Red Sky Golf Club Fazio Course
Tom Fazio's mountain masterpiece in the Vail Valley, the Fazio Course climbs from an open bluff of sage and juniper up into aspen groves before plunging downhill to the finish. Big, bold and beautifully conditioned, it is one of Colorado's most admired resort courses.
Photo: Max Biller via Google.
The verdict
Red Sky Golf Club sits above the small town of Wolcott, a short drive west of Vail and Beaver Creek, and carries two championship courses on the same mountainside: a Greg Norman design and this one, the Tom Fazio Course, which opened in 2002. Both are owned by Vail Resorts and run on a rotation, members on one course and eligible resort guests on the other, so the two trade places day by day. It is a setup that keeps both layouts quiet and immaculate.
The Fazio Course is the bolder, more dramatic of the pair. The front nine spreads across a high open bluff dotted with hand planted sage and juniper, all width and movement and long views, before the back nine rises in switchback fashion far up the mountain through stands of aspen and then tumbles back downhill over the closing three holes. At about 7,116 yards and par 72 it is no monster on the card, but the elevation, the firm turf and Fazio's signature blend of generosity and subtle danger make it a thinking golfer's mountain course.
Red Sky Fazio Course at a glance
- Opened
- 2002
- Designer
- Tom Fazio
- Type
- Mountain resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,116 yds
- Access
- Private and resort
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from Red Sky Golf Club and leading course databases. The Fazio Course is a Tom Fazio design, a par 72 of about 7,116 yards opened in 2002 near Wolcott, Colorado. It is a private and resort club owned by Vail Resorts; public green fees apply only through eligible resort access and rotate daily with the Norman Course, so always confirm current rates and arrangements directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Fazio Course opens on the bluff, wide fairways rolling across the sage with the Gore Range filling the horizon. It is some of the most generous driving golf in the mountains, but Fazio asks for position rather than just length, because the green complexes reward the right angle and the bunkering nudges you toward the bolder line off the tee.
The character shifts on the back nine, which climbs hard into the trees. The switchback routing carries you up the mountain through the aspens, the holes tightening and the elevation change growing, until the course turns for home. The closing stretch is the signature: three downhill holes that plunge back off the high ground, the ball hanging in the thin air and the valley spread out below, a thrilling and slightly vertiginous finish.
Played from a sensible tee it is pure pleasure, a beautifully kept resort course with views at every turn. Played from the back, with the wind up on the bluff and the climb on the back nine, it becomes a real examination of mountain golf, where judging elevation and trusting the turf matter as much as the swing itself.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private and resort club owned by Vail Resorts; the Fazio and Norman courses rotate daily between members and eligible resort guests, so there are no open public tee times |
| Green fee | Resort guest rates are premium and seasonal; indicative summer 2026 figures sit in the high hundreds of dollars, always confirm the current rate directly before booking |
| Booking | Through an eligible Vail Resorts stay or a member host, with the day's playable course set by the rotation, so plan around your dates |
| On the day | Resort dress and etiquette; the back nine climbs hard, so a cart is standard and the altitude is felt by visitors from sea level |
| Getting there | At Wolcott, west of Vail and Beaver Creek, about a two hour drive from Denver or a short hop into Eagle County Regional Airport |
| Best months | Roughly late May to October; July and August give the most settled mountain weather |
Access and indicative fees verified June 2026 for the 2026 season; rates change, so always confirm directly before booking. Ask us about Vail Valley golf tee times.
Where to stay nearby
Red Sky sits in the heart of the Vail Valley, so a visiting golfer can base themselves in Vail, Beaver Creek, Avon or Edwards, all within an easy drive of the club and the wider mountain golf of central Colorado. Staying at an associated Vail Resorts property is also the route to playing the courses.
The practical move is to build a valley trip around Red Sky and the area's resort golf, pair it with the dining and the summer mountain scenery, and let the daily course rotation shape your tee times. Eagle County Regional Airport keeps the area well connected in summer, with Denver a scenic drive east over the passes.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Vail and Beaver Creek.
Build a Vail Valley golf trip
We build a trip around the best of central Colorado's mountain golf, from Red Sky's two courses to the Vail Valley's finest resort layouts, and sort your lodging, transfers and tee times. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Red Sky Fazio Course questions
Who designed the Fazio Course at Red Sky?
The Fazio Course at Red Sky Golf Club was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 2002. It is one of two championship courses at Red Sky, the other being a Greg Norman design, set in the mountains near Wolcott in Colorado's Vail Valley.
What is the par and length of the Red Sky Fazio Course?
The Fazio Course plays to a par of 72 and stretches to about 7,116 yards from the back tees. The thin mountain air at elevation adds carry, so the course plays a touch shorter than the number while the elevation change keeps it a serious test.
Can visitors play the Red Sky Fazio Course?
Red Sky is a private club owned by Vail Resorts with limited resort access. The two courses rotate daily between members and eligible resort guests, so a visitor generally plays as a guest of a member or as a guest of an associated Vail Resorts property. Always confirm current access directly before planning a visit.
When is the best time to play Red Sky Golf Club?
Red Sky is a high country course and a summer layout, typically open from roughly late May or June into October. July and August give the most settled mountain weather, with cool mornings and the chance of an afternoon storm.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; access and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.