The Sand Hills Golf Club.

[307golf]

It's great to read all the wonderful things about my native soil. My roots are all over the sandhills of Nebraska. Generations of my family have raised cattle on that sacred ground. There is nowhere in the world more beautiful to me than the Nebraska sandhills. Some special day, I hope to play this course, with my dad. Until then, the photos...

[Pinehurst1999]

To answer the original question, why is the US Open not playing here...

 

I would guess because it is in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska! Are there enough hotels and ammenities to handle a US crowd? I would need to see number to believe that it is capable.

[307golf]

NO, it is not possible to host a US Open in this area.  Not even close.  The entire gallery, media, and most of the players would have to camp out in the sandhills.  Not likely to happen in this day and age...  If it does go there (which it won't) I've got access to two ranches and a total of about 20 bedrooms for rent as close to the course as you're gonna get...:)307golf

[TKnuth13]

If anybody wants to see first hand pictures I took let me know I will be happy to send them too you and yes they should have the open there. The only problem with that is that the nearest hotel is 2 hours away.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Nearest hotel is much closer, I'm 2 hours away. Pretty sure they wouldn't want to put up with all the BS involved in an open.

 

How did you get on? Someday I'll play there.

 

We played Wildhorse at Gothenburg today, fantastic course. The super learned his craft at Sandhills and Wildhorse's greens may have been the truest rolling I've ever played. Wildhorse is rated in several magazines, one was the best courses under $100, we paid $52 since it was a Friday.

[In2Bate]

I played Sand Hills and Wildhorse earlier this week. I'd post some pictures of Sandhills if I could figure out how. I tried and they didn't attach. Anyhow, Sandhills GC makes Wildhorse into "My Little Pony" in terms of an overall golf experience.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Sandhills should be better, it costs about $150 more per round and most people can't get on anyway.

[crkranz]

Under construction is another highend golf complex with 2 18 hole courses to compliment Sandhills, Dismal River and Wildhorse. Maybe be playable by end of next summer. This area is turning into a golf destination.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Both Dismal and Sandhills are private, the new one will be public but near Valentine, quite a ways from Mullen.

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2007_1s..._SandHills.html

[wegobomber31]

Has anybody played Tom Doak's Ballyneal in NE Colorado? Many put it in on par or above Sand Hills, which is really saying something.

[EMKelly]

Albeit a couple months old, I have found this topic. I have played Sandhills numerous times and have had the pleasure to play Ballyneal 3 times. Ballyneal is a pleasant experience and I like having a caddie (from time to time). We stayed on site which was nice.

 

Sandhills is on a whole 'nother level. Green fees could be in excess of $500.00 and I would play there any opportunity I had. Have flown in from Omaha, NE with my boss and clients for multi-day trips and it is by far the greatest experience of my golf life. No caddies, no other golfers and a cooler full of your favorite drinks (no beverage cart, guess why). Your only civilization is at Ben's Porch, twice a round (before 1st hole and before 10th hole). Can't beat the food they cook for you either, some of the best (hope you enjoy meat, not the best place for vegetarians).

 

Overall, an amazing experience on both courses but SH has the win by a neck and a mile.

 

Sutton Bay, great fun also. I like the mixture of golf, fishing and hunting available. Great place to take clients because it can appeal to all types of people. The lodging there is also nice, albeit small (not much different than SH though). Walleye fishing is some of the best and it's great because during our cold winters here in the Midwest, you can still take clients to Sutton Bay for the fishing, hunting or trap shooting if it is their interest.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Too bad Dismal River is not any where near Valentine Nebraska! The new courses at Valentine are Tom Lehman design, Prairie Club is their name.

 

Dismal River is close to the Sandhills course.

[talent101]

Not sure if I agree with a neck and a mile but your pretty close. I am also a little jealous 3 times !! Nice.

[FairwayFred]

Sand Hills is, IMO, the best golf course in the world by a large margin and I have played almost all the contenders.

