Nicklaus in Nebraska

[Jay Carstens]

From Thursday's Omaha World Herald:

www.omaha.com/index.phpu_np=0&u_pg=38&u_sid=950397

Jack Nicklaus excited about Sand Hills site

BY STU POSPISIL
   
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER  

MULLEN, Neb. - Jack Nicklaus liked what he saw.

On his first visit to the Sand Hills region, the golfing legend Wednesday toured the site of a proposed golf course project a few miles west of the acclaimed Sand Hills Golf Club.

"I see dozens of golf courses," Nicklaus said.

Nicklaus and his design team spent more than two hours bouncing off-road in SUV's to evaluate a 2,900-acre parcel that is being bought by four investors, including former Omahan Tim Kratz of Denver

The unnamed project comes up for a public hearing today before the Hooker County Board of Commissioners.

Bill Martin, a Denver attorney, who put together the investment group, said that talks will continue with Nicklaus about designing the project, which would be for members only. It could have more than one 18-hole course, with on-site lodging and food service.

Nicklaus, wearing a cap with his golden bear logo and a red jacket, flew to North Platte at noon and intended to fly on to Mullen, but a rain squall forced his group to drive here.

He spent most of the tour ridding in the passenger seat of one of the SUVs. Only twice did the winner of 18 professional golf major championships leave the vehicle - to survey the Dismal River valley and to pose for photos.

Nicklaus grew excited when shown the land on the eastern portion of the parcel. It is gentler and contains more valleys than the land to the west that is dotted with higher dunes and ridges.

"Gorgeous" he said at one point. Later, before leaving Mullen he said, "What a great piece of land."

Although some of his design team has played Sand Hills Golf Club, Nicklaus has not. Nor has he seen photos of the course that one publication ranks as the best in the U.S. built since 1960. That course was designed by Bill Coore and pro golfer Ben Crenshaw and opened in 1995.

[Scott_Burroughs]

While this was the topic of a very recent other thread, I found it interesting that the property abuts the Dismal River, which Sand Hills also does.  How close are the properties to each other?

I think it behooves Nicklaus to play that other local track, to see what's possible out there.  

[bakerg]

I think it would behoove him greater to actually get out of the car and walk around a bit.

[Brian_Gracely]

Is it really possible to believe that Nicklaus has never seen pictures of Sand Hills before?  I doubt the G4 gets fueled and airbourne without at least a little bit of research.  

[Michael Dugger]

He has never once seen a picture of Sand Hills?  I just don't get it.  It boggles my mind that someone in ANY industry would not have an interest in seeing what their peers are up to.  

[Jay Carstens]

Bakerg:
Rain, cold, and very windy yesterday.  

[bakerg]

Okay.  I forgot it was December.

[Tony_Chapman]

This is really unbelievable to me. These guys apparently have a ton of money to be able to get this thing going. I have played just a few Nicklaus courses and it would be interesting to see what he does - or doesn't do - with the land out there.

I hope, like the Sand Hills, these guys allow public play for awhile. It was great of Mr. Crenshaw to allow public play when the course first opened. When we played in the summer of '96 all it took was a letter to Jim Kidd.

It will be interesting to watch the progression of the golf course.

[Gene Greco]

Indeed, the Nebraska Golf Trail forcasted on this site by a number of contributors continues to unfold.

I've met Tim Kratz on a couple of occasions - a very pleasant man and quite a gentleman.

How far east is this property from the Sand Hills Golf Club?

Can someone (RJ?) please summarize what courses which exist now and which ones in the planning stage would comprise this NE Golf Trail?

[Rick Shefchik]

This dispatch does not fill me with hope that the second course in Hooker County will be anywhere near as good as the first.

But as long as it's a private course, I really don't care. I want the next great course near Mullen to be open to the public.

[rgkeller]

And the amazing thing is that Nicklaus will be able to design the first course while visiting the site only once more.

And the second course he can do while attending the grand opening of the first one.

[Dan Kelly]

For my money (or lack thereof), a string of private clubs in Nebraska would not constitute a trail.

More like archipelago.

How in the world could Nicklaus have never gone to Sand Hills?

[cary lichtenstein]

I don't get it. Sand Hills is wonderful, but it's location is in the middle of nowhere. Who is going to finance a big Nicklaus development? Besides, I would think you would need more arty architects to take advantage of the land.

[rgkeller]

I don't get it. Sand Hills is wonderful, but it's location is in the middle of nowhere. Who is going to finance a big Nicklaus development? Besides, I would think you would need more arty architects to take advantage of the land.

Somebody thinks that there is a market for big spenders who discovered Sand Hills too late to get in.

[Tony_Chapman]

Gene - In response to your "Nebraska Golf Trail" question, I guess you could say the following would for sure be included:

Sand Hills, Wild Horse, Bayside. Obviously, the new course highlighted on this sight near Valentine should be an excellent track as well. Many other courses in Nebraska are older (SH is the oldest of the three I mentioned) but would be worth playing.

You may try this link, which I have posted before to look at the golfing properties in Western Nebraska.

http://www.playthewest.com/

While you would need to "know somebody" to get on Mullen the courses listed on the website are all public and all very good for the price you pay to play them.

Other courses that are worth the trip to our state would be Highlands (Jeff Brauer), Lincoln CC and Firethorn (Pete Dye) in Lincoln, Woodland Hills (Brauer) in Eagle, Beatrice CC, Lochland in Hastings and Arbor Links in Nebraska City -- just named to the Best New Affordable list.

[John_Conley]

Tony:

I just sent you an Instant Message, in case you don't ordinarily check.

[Jason Hines]

If this project goes through as fully private and my home club cannot get me on, my effort level to play it will be low.  I was fortunate enough to play Sand Hills last year and I think I have played the best the area can offer.  In other words, I don't see Nickaus topping C&C.  It sounded like he spent a whole 20 minutes outside of the truck.  However, I do wish them luck if they go through with it.

[cary lichtenstein]

I don't think Sand Hills membership is full

[Gene Greco]

I believe the Sand Hills membership has been full since Oct of 1997.

That is when Golf Magazine published its top 100 and Sand Hills debuted in the Top 10.

Isn't there another course near North Platte besides WH and Bayside either already built or being built? One other than the failure in Sutherland which Hale Irwin was supposed to bulid?

What is the name of the course up in Valentine?  

[Tony_Chapman]

Gene - The only new course I know of that is remotely close to North Platte would be The Links at Craneview - a new course south of Kearney (about 100 miles from North Platte). It is a Gene Bates design that had 9 holes opened last summer and sounds like the back 9 should open this spring.

Here is a link to the layout, although not very good:

http://www.golfingnebraska.com/pdf/Kearney%20Links%20at%20Craneview.pdf

There is going to be a lot of developoment of homes and such on the golf course.

[Jason Hines]

Tony,

Have you played the Links at Craneview?  I drove by it this spring, looked a little rough even facturing in that it was new.  At that time, I would not say it was going to be the same calibur as WH or Bayside.  A friend played it, said the layout was decent.

Jason

[Tony_Chapman]

Jason - I haven't been over to play, and actually I haven't even seen it yet.  I did see one hole on TV awhile back and it did look too bad. I have heard the developer is in way over his head and it may not last that long. Who knows? I may get over there this spring. Most I have talked to still say Meadowlark Hills is better.