[Howard Riefs]

Favorite off course moment:  Tony Weiler acting like a giddy school girl while Tom Doak signed his Confidential Guide.  My favorite quote from Tony:  "This just made my year".  Little tip for the rest of you.  If you are handing Tom your confidential guide to sign, the first words out of your mouth should not be "I promise I will not put this on ebay"  

That was quick.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-CONFIDENTIAL-GUIDE-TO-GOLF-COURSES-SIGNED-BY-AUTHOR-TOM-DOAK-/370607550809?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item5649ee7159#ht_500wt_969


Ok, maybe not...

[Tony Weiler]

Ha, Howard that isn't mine.  Tom "personalized" mine so it probably has less value to anyone but me. 

It truly was a pleasure meeting him, and I want to thank him publicly for taking the time to sign the book (actually both books he also signed my copy of Anatomy).  I have tried pretty hard to keep it in good shape, and Tom himself said "Have you ever opened this?  I don't have one in this good of shape."  I am a bit jealous of Bogey, however, as I think Tom wrote that he thought he "loved" him in his.   

[Eric Smith]

.

Thanks Eric.
Brief explanation of all the numbers pls?

Brett, from what I gather, the top number is the score for a nine hole match (5.5 for example, in a match where the losing team had 3.5 points).  The bottom number is the cumulative score, with the final total in the last box.  Handicap numbers appear next to the player names. 

Brett,

Bill's got it right. It's a great format used in most every member/guest I have had the opportunity to play in. The best part of this format is it allows folks to get to know as many of the others as possible out on the golf course. You play your 9 hole match, wait on the next two groups, shoot the shit, then mix it up and head out again playing against another team. Great fun.

Dan,

We definitely missed you guys. Maybe next year is in the cards for you and Laura? As for the salt licks, those things are long gone. It's a golf course now in every way with the cattle on the other side of the fence.

I have a lot of great pics to post but will likely be swamped at work today. I'll get them up hopefully tonight.

[Tony Weiler]

Just a few more comments, and some of it will echo what others have said.  It was a true pleasure meeting so many GCAers, but I regret that I didn’t get to meet all of the other 59 there.  Chris and Greg and the staff at Dismal are fantastic, and the tournament was so well run. 

The golf course is really, really good.  I knew that from the many threads we have had here, and from the members who I know that have told me so many good things about it.  It is a true pleasure to play, and aside from one or two holes, the greens did not seem like many of the Nicklaus greens that get so widely criticized here.  They were very fair for a guy who has absolutely no chance to hit a high cut 5 iron at any time in his life.  The more I played the course the more I enjoyed it.  Great matchplay venue and it was in top notch shape. 

I want to thank Eric for having us out, and helping run the event.  A fantastic host.  I want to thank my partner Mac for putting up with me for 5 matches.  We played well, but lost to better play.  That is ok with me.  I also want to thank all of the Taddy Porter flight for 5 enjoyable matches.  Brandon and Barry for starting us off with a good ass kicking, the Mike and Mike show for one great match, Chris and Bruce for one enjoyable nine holes, and Bruce for making everything!  And thanks to Mike and the Grahmbler for making me putt a 1 footer , and to JNC Lyon for showing me that a fairly trim young man can walk that course and hit it a mile, all while pulling along his 2 wood hitting partner Easy E for a fun ending 9 holes!   

A couple other observations:  it is not a good idea to ask an Irishman who lives in London (Sheehy) about Scotch at 1:30 am, as he just so happens to have a bottle that needs to be opened and consumed at that precise moment!  It just added to the good times on the back porch of cabin #4.  Also, Chris Shaida knows more about Scotch and cigars than anyone I know, and I am glad he shares both with me!

One other interesting tidbit is that John Kavanaugh’s (whose company I always enjoy) friends give him a lot of crap, and listening to that around the campfire was pure entertainment.  One even said, “We better be careful or he won’t introduce us to his internet friends anymore!”  Classic.     

Finally, thanks to Ran for starting this big old community we know as GCA.com.  I have literally never met or played with anyone on this site who I did not think was a true gentleman and who I would not hesitate to tee it up with again anytime.     

[Terry Lavin]

Sounds like Dismal did what Dismal does: capture, serve, entertain and enthrall. Nothing short of remarkable.

[astavrides]

Many thanks to Chris, Eric, and the entire staff at Dismal, all of whom couldn't have been nicer.  I had a great time.

[Stephen Davis]

I too had a blast at Dismal! Thank you to everyone who made the event so remarkable! I was paired with an incredible playing partner, Daryn Soldan, and carpooled with two really great guys, Chris Denegris and Mike Hamilton. I hope to tee it up with them and others I met again soon!

[JC Jones]

What is really great is that so many people got to find out what a few of us have known for a while, Eric Smith is one of the best guys out there and there is nobody better.

