[Bruce Wellmon]

I just got back from Dismal last night.  The construction continues and the course is really taking shape.  When I left last time, 18 was just starting to be worked on pretty hard core.  Here is a picture of the approach on 18 as of Thursday...



It really looks pretty sweet to me.


When I left on Sunday, the RGD team was hard at work on the 12th hole.  The green site is gonna be spectacular!!

Holy Cow, what a difference in the 6(?) weeks since The 5th Major.

[Mac Plumart]

Bruce...

I'm no construction expert as I've only visited 5 construction sites and this is the first course I've seen start from unadulterated land.  However, I am stunned by how quickly things are moving...by how quickly grass comes up...by how quickly the land becomes golf-able.  I'm unsure if that is because the land is so good, RGD is so good, or if this is just the way it always.  But I'm impressed nonetheless.

[Jason Hines]

Tom, what approximate yardage is 16 again from the tips?

Thanks Mac, would love to see a picture the next time if you remember. I was there last month and stood on the tee for quite some time and I almost didn’t want to leave.  I was having a flashback on the back 9 to when my grandfather took me to the sand hills when I was a boy, I honestly felt like I had been on that spot before.

Jason
 

[Tom_Doak]

Tom, what approximate yardage is 16 again from the tips?

Thanks Mac, would love to see a picture the next time if you remember. I was there last month and stood on the tee for quite some time and I almost didn’t want to leave.  I was having a flashback on the back 9 to when my grandfather took me to the sand hills when I was a boy, I honestly felt like I had been on that spot before.

Jason
 

Jason:

The back tee isn't built yet (though they will probably build it in the next day or two).  I shot it the other day at 179 yards from a natural rise for the tee, and told Brian Schneider to shove it forward and to the right a little bit, so it should wind up around 170.  It's a big green with three small hole location areas, and it sure wouldn't have been easy with the wind that was blowing there yesterday.

[Ross Harmon]

Not sure if its already been mentioned here, but I was just catching up on my reading and saw the nice article about Dismal, Tom and Chris in the Aug 10th issue of Golfweek. Pages 48-49. Check it out!

[Eric Smith]

I just got back from Dismal last night.  The construction continues and the course is really taking shape.  When I left last time, 18 was just starting to be worked on pretty hard core.  Here is a picture of the approach on 18 as of Thursday...



It really looks pretty sweet to me.


When I left on Sunday, the RGD team was hard at work on the 12th hole.  The green site is gonna be spectacular!!

What a beaut, Mac. I might even use putter from there!

Tom,

Has the green on #12 been shifted from where we were shown it was to be when there in July?

[Tom_Doak]

Tom,

Has the green on #12 been shifted from where we were shown it was to be when there in July?

It's been shifted back on the end of the ridge, to the right of the former green location.  We decided that it would be too easy for long hitters to drive the green, and we already had a drivable par-4 on the back nine running in the same direction -- #15.  It's a scary approach now, even for those who can drive it over the hill.

Also, moving the green gave us more room for the back tee for #13, which was really needed.  I still think #13 may be the standout hole on the course.

[Ben Sims]

I still think #13 may be the standout hole on the course.

From the start the talk has been about the depression on #3, the length of #5, the backdrop of #9, and the three hole finish.  When the course is done, the talk will be about how good #4 and #13-#15 are. 

[Mac Plumart]

Tom, I'm sure you are correct regarding 13.  For me, I struggle to "see" the hole in its current state.

Ben...you might be correct.  But 3 is pretty darn cool nevertheless.  And for me it isn't the backdrop alone on 9, it is the tee shot.  I LOVE diagonal forced carries and this one has some severe teeth.  I really think 12 will be a stunner with the new green location.  The tee shot on 17 will introduce a unique vibe/feeling.  And 18 is breaktaking with an approach unlike anything I can recall.  Frankly, the entire course looks off the charts.  You could say the runs of 3-6, 11-18, or 13-16 are the best and I wouldn't argue with you.  

All I can say is that walking up 16 and through the green on 18 this last week, my jaw was dragging the ground.  The course really, really looks good.

[Brandon Urban]

Am I the only one who had no idea that the front of 18 green would look like that? I vividly remember standing there as Tom told us the plans for that green entrance (which may or may not have involved covering up and draining something very natural ) . I in no way pictured it like this. This is way better than anything I would have dreamed up.

