Fore-get traditional golf courses.

State of play: Golf simulator bars are popping up across Denver and beyond, acting as a hole-in-one for avid and amateur golfers, and the entire family.

Why it matters: As the trend tees up in popularity, it could act as a sustainable alternative to water-guzzling golf courses and a solution when the weather turns cold or rainy.

Zoom in: Denver has seen a surge in indoor golf bars, including places like the Local Drive, the Back 9 and X Golf DTC.

• The newest addition to the scene is Hangar Club, a 22,000-square-foot venue in the former Lowry Air Force Base.
• The indoor entertainment space features 10 enormous simulators with private hitting bays, plus a central bar.

By the numbers: At Hangar Club, an hour on a sim — roughly the time it takes one person to play 18 virtual holes — can range from $45-$75 per person, which is mostly in line with its competitors.

• It offers more than 200 courses to choose from.

🏌️‍♀️ Alayna's thought bubble: I visited Hangar Club recently and had never been to a place quite like it. Even though I'm no golfer (and whiffed the ball more times than I'd like to admit), I had a lot of fun.

Reality check: If you order drinks and appetizers, be prepared for a bit of sticker shock when you close your tab.

• My husband and I split four beers, olives and guacamole and paid $256 — including tip — for the whole two-hour experience. 😳

The big picture

Women-owned business openings in metro Denver increased 25% from 2022 to 2023, marking one of the highest growth rates in the country.

By the numbers: 773 women-owned businesses opened locally in 2023, compared to 620 in 2022, Axios' Analis Bailey reports from new Yelp data.

The big picture: Women-owned business openings rose 17% nationwide.

• Only Austin, Texas (34%), Miami (31%) and Washington, D.C. (25%) had higher growth rates than Denver among U.S. metros with at least 500 openings in 2023, according to Yelp.

What they're saying: "I do see this ecosystem as exceptionally supportive for women," Kate Bailey, founder of Tarra, a women's co-working and membership club in Denver, tells us.

• Bailey says local organizations like the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance of Professional Women are also contributing factors.

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A Denver judge has ruled that a sexual assault allegation against state Rep. Leslie Herod from another prominent Democrat is not credible.

Why it matters: The accusations against Herod, which were made on social media in 2023, simmered in the background during her bid for Denver mayor last year, and created turmoil within the Colorado Democratic Party.

Driving the news: The Feb. 12 ruling from Judge Clarisse Gonzales, released by Herod's attorney to the media a month later, came after two days of testimony and evidence that looked at a romantic encounter between Herod and Sheena Kadi that occurred four years ago.

• Kadi, who is currently the spokesperson for Colorado Treasurer Dave Young and the state Democratic Party, said it was not consensual.
• However, the judge found Kadi's claims were "incredible on 100% of the facts that were asserted," according to a partial transcript of the hearing provided by Herod's attorney to CPR and the Denver Post.
• The judge granted Herod a one-year protection order against Kadi.

What they're saying: "I'm grateful that there was a process to have my voice be heard," Herod told the Post in an interview.

What we're watching: Based on the judge's order, Democratic Party chair Shad Murib is calling on Kadi to resign her position as the state party's elected vice chair for public relations and marketing.

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❄️ Colorado's snowpack is now above average at 109% of historic norm thanks to last week's snowstorm. (Colorado Sun)

🥾 Outdoor retail giant REI will open its 10th Colorado store in Loveland this summer. It will include a full-service ski and bike shop. (Denver Gazette)

👀 Andrew Roth, who currently serves as the deputy director at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, will be the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association's new CEO and executive director. (DBJ 🔑)

🔎 An expert known for testifying in foster care cases in Colorado has been making largely unscientific assessments, based on an unpublished and unstandardized method she has been using since the 1980s. (ProPublica)

⚖️ Former Aurora police chief Vanessa Wilson is suing the city alleging wrongful termination over her 2022 firing. (The Sentinel)

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Drive 40 minutes north of Denver, and you'll run into a red-capped, buck-toothed beaver and the cleanest public restrooms in the state.

The big picture: That's what Buc-ee's — a Texas-based (and sized) cult-followed convenience store — is promising at its first Colorado location in Johnstown.

• Plus, plenty of Texas barbecue, "beaver nuggets" (Buc-ee's famous brown sugar caramel-coated corn pop snack), and jerky as far as the eye can see.

Driving the news: Buc-ee's held its grand opening yesterday. Ahead of its 6am debut, hundreds of die-hard fans waited for hours in a line that wrapped around the store.

• The first person to enter the store showed up Sunday night, 9News reports.

What they're saying: "I've never been to a new one. I had to be here," Gerry Almaraz, who traveled from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, told the Denver Post.

By the numbers: The 74,000-square-foot location boasts 116 gas-filling stations, 12 electric vehicle chargers and a 20-foot beef jerky counter.

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