Favorite holes from Sand Hills

[Cory]

For those that have played Sand Hills, what are your favorite holes out there?  I would have to say that the short par 4 # 8 and the incredible journey across the prairie on # 16 are my favs.  For no other reason than they are an absolute blast to play.  What are your thoughts?  

[John_Conley]

One of the neat things about Sand Hills is that if you ask 10 people to pick their favorite three holes, all 18 will eventually come up.

Just off the top of my head...
#4 with its cavernous bunker and dropoff to the right of the green, #7 - the drivable par 4 that gives you a great birdie opportunity, #10, and #17 - one of the world's great short par 3s.

Others will no doubt pick other holes, a great testament to the strength of the course.

[NAF]

How about all 18 like John said..

I love the tee shot on #1 which calls for a strong draw and the approach.

I love standing on the tee at #4 and looking around at the prairie around me and the cavernous bunker on the left by the green.

I love playing the back to back short par4s 7 and 8...The back bunkering on #8 as well as the pot bunker in front are some of my favorites.  The back bunkering on #8 looks very natural into the sand ridge behind the green.

But I guess if I really had to choose my 2 favs are #16 with the diagonal fairway and that massive bunker on the left side and the petite #17th. You have to love the coffin bunker on the right side of the hole.

Heck, I love the whole course.  I could go on and on..

[Ran Morrissett]

My single favorite feature might be the area before the 2nd green and then the 2nd green complex itself.

[John_Lovito]

As has already been stated it is difficult to choose favorite holes on such a great golf course.  That said, I would highlight #10 and the 16-17-18 finish, the best closing holes I have played.

[Dan Kelly]

I'm echoing.

My first thought was: 1-18. But that's not really true. Some holes stand out, making frequent reappearances in my mind, five-plus years later (alas!). These are my most frequent Ghosts of Greatness Past:

No. 1. Because I'd never seen a setting quite like it -- and because it was a perfect introduction to the 17 that follow. And possibly because, the first round, after a pretty long drive into the evening and a nearly sleepless night and another pretty long drive in the morning, I hit a perfect tee shot, long and straight.

No. 2. I agree with Ran. The green complex is just a gas. My first round there, I hit a little bump-and-run third that had the biggest break I'd ever seen -- and ended up two or three feet from the hole. I was smitten.

No. 7 (the driveable par-4, right? I'm a little vague on some of the numbers). Pure fun.

No. 9. The tee shot. Manageably heroic -- and what a setting!

No 13 (?). The semi-blind, long-iron par-3 -- just because I love the way it looks, with that flag flapping in the wind.

Nos. 16, 17, 18: If there's a better finishing three anywhere, I can hardly imagine it. Those three holes, it seems to me, require every shot in golf -- in just three holes! Accuracy, length, touch -- it's all there, baby!

If one of those holes makes the most frequent visits to my wandering mind, I guess it'd be 17 -- where, in three rounds, I was probably 7 or 8 over par. Couldn't hit the darned green in all that wind! But what a hole!

Give me a future with only Sand Hills' Nos. 16, 17, and 18, over and over again, and I'd be perfectly content.

[Gene Greco]

My favorite is not really a hole but an area. It is the knoll to the right of the 2nd green which overlooks the great expanse of land to the east and north ( and south and west!).

It is where my ashes will be left as it is to me the one place I've seen where I know I will rest peacefully for all of etenity.  

[John_Conley]

GENE:

In one of the most unusual business decisions ever, UPS and Federal Express do not charge a premium for delivery to that area of Nebraska.  To fully reflect their costs, I reckon they should triple the standard rate scale.

To save your heirs the trouble, you may want to use FedEx and have your remains delivered to the pro shop.

Hopefully none of this will happen any time soon.

