend Dan Hogan, a lifelong public golfer (and not golf’s Marie Antoinette), Hogan’s Alley is free for kids and supports local First Tee youth programs. Turning 100 in 2026, Wellshire is operat- ing with much the same physical structure it had when it opened in 1926. Meanwhile, City Park Golf Course recently underwent a major course renovation, aided by funding from a fl ood-control project, that included a rerouting of the golf course, a new kids’ course, and a brand-new clubhouse where locals and out-of-towners come to dine and take in the views; a display case at the main entrance tells the history of its course and the infl uential leaders who walked its fairways. Denver Golf recently announced a new clubhouse at the Kennedy Golf Course, a $30 million renovation supported by the enterprise fund to make the facility a more family-oriented community hub. But there are no big plans for Wellshire…beyond a celebration of its 100th anniversary. “Wellshire is one of the most beautiful courses in the region, and the history of its clubhouse is also so important to Denverites who for decades dined at the Wellshire Inn or enjoyed drinks at the elegant bar. We celebrated many special occasions there. Business leaders and city offi cials used to negotiate deals at the Wellshire Inn, says former councilmember Black, a member of the Wellshire 100th Committee. “Wellshire’s 100th anniversary is a cause for celebration. Its history not only helps to tell golf’s story, but also refl ects the growth and optimism of our young and growing city.” The Wellshire 100th Committee is hosting a tournament at Wellshire Golf Course on Friday, June 5, to raise funds to create a historical dis- play case that will reside between the pub and the pro shop. Tournament spots are currently sold out, but there will be a public community celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. Learn more at cityofdenvergolf.com. Join the Club continued from page 8 The 3rd hole at Wellshire has a mountain view, too. The Wellshire clubhouse was a popular gathering place. DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY DAVID DUBERSTEIN
