Nebraska Road Trip

[Brandon Urban]

A week from today, some friends and I will be departing Lawrence, KS around 5:30 am to start winding our way to Dismal River for the 5th Major and Hundred Hole Hike. I am in the process of getting everything in place. So when I picked up the phone this morning and called Wild Horse to schedule our Noon tee time I was severely disappointed when the voice on the other end of the line told me they have an event that day and the course is closed!

So, wanderers of the prairie, where else should we play on our way up? I know this may sound strange to some of you guys after reading the replies on this thread, http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,49268.0.html, but we will be hitting up Thedford and Stapleton because, well, they look awesome.

We thought about just adding in Mullen and Hyannis to replace Wild Horse. We also have not had the chance to play Bayside, but thought that may cut into our "true" prairie golf time by too much considering the distance there and back.

Let me know your thoughts... and I think I've heard enough about Awarii Dunes to make up my mind.

[RJ_Daley]

The front 9 at Bayview is IMHO, equal if not better than Wild Horse, either 9 in raw design use of the ground and routing.  It is more intense terrain, yet slightly shorter, and the golf shots more demanding.  Then on the back, you get more intesity of shot demands, and severity of terrain.  Some of the back is IMO, over the top... but never boring!  It is as good of a venue of prairie golf as you'll find in a public facility. 

I can't speak to current conditioning.  But, I've never seen it in < than good shape.  Sometimes it is excellent shape.  I hope Adam Clayman sees this and weighs in on current status of Bayside.

[Scott Szabo]

Bayside was in great shape a week ago, and is a favorite of ours.  RJ is correct - the front nine is great.  The back nine a bit over the top, but has some holes you won't likely soon forget.  I would highly recommend making a stop .

[John Kavanaugh]

I was the first group to do the "stay and play" at Awarii Dunes.  I can't speak to the current conditioning but am glad that I got the chance to play the course as it left me with many fun memories.  We still laugh about it to this day. 

Just the fact that Dexter went to Kearney for a kill is reason enough.

[Dan Herrmann]

Brandon - thanks for this thread.  We'll be driving out from Philly.

[Brandon Urban]

Dan- No problem. I figured there would be others in the same boat. I'm just a huge fan of these small town 9 holers, especially in the Sand Hills where I would probably go out on some farmer's land and knock it around if he had a few flags in the ground. Just magical.

I am really intrigued by Pelican Beach. Is it just me or does this place look amazing. Anyone played here?

http://www.golfnebraskablog.com/?p=381

[Josh_Mahar]

If you are  were hoping to play Friday 28th at Wild Horse that event has been cancelled and we are open for play.  Thursday is still booked though. 

Bayside is pretty good- a few holes that don't quite work but I always have fun there.  Great shape might be stretching it, but it is usually in  good shape.  Maybe this year they have stepped it up a notch.

Prairie Club is definitely worth a look.  Both good courses, not great but you would enjoy.

[Ben Voelker]

I will also jump in and highly recommend Bayside.  The nines are very different, but I thought both were very, very good.

Here's a photo thread a did a couple of years back...

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48312.0.html

[Eric Smith]

Burban,

We'll be hot on your trail as a few of us will be leaving Prairie Dunes for Dismal sometime around 1:00 next Thursday afternoon. CJ says we have to stop and eat at some place famous for its cheddar burger. I forget the name.

[Brandon Urban]

Eric,

You are going to love Prairie Dunes (assuming you haven't been there). It is one of my favorite places.
I'm not sure about a famous Cheddar Burger, but the Cozy Inn in Salina, KS makes a delicious burger in an old time diner setting.

See you at Dismal!

[Eric Smith]

Eric,

You are going to love Prairie Dunes (assuming you haven't been there). It is one of my favorite places.
I'm not sure about a famous Cheddar Burger, but the Cozy Inn in Salina, KS makes a delicious burger in an old time diner setting.

See you at Dismal!

Will be my first time visiting Prairie Dunes, so really excited about the trip. First time in Kansas, too! Thanks for the burger tip. I remember now the name of the place he was talking about stopping...Culvers?