Congrats on a great event.   

[Dan Herrmann]

+1

[Mac Plumart]

What is really great is that so many people got to find out what a few of us have known for a while, Eric Smith is one of the best guys out there and there is nobody better.

AMEN!!!!!

[JNC Lyon]

Wow. I got home at 2am and slept until 4 this afternoon. 8 days in the sandhills whipped me pretty good!

As to the photo posted now three times (!) on this thread ; I love Sam I Am. The moment I first saw him outside the window at Jack's I sprinted out the door to give him a big ol' bear hug. It was surely one of the least disappointing internet friend meetings in the history of the white fire grid. At least on my end anyway. Just as fun and real a guy as you'll ever hope to meet. So we have our little memento thanks to our good friend Cory and his telephoto lens. I'm a little groggy but I want to post about the event. Thanks too all of you for the kind words.

---

A list to help get things rolling...

Things overheard on the back patio of Signature 4 last weekend:

1. "What if a lion jumped up out of the grass behind me and ate me right in front of you guys?"

2. "Listen, the stars we're seeing now are a picture of the stars from like 200 years ago. Seriously. No, seriously, they are."

3. "Where's Hogan? Asleep? Go wake his ass up!"

4. "Who wants another vodka tonic?"

4b. "Who needs another scotch?"

5. "I have become comfortably numb."

6. "It's midnight. (carlights) HAS to be Mike George and his crew. Let's drive down to their cabins and drink beer with them!"

7. John Lyon meet Donna Chang.

8. "Win this one and you're one step closer to Jack"

And this is all BEFORE the tournament started...

It was a seriously good time seeing all of you out at Dismal River. I had more fun than I deserve. And what a great crew of guys to share the week with. All were there to have fun and enjoy some competition which can lead to a very good event. We had a lot of help. Greg Dennis and his staff are consummate professionals and understood and executed the plan without a hitch. I am so proud of the job they did. THANK YOU.

Jagger Mandrell and the rest of the grounds crew have the golf course playing like a racetrack in challenging conditions - 90 days without rain - and a new golf course siphoning irrigation water from the existing one for its grow-in. Through all of the challenges they are facing out there, the tournament conditions were absolutely superb. THANK YOU.

Chef Eric - my friend with skills like you would not believe. THANK YOU. I know most of you had plenty of opportunities to interact with Chef (or Big E, as I like to call him) and discover that he is a people person too. Loves to chat it up with his 'subjects' and get feedback on what it is he and his staff do best - make kick ass food. I can't believe I stayed 8 nights and forgot to eat CJ's pork chop, but I did. Had everything else though.

Tom Doak - THANK YOU. That was the best 4 hours I have ever spent on a golf course. You don't know how much it means to me that you took the time to do this for our group. I can't wait until she opens.

Chris Johnston - THANK YOU. I know you don't like for me to give you any credit so just shut your eyes for twenty seconds, okay?

I just spent a week with Chris, shared breakfast and dinner with him most every day and rode shotgun in his Polaris for hours on end all over the place. Heck we went places I didn't even know existed on the property. Lots of them. I know many of you know this about him already, but I'm going to say it again - Chris has to be one of the most knowledgeable, passionate and generous guys out there in an ownership role in the business today. I am extremely fortunate to know him and even more so to call him a friend. I could not have put this thing together in the manner in which we did if it weren't for him.

Last but certainly not least, the 59 of you who joined me at my club in the middle of Nebraska for a golf tournament on the week of the Fourth of July: THANK YOU. This Bud's For You!!! What an incredibly fun bunch of GCAers and friends we had out. I had the opportunity to speak with each and every one of you and surprisingly enough for me I could pick each of you out of a police line up after spending a few days with you at Dismal. Pretty cool stuff. I hope to have the opportunity to play golf with all of you over the coming months and years. Let's do it again in 2013. One step closer to Jack!

p.s. Rode back to Denver with my partner and fellow Dismalite John Lyon and I think you'll have an opportunity to come back even sooner for his clambake. Stay tuned.

You forgot:

"This place sucks."

"Doak's Dismal River to Debut at Number One on Golfweek's Top 100 Modern (Question Mark)"

[Dan Herrmann]

If anybody is still in metro Mullen - be sure to check out the July 4 fireworks in town.  I was invited by about 6 different people from DR and Sand Hills, and I still didn't go (we were hitting the road for our drive back to Philly early the next morning).

Honestly, not going is one of my life's regrets.  I really should've gone.  The people in Mullen are amazingly friendly, and I miss them too.

[Brent Carlson]

Thanks to Eric, Chris and the staff at Dismal River for such a great event.  The course is fantastic and the service even better.

It was nice to put faces to names with fellow GCAers.  Thanks to my partner Greg Krueger for some great putting.  You put on a clinic.  

