Recently got back from a little 3 day getaway to the Prairie Club, Sand Hills and Ballyneal.
PRAIRIE CLUB - PINES
Great course and certainly on its own probably a top 100 modern course but when compared to the list here probably at the lower end. I liked 2 things about this course, the holes in the more prairie areas and the holes specifically in the pine areas. I didn't like as much some of the "merged" holes where it was half prairie and half pines. The multitude of blind shots off the tee will also bother a lot of people. It got a little much after awhile. Definetly there was more room off the tee then most of the tee shots would lend you to believe so I wish I had another round on it to get a better feel. Also, course was VERY FIRM...TOO FIRM, which shows the immaturety of the course. I've played on firm courses and links courses before, but when a hole calls for a 120 yard shot and the only way to play it is to hit a sand wedge 60 yards and have 60 yards of roll, that's too much. But, there isn't much that you can do about it now, it just needs time. Overall a solid course, 7.5 in my book.
PRAIRIE CLUB - DUNES
Great great course. I echo the same thing I said about the Pines Course with the too firm of conditions issue and also the routing wasn't very flowing from one hole to the next and even more confusing trying to get to your tee from one hole to the next. But, the course itself was fantastic. You get a true Sand Hills feeling out there and the holes are very well integrated into the surroundings. Also there are some crazy greens on this course too....as much as Ballyneal in some spots. The waste areas and variety of the holes were my favorite. A few short par 5's and a few long ones that really test your game. Great course and soon to be ranked I'm sure in all the publications.
PRAIRIE CLUB - HORSE
Played it very quickly our first night and it was so cool.....give me a day out there to really enjoy every part of it. Can't wait for Hanse's next creation out there....I'm sure it will be fantastic.
SAND HILLS
Not much to really say that doesn't sound like I'm repeating all the other great things that have been said prior. Played it in the morning in 30-40 mph wind and in no wind in the afternoon so I got to see the extremes of the place. I loved the big features of the place and of course the greens. The whole experience there is what makes a lot of the place. Getting there, staying there, the staff....it's all an experience and that makes the course even better.
BALLYNEAL
Played this the day after Sand Hills and I loved the whole setup of the place. Staff was so nice and gracious. From the opening tee on this course probably used more "shots" in my bag than any of the other courses. It was windy the day we played and from the par 3's to short & long par 4's, I used more clubs in my bag and specific shots (low fade, draw, etc.) to play the course and I really liked that. My favorite thing about the course was the "ground" game around the greens. I'm a flatstick-around-the-greens kind of guy and I really got my fill at this place. This course was different from like Sand Hills in the fact that the features were smaller and I think better integrated into the surroundings. I think it's a personnal choice but I like larger features that shape or structure a hole better but the features at Ballyneal I think worked better with the landscape. Overall just a great course, hard to rank it compared to the other 3 I played but somewhere probably behind Sand Hills and maybe the Dunes Course but definetly ahead of the Pines and Horse Course.