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Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #75 on: June 30, 2011, 06:58:51 PM »
Quote from: Dan Herrmann on June 30, 2011, 06:23:19 PM
we're staged & ready to go here in N. Platte!

Been to Sutton Bay and the Black Hills, and Dismal river will be great!

PS -- The area south of Alliance along US385 would be a great site for a great course!

Dan-What`s the prairie dog situation out there?
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Dan Herrmann

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #76 on: June 30, 2011, 08:10:08 PM »
Tim - not sure, but probably nothing a hungry terrier couldn't fix :)
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Chris Johnston

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #77 on: July 01, 2011, 09:30:04 AM »
Arrival day...
                ...It begins!

The course is ready and the legend continues.

Travel safe. my friends.
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Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #78 on: July 03, 2011, 06:51:51 PM »
All one can say is Wow. From the event, to the participants, everything was top notch. First cabin. We were blessed with great weather, great food, and a venue that was vastly improved from its original. My attempt to chronicle those changes could not do them justice. But, the biggest difference can be summed up with one word. "Soulful". The lions share of this turnaround is Chris Johnston's doing.
His considerable spirit is represented through his excellent staff. From the caddies, wait staff and  grounds crew, all the way up to the head pro\GM, a relaxed playful attitude, exudes the phrase 'have fun', and, permiates the massive grounds. The course has secrets to be revealed throughout its varied route and after not losing any balls one can easily appreciate how far the course has come, if they were there for its inaugural season. While the turnout suffered some last minute cancels, all who attended were ecstatic. This will become an annual event, so if you were on the fence, next year the chef is designing up something uniquely special. So, make sure you all try and make it out and feel first hand what a first class experience Dismal River has become. Anyone with specific aechitectural questions, fire away?      
        
« Last Edit: July 03, 2011, 08:39:36 PM by Adam Clayman »
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"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Anthony Gray

Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #79 on: July 03, 2011, 08:16:58 PM »

   Sounds like an emphasis on playability.How would a high handicapper stand up?

  Anthony

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Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #80 on: July 03, 2011, 08:23:56 PM »
Quote from: Adam Clayman on July 03, 2011, 06:51:51 PM
after not losing any balls one can easily appreciate how far the course has come
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"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #81 on: July 03, 2011, 09:22:30 PM »
Adam:

How is the turf quality at present?

Tell us about the variety of shots required.  Does the architecture promote the ground game?

What is the best specific change since you first saw the course?

When can I go  ;D?

Best wishes,

Bart
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Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #82 on: July 03, 2011, 10:12:55 PM »
Bart, The variety of shots is limited only by your imagination. The turf quality is excellent and firmness changes throughout the day.

I can tell you that today, I was putting off side boards for air braking, hitting low runners, and high softies.

The major difference from the first time I saw it is the FUN factor. And, the ability to find almost any ball hit off into the gunk. Putting can be difficult, because the greens have enough internal contours to challenge you, to get the speed and line precisely correct.

The mix of holes is quite nice from the short par 4's to the long, fortress guarded greens long holes.

The new 18th green is actually an improvement and quite fun.

You can come July 20-21 or July 25-27.  ;D
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"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Tim Bert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #83 on: July 03, 2011, 10:52:23 PM »
Adam - what, if any, changes were made to the hole and specifically to the green that had (has?!?) the bunker in the middle of it?
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Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #84 on: July 03, 2011, 10:55:10 PM »
How did they change the gunk (as you call it)?

Bart
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Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #85 on: July 03, 2011, 11:32:29 PM »
Tim, The 10th hole has been altered. From my recollection, the bunker is now less deep, less severe. The hole is actually really fun to play, where ever they put the pin.

Bart,
 On my initial visit the surrounds were ridiculously over grown. The design did not make the corridors wide enough for the region and the turns came too quickly. While there has been widening of the ninth hole's irrigation system (on the right side) creating more playable width, many holes have been widened by just cutting down the native, to a reasonable height. The lies one gets in the native are quite varied and random. But, the implication is a wider a golf course where balls are now found, rather than never found, as it was the first year. There are a few other areas were primary rough is being turning into fairway, but not many.

