Nebraska Golf Trip

[TheKrushh]

Prairie Club opens May 15. I think Wildhorse is open now.

[cdnrockies]

[quote name='TheKrushh' timestamp='1395893801' post='8959887']
Prairie Club opens May 15. I think Wildhorse is open now.
[/quote]

Thank you. Wild Horse or Bayside are the closest anyways from DIA correct? Is Ballyneal open yet?

Sorry for the threadjack fellas.

[Campbells_Soup]

We will be heading out that way on August 2nd and plan(hope )to play WildHourse that early afternoon. From there we have reservations for Aug. 3rd and 4th for Prairie Club. I am going to attempt to contact SandHills and see if there is any way we might get the opportunity to play that awesome looking course. If that doesn't work we will probably try to get back to play in the Denver area the last 2 days. My buddy is really interested in playing Fossil Trace.

[mattsam]

[quote name='cdnrockies' timestamp='1395894563' post='8959931']
[quote name='TheKrushh' timestamp='1395893801' post='8959887']
Prairie Club opens May 15. I think Wildhorse is open now.
[/quote]

Thank you. Wild Horse or Bayside are the closest anyways from DIA correct? Is Ballyneal open yet?

Sorry for the threadjack fellas.
[/quote]


May 14th for Ballyneal

[cdnrockies]

[quote name='time4tim' timestamp='1395896925' post='8960039']
We will be heading out that way on August 2nd and plan(hope )to play WildHourse that early afternoon. From there we have reservations for Aug. 3rd and 4th for Prairie Club. I am going to attempt to contact SandHills and see if there is any way we might get the opportunity to play that awesome looking course. If that doesn't work we will probably try to get back to play in the Denver area the last 2 days. [b]My buddy is really interested in playing Fossil Trace.[/b]
[/quote]

Fossil Trace is a really fun track. I'm a big Jim Engh fan and like what he has done here. There are a couple less than ideal holes, imo, but it also had some really strong ones. When the wind blows, which is often, it can be a handful.

[deadsolid...shank]

[quote name='cdnrockies' timestamp='1395894563' post='8959931']
[quote name='TheKrushh' timestamp='1395893801' post='8959887']
Prairie Club opens May 15. I think Wildhorse is open now.
[/quote]

Thank you. Wild Horse or Bayside are the closest anyways from DIA correct? Is Ballyneal open yet?

Sorry for the threadjack fellas.
[/quote]

You're talking about 80 miles difference from Ogallala (Bayside) to Gothenburg (Wildhorse), but by the time to go through Ogallala and out to the lake and make the winding trek down to Bayside the difference probably isn't that much. Do the little extra driving and go to Gothenburg.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

I would do Gothenburg first, after the PC it would be a let down. Bayside is just a different style links course, more target oriented and 2 of the hardest par 5's I've played on the back 9.

Fossil Trace didn't impress us much, I love Jim Engh's design on Lakota Canyon, Redlands Mesa and Red Hawk Ridge, but not so much on Fossil Trace or Awarii.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

[quote name='Chile Dip Master' timestamp='1395803144' post='8952229']
If you enjoy[b] links [/b]courses you will have an awesome time.. We went last year Sunday - Friday. Plan ahead is key. To try and help a fellow WRX here is how I planned our trip last year.

We stayed in Valentine the fist two nights and then Mullen two more nights then Gothenburg. Valentine is about 20 minute drive to Prairie Club. Sand Hills is about 25 minutes from Mullen and Dismal River is 45 minutes from Mullen. Wild Horse is in Gothenburg so 20 min drive. Awarii Dunes is about an hour from Gothenburg off I-80 so we added it last minute.

All the clubs have excellent food and there is plenty of places to eat.
Cedar Canyon Steakhouse and Bunkhouse are both good places to eat in Valentine.
Reds Café is a good place to eat in Mullen, I recall having one of the best steaks I have had 15 minutes east of Mullen in Seneca at Cattleman's. Just off Hwy 2 If you can get there Ihighly recommend
Lisa Kitchen was excellent. Green Apple Café was also good in Gothenburg.

