I never dreamed I would get to the Sand Hills of Nebraska. It's a long way from most places in America, let alone London, and with a young family and a business to run I figured it would be a course I read about only.
Fate works in very strange ways, and due to a trade show I needed to attend in Chicago and the extreme generosity of a good friend, I was able to experience Sand Hills and my mind was - and remains - blown. We also played Prairie Dunes, which is fabulous in its own right, and I will post my thoughts on that in due course.
In the UK, we simply don't have the space prevalent in America. This might sound glib, but it's relevant as the space, solitude and scale of Sand Hills help make it what it is. To be perfectly honest, it really should not exist. Not when you consider the remoteness, the lack of facilities and the financial difficulties the world has experienced over the past dozen or so years.
I found myself bemused that it could exist. I kept thinking it must be some sort of mirage, but when I finally got to Ben's Porch I was itching to get on the 1st tee.
Enough has been written about the course by far more educated people than me, but I wanted to share some thoughts / highlights.
I love the width. It makes it playable for pretty much all levels of golfer. You might be in the fairway, but if you are on the wrong side of it then your difficulties have just been delayed by a shot or two. The wind makes some holes seem easy, and others seem impossible. The wind we had made 4, 15, 16 and 18 very tough indeed.
For all the width there is, sometimes Sand Hills requires you to step up and hit a tough shot - the approach on 4 springs to mind here. You can't miss left, right is difficult and you've probably got 200+ yards. Can you do it?
Variety - it goes hand in hand with width. There are some tough holes, but also some gettable holes, if you are willing to take riskier lines off the tee. The 1st is a prime example. Take on the bunker left and you will be left with a mid iron into the green. The 14th was as little as a wedge into the green following a strong drive, but woe betide anyone who goes long (guilty - as I tried to be too greedy).
Short Par 4s - 7 is a little beast which I found very difficult. I find half wedges hard, and hit anything from 3 wood to 6 iron off the tee to either get as close to the green as possible, or lay up to a full wedge distance. The back left pin position in particular was vexing. It made me think, question my options and made it difficult to commit to a shot. In hindsight, I should have hit driver down the right and then bumped an 8 iron up the bank. But the fear of the left hand bunker off the tee made that a difficult choice to commit to. A good 3 wood put me just short, and I made an easy par. But in another round I was left with the 3 wood and had a 55 yard shot over that bunker. It didn't end well!
It is difficult to separate out favourite holes from such an unbelievable collection. I loved 4, 7, 16 and 18 in particular, and the par 3s I thought were tough as a group, due to playing mainly into the wind, requiring hybrids, or a small target such as the wonderful 17th. The two par 5s - again because of the wind direction we played in - I found relatively easy assuming you hit a good drive. They are definite birdie opportunities, but there is nothing wrong with that! Get too greedy and then a bogey comes into play, and isn't that was great strategy is?
I can remember every hole clear as day, and I didn't even scratch the surface of the different ways they would play depending on the wind. I found it incredibly strategic, immensely playable and most importantly, huge fun. My only disappointment was leaving the property and the thought I might not get the chance to return.
It really did feel like a pilgrimage. Along with Cypress Point and Pine Valley, it is the best experience I have had, and the course itself undoubtedly deserves the high praise and ranking it receives.