There was some original criticism (4-5 years ago) of the stark demarcation line between turf and native. The current course blends quite nicely and is no longer jarring on the eye, the way that first iteration did.
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"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Eric Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #86 on: July 04, 2011, 12:02:42 AM »
Congratulations to GCAer Mark Saltzman and Dismal member Ron Hendren for winning The 5th Major. It was the most fun 3 days of golf in my life and I think everyone here has enjoyed their time at DRGC. It's tough knowing we're leaving tomorrow, but the good news is we'll be back. Thanks everyone for coming!

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Eric Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #87 on: July 04, 2011, 12:05:59 AM »
Quote from: Adam Clayman on July 03, 2011, 11:32:29 PM
Tim, The 10th hole has been altered. From my recollection, the bunker is now less deep, less severe. The hole is actually really fun to play, where ever they put the pin.


Also, having three pins set in the green during the tourney delivered 3 times the fun!
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Mark Saltzman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #88 on: July 04, 2011, 12:10:01 AM »
Quote from: Eric Smith on July 04, 2011, 12:05:59 AM
Quote from: Adam Clayman on July 03, 2011, 11:32:29 PM
Tim, The 10th hole has been altered. From my recollection, the bunker is now less deep, less severe. The hole is actually really fun to play, where ever they put the pin.


Also, having three pins set in the green during the tourney delivered 3 times the fun!

Yup, it was tons of fun with three pins!  Something I have never seen before but I could see it catching on pretty quickly.
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Chris Johnston

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #89 on: July 04, 2011, 12:32:54 AM »
Eric - 4 birdies today! - great event.  Hope you liked the kitchen tours.

Mark - what, 5 under in two days?  Great meeting you and great playing with you at SHGC!  Dude has game!

AC - You, pards, are a horse!  Alignment!

John the Lyon, walkable?  Definately.

Mac and Everyone - thanks for coming out - see you all next year!

The Chef did good work, no?



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JNC Lyon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #90 on: July 04, 2011, 12:43:14 AM »
I have way too much to say about Dismal River, so I'll be starting a bigger thread on the course next week.  For right now, I can say Dismal River is a tremendous golf course.  It is unlike anything I have ever played, with big, broad elevation changes, jagged bunkering in the right places, and a very cool set of greens.  And yes, Dismal is very walkable, it just needs some walking paths for those walkers who don't have my adventurous spirit!

Chris, I enjoyed the appetizer from the Chef this weekend, and I can't wait for the main course.  Pretty tasty stuff!

Of course, the weekend overall was a blast.  It was a great first trip to the Chop Hills of Colorado and the Sand Hills of Nebraska.  Thanks to Adam Clayman and Big E for setting things up at Ballyneal and Dismal.  I'm pretty sure I'll be back here sometime in the future.
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"That's why Oscar can't see that!" - Philip E. "Timmy" Thomas

Mac Plumart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #91 on: July 04, 2011, 12:49:04 AM »
Chris, it was great...like Adam said.  Great stuff across the board.

The "White Saber", stories of Patron, the new menu items (and yes, in just a few days I ate maybe 5 pulled pork sandwiches  :) ), perhaps the greatest nine hole match in the history of golf (eagles, holes in one), and meeting old friends and making new ones.  Great time, great time!!!

And oh yeah, Mark Saltzman might have a big golf game, but this golf trip he is currently on is even bigger!!!  CRAZY!!!
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Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

JNC Lyon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #92 on: July 04, 2011, 01:04:34 AM »
Patron?? Who??
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"That's why Oscar can't see that!" - Philip E. "Timmy" Thomas

Doug Siebert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #93 on: July 04, 2011, 02:06:48 AM »
I just want to thank Eric again for getting me in at the last minute when my plans changed to allow it, and also thank Chris for everything.  I can't say I was treated like a member, because in most clubs even members aren't treated as well as we all were.  It was first class all the way!  It was great to finally get to a GCA gathering after all these years on the board and meet in person some of the people I've chatted with.  There wasn't a single one who I wouldn't jump at the chance to play with again.