[Brandon Urban]

Eric,

You are going to love Prairie Dunes (assuming you haven't been there). It is one of my favorite places.
I'm not sure about a famous Cheddar Burger, but the Cozy Inn in Salina, KS makes a delicious burger in an old time diner setting.

See you at Dismal!

Will be my first time visiting Prairie Dunes, so really excited about the trip. First time in Kansas, too! Thanks for the burger tip. I remember now the name of the place he was talking about stopping...Culvers?

Culvers is good, but a chain. I'd say Cozy Inn or there is a fantastic fried chicken joint in Salina, as well. Jim's Country Style Chicken = delicious!

[Jerry Kluger]

I am trying to work out the logistics for my trip as well.  Going to Sand Hills and then to Dismal and wanted to go to Prairie Dunes but man is it out of the way and thought we would play Wild Horse or Awarrii on the way but both have outings so may go to Prairie Club instead and save Prairie Dunes for another trip.  Bayside is an option but it is in the opposite direction.  Any thoughts?

[Bruce Wellmon]

Eric,

You are going to love Prairie Dunes (assuming you haven't been there). It is one of my favorite places.
I'm not sure about a famous Cheddar Burger, but the Cozy Inn in Salina, KS makes a delicious burger in an old time diner setting.

See you at Dismal!

Will be my first time visiting Prairie Dunes, so really excited about the trip. First time in Kansas, too! Thanks for the burger tip. I remember now the name of the place he was talking about stopping...Culvers?

Culvers is good, but a chain. I'd say Cozy Inn or there is a fantastic fried chicken joint in Salina, as well. Jim's Country Style Chicken = delicious!

Culver's is a chain. I've been to the one in Eau Claire WI, which was good.
Now, there's even one in Greenville SC.
But, I'm following you........

[Eric Smith]

Eric,

You are going to love Prairie Dunes (assuming you haven't been there). It is one of my favorite places.
I'm not sure about a famous Cheddar Burger, but the Cozy Inn in Salina, KS makes a delicious burger in an old time diner setting.

See you at Dismal!

Will be my first time visiting Prairie Dunes, so really excited about the trip. First time in Kansas, too! Thanks for the burger tip. I remember now the name of the place he was talking about stopping...Culvers?

Culvers is good, but a chain. I'd say Cozy Inn or there is a fantastic fried chicken joint in Salina, as well. Jim's Country Style Chicken = delicious!

Culver's is a chain. I've been to the one in Eau Claire WI, which was good.
Now, there's even one in Greenville SC.
But, I'm following you........

Doc,

The only real decision then is to follow the advice of our friend in Kansas and stop for the fried chicken in Salina. I'll take pics of it from several angles and text them to Sheehy. Get him nice and riled up..

[Brandon Urban]

Alright... last food advice. Hickory Hut in Salina if you're in the mood for BBQ. They have a sandwich called the Slammer... Smoked sausage covered with pulled pork, BBQ sauce all on a bun + the honey molasses beans are to die for!

http://hickoryhut.com/

And now I'm hungry...

[Andy Troeger]

Culvers is a chain, yes, but the milkshakes are amazing! And I've tried plenty of them     Well worth the stop.

[John McCarthy]

Andy: 

Is it true that their milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard?

[Mark Saltzman]

I am trying to work out the logistics for my trip as well.  Going to Sand Hills and then to Dismal and wanted to go to Prairie Dunes but man is it out of the way and thought we would play Wild Horse or Awarrii on the way but both have outings so may go to Prairie Club instead and save Prairie Dunes for another trip.  Bayside is an option but it is in the opposite direction.  Any thoughts?

To me, the problem with a hit-and-run with Prairie Dunes is that it means you're going to miss out on the other courses around Wichita.  Of course, PD will be the highlight, but missing Wichita CC and to a lesser extent, Flint Hills National and/or Sand Creek, is a mistake.

I thought Bayside was amazingly fun.  Yes, the front-nine is exceptional, but if you're willing to hop in a cart for the back, I think it is just as much fun.