That's where I see the magic in GCA. I may be wrong, but I imagine they could have almost left it in it's natural state and it would have been good. To have the vision to to take something natural, change it completely, make it a better golf hole and still make it look entirely natural is the amazing part to me. So glad we were able to take the tour at the 5th Major. To be able to see the before and after was worth the price of admission.

[John McCarthy]

When does the new 18 open?

[Tom_Doak]

John:

It should open sometime next summer.  We've got 13 holes planted and 5 more to get planted in the next 30 days.  Those holes will be quite a bit behind the rest, so when it's all ready depends on what the standard is.  If you called next summer "preview" play, a la Bandon, everyone should be very happy with the conditions, but it probably won't be at 100% until the fall of next year.

[Kris Shreiner]

Is it just me or is that opening on #18 quite narrow?  Will there be more removal of the ca-ca that brackets the currently depicted sliver of an opening? With the steep face of that green approach it would seem natural to have more width to run or bounce a ball into that green. I realize that just viewing pictures can alter or distort the scale of what is actually present over the ground. Thoughts?

Cheers,
Kris

[Tom_Doak]

Is it just me or is that opening on #18 quite narrow?  Will there be more removal of the ca-ca that brackets the currently depicted sliver of an opening? With the steep face of that green approach it would seem natural to have more width to run or bounce a ball into that green. I realize that just viewing pictures can alter or distort the scale of what is actually present over the ground. Thoughts?

It's a little bit narrow, and it will stay that way for now.  The bank in front of the green is steep enough that I don't think too many people are going to bounce one on there, regardless.  So now if you're short off the tee, you have to decide whether to go down through the gully with a club you're sure you can hit straight, or hit a bigger club at the green and take your chances if you're short, or go over to the left, or lay up.

[Kris Shreiner]

Thanks Tom. I curious as to why you wouldn't soften the nose of that green a little and provide a bit more width at the approach to allow for that run-up option, especially for the slasher like me who will frequently be coming in from distance. You generally advocate having a variety of play options, so is this just an exception where you feel the hole should be gained primarily via the aerial route?

The course looks like it will be a stunning romp when done. I regret I had to back out of this Summer's 5th Major and hope to get out there within the next year.

Cheers,
Kris

[John Kavanaugh]

I am looking forward to watching balls go splash in the Dismal River. I hope they construct a small bridge so we can recover those balls that are hit clean to the other side.  The river is gonna be full of "options".

[Howard Riefs]

"It's like a dude ranch for golf."

Nice Golfweek feature on Dismal River and the Doak course.

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/aug/17/nebraskas-dismal-river-shows-softer-side/

[Eric Smith]

"It's like a dude ranch for golf."

Nice Golfweek feature on Dismal River and the Doak course.

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/aug/17/nebraskas-dismal-river-shows-softer-side/

 

This...

"Johnston bears a passing resemblance to the late comedian John Candy".

What a guy!!!

[Adam Clayman]

I always thought the 201 was in reference to the build.

Good read, thanks for posting.

[Mac Plumart]

Maybe, a little bit.   

[RJ_Daley]

Well, if I were Chris, I'd have another 196 marker made and place it 5 yards closer on the same 9th hole (obviously) and make an annual tradition out of placing new yardage markers every time the ranking changed.  I think John Candy would like that.... 

Is this Chris picking up a little extra cash hiring out at the neighbors place?

[Ryan Heiman]

Tom,

Has the green on #12 been shifted from where we were shown it was to be when there in July?

It's been shifted back on the end of the ridge, to the right of the former green location.  We decided that it would be too easy for long hitters to drive the green, and we already had a drivable par-4 on the back nine running in the same direction -- #15.  It's a scary approach now, even for those who can drive it over the hill.

Also, moving the green gave us more room for the back tee for #13, which was really needed.  I still think #13 may be the standout hole on the course.

Tom it was great seeing you work on hole 12 last weekend!  The new green site is excellent, it is a much stronger hole now.

One thing that wasn't mentioned is this new green site will be the first glimpse of the golf course that a member or guest will see when they drive into Dismal River.  It will be a really cool first impression.

The whole course looked amazing and will be great, but from 12-18 are the best.

[Doug Siebert]

I am looking forward to watching balls go splash in the Dismal River. I hope they construct a small bridge so we can recover those balls that are hit clean to the other side.  The river is gonna be full of "options".

There shouldn't be a bridge.  Swimming/wading to the other side should be the punishment for the combination of hitting that bad of a shot and being that big of a cheapskate.

[Eric Smith]

18.

[Mark McKeever]

Eric,

Way to take a picture of the guy taking a leak in the bushes.   

Mark

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