Mullen, NE rumors - More golf??

[John_Conley]

Just heard a hot one from a close source.

There is a 3000 acre tract of land 5 miles S and 8 miles W of Mullen that is site of a proposed Jack Nicklaus project to have 54 holes, condos, and more.  Developers have alerted the school district that there may be a need for 100 more desks and the requisite staffing and administration that accompanies such growth.

Taking "The Sandhills" to the masses?  A la Bandon for links golf or World Woods, which never really took off.

Sorry if this has been discussed here before.  I don't read all the posts on courses in the planning stages.  I know R.J. Daley has had something on his mind's drawing board for some time.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I hope that the same thing happens to this project as did Bayberry.  Or that Nicklaus at least hires Bunker Hill.

[Jim Franklin]

Wow, there was 3000 acres of land available in Mullen NE . I think Jack could build 3000 courses with all of the available land in NE. It will still be a very difficult place to get to.

[Steve Lapper]

Let me be among the first to say it out loud....


  Jack's move here, if true, smacks of desperation. He so badly wants to be considered one of the game's greatest architects and he likely feels that anything he can do to possibly usurp C & C would be worth doing. In short, his work will likely never out shine his playing career.

Too Bad

[rgkeller]

This might be the one financial disaster that JN is too old to recover from.

[rgkeller]

Land out there should go for about $200 an acre.

This board should buy 300 acres and let each of the Gods design and build a hole.

[A_Clay_Man]

If one house is visible from one course the project will be flawed.

The usga should build their venue there. They could make it 10k yards long with room for expansion.

[RJ_Daley]

John, do you care to reveal the source of that information?  I wonder if you don't have it confused with the recent post and pictures by Tommy N., regarding Hanse and Geoff S.'s design of a planned course in Valentine, NE.  Sutton Bay is looking very good, and Tom Doak's effort in NE Colorado is on the way.  I just have to be skeptical that the market is there for this many golfers who want to have a cabin or condo in the middle of the sand hills and that such an operation can be financially sustainable.  But, I have always underestimated the depth of wealth and propensity of other people to throw around outrageous amounts of money in this country. Or, for that matter their willingness to find ways to garner and throw around others money:

BTW, my mind's drawing boards are full, but my bank account is not - or I would have done it in North Platte 4 years ago.  It will not likely happen in my lifetime.  But as I grow older, I will be perfectly happy to play these other places when I can get invites, and Wild Horse and a few others like Bayside are there anytime for anyone to enjoy...

[Mike Benham]

Let me be among the first to say it out loud....

  Jack's move here, if true, smacks of desperation. He so badly wants to be considered one of the game's greatest architects and he likely feels that anything he can do to possibly usurp C & C would be worth doing. In short, his work will likely never out shine his playing career.

Maybe that is why he agreed to the tie in the President's Cup ... he was  the one who had to jet back to the States so that he can begin work on the routing ...

[Shivosity]

Jack's move here, if true, smacks of desperation. He so badly wants to be considered one of the game's greatest architects and he likely feels that anything he can do to possibly usurp C & C would be worth doing. In short, his work will likely never out shine his playing career.

Too Bad

Come on guys, cut Jack a little slack here.  The sandhills region of Nebraska is phenomenal land for a golf course.  If given the opportunity, who can blame Jack (or any other architect, for that matter) for wanting to build a golf course on land like that.  If Doak was given the opportunity to build a course on the same land, would you feel the same?

[Shivosity]

With all due respect, moniker is changed .  "Shivosity" is an email address I've had for a long time.

[Jason Hines]

54 holes?  That seems fairly ambitious, how many people do you think it will take to support 54 holes in the middle of no where?  I know costs are inexpensive but still, that’s a lot of promotion and logistics to get that many people up that small two lane highway or airstrip.   If that ever does get built, does that mean it will be all cart golf, hot dogs and 5 hour rounds?  I can get that here or in Tucson and would feel fairly gypped if I had to make the trek all the way out there.  The thrill and draw of that area is its purity, simplicity and potential.  