[nebatty]

Going to Dismal River tomorrow, Gothenburg on Friday. I know a member at Sandhills and plan on going, probable in August. Guess I will need to find 3 others to have a foursome. :rolleyes:

[onlyhogans]

Going to Dismal River tomorrow, Gothenburg on Friday. I know a member at Sandhills and plan on going, probable in August. Guess I will need to find 3 others to have a foursome. :rolleyes:

 

Definitely go to Bay Side while you're out that way, Cambridge is another nice course out that way. Meadowlark Hills in Kearney is not to bad either.

[nebatty]

Been to Bayside twice (family in Ogallala), and I go to Cambridge and Meadowlark at least once a year. I live less than an hour from both.

[onlyhogans]

I just got back from playing out in western Nebraska. We played about 8 courses and I loved them all except Heritage Hills in McCook.

[nebatty]

Agreed re Heritage hills. Boring layout and too many blind shots to greens as the main obstacles. I prefer cross creek in cambridge by far. Also cheaper!

[onlyhogans]

Agreed re Heritage hills. Boring layout and too many blind shots to greens as the main obstacles.

 

Exactly what I thought. On some of the tee boxes I didn't even know what green to hit for.

[nebatty]

Exactly, never liked courses where you can mistake which is the right green. :russian_roulette: Have you played Iron Eagle in North Platte? Nice course by the Platte River. Doesn't compare to Quarry Oaks or anything, but nice for North Platte.

[onlyhogans]

Never played either of the courses in North Platte, but Quarry Oaks and Iron Horse are both nice courses.

[vwgolfer]

Can anyone play Sand Hills? I assume that the course is empty most of the time.

[onlyhogans]

To play you have to be a member or know a member as it is private, and they only allow some golfers on the course each day.

[uvm]

i abosutley love that course. it prob wont ever have a us open for no reason other than logistics.

 

for those saying it is too short...if you have ever been out there you would know that land spaceis not an issue. they can make any hole as long as they like.

 

prob the best greens i have ever rolled. so smooth and true with VW's barried.

 

some of the bunkers are literally a couple stories high too!

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Played Gothenburg yesterday, it is in great condition. Wonderful course, the fringes of the greens are so short that the putter is a great chipping club. They call Wildhorse, little Sandhills. Love Bayside, played it maybe 40 times, greens are much slower than Wildhorse. Westwinds in Ogallalla is a fun course, great conditions also, especially the back 9.

 

Heritage Hills sucked, too many blind shots of unknown distance plus it is noisy and has power lines on several holes. I remember trying to figure out which green we were headed to on #2 and some other holes.

 

I think they only let 20 groups play Sandhills a day, wish I was one of them.

 

Both Sidney and Kimball are good courses also.

[nebatty]

Sidney and Kimbal are good courses, but my favorite in the panhandle is Chimney Rock at Bridgeport. Short 9 hole course, but loads of fun. Played there and Sidney (and Chappel and Ogalla and North Platte) growing up, Bridgeport is the best. Gotta love two different holes that changes from par 3 to par 4 depending on the tees you choose! :clapping:

[onlyhogans]

Wild Horse usually has pretty fast greens compared to any other course in Nebraska I think. When we played there this year they were fast but last year when we played they were crazy fast, if you just breathed to hard around your ball it would go off the green.

[runpuddrun]

Wish I could play Sand hills. We have a group of guys that do a golf outing every year called Play the West in NE, very cool deal. This year we're going to play Wild horse and Bayside twice. and head back to Omaha and play in LIncoln.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

[quote name='runpuddrun' timestamp='1310321581' post='3379517']
Wish I could play Sand hills. We have a group of guys that do a golf outing every year called Play the West in NE, very cool deal. This year we're going to play Wild horse and Bayside twice. and head back to Omaha and play in LIncoln.
[/quote]

I'm curious as to how high the water is at Bayside, a couple of cart paths near 11 might be under water now. Haven't played it yet this year, last year the greens were so slow that we only played it once.

I'd try to play Awarri Dunes in Kearney, green fees have been dropped to $60 for the rest of the year. Jim Engh design and I love his courses, played Red Hawk Ridge, Fossil Trace and Redlands Mesa.