Dormie Club - Coore & Crenshaw's Best?

[Chip Gaskins]

Thanks for the tour Chip, its fantastic that they got the course finished.

Do you have any photos of the greens at 9 and 12? 

David

Pics of 9 & 12...neither picture is very good, especially at showing the multiple tiers.

[Terry Lavin]

It is nigh impossible for me to believe that this course is the equal of Sand Hills, but a lot of that is geological and psychological.  Meaning:  the landscape upon which Sand Hills was built strikes me as more dramatic and more suitable for this style of golf course.  Psychologically, there is something utterly beguiling about the drive into Mullen Nebraska, with its empty plains that heightens and magnifies the Sand Hills experience.

Having said that, these photographs sure look terrific.  It means Dormie Club is now a must play in that area.

[Chip Gaskins]

Great tour there Chip, thanks! There's a lot to like about the presentation of this golf course.  Subtle movement, sandy soil, gorgeous bunkering...it's great to hear it has come together so well.

Your remark about Dormie possibly being Coore & Crenshaw's best reminded me of Bart Bradley's similar comment regarding the course from a couple of years ago, so I went and dug that one up from a previous thread.

It will not surprise me in the least if The Dormie surpasses Sand Hills as the #1 Crenshaw and Coore course but time will tell....I only was able to play 7 holes ....although the short par 3 12th (not yet playable) was another gem.

Bart

Eric

I am sure Bart and I will not be the only ones to say that either.  It really is that good.  If they can keep it firm and fast then it has so many great ground game options around the greens, which in my opinion, is where Coore & Crenshaw's talents shine.  Make the trip over to see it.

[Thomas Patterson]

Chip - Thanks again for sharing...

Can someone please give an update on public/private/access?  Seems like there is a decent amount of play there recently, so wondering if it's limited to people that already belong to a private club, or if you can call and get a tee time.

Seems a shame to keep this away from the public..............

[Richard Hetzel]

Chip,

Great pics and it looks to be a great experience. It looks like I will have to add it to the Sandhills trip I am planning for a 3 day weekend in March....

[Bill Gayne]

Having only seen both courses in pictures it looks a lot like Cuscowilla to me.

[Andy Troeger]

Having only seen both courses in pictures it looks a lot like Cuscowilla to me.

Bill,
This reminds me--I looked through the photos this morning and wondered (for those that think Dormie is C & C's best or close to it) what makes it better than Cuscowilla? I don't mean that as a slight--of the five C/C courses I've played, Cuscowilla is my favorite.

[Bill Gayne]

Andy,

I can't make a judgement on either course wiithout playing or seeing the courses first hand. All I'm saying is they look similar to me in pictures.

[Carl Nichols]

Andy-
It is unlikely to have one bad-to-terrible hole, which Cusco does. 

[Matt_Ward]

Chip:

Top 20 in the USA ?

Were you including all existing courses or simply those from the modern era ?

Love to see your top ten C&C ratings of the ones you have played and where would you assess them in your personal top 100 ?

thanks ...

[Andy Troeger]

Andy-
It is unlikely to have one bad-to-terrible hole, which Cusco does. 

Which one? I have to admit that I didn't find any of them bad-to-terrible. I can't say that I loved them all, but nothing awful.

Bill,
Didn't necessarily mean to ask you for answer with that previous post--it was just that your comment had reminded me that I'd thought the same thing!

[Matt Kardash]

The very premise of this thread has got to be one of the greatest exaggerations ever.
Sure it looks like a nice golf course to play, but equal to or better than Sand Hills? Top 10 or 15 in the US? Based on the pics I really don't see it. Looks like a solid 7 or 8 on 10, but not the type of course worth making a special trip to see.

[Carl Nichols]

Andy-
14, the par 5.

[Chip Gaskins]

The very premise of this thread has got to be one of the greatest exaggerations ever.
Sure it looks like a nice golf course to play, but equal to or better than Sand Hills? Top 10 or 15 in the US? Based on the pics I really don't see it. Looks like a solid 7 or 8 on 10, but not the type of course worth making a special trip to see.

