“It is not your typical country club,” Mark Condon (center) says of Red Rocks Country Club. Photo courtesy of Mark Condon
Mark Condon is focused on making putting greens even greener.
Condon (MA ’84) is the general manager of Red Rocks Country Club, a private golf club located in Morrison, Colo., near the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The club has gardens, two private lakes and 1,000 acres of private open space that attracts wildlife and provides members and guests with many outdoor activities not normally available at a golf course, such as hiking trails and areas for catch-and-release fishing.
When Condon took over, he and superintendent Aaron Smith looked into changing the course’s watering system. Before, the course used a wall-to-wall system for watering, but Condon and Smith took a more native approach.
“We looked at our property here and saw this beautiful ranch country, and instead of a park we wanted it to look more native and work with the environment,” Condon says. “We restored native grasses, plants and gardens and reduced the acres that needed irrigation by 30 percent. Now you see grass and plants that take very little water.”
Condon worked with the club’s food and beverage director and executive chef, Robert Meitzer, to adopt a farm-to-table concept. The club funded an acre of land to develop a garden, and Condon and Meitzer planted a variety of produce including tomatoes, chilies, squash and beets. The club was recognized with the American Culinary Federation’s Achievement of Excellence Award in summer 2011.
Condon graduated from DU with a master’s degree in sports science and started out working in the athletic department at the Denver Athletic Club. There, he was encouraged to pursue management and eventually crossed over to become the food and beverage director, supplementing his degree from DU with a certification from the National Restaurant Association. He worked at Lakewood Country Club in Lakewood, Colo., and Rolling Hills Country Club in Golden, Colo., before coming to Red Rocks Country Club.
“We built the club on family values and culture to create a place where families feel welcome,” Condon says. “It is not your typical country club.”
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