And I am somewhat in the minority, but I think the Dunes Course at The Prairie Club is top-25 modern.  I'd plan on playing, at a minimum, 36 holes on the Dunes Course.  Ideally, 54 Dunes and 18 Pines + 10 or 20 on the Horse over a couple of days = perfection!

Here are some photos of a few of those (sorry for the external links!):

Prairie Club (Dunes): http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.ca/2012/04/prairie-club-dunes-golf-course-review.html

Prairie Club (Pines): http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.ca/2012/07/the-prairie-club-pines-golf-course.html

Prairie Dunes: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.ca/2012/07/prairie-dunes-country-club-course.html

Wichita CC: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.ca/2012/12/wichita-country-club-wichita-kansas.html

Sand Creek: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.ca/2012/06/sand-creek-station-course-review.html

Wild Horse: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.ca/2012/04/wild-horse-golf-club-review.html

[Jerry Kluger]

Mark: I am really confused now but I should be realistic. We are flying in and out of Omaha so going to Prairie Dunes is a lot more trouble than going to the Prairie Club although the Prairie Club is a bit pricey.  Besides which just blowing in and out of Hutchinson seems like a waste. 

[Dan Herrmann]

Jerry - make sure you take NE-2 out of Grand Island up into the Sand Hills.   It's scenic and if you're a railfan, you'll love the coal trains on the BNSF mainline. 

[Adam Clayman]

Bsayside is in very good condition, especially when you consider the size of their budget.

Elton has been top dressing the greens heavily over the last 3 winters and the results are better greens going into spring.

The course is rugged and the use of the natural terrain is quite impressive. The promontory green 0n the 15th is a great example.

As far as I'm concerned there's only one hole that doesn't work well. Thats the ninth. But after repeated play one learns it's idiosyncrasies.

We played there yesterday in a 3 club wind. Needless to say, I was thrilled.

York CC is on the way up from Ks and is worth a look, even if it's to see Jim Engh's first solo effort (on a machine no less)on a few of their holes.
Enders Lake is local 9 holer east of Imperial that is out of character with the typical Marty Johnson faire found in the region.

[Tony_Chapman]

Brandon -- If you are coming up through York, please let me know. I'd be happy to help facilitate a round there for you if needed. It's in so much better condition that my pictures from eight (!) years ago: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/yorkcountryclub/. I think you would have fun. As Adam noted, our back nine -- celebrating 25 years this summer -- was Jim Engh's first ever design. You can see his drawing in the club house.

If you are coming straight up from Lawrence, I might suggest Friend CC if you love small-town 9-hole tracts it is one of the finest in the state. Very well conditioned, but it certainly won't have the 'quirk' of the courses out west.

Message me if you'd like more details on courses around here.

[RJ_Daley]

Brandon, if your curiosity gets the best of you, and you want to see the real primitive and original style of "Prairie golf", you owe it to yourself to stop for an hour or so at this prairie gem with sand greens, and a cost of about $2 to play, paid into a honor box.

I'm just a huge fan of these small town 9 holers, especially in the Sand Hills where I would probably go out on some farmer's land and knock it around if he had a few flags in the ground. Just magical.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.10348,-98.490597&spn=0.003436,0.00736&t=h&z=17

[Brandon Urban]

Brandon, if your curiosity gets the best of you, and you want to see the real primitive and original style of "Prairie golf", you owe it to yourself to stop for an hour or so at this prairie gem with sand greens, and a cost of about $2 to play, paid into a honor box.

I'm just a huge fan of these small town 9 holers, especially in the Sand Hills where I would probably go out on some farmer's land and knock it around if he had a few flags in the ground. Just magical.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.10348,-98.490597&spn=0.003436,0.00736&t=h&z=17

Everyone- Thanks for the info and suggestions. This is one of the reasons I love this discussion group.
It looks like our group has decided to get up early and bust it out to Bayside. Which makes me happy because we should be able to squeeze in Pelican Beach on the way up to Mullen.

Tony- Thanks for the offer. We may be on our way through there on the way back home. I will send you a message.

RJ- consider it done. We will definitely be stopping here. My buddy has never played sand greens so it's high time we remedied that. Looks perfect.