Accommodations are easy in Valentine and Gothenburg but Mullen is a tough location. Most stay 25 miles from Mullen in Theford (I think that is the town)

I think we stayed in the Sandhills Motel.? They were little separate little units with two queen beds in each. Nothing fancy that is for sure but it worked for two nights. Remember you are out in NOWHERE....also do not worry about the sound of banjo's JK

[i](You pass Mullen on the way to Valentine. Stat's wise Mullen population is 500, Valentine 2700 and Gottenburg is 3500)[/i]

[b]Play Order:[/b]
Prairie Club (Valentine Ne) 2 Days
Sand Hills (Mullen Ne) 1 Day
Dismal River (Mullen Ne) 1 Day
Wild Horse Golf Club (Gothenburg Ne) 1 Day...sort of 2 since we added Awarii Dunes
Awarii Dunes (Axtell Ne) [i](We added this based on reviews as it was only about 1 hour from Wild Horse but if you don't you are right on I-80 for the drive back to Denver )[/i]

[b]Prairie Club [/b](Dunes/Pines): We did not stay at the resort. We stayed in Valentine which is about 20 mins away so easy drive. I know someone posted they had to play one course each day but when we went last year we got to mix it up. Was not full as I thought on Sunday and pretty empty on Monday. (They did have maintenance out on Monday but did not effect our play) I will tell you one of the best times I had with friends on course was the HORSE course (par 3)... we grab some brauts and buckets of beers and played the course until the sun went down both nights. First night I lost my AZZ on the bets...LOL You really only need a few clubs but the second night we all tired with one club and a putter. Really was a blast. Is it worth the fee.... well since it is a all day yes it is. Honestly I liked the both courses but I like the Pines better. Just the type of courses I like. The dunes is excellent also but it may have been down played in my mind after playing Sand Hills a day later.

[b]Sand Hills:[/b] You can get on...or at least we did. In simple you have to be respectful of the course and that it is private. You can email them, I think from the website actually. I recall you need to be sponsored by a member. We chose to write a letter/email letting them know about are group (3) Basically being as respectful as we could hoping to get a chance to play it. We got an email back a week later saying we had been sponsored...!!! We thought / hoped the sponsor would be there so we could thank them but we played as a 3 some. It is an amazing course but know that if the wind is blowing you had better play the right tees as it gets hard..really HARD.! As nice as the course is the people at the club are better. Nicest people I have ever meet at a course. By the way Sand Hills was not expensive....actually is a STEAL IMHO !!! We tipped everyone we saw..LOL they were soooo nice and treated so well is was crazy. As if we were members and they did not have too. [i]** Rumor is they keep you name and they give you a one time deal... if ask again I have heard the answer is sorry. Not sure if that is true or not?[/i]

[b]Dismal River:[/b] Private......and got a bit lucky. I had heard a rumor so I asked a friend, PGA head pro were we play out of (Murphy Creek - Public course) to make a "call" based on the rumor. Finally got him to connect with the head pro at Dismal and since we were playing on a Wednesday he asked a "fellow" head pro if we could "sneak" on during the middle of the week. Turns out they would like you to be a member of another PRIVATE course. We may have just lucked out but we got on. I will note up front It was expensive $200+/- but they we got use of the range and they let us play twice for the fee and I swear we never saw another golfer...heck person all day. It was surreal... as if we owned the place. Was really cool. Excellent course. So at the price playing two rounds it was worth it in the end. [i]**I will note we debated it based on price but we HAD to follow through since we got on...in the end it was worth it.[/i]

[b]WIld Horse Golf Club:[/b] Around $60ish with cart I think. I really liked this course as it had more wild fescue grass around the course, also a LOT taller then the other courses. Do not miss the fairway, you will find 5 balls but not your own it seemed. When we played it was super green on the fairways / greens and the fescue was high and brown. Looked very cool visually. Layout is nice and conditions were great. Worth $60 with a cart for sure.

[b]Awarii Dunes[/b]: I liked the course but it was at the end of the trip and since all the courses were links style ( I do think the Pines is a bit linkish...just me) they all started to blend together. Great layout and the conditions were really good. Worth playing again for the price.

You have time so maybe you can try and work in some of the private ones we played. Never hurts to ask!!

