Amateurs can try to hit farther than Charlie Blackmon can swat a homer

By Jay McKinney

After another disappointing season, the Colorado Rockies will not be hosting any playoff games at Coors Field this October. But that doesn’t mean the stadium should sit empty. From Oct. 18-20, Coors Field might see more hits than the last 10 seasons combined when Upper Deck Golf visits the Mile High City.

Upper Deck Golf is an organization that travels across the country and takes over major league stadiums to briefly transform them into golf courses and provide an experience like no other. It is set to hold events in a handful of NFL stadiums such as Lumen Field in Seattle, and Levi’s Stadium, where the 49ers play. But there are several baseball stadiums slated for play, and Coors Field was selected as one of them.

It’s an exclusive opportunity that makes the ever-popular Topgolf look like a municipal driving range. Golfers will tee it up and hit balls at the designated greens on the baseball field. While there won’t be any putting, Upper Deck has designed a scoring system for its courses. If a shot lands on the green it’s a par, if it’s off the green it’s a bogey, and if it stays within the circle surrounding the flagstick, it’s counted as a birdie. Starting this year, when a golfer gets a birdie, LED lasers will light up the field. Hopefully, Coors Field will even see some holes-in-one over the course of three days.

With the stadium sitting in the heart of downtown Denver, golfers will only be permitted to hit sand wedge, pitching wedge, 9-iron and 8-iron. Golfers can bring their own clubs if they wish, but bags are not allowed. However, Cleveland Golf is the exclusive equipment partner for Upper Deck and golfers can use the Cleveland clubs provided. It’s a great opportunity for those shopping for new clubs to test the brand new ZipCore XL irons and RTX 6 wedges by Cleveland.

Regardless of score, it’s always nice to have a cold beer in the clubhouse after a round of golf. With Upper Deck it's no different. Golfers are asked to arrive a minimum of 30 minutes early to their tee time and stay afterward to enjoy drinks, food, and partake in the golfing challenges in the clubhouse area. There are driving and chipping challenges on the golf simulators and a putting challenge as well, in which golfers can win prizes.

Golfers on the VIP waitlist can begin purchasing tickets at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. The following day, tickets will be available to the general public. In a state full of disappointed Rockies fans and avid golfers, the tee times are sure to sell out fast. But thanks to stadium lighting, they will start at 7 a.m. and go until 9 p.m, long after the sun has set. Golf attire is not necessary and there are no rain checks, so dress accordingly for comfort. The event will happen rain, snow or shine.

Click here for additional information and registration.