Eric - thanks again for all the hard work you put into the tournament.  It was truly a pleasure to participate.   I hope to be at the 5th Major again next year.  

[Sam Morrow]

If anybody is still in metro Mullen - be sure to check out the July 4 fireworks in town.  I was invited by about 6 different people from DR and Sand Hills, and I still didn't go (we were hitting the road for our drive back to Philly early the next morning).

Honestly, not going is one of my life's regrets.  I really should've gone.  The people in Mullen are amazingly friendly, and I miss them too.

Did you get gas in Mullen? The gal who runs the gas station is the town gossip, a guy drove by and she told me how the guys wife is having an affair.

[Brett_Morrissy]

Sam,
Classic!
We got lost on our way to Sand Hills from Ballyneal in 2010, we were given a dodgy map that had our turnoff to SH on the RHS - of course it is left, anyway, we drive past SH entrance, thru Mullen and are maybe 40-50 km past Mullen when the fuel light comes on in the Surburban! We finally decide to turn around, the sun is dropping below the horizon, as we were sure we must have gone past it and we were of course running out of fuel, coasting (engine off) down hills to gain us a few extra miles.
thankfully we make it back to Mullen and to the gas station, the guy comes out and says, "Oh yeah, seen you boys drive past about an hour ago, guessed you missed the turnoff to SH, dont see many like you 'round these parts"
classic. wish he had of waved at us to stop - should have a sign on the north side of Mullen for lost Aussies - "turn around, you've gone too far!"

[Tom_Doak]

If anybody is still in metro Mullen - be sure to check out the July 4 fireworks in town.  I was invited by about 6 different people from DR and Sand Hills, and I still didn't go (we were hitting the road for our drive back to Philly early the next morning).

Honestly, not going is one of my life's regrets.  I really should've gone.  The people in Mullen are amazingly friendly, and I miss them too.

Dan:

This isn't the year for fireworks out here; it's been so dry that fireworks of any kind have been canceled / outlawed in many towns this week due to the fire hazard.  I don't know about Mullen for sure, but we are in Rapid City tonight and they are bummed that the show had to be canceled.

P.S. about Nebraska in general:  I got in the car Saturday morning in Rapid City and started driving to get to the club in time for my tour.  Didn't think to check if the tank was full, just assumed it was ... so, 90 miles later I am coming down the hill toward Chadron, Nebraska and I run out of gas for the first time in my life ... fortunately, only a mile or so from town [I can see the station in the distance, but it was 95-100 degrees].  So, I get out of the car to start walking, and swear I am not out of it for 30 seconds when a car coming OUT of town stops to offer me a lift back in to the gas station.  I don't think I'd get that help in Traverse City.

[Sam Morrow]

If anybody is still in metro Mullen - be sure to check out the July 4 fireworks in town.  I was invited by about 6 different people from DR and Sand Hills, and I still didn't go (we were hitting the road for our drive back to Philly early the next morning).

Honestly, not going is one of my life's regrets.  I really should've gone.  The people in Mullen are amazingly friendly, and I miss them too.

Dan:

This isn't the year for fireworks out here; it's been so dry that fireworks of any kind have been canceled / outlawed in many towns this week due to the fire hazard.  I don't know about Mullen for sure, but we are in Rapid City tonight and they are bummed that the show had to be canceled.

P.S. about Nebraska in general:  I got in the car Saturday morning in Rapid City and started driving to get to the club in time for my tour.  Didn't think to check if the tank was full, just assumed it was ... so, 90 miles later I am coming down the hill toward Chadron, Nebraska and I run out of gas for the first time in my life ... fortunately, only a mile or so from town [I can see the station in the distance, but it was 95-100 degrees].  So, I get out of the car to start walking, and swear I am not out of it for 30 seconds when a car coming OUT of town stops to offer me a lift back in to the gas station.  I don't think I'd get that help in Traverse City.

Once I get to Thedford I stopped at every gas station I saw, looking at my credit card statement I have $10 or so charges at half the little towns in Nebraska. It was funny though, at every gas station I ran into a complete stranger who was obviously there for golf.

[Garland Bayley]

...but we are in Rapid City tonight and they are bummed that the show had to be canceled.
...

Clearly Tom went there to check out Turboe and my alma mater.

[Richard Choi]

Thanks to Eric and Chris for throwing one helluva party.

For me, the best thing about GCA gatherings like this is meeting all the great people who inhabit this site in person and 5th Major certainly did not disappoint. Finally putting faces to the names I have know for awhile is a lot of fun. Everybody I met (I tried to meet everyone, but that is impossible with so many participants!!!) were all class acts and pleasure to hang out with. I loved the late night chats around the fire pit.

Dismal played great even with the heat and the facility was first class all the way.

