[Steve_ Shaffer]

Published Friday  |  March 9, 2007
Land deal may save Sand Hills golf resort in Valentine
BY PAUL HAMMEL
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

VALENTINE, Neb. - A long-delayed luxury golf club proposed near Valentine is back on track, and a top professional golfer has signed on to the project.

Tom Lehman, who's earned more than $18 million during his playing career and won the British Open in 1996, will design one of the two 18-hole golf courses at the Prairie Club.

"He is extremely excited about this," course owner Paul Schock said of Lehman. "The first time he set eyes on this property, he fell in love with it."

The two Prairie Club courses, now expected to open in the spring of 2009, had been placed on hold over concerns that adjacent land along the scenic Snake River might be turned into housing and ruin the pristine Sand Hills views.

Schock recently offered to buy the property, which is managed by a state school lands agency, to resolve that problem and restart the golf-resort project.

"This is great news for us," said Dean Jacobs, executive director of the Valentine Chamber of Commerce. "Having a course like that, that brings in people from the outside, will be a big benefit for us."

Here's the rest of the story:

http://tinyurl.com/2r3mld

www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=2344211

[Scott_Burroughs]

From the article, at least the other course is still Gil Hanse & Co.  He deserves his shot w/a great piece of land.  I think the original 2nd course had already been laid out by Hanse & Co., but I'm guessing the new owner assumes he needs a 'name' to sell the place.

The article also mentions that both courses will open simultaneously and both will be public (different than before on both counts).  Also mentions the desire to become another Bandon-type destination with the plans for a 3rd course after the first 2.

[Jason Blasberg]

Yahoo!  That's the best news I've heard in a long time.  A multiple course public/resort option in that area with lodging is a sand hills dream.

I can't wait to see the end product.  

[Jeff_Mingay]

Wow. Is this ever a twist.

Rod Whitman and I interviewed for this job, with Dr. Trimble, back in 2002. Shortly after we heard Hanse, Wagner and Shackelford got the job.

Now a new owner, and Tom Lehman. Interesting how potential golf course developments proceed sometimes.

[Jason Blasberg]

I'm thrilled that Gil is getting this property to work with and also think diversity ala Bandon Dunes is a good thing and hope Lehman delivers (I've not seen is other design work).

Does anyone know why Gil routed the back nine along the canyon as opposed to further into the sand hills?  

Was this to accomodate a second course?

If so that seems a bit unfortunate that he was really designing two courses as a whole, necessarily influencing the routing of the one he builds without control of the construction of the second half . . .  even assuming his routing is used.

[John Foley]

Is Lehman working w/ Fought or does he have his own team behind him?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Jason,

My understanding was that Gil's 2nd course was entirely 'inland' from the cliffs and I'm assuming the one that he gets to build will be the 1st design, but I could be wrong.

John,

I think Fought and Lehman have worked separately for several years now.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Jason,

I don't know Gil's thinking. But I can tell you the canyon edge is very dramatic. And it bends and twists perfectly for golf.

Rod Whitman and I went over the property for 2-3 days. We talked about using the canyon edge, too, and how those holes would not only be dramatic, but also differentiate the Prairie Club course from its famous neighbour down the road: Sand Hills.  

[Joel_Stewart]

From an architectural point I don't think this is such good news.  Lehman hasn't done anything interesting in architecture and neither mom and pop or a golf architecture fan is going to travel to Valentine to play a Tom Lehman golf course.

[RJ_Daley]

Joel, I think Lehman has a big following in the Minnesota, Dakota areas.  I think his courses in those regions are received well.  

The failed Prairie Sands club was to be a Hale Irwin signature.  He grew up near Holyoke as I understand it.  Maybe his name would be a big local draw.  No doubt his golf resume is a bit more impressive than Lehman's.  But, perhaps Lehman wins on the personality and accessibility points.

[Tim Pitner]

Joel,

I enjoy the Raven at Three Peaks, a course in Silverthorne, Colorado that Tom Lehman had some involvement in, along with Hurdzan and Fry.  I have no idea what the extent of Lehman's participation was at the Raven, but perhaps you're being a bit harsh.  FWIW, I'd have rather seen a non-player get the assignment, but let's not prejudge Lehman's work too much.  

[David_Tepper]

Joel -

Who would have thought that people would travel to Bandon to play a course designed to David M. Kidd?

Heck, there is no doubt in my mind that Tom Lehman has 5 times the name recognition in the world of golf than Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, Forrest Richardson & Jeff Brauer COMBINED!    

DT

[Jason Blasberg]

. . .let's not prejudge Lehman's work too much.  

Tim, I couldn't agree more.  Let's see what he does first and criticize second.  After Tripp Davis' resounding success with Engineers I hope all here have learned a lesson about premature criticism based upon perceived GCA ability.

[D_Malley]

http://www.prairieclub.com/index.html

hole descriptions with pics of Hanse/Wagner course.  it looks like the back nine is along the canyon edge.  Lets see if Lehman can screw this up.

[Jason Hines]

My two cents, I am glad they are finally building this course for the public access.  I took a hard look at Dismal and could pull it off right now, as long as 1 of my 2 sons doesn’t mind skipping college.

Seriously, Wild Horse and to some extent Ogallala are great places to play over and over again.  I have talked several people/friends to come in from out of state and most repeatedly return.  The one thing that I always thought was missing from Gothenburg is the accommodations.

I am not worried about the courses at PC, the routing looks incredible and I for one cannot wait to take in the whole experience of golf in Sand Hills over and over again.

I wish them luck!