[Matt Schulte]

Amazing!  If I had one criticism of Sand Hills it would be the second green.  I am of the opinion that the contours are too severe.  It is a 470ish yard par 4 from the Crenshaw signature tees.  That green gives you about a 10' radius in which to land the ball.  I am all for demanding approaches, I just think it is too severe, especially in the wind.  I look forward to more opinions on why others like or dislike this green.

On the front: I love the tee shot on #1, the approach to #4, the decision on the tee at #7, I thought a front right center pin placement on #8 makes for a fun approach just over the front bunker.  

On the back: the approach to #11 with a back left pin, 13 may be one of the most freightening par 3s without water, while 17 is some of the greatest bunkering I've ever seen (and unfortunately I've seen most of the bunkers around that green!!).

[RJ_Daley]

As someone said above, it is the kind of course that everyone seems to have different favorite holes.  I particularly like 14, a short hilly par 5.  Because of the odd wind, even though it plays NW into the far W end of the golf course, the wind can often come out of the south.  That allows for it to become a "go for it green on second shot with a helping wind.  But, the hole has so much strategy.  It has a deceptively wide landing area off the tee on left side over aiming bunkers.  It has a deep collection bowl and speed ramp for the drive to that side.  Yet the right side first LZ leaves a wider easier opening to place a lay up on left high side of second fairway LZ to a more open green for third.  The right fairway lay-up area or going for the green flirts with a nasty right front cop bunker that is deceptively set from distance to the green.  The green is backed up on rear left with another nasty bunker.  The green itself is about 3000sqft and is slightly false fronted and falls away at rear for a tough target to pitch to or hold if you are going for it in 2.  The hole has real elasticity length and width wise to present uddles of strategy in varying wind directions.  Also, the hole looks out to the isolation of the sand hills with nothing much beyond.  

Wild Horse's 17th is eerily similar... and arguably an even better hole of the same genus and genius

[Mike O'Neill]

Dick,

3:02 am??

By the way, the last time I played #17 at Wild Horse, I crushed my drive (thank you prairie gale at my back) and had a soft 7 iron in. I missed that one badly, followed with a greenside chunk and then a swat to about 8 feet on the heels of which came a solid putt to match my drive. Nice, easy five. What I love about Wild Horse is the way that I always leave there confounded (some of that is due to my game) and happy.

Do you think the course will slide in the rankings once the houses are all built?

Mike

[JayC]

Cory-Not a fair question.  Like most here, too many choices.
We did try the forward tees last summer, with the 11th and 12th seen as outstanding drivable par-4s from there.
Great fun!  I'm still hearing about a 20-footer holed that day on 12 for a 2.

Matts-Put me down as one who likes #2's green site.  It just leaves room for so much creativity.  One in particular was an approach bounced off the side of a dune left of the green, running across the ridge to a back right hole location.
As for the "Crenshaw" tee, that one is probably not recommended.  

RJ-Good analysis of 14.  Also a great spot in the round, sandwiched between the short 13th and the brutish 15th.  The rhythm of C&C's routing is perhaps somewhat overlooked.  It plays seamlessly and rounds go by in the blink of an eye.
It does pain me a little when we begin to compare Wildhorse and Sand Hills, but I suppose it's inevitable.  I've always prefered to think of them as brothers and as with most, they're going to have their share of disagreements.  But at least in the end, they'll still always be "family".

Mike-Still looking forward to our round at Bayside.  Not able as of yet to see it but have heard lots of positive comments from those that have.  Maybe 2002?

[Gene Greco]

John C:

    My bereaved will be comforted in knowing overall costs will be somewhat less than planned.