As for the course, even during my initial round on Friday, coming about an hour after a 600 mile drive on zero sleep leaving me with one heck of a lot of lower back pain, I loved it even as I was losing a half dozen balls and telling myself I should have brought more.  But between getting a better look at things and a bit of sleep, I got a chance to play the course mostly from the fairway the remainder of my stay and loved the course more each time around.  I really enjoyed the strategy off the tees where on various holes you get to balance the better angle, better view and better lie - and often had to choose.  The tee shot on the 2nd hole was the first of several examples of this - the best angle is from the left side of the fairway, while the best view and best lie is found on the right (but that's the most dangerous to hit, with a steep hillside awaiting those who venture too far right)  I love it when you are forced to compromise, rather than having one "position A" that's the best of all worlds.

I also want to thank Chris for giving us all a taste of what the Chef is cooking up in his kitchen.  It sure smelled good!  Well, except for the part that attracted the deerflies ;)
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My hovercraft is full of eels.

Chris Johnston

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #94 on: July 04, 2011, 07:53:43 AM »
Quote from: JNC Lyon on July 04, 2011, 01:04:34 AM
Patron?? Who??
^^^
John's new nickname!

Steve:  We love deerfly pie!  The chef does it well!
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Eric Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #95 on: July 04, 2011, 08:12:03 AM »
Shame on me for not mentioning Doug's HOLE IN ONE on 15 during his first round. I was in the group ahead of his so didn't get to see it, but from all accounts it went something like, "doink - plop!"


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ed_getka

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #96 on: July 04, 2011, 10:52:46 AM »
Sounds like a great time was had by all. It is cool to hear that the course has been adjusted from its original state and is receiving such high praise. Has anyone else played it recently and in it's original state besides Adam? Just as a reference point Adam what would you give DR on the Doak scale then versus now?
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"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Scott Szabo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #97 on: July 05, 2011, 09:43:03 AM »
Quote from: Chris Johnston on July 04, 2011, 12:32:54 AM

Mark - what, 5 under in two days?  Great meeting you and great playing with you at SHGC!  Dude has game!


I will be playing with Mark tomorrow, and it's nice to know what I'm getting myself into. 
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"So your man hit it into a fairway bunker, hit the wrong side of the green, and couldn't hit a hybrid off a sidehill lie to take advantage of his length? We apologize for testing him so thoroughly." - Tom Doak, 6/29/10

Scott Szabo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #98 on: July 05, 2011, 09:43:38 AM »
Quote from: Eric Smith on July 04, 2011, 12:02:42 AM
Congratulations to GCAer Mark Saltzman and Dismal member Ron Hendren for winning The 5th Major. It was the most fun 3 days of golf in my life and I think everyone here has enjoyed their time at DRGC. It's tough knowing we're leaving tomorrow, but the good news is we'll be back. Thanks everyone for coming!



Can anyone explain the scoring system that was used?
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"So your man hit it into a fairway bunker, hit the wrong side of the green, and couldn't hit a hybrid off a sidehill lie to take advantage of his length? We apologize for testing him so thoroughly." - Tom Doak, 6/29/10

Chris Johnston

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: July 1-3 Outing at Dismal River
« Reply #99 on: July 05, 2011, 09:54:35 AM »
Quote from: Scott Szabo on July 05, 2011, 09:43:03 AM
Quote from: Chris Johnston on July 04, 2011, 12:32:54 AM

Mark - what, 5 under in two days?  Great meeting you and great playing with you at SHGC!  Dude has game!


I will be playing with Mark tomorrow, and it's nice to know what I'm getting myself into. 

Mark is great, he is fun and plays quite well.
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