Matt

Have you played Dormie Club?

[Andy Troeger]

Andy-
14, the par 5.

Interesting. I actually like that hole quite a bit as a true three-shot hole.

[Chip Gaskins]

Chip:

Top 20 in the USA ?

Were you including all existing courses or simply those from the modern era ?

Love to see your top ten C&C ratings of the ones you have played and where would you assess them in your personal top 100 ?

thanks ...

Matt

I am going to invoke the Matt Ward rule and say "I don't like to publicly rank courses".....

I will get back to you on this, in the meantime its too fun reading all these post on how mediocre the course "looks"

[Matt Kardash]

The very premise of this thread has got to be one of the greatest exaggerations ever.
Sure it looks like a nice golf course to play, but equal to or better than Sand Hills? Top 10 or 15 in the US? Based on the pics I really don't see it. Looks like a solid 7 or 8 on 10, but not the type of course worth making a special trip to see.

Matt

Have you played Dormie Club?

Nope, and in my comment I made it clear that what I said was based on pics. So take it for what it's worth. But I feel pretty comfortable saying based on these pics that this is not a top 10 in America golf course.

[Jim Franklin]

I think the pics look terrific and the friends of mine that have played it say it is fantastic. I am guessing it will fall around Old Sandwich for me (which I love).

[Harwell Palmer]

The question of public?/greens fees etc. asked many times.  Anyone have an answer?
Caddies? If so how much? 

I have talked to a couple of people who have played it.
One 18ish handicap complained about long carries (for him) over wetlands type areas.
I asked him specifically if he meant waste areas or marshy and therefore unlikely to be playable.  He said it was wetlands and definitely NOT wastr areas.
Chip- how about it?

Harwell

[Chip Gaskins]

The very premise of this thread has got to be one of the greatest exaggerations ever.
Sure it looks like a nice golf course to play, but equal to or better than Sand Hills? Top 10 or 15 in the US? Based on the pics I really don't see it. Looks like a solid 7 or 8 on 10, but not the type of course worth making a special trip to see.

Matt

Have you played Dormie Club?

Nope, and in my comment I made it clear that what I said was based on pics. So take it for what it's worth. But I feel pretty comfortable saying based on these pics that this is not a top 10 in America golf course.

Matt

Just clearing up what I said.  I said "in the top 15-20 in the U.S." and yes, like Matt Ward mentioned, I meant the modern GolfWeek list we all talk about on here.

Here is the list:
2010 Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses
The Modern
1960-Present

1. Sand Hills
2. Pacific Dunes
3. Whistling Straits
4. Bandon Dunes
5. Ballyneal
6. Sebonack
7. The Golf Club
8. Pete Dye Golf Club 
9. Friar’s Head
10. Shadow Creek
11. Muirfield Village
12. Old Sandwich
13. Kinloch
14. Spyglass Hill
15. Honors Course
16. TPC Sawgrass 
17. Ocean Course
18. Wade Hampton
19. Kingsley Club
20. Chambers Bay

There is no doubt in my mind Dormie Club is firmly in this list.  We could even add in the Golf Digest best in America list and it still holds strong.

Though flawed, later I will do a hole by hole match between Sand Hills and Dormie.  I am sure Sand Hills will win, but it won't be a blow out. 

[Mark McKeever]

Is something wrong with my computer or are the pictures a bit blurry?  I can't really see any details.

Mark

[Carl Nichols]

Top 20 Golfweek Modern is quite a bit easier group to crack than Top 20 all US.

[Jim Franklin]

In addition, there are two more courses it will have STIFF competition from in the modern category, Rock Creek and Old Macdonald. Those two are in my top 10.

[Jeremy Aisenberg]

I have heard from several people who have played it that Dormie is excellent, though along with Old Mac, I would add Ballyhack as a very likely need inclusion in the top 20-25 modern courses list.

[JC Jones]

I have heard from several people who have played it that Dormie is excellent, though along with Old Mac, I would add Ballyhack as a very likely need inclusion in the top 20-25 modern courses list.

But Jeremy, Ballyhack wasn't designed by Doak or C&C.