In 1980, the Ranch Course at Keystone opened to plenty of fanfare and acclaim, and the reasons for this were manifold. For one, it was one of the early course designs by Robert Trent Jones Jr., who was still designing in the shadow of his father’s name. Secondly, it marked the beginning of a boom in the Mountain areas west of Denver, which had long held the exclusive reputation as a stellar ski destination. The successful opening proved quickly that mountain golf would be a hit and the beauty at 9,000 feet seamlessly lent itself to golf. Named for the old 1930s cattle ranch that preexisted the resort destination, many of the old historical markings are still present: ranch buildings frame the famed fifth hole, and the lush valley through which the back nine plays reminds golfers of the thousands of cattle that once roamed this plain. Harnessing the natural beauty of the land was Jones' mandate from the start, and the end result is a course that uses the terrain and tradition of the property to maximize the challenge and drama of his design.

As with any great course, the opening and closing holes, par five bookends that afford great birdie-bogey opportunities, both set and conclude the tone beautifully. The first plummets 528 yards down from an elevated tee to a fairway tightly knit between stands of forest, with the left side appearing particularly imposing. The hole contrasts the typical terrain that follows, and also puts pressure on the straight shot from the very beginning. A good drive off the corner of the right fairway bunker sets up the best angle for a fairway wood to run onto the green, or for a smart lay-up to the right corner, setting up an easy third.

Once through the trees that mark the first three holes, Keystone Ranch moves into landscape indicative of its name at the 412-yard fourth, where good drives will find the fairway down in the plain while staying short of the Snake River. Club consideration becomes imperative here, as the altitude must be taking into account to avoid overshooting targets. The approach over the stream must be kept short of the hole, as a bunker and long prairie grasses behind the green will make bogey a feat

Choosing the best hole on the Ranch is difficult, but for sheer ingenuity, the 190-yard par-three fifth seems to cry out for the "signature" tag. Playing along a ridge of the valley floor, the shallow green is back dropped by the original ranch buildings that make the photo one of the more recognized par threes anywhere. Aside from the picturesque nature of the hole, the wide green with a centre bunker forces the golfer to choose the right or left line. The play over the centre bunker is the riskiest, because of the back bunker that catches all long shots and forces a slightly downhill play to recover, which leaves a tough par save. The last factor that should be taken into account is the wind, from which the golfer is blocked from on the tee by the left flanking ridge. However, when the ball rises above the ridge the winds effects will be rather obvious as it tends to knock down the ball short. The subtle strategies that must be considered from the tee fit well with the hole's aesthetic value, making it one of the most talked-about holes over beers after a round.

Closing out the front nine, the golfer ascends the ridge wall to play a short par four shaped around a large lake, making this 368 yards play longer unless, at their own peril, the golfer takes a direct and daring line from the tee. The huge fairway offers all players the ability to set up an approach, but those who take the more dangerous line will be rewarded by a shorter approach to the green wrapped in bunkers.

The back nine begins with same spectacular beauty the front nine boasted; in fact the view looking back from the tenth green stretches over the course and back down the valley. The scenery continues throughout the back, especially as the golfer reaches the 14^th hole – a 172-yard par three. The farthest point up the valley sets the stage for the downhill par three that plays to a wild green that is protected in front by a gnarly bunker and guarded behind by another trap. The easiest play is to the front right, which offers a kicker slope and lets the ball feed down to the middle of the green. Given the exposed setting, the wind will inevitably play a role, and gauging its effect is mandatory to having a chance at par.

The aforementioned par-five finishing hole finishes off where the opening hole started. Playing 589 yards from the back tees, the hole is as spectacular and challenging as the opening hole. The hole is bordered on the left by the lake shared with the ninth hole, and its presence is felt on every shot. The drive must play across the bay and negotiate a landing area that is pinched by three bunkers. The preferred play is a a right-to-left ball that follows the course of the fairway. From the landing area, the golfer must navigate the ball away from the water again, towards the fairway bunker short of the green. From this angle, the golfer is faced with a reasonable pitch down the length of the green to leave a birdie opportunity. The closing hole is indicative of the strategy that Jones Jr. displayed throughout, where birdie opportunities are afforded to the golfer who is willing to take risks, and bogeys likely on the occasions that they miss.