John H: There was some winter kill showing on some of the greens, others were fine. I played Sand Hills in the morning and Dismal River in the afternoon. Sand Hills' greens were very quick and immaculate. Dismal's rolled fairly true but slow, particularly after the severe hail/lightning strom that stopped play for almost an hour. My overall impression of the course was favorable. Following Ballyneal and Sand Hills, it's tough for any course to impress, but Dismal offered a different and enjoyable experience. Dismal lacked the attention to detail (particularly with regard to how the course was integrated with its surroundings) and a few of the holes were ackward for a first-time player becasue of blind shots and shifting winds (#1,2, windmill on 4, tee shot on 9, 11, 14 and 16). My favorite holes were 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 18.
Michael D: I'm not sure what that pipe was for -- drainage was my thought at the time -- though the sandy soil may not require such help. That picture was taken just after several inches of hail had melted away. The holes were all essentially bordered by chopped native grasses that would swallow golf balls. A little more finesse to hide the borders (a la Ballyneal) would have been a major improvement. The scrub was very dense compared to Sand Hills, where one might find and play their ball, and Ballyneal, where one almost always finds their ball and often has a chance of recovering par.
Forrest R: I liked the 4th as well, although I'm not sold on the positioning of the windmill.
Craig S: Overall, I think most of the holes were interesting but a few would be almost unplayable in stiff winds. The pin position on #10 was fine. That hole plays 190 to the center (where the bunker sits in the middle of the green), but only about 110 to the front left so there's plenty of room. You can actually see where my tee shot ended up just right of the flag and there's more room left than portrayed in that photo. The 16th hole location was also fair under the conditions I was playing. The photo makes it look like there's a massive slope feeding past the pin but, as you can see, my approach stopped in makeable range. In drier conditions with a helping wind I might be of a different opinion.
The amenities at Dismal River were amazing. The fire pit behind the main clubhouse was sublime and the cabins were very rustic and beautiful. I urge everyone to peruse the website for a tour.
With a second championship course and a short course in it's future, I think Dismal River has the potential to be a significant draw to the Mullen area. I urge anyone headed to Sand Hills Golf Club to add a day to their trip and enjoy the "Dismal Experience."