I find it interesting if not a study in human nature, that 15 years ago, let's call them the 'conoscenti' of golf design and architecture mavens were hearing and seeking out this bold new course in the Sand Hills, in the middle of no where and those that had early chances to play it were gushing and raving about it, rightfully so. It brought a new dimension to the world of golf seekers, where a middle of no where destination offered a world class golf design unlike anything else in the U.S., and so the quest and era of destination golf, upon natural sand hill or dunes development began. Then, about 1998, the same worker construction guys who worked for Coore and Crenshaw at the SHGC got an opportunity on a minor sand hill plot of land, no where near the dramatic real sand hills, but with enough flavor to design and construct this little intimate community modest course that had characteristics that were in the sand hill unique concept. Wild Horse by Proctor and Axeland became a stop over on the trek to the big dramatic sand hill club, and its legend grew. Then, it was becoming more clear to many golf seekers, dreamers and developers that the sand hills was a unique experience, and as far as just siting and designing more sand hill courses in the same flavor of excitement, the possibilities were only limited by the financial sense to throw money into development of another club destination in the middle of no-where because if the club offered the right level of amenities, the golf seekers would come. In the interim, Axeland and Proctor did yet another modest pubic course, and it also had the flavor of the sand hills, with some dramatic vista which now included a lake, yet a front side even more sand hill exciting that Wild Horse (IMHO). So, that Bayside development took the ideas further. It proved that a public facility with more amenities could draw folk to vacation condos, a resort yet somewhat remote destination golf. There were false starts like Prairie Sands which went belly up, but the concept of a bigger private club, with even more club exclusive amenities started big thinking developers to consider how much more could be done out there in the sand hills with big thinking, big amenity - remote location, destination golf.
In the interim we got the development of Bandon Resorts to also take the remote big time golf design, high amenity golf seekers to demonstrate the idea was viable.
Then we got the Dismal original big thinkers, golf seeker, remote destination sand hills dreamers to go wild with a Nicklaus design and a facility, even more in the middle of no where, to take the big dramatic golf facility design further in the sand hill quest.
Not far behind and almost contemporaneously, we had the BallyNeal chop hill, sand hill flavor remote destination course, also with private club amenities.
We saw some financial misfires, yet bold entrepreneurs like Chris and Mr Schock, and whatever is the successor at BallyNeal, sticking with the concept and sand hill conviction that the quest for exciting bold golf is worth pursuing, even if many would be frightened of the amounts of funds that have slipped down the drain with sputtering financial starts and stops.
Bringing us to the false start Doc Trimble, Gill Hanse initial concept at Prairie Club only to be carried out to even bigger ideas and concepts by Mr. Schock, with a dual courses; a big bold sand hill course and more intimate yet still sand hill-capstone canyon course, with a third big bold School house course perhaps in the near future.
We have Dismal River adding to the sand hill legend and quest for remote destination golf with the breathlessly awaited and already cult-like following of a Doak sand hill remote golf destination for these seekers of golf in the vast empty expanses of solitude with a touch of buddy comraderie.
And, what am I trying to say?
We are now picking fly pooh out of pepper rating these sand hill, remote destination, big bold, exciting courses where once we only had Sand Hills and a little town course in G-burg to enjoy. We all seem to love the flavor and excitement of the sand hill firm& fast, humpty dumpty terrain, wide FWs with options galore, natural, remote, and challenging golf, unlike what most of us have for golf offerings on a regular basis. We now have 8 and maybe a 9th sand hill destination courses with similar exciting bold designs and probably not 2% of the people nitpicking the design merits of these courses, can shoot within 5 strokes above their normal handicap on any of them in several tries.
If you love golf, and this sort of destination sand hill, bold golf; embrace it, support it, don't criticize it based on nuances or over sophistication of tastes. It is like we have golf heaven right here on earth, and we are nit picking which corner of heaven is more beautiful.