[i]PS: Once you get to Valentine or Mullen, each location or course is no more then 20-40 minutes away. Mullen to Gothenburg is 1:50 away so not bad. Drive back from Gothenburg to Denver ....4 hours. So honestly the 5.5 hour drive to Valentine is the longest part.[/i]
[/quote]

I'm so jealous! Sandhills is on my bucket list. How would you compare it to the Dunes course?

[CDM]

[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1396021662' post='8968773']
I'm so jealous! Sandhills is on my bucket list. How would you compare it to the Dunes course?
[/quote]

Honestly they are very different as hard as it would be to understand. You can tell right up front (3-4 holes in) that Sand Hills is natural..!!! The Dunes/Pines are great tracks so dont get me wrong...but Sand Hills, you can see why it is 9th ranked course in the usa and 12th in the world rankings. You have to see the course for what is, not just playability.

If you did not know they only moved 4000 CY of dirt and just shaped what was already there!! It is almost like they just laid grass on the ground and now we have a world class course. The course condition was amazing but they also only allow 50 rounds a day I think.

[QMany]

[quote name='Chile Dip Master' timestamp='1396036115' post='8970459']
The course condition was amazing but they also only allow 50 rounds a day I think.
[/quote]
I don't remember them having a round limit, but it is somewhat self-imposed because of how few people are there at a time. If I remember correctly, there are only like 20 housing units (40 beds) on property. When I was there, I would guess there were only 15-20 rounds per day, if that.

[sabram]

Wildhorse in Gothenburg is definitely worth a stop. It won't be as grandoise as Prairie Club, but it's a charming track that lays it out right in front of you...prairie links at it's best.

 

Bayside in Ogallala is a fun track and I think it's worth a stop. Should be a fairly quick stop since not too far off I-80.

 

+1 on these two recommendations. Also, regarding Ballyneal... I've played about 700 courses and Ballyneal is in my top 25 in the world.

 

 

https://www.flickr.c...57631980258307/ Bayside photo tour

 

 

https://www.flickr.c...57631982222276/ Wildhorse photo tour

 

 

https://www.flickr.c...57631925736869/ Ballyneal Photo tour

[CDM]

If you can make it over to Wild Horse do so. It surprised me in a positive way... it is an excellent course. By the way the two gentlemen that "worked" Sand Hills shaping it for Coors/Crenshaw, same two hired to build Wild Horse at the recommendation of the owner of Sand Hills no less.....

If you get the chance to play Sand Hills when I say see it for what it is, I mean it is in the middle of no where, the club house is not grand by any means, the cabins you can stay are simple and basic. Once you play it and see how is shaped and then realize that only moved roughly an area of [b]105'x105'x10'[/b] of dirt to build the entire course it makes you realize it was meant to be.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Gotta love the 150 markers at Wildhorse!

[sabram]

[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1396158945' post='8978933']
Gotta love the 150 markers at Wildhorse!
[/quote]

+1

[DTown3011]

Putting together a "Last Hurrah" golf trip this summer as I'm having my first child and know it will be my last chance to do this for a few years! This thread was very helpful, glad to know I can get on Sand Hills thank you!

[siebo]

Just to add my 2 cents wildhorse in Gothenburg is a must play if you are in the area. Also have heard that awarii dunes is now under new management as I believe it was taken over by a group led by hale irwins son.

[DTown3011]

So it looks like we will have 4 total days and lots of great courses to consider. The one I am for sure playing is Sand Hills but given the schedule and other courses in the area what would you pick?

-Ballyneal, on the drive from Denver to Nebraska
-Dismal River
-The Prairie Club, planning a stay and play package here, but also the furthest
-Wildhorse
-Awarii Dunes

Any others I'm missing?

The current thought is possibly Ballyneal on a Wednesday on the way to Nebraska, 2 days of unlimited golf at The Prairie Club on Thur/Fri, and Sand Hills on Saturday. Drive home to Denver Sunday.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Are you sure you can get on Sand Hills?

[DTown3011]

[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1397503078' post='9089587']
Are you sure you can get on Sand Hills?
[/quote]

Yes. I am sure.

I am fortunate enough to know multiple members.