P.S. I would like to say I am sorry for handing out such a beating against Bogey yet again, but I can't...

[Mike Hendren]

P.S. I would like to say I am sorry for handing out such a beating against Bogey yet again, but I can't...

Rich (aka Bogey's Kryptonite), regretably I don't have a competitive bone in my body.  Be careful lest you awaken the sleeping giant!  I was proud of how well you and Victor played in the final match.   Regardless, I'm just glad Alex and I didn't make the playoff - like you and Victor, we likely would have gagged our way to triples on the 7th also.

BTW, I'm switching to Apple.

Bogey

[Mike Hamilton]

Let me add my thanks to Eric, Chris, and all the folks at Dismal for such a great event!  The Sand Hills area is a beautiful place to spend a few days and Dismal is a fantastic club.

Also great to see some new and familiar faces again!

Finally...a lot of thanks to Tom for the tour.  Getting to see the process of building a course from the first hole, relatively close to being complete, all the way to 18, just starting shaping of the green, was really fascinating.  The myriad skills necessary to design and build a course became more real during our walk and I gained a real appreciation for how hard it is to do it well.  Looks like "Dismal II" will be fantastic and fun course.

Thanks again!

[Richard Choi]

BTW, I'm switching to Apple.

That cuts deep, Bogey. Real deep...

[Greg Krueger]

Just to echo what has been said, thank you Eric for a great event! Thanks also goes to Chris and the entire staff as well as Tom D.,
that was cool, thanks for taking the time to do that! Thank you to my partner Brent Carlson, an awesome player and a great guy,
hope to be able to attend next years edition!

[Michael George]

I absolutely loved my experience at Dismal River!  I cannot thank Eric and Chris for being such great hosts.  My entire group loved the place.  I loved the golf course and will describe my thoughts later, but great clubs and great events are so much more than the golf.  The facilities at Dismal are incredible.  The clubhouse has everything that you would want.  It is big, but very intimate and the fire pit is as advertised - what a view .  Also, the tv room in the fall must be great.  The cabins perfectly fit the vibe of the place.  Eric Smith's Signature Cabin was simply incredible.  Having drinks under the stars and getting to know Eric and John on Thursday night was maybe my favorite part of the trip.  

Eric Smith is one of the nicest people that I have ever met.  Genuine as can be and fun to be with.  I look forward to spending more time with him in the future.  JNC - great guy - tell me when your voice finishes changing    Mac - I wish I could have gotten to know you better.  Unfortunately, I was with my group and we only had that short time to talk.  Look forward to your trips to Ohio.  

CJ is a genuinely great guy - for those that have not met him, give him a chance before you cast stones as I think you will like him.  His tour of the Doak course Saturday morning for my group was awesome!  Thank you so much for everything.    

The Cowboy bartender - nothing like being served drinks by someone with a 20,000 acre ranch next door.

The entire wait staff was awesome - every waitress was genuinely nice and welcoming.  

John Kavanaugh and his group - Thank you so much for being so much fun and welcoming to me.  Aaron and I loved our flight -- just wish we would have showed up the first day.   JK is a great guy - you should have seen his face when I jokingly played Solja Boy on my portable ipod player on the first hole of our match - his entire group encouraged me to do it, so blame them.  Randy - nicknamed "Pro Shop" because he showed up Saturday morning in full Dismal River pro shop gear - head to toe - CJ's dream guest; Dave or "Dan" as I called him - sorry for the beating my partner put on you - he really is a 9, despite that 34 in our match; Chris - wonderful guy - great story - he hit a bad shot and blamed it on the wind - I said "that is what all bad players say" - he responded "want to play $100 a hole the rest of the way out" - he knew exactly how to shut me up - too much fun  Duane - Mr. Vegas - we talked about Vegas for 2 holes of our match - if only I would have brought my portable craps table.

Tom Doak - thanks for taking the time to talk with a couple of us on the patio Saturday night.  I really wish I could have joined your walking tour but we had planned a nassau with my group on Saturday afternoon and had to leave early Sunday.  Your tour certainly would have cost me less than that nassau.  I did enjoy getting to meet you and hearing about your family.  Sounds like you have a wonderful wife and kids.  While, I enjoyed your story about you taking your son on a tour of New Zealand - I guess it is good to be your son   - I don't think I will be telling my kids that one - hard to compare.

Jaeger - it was great getting to meet you.  Great learning about how you and the crew fix all of Tom's mistakes  Truthfully, I don't know how you and the crew put in all of that work.  I would last about an hour on your crew in that heat.  

There are many others that I would love to thank for being so nice to me and my group.  I just love this site and the people on it.  At work today and man does it suck after that weekend!!!

Thanks again!

[Richard Choi]

When I first saw Michael George, I thought he was this guy...



Looking at the picture, I think I still DO!

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