[RJ_Daley]

Jay, I understand the place of reverance that Sand Hills holds in the psyche of so many who love that ultimate confrontational experience of ones golfing passion with the examination of the golfing soul in near isolation, just you and the great vastness of the Sand Hill Golf Club.  We seem to have sanctified the experience, and rightfully so.  It must be akin to travelling to the high regions of Tibet to meditate at a temple.  As Mike asks above about whether Wild Horse will hold its high ranking when homes start to get built at the periphery of the course goes to the heart of why Sand Hills will always hold a place of exhaultation over Wild Horse.  It is not only the brilliant pace or rhythm of thedesign, it is the location that puts it in the middle of nowhere and yet the center of your golf soul.  Wild Horse did not have that from day one.  I hope WH doesn't drop in rankings since as long as Josh is committed there, it should maintain the playing qualities of firm/fast condition on the unique golf property specifically.  But ratings are like women; changeable-fickle or "mobile" like the opera song declares.  

But, I also can't resist the comparison of how certain holes feel and how brilliant and similar certain holes at each course present themselves in their design.  And, in my humble opinion there are a couple of similar genus holes at WH that surpass their cousins at Sand Hills on an individual comparative basis, if not only in my personal view.  As I mentioned 14 SH and 17 WH, I would also point to 2 SH and 6 or 8 WH.  By no means are they copycat.  Heck 6WH is a par 5 and 2SH a 4, and 8WH is the 4 in this comparison.  But, the drive and the green site of 2SH and 6WH is remarkably similar.  The drives at both courses have the same flavor into a saddle FW with a subtle sweep to the lower right side from high left.  The play to the greens has a similar rise and the greens feel much the same with their slopes and contours and broad fescue chip or putt surrounds.  

Also, I honestly believe that WHs set of par 3s takes SH par 3s in a match at 3-1.  

The new Prairie Sands project has a similar isolation and the allure of endless views.  I visited there and found that it may be a second bite of the apple attempt to capture that feeling of links and prairie that until now only Sand Hills pocesses.  Whether the design team is up to the task of utilizing the land to create another masterpiece remains to be seen.  I did notice some aspects that I felt were not in harmony with what the land and territory has to offer.  But it is way too early to tell, and I want to remain open minded as possible.  The potential is clearly there.

The way the land is out there allows holes to be designed so purely across the natural terrain that it boggles the mind with endless variety.  On the property I am most interested, I have no doubt that such design excellence could be found repeatedly by the right designer/constructors.  We noted above that it is hard to pick favorite holes at SH by consensus.  It all then boils down to what BillV often states.  'What do you like, brunettes, blonds or redheads?'  I think golf development will continue to come to that region because it is unique and conducive and is there.  If done right the public will be offered greater opportunities to enjoy what is offerred out there.  WH is the only real fully public access property at this time.  (Bayside is good but different enough not to include in this discussion)  How the future will effect the SH unique experience is a possible topic of further discussion.

Let the debate begin!  

[Mike O'Neill]

Dick,

There is one thing that worries me about the Prairie Sands project and that is the cost. I absolutely believe that people should do whatever they want with their property. But I worry that such astronomical costs, millions and millions of dollars if reports are true, will discourage the development of other courses. Let it be known: building courses in the sand hills of Nebraska can be very inexpensive, relatively speaking. Other  than that, the owners of Prairie Sands should spend to their hearts' content.

Jay,

Keep hope alive. I didn't make it back to Bayside last year either. I've played it a few hundred times in my mind however.

Mike

[Matt Kardash]

To me there is something unappealing about the fact that no one has anything bad to say about Sand Hills...It's almost disturbing to me that it is so universally liked.

However, this does not mean that i don't like it. it's obvioulsy great.

But in my opinion, when somehting is so univsersally adored there must be somehting wrong with it. because if its catering to everyones needs, wants and desires then it's almost as if it's to clean, polished and mainstream.

i still don't know what is wrong with the place, but one day i will find out..heeh

let the hate mail begin

[RJ_Daley]

Dear Mr username:  

By Joe, I think you are on to something!  Let's really put this bunch of obsequious flatterers of Coore and Crenshaw's work to the maximum test.  Let's have folks candidly weigh in on Sand Hill Golf Club's shortcomings as a matter of design.  No fair whining about it's remote location!     Just identify some aspect of the design that you might be able to defend in debate as a plausible criticism.  