[Ron Farris]

Gentlemen,
I personally know the new owner, Paul Schock.  I spoke with him last summer about the project.  I trust he will keep the dream alive for Cleve.  Paul is a great golfer and a member of Sand Hills, and the S.O.__ beat me in the semi's of the state match play tournament a number of years ago.  He went on to win the Match and Stroke Play events for that year.  Puts like a demon and it is more about willing it into the hole than style.  Paul and his family have a great appreciation for life and the beauty of Mother Nature.  A project of this nature take a great leap of faith.  Faith is not lacking in this family.  
I have been to the site a couple of times and it is so different from the Sand Hills GC and Dismal that one would have to  F.U. really bad to build something that was not great.  Having Lehman as the designer is certainly a regional issue.  He is beloved by people from Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and SD, just by sheer ethnocentricity.  For a project of this nature to work they will need traffic - that means repeat customers.  People from the aforementioned states are more likely to play the course more than one time in a year, let alone a lifetime.  I am bullish on Lehman and Schock.  Cleve has been through an incredible amount of suffering  - starting with the loss of his dog - Annie (if memory serves me right).  Paul has integrity and is not likely to lose Cleve's vision.

As for Gil, I am not sure what the situation is at this point.

Public access golf in the Sand Hills!
Now - if it is a Bandon Experience - how much will it cost?

Pro Forma please --------

[RJ_Daley]

I had a post above with too much speculation based on my limitted visit there.  I deleted it.  

The link to the Prairie Club that Racetrack George posted is the most updated story on what is going on there.  Since it is signed by Dr. Trimble, then that is the current state of the project.  It is beautifully written, and gives some idea of all the "considerations" that come into play on such a unique and fragile property.  

One can only hope that the project will be a success and will offer some reasonable set of balance between stewardship and use for all the interested parties.

[Scott Szabo]

Joel, I think Lehman has a big following in the Minnesota, Dakota areas.  I think his courses in those regions are received well.  

The failed Prairie Sands club was to be a Hale Irwin signature.  He grew up near Holyoke as I understand it.  Maybe his name would be a big local draw.  No doubt his golf resume is a bit more impressive than Lehman's.  But, perhaps Lehman wins on the personality and accessibility points.

RJ,

Hale Irwin growing up near Holyoke?  I live in Sterling, about 45 miles away, and haven't heard anything of the sort.  

Maybe you're thinking of Steve Jones, who grew up in Yuma?

Scott

[Kalen Braley]

From what I can tell of the few sites I visited, it appears he comes from Joplin, Missouri.  So thats more than a wee bit away from Colorado...

[D_Malley]

"The link to the Prairie Club that Racetrack George posted is the most updated story on what is going on there."  

that site has been in existence for over one year.  i just posted it to show what Hanse/Wagner had planned to do with the site, which looks spectactular.  we will see if it lives up to it's potential with these new developments.

[RJ_Daley]

I'm pretty sure that the statement by Dr. Trimble is editted from last year to fit the newest circumstances.  I hadn't looked at it in several months.  

When the Prairie Sands club was being promoted, they were making a point to mention that Hale Irwin had roots out there, just over the line in CO.  Everything else about the PSGC was a crock of BS, so maybe the Hale, hailing from that region was a crock as well...

[Mike Nuzzo]

For a project of this nature to work they will need traffic - that means repeat customers.  

Ron,
Glad to hear your opinions.
How does a celebrity designer create repeat play?
I'm not saying he isn't dedicated, but as far as time on site -- he's no Ron Farris.
Cheers

[Jim Nugent]

Irwin was born in Joplin.  Went to school at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Senior year was all Big Eight defensive back on the football team, and also won the individual NCAA Division I Championship golf title.  

Quite an athlete.  Also calls to mind discussions we've had about bigger/faster/stronger athletes being better golfers.  Irwin must have been faster and stronger, I think.  And while he had a real good career, as I recall he was a shortish hitter who won with precision: he never overpowered courses.  

How does a celebrity designer create repeat play?

Maybe in two ways.  One, they love Lehman so much, that influences how they feel about the course.  Lehman designed it, so it's a great course they play over and over.  

Two, no matter how the course turns out, some percentage of people will like it enough to come back for repeat play.  The more people Lehman's name attracts, the bigger the pool of potential repeaters.  e.g. say his name draws an extra 20,000 players the first time, and 10% of them become repeaters.  Lehman brought in 2000 extra repeat players.  

I made up the numbers, but you get the idea.  Make any sense?

[Geoffrey Childs]

I'll disagree with the repeat play from locals idea as being a good/better business model for PC.  

That is hardly the way to make a "Bandon Dunes-like" public resort.  At Bandon, Mike Keiser built the best damn golf courses the property could yield and left it for the whole country to want to go out of their way for world class golf. I will not judge whether Tom Lehman can provide a world class golf course but he would not have been on my radar for the job.

I have no doubt that Gil Hanse WILL provide a world class golf course and the canyon routing plan looks to be outstanding and different from the other Sand Hills courses.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Maybe in two ways.  One, they love Lehman so much, that influences how they feel about the course.  Lehman designed it, so it's a great course they play over and over.  

Two, no matter how the course turns out, some percentage of people will like it enough to come back for repeat play.  The more people Lehman's name attracts, the bigger the pool of potential repeaters.

Jim,
Yes that makes sense.
The celebrity may help cloud their judgement.
The celebrity may help create a marketing frenzy - like the masses that bought a PS3 on ebay the day they came out... or those crazy Dutch tulips.
I'm not saying it doesn't help, just maybe not in the long run and I was curious as to why Ron had a different opinion.
Cheers

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