Bayside Golf Club-Ogallala, NE

[Cory]

Reading the comments from the Dismal River posts and seeing the pictures, I am reminded of the Axland and Proctor designed Bayside Golf Course outside of Ogallala, Nebraska.  I see as many similarities in the Dismal River Course with Bayside as I do with the Sand Hills.  Bayside has two distinct 9's.  The front is a dunesy type of layout with alot of sand and rolling hills.  The back 9 plays over canyons and requires some big bombs off the tee box to hit the fairway.  The back 9 is also the hardest set of 9 holes I have ever played.  It seems to me that Dismal River has both of these characteristics.  I'm not saying Bayside is anywhere in the company of either Sand Hills or Dismal River.  It was just an observation I had.  I have also not played Dismal River.  Dismal River seems to have the combination of both Sand Hills and Bayside, from my observation.  Does anyone else have a thought on this?  Also, does anyone have pictures of Bayside to show others what I am talking about? 

[Adam Clayman]

It would be the laziest analysis to call DR, Bayside on steroids. However, it just isn't true.

The only similarity I can think of at the moment would be in the look of, and, maintaining of the surrounds. And even that is not so true anymore because of some of the recent changes at DR.

There are pics on their website @ www.baysidegolf.com

If you have any specific questions, I'll try to answer.

[Ken Moum]

It would be the laziest analysis to call DR, Bayside on steroids. However, it just isn't true.

The only similarity I can think of at the moment would be in the look of, and, maintaining of the surrounds. And even that is not so true anymore because of some of the recent changes at DR.

There are pics on their website @ www.baysidegolf.com

If you have any specific questions, I'll try to answer.

OK, here's a question -- If someone is going to take advantage of this deal, http://playthewest.com/, are Wild Horse and Bayside the only good options?

Mind you, I've been playing golf in the upper Midwest for more than 40 years, which has taken me to places like Chamberlain CC, Belle Fourche CC, Platte CC, and Phillip CC (all in South Dakota) as well as Wahoo, Neb., Park River, ND., Mahnomen Minn., Roseau Minn., Plattsmouth, Neb., Fergus Falls, Minn.... you get the idea.

My wife and I want to come up there from Topeka some time this summer, and I am intrigued by Play the West and the courses involved. They appear to be widely varied in makeup.

Ken

[Cory]

Adam, I wasn't saying Dismal River was Bayside on steroids.  However, from the looks of some of the pictures posted, it looks to me like Dismal River has more in common with Bayside than Sand Hills.  It looks like there are alot of long carries off the tee boxes.  Sand Hills does not have this.  Also, the par 3's at Dismal look very similar to the par 3's at Bayside.  You either hit the green or you are screwed.  It looks to me Dismal River is taget golf in many ways.  This is quite different from Sand Hills or Wild Horse where the ground game is a big part of the course.  Just my views. 

Play the West is a great deal.  Heritage Hills in McCook is a very demanding course as well.  It plays through some smaller canyons and is very hilly.  Meadowlark Hills in Kearney is more of a parkland type of setup.  It is always in great shaped.   The course in Canbridge that is also offered with Play the West I am not familiar with.  Overall, Play the West is a very affordable way to have a great time playing golf on very strong courses.

[Adam Clayman]

Ken, I would guess that a yes is in order to your question. I have not played the Kearney course(s)(?) but I have played Cambridge. You might consider stopping off at West Winds to see Corey's greens. Yesterday a group led by our Sterling Co. resident Scot Szabo played there before Bayside and they had a great time and loved the course. It is not part of play the west, but is worth checking out.
 
Cory, I still don't think it's correct to categorize the JN design as being similar with the Proctor course. First off, the remark about the par 3's is not accurate, IMO. One is not screwed at Bayside if they miss the green. Long carries off the box are relative. But, all in all, I've never had a feeling of any similarities in architecture, other than a minimal amount of earth moving. Yes they both have some benched and punchbowl greens. At DR there are some saddle shaped greens, at Bayside none. They both have a form of the 6th at Riviera, but, Baysides is scaled properly. Jack's bunker is just too big. Even with those similarities, I still don't feel they give off the same feeling when playing.

[Cory]

Adam, I appreciate your comments.  I haven't played DR and so I am making assumptions from pictures.  It looks to me, from the pictures, that Dismal River has some long carries off the tee box like Bayside.  Bayside has 2 of the more difficult par 3's that I have ever played in # 8 and #13.  They are both pretty penal if you miss the green.  Especially # 13.  I didn't get the feeling that DR allowed for alot of shots to be played low along the ground such as Sand Hills.  This to me is what the beauty of playing golf in the Sandhills area is about-low shots that are kept out of the wind and played along the ground.  Wouldn't this be what was intended by the architects as well?  At DR, it looked like you had to hit a number of "high" shots, similar to Bayside, for a soft landing.  Just my thoughts.  Like I said, I appreciate your thoughts as well.