I'll go first and then duck.   I think there may be a few too many long forced carries off nearly every tee with too much difficulty to find and play the dreaded topped shot by means in part to maintenance of the pre-fairway roughs and the way the cart paths leave the tees.

[APBernstein]

Nothing positive has ever come from universal agreement.  I refuse to join the College Republicans because, the way I see it, why would I want to sit in a room for 2 hours and bash Democrats.  I would be more inclined to join the College Democrats just to provide some excitement and discussion (or yelling, either way).

Someone at least needs to play devil's advocate.  I have never played Sand Hills, so I believe it sucks!  

[Cory]

For the last comment, I don't think that people look to the Sand Hills as not having weaknesses so much as the experience itself is something to behold.  I think that most people feel a connection with the Sand Hills because of the emotions and feelings you get when you are playing it.  When you are playing a course that is of the quality of Sand Hills and when you are out on the course, there is no place that you would rather be on the planet.  The comments above about #2 and the views you get from this spot, they are right on.  That is a huge part of the appeal of playing Sand Hills.  I would agree that Wild Horse is a very good course.  However, when you play at Wild Horse, you  see houses and the interstate and the setting is not the same.  Wild Horse is like the young, weaker brother of the Sand Hills.  Sand Hills has the muscle.  Now, Wild Horse has some great holes that stand out.  I would agree that the par 3's are great at Wild Horse, especially #'s 4 and 11.  Do they surpass #13 and #17 at Sand Hills?  I don't think so.  One thing that is great about Nebraska right now is that there is interest about golf.  The fear that I have, for someone who lives in Nebraska, is that we are going to have a number of firms come in and want to create another Sand Hills.  This won't happen.  I think that we might start to see watered down courses in their design.  The Sand Hills is a unique course and will be so for eternity.  It is an experience like no other and this will continue to add to its allure.  Also, they have friggin great nachos out there!

[RJ_Daley]

AB, as I remember things, you are leaning towards law school, right?  Well that's the spirit!  Moot court rules!  

Cory, your fears are well founded to the extent that firms or development corportations will come as a matter of 'the second bite of the apple', and some of them may be watered down or gaudy imitations of the original.  But by that same token, other great designers and well respected owners will come and do courses there.  I'm sure that guys like Doak, DeVreis, Hanse, Eckenrode, Whitmann, Liddy, and you name your own favorite talents are all itching to get a crack at the right opportunity out there.  Let's face it, it is one of the last areas in the country that still has the quality of land that is desired/needed for purist design at a price that is still reasonable.

So, does any aspect of SH design leave you wanting? :-/

[John Foley]

Not many finishes int he world like 16-18. I think 16 was my favorite, especially the vast chipping area right of the green.
The view from that tee is also out of the world.

Loved the green complexes at #2 & #9. The tee shot on #1 (especially the first time!!) The drive on #4, The options your given on the tee at #3, trying to figure out how to play #12 off the tee. #8, what a green!! The 13th is an awesome par 3.

As for everyone saying only good things, why is that a problem? My day and a half there was (and untill I return) was far and away the best expreince I've ever had on a golf course. The place and staff and the members I met we're nothing short of incredible.

[archie struthers]

I was lucky enough to play Sand Hills as the guest of Bill Coore over two years ago but can remember the holes quite vividly.My favorite holes are #'s 10 & 11, with ten being a great example of how you can fight the distance advantage as an architect. Try hitting a wedge into a hole designed for a bump and roll, it can be pretty perplexing!

#11 just requires two precise shots, one to get the angle for the second, which requires pin point accuracy and distance control. #14 is awfully good, as are most of the holes, and they blend together so well. I got a lot of ideas for Twisted Dune on my trip to Nebraska, as will anyone who loves golf in its purest form.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Regarding hole #2, I think it was one of only 2 or 3 holes that Doak didn't give a ! for.