I live 5 hours from Mullen, 4.5 if I drive at night (slow down when you see head lights) and would frequent the area often.  I just hope that when they begin to build courses out there again, that they show the game and area the justice it deserves.  

Jason

[Steve Lapper]

Seamus,

   I see no reason to cut Jack any break.....He never has, never will for others...so why for him?
 
   Of course the land is great...and its cheap...what makes you think he'd pick that out the clear blue sky to put together?

[A_Clay_Man]

Jason makes a good point about building standard fare in such a remote location. Undoubtely it will be private(?), but the upside is JN will have an opportunity of a lifetime to work on such wonderful terrain with soil that requires little to no work.

Oh yeah. whoever said no archie would turn down work in this region, should find out who was approached first to build SH.

[Tony_Chapman]

Jack is obviously trying to draw on the football tradition of Mullen HS in bringing the course to the area. They just won the 8-man (your eyes don't deceive you) state championship last Thursday. If anyone wants a full explanation of the game I can take care of that for you.

Like Jason, I am about 4 hours as the crow flys to Mullen. I have a hard time believing the course would be anything but paid for and the place would be super private. But, if Jack wants to take a stab at builiding a quality track he should go for it.

I can't possibly imagine what the folks in Mullen think of this. Most people up there have never picked up a club or really understand why we rave about the area. The people their now rodeos, ranching and football - probably in that order. Make no bones about this either - they have money. I once heard the county there has more millionaires per capita than any other place in the nation.

If Jack built a bunch of condos, I don't see anybody flocking to Mullen to live there year round and send their kids to school that's for sure.

[RJ_Daley]

tk and Jason, perhaps the 8 man team is in excellent shape because they double loop in summers.  Or is it the excellent tackling due to steer roping?  My question is why doesn't Gothenburg have the perennial state champ golf team?

[Jason Hines]

I cannot wait for the next archie to go for it out there, my only concern is that it is done the way most of us here at GCA would like it.  That being said, could a public or semi private facility be built and survive the way most of us would like to see it done?  I guess we will find out sometime in the future.  However, if they do build condo after condo, maybe they should put a Chillis right in the middle of all of them and hook all the TVs up to the satellite dish so we don't miss one second of the Jacko, Kobe Bryant and Laci Peterson trials.

RJ, I have often wondered why G-burg has not done better in high school golf, my possible guesses are coaching and that they play most of their tourneys on the usual parkland courses with the state championship in Lincoln.  I.E. their links skills don’t work as well on parkland courses?

[Tony_Chapman]

RJ - I think they are in shape more because of the steer roping than the double loops, although I must say that Mullen fielded a golf team for the first time last season and did qualify for the state tournament. They do have a set of brothers - I think - who double loop at SH and are the only decent players on the team.

As for the golfers in the 'burg -- give them time. They probably have a few kids in junior high who have hit the bug.

Jason, I'm with you on the condos just so long as we can't see them when we are playing. Chili's, Applebee's and Old Chicago all work for me.

[RJ_Daley]

ah fellas, ahem... the only thing they need out there is a cook your own, Omaha Steaks...  

Having seen the Sutton Bay complex, I think they are one project that can make it work because they have other attractions in the great fishery and bird hunting.  They have first class cabin facilities and a conference center and fine dining room.  They also have more locals available to work.  And with Pierre about 20-30 minutes drive away, they won't have such a hard sell to get a pro, super, chef and supporting cast to handle the work generated by a full membership.  That is not going to be a reality in Mullen or Valentine.  While we GCA types are happy to do nothing but play golf and eat and sleep, I don't see folks in time shares or condos investing that kind of money in a get-a-way that is that remote with no other recreational activities, unless the yuppies take to the celebrity rodeo thing.  But, as I said above, I am constantly amazed at the stuff folks spend big money on.  

[bakerg]

RJ,

That has exactly what I have been thinking as well.  The other thing that I am trying to figure out is why they will need another 100 desks at the local school.  Who is moving out to Mullen to live permantly?  There is nothing out there for anyone to do other than golf and the above mentioned rodeoing.  

It would make more sense if they were building this similar to Stock Farm with everyone getting a 100 acres to live on.  The condos just don't make any sense to me.