[QMany]

[quote name='DTown3011' timestamp='1397503233' post='9089603']
[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1397503078' post='9089587']
Are you sure you can get on Sand Hills?
[/quote]
Yes. I am sure.

I am fortunate enough to know multiple members.
[/quote]
I would play Sand Hills as many days as possible, even if that meant not playing any of the other courses.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

I'm envious, we will be doing a 2 day one night at Prairie Club, Wild Horse on the way there, and would love to do Sand Hills on the way back. Plan on sending a letter of begging to them and see what happens.

[Marrrk]

[quote name='QMany' timestamp='1397503405' post='9089631']
[quote name='DTown3011' timestamp='1397503233' post='9089603']
[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1397503078' post='9089587']
Are you sure you can get on Sand Hills?
[/quote]
Yes. I am sure.

I am fortunate enough to know multiple members.
[/quote]
I would play Sand Hills as many days as possible, even if that meant not playing any of the other courses.
[/quote]

i pretty much agree with this. if you're getting on Bally, Dismal and SH, i would just focus on playing as much as possible at those courses instead of adding hours of extra driving to play lesser tracks.

[mattsam]

[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1397655602' post='9103379']
[quote name='QMany' timestamp='1397503405' post='9089631']
[quote name='DTown3011' timestamp='1397503233' post='9089603']
[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1397503078' post='9089587']
Are you sure you can get on Sand Hills?
[/quote]
Yes. I am sure.

I am fortunate enough to know multiple members.
[/quote]
I would play Sand Hills as many days as possible, even if that meant not playing any of the other courses.
[/quote]

i pretty much agree with this. if you're getting on Bally, Dismal and SH, i would just focus on playing as much as possible at those courses instead of adding hours of extra driving to play lesser tracks.
[/quote]

+1

[DTown3011]

[quote name='mattsam' timestamp='1397674502' post='9105611']
[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1397655602' post='9103379']
[quote name='QMany' timestamp='1397503405' post='9089631']
[quote name='DTown3011' timestamp='1397503233' post='9089603']
[quote name='dirtyboy' timestamp='1397503078' post='9089587']
Are you sure you can get on Sand Hills?
[/quote]
Yes. I am sure.

I am fortunate enough to know multiple members.
[/quote]
I would play Sand Hills as many days as possible, even if that meant not playing any of the other courses.
[/quote]

i pretty much agree with this. if you're getting on Bally, Dismal and SH, i would just focus on playing as much as possible at those courses instead of adding hours of extra driving to play lesser tracks.
[/quote]

+1
[/quote]

The problem is lodging or stay-and-play around those areas. I really only need to play the courses for a day and move on. The Prairie Club provides a nice destination and 2 courses that you can stay onsite for 2+ stays and play 36+ holes each day. Ballyneal is on the drive from Colorado so that can be done in a day and Sand Hills would be the icing on the cake.

I'm still planning my itinerary and dates, so really anything is up in the air at this point.

[QMany]

Based off of what I have heard from many, if I had the choice to play Sand Hills/Ballyneal/Dismal over 2-3 days, I would stay and play [i]only [/i]Sand Hills the entire time. I have played it 7-8 rounds there over 4 days. It has never played the same each time.

[CDM]

[quote name='QMany' timestamp='1397683664' post='9106639']
. It has never played the same each time.
[/quote]

LOL that is a [b]true[/b] statement.

To answer which courses, honestly I would play the 3. I know everyone say play SH all 3 days but the other courses are great tracks. Sure not as touted and revered but me, I like variety.

[Ace Underhill]

Does Sand Hills prefer you write a letter requesting the possibility of playing or would one be able to call them directly? I am playing Dismal in June for 3 days and would like to play 1 round at Sand Hills beforehand. On the way back home we are playing 18 at Wildhorse then I have league play that night. My back to going to hate me. Guessing 144 holes in 5 straight days.

[benkodi]

[quote name='Ace Underhill' timestamp='1397751492' post='9112243']
Does Sand Hills prefer you write a letter requesting the possibility of playing or would one be able to call them directly?
[/quote]

Either method if fine. The result won't change.

[ssfranny]

Prairie Club has a Stay and Play package unlimited golf and its not too pricey.

[ssfranny]

Wildhorse in Gothenburg is worth the trip definitely.