This concept (two more courses nearby) seems to be that odd "destination symbiosis" where actual competitors feel they can be mutually benefical to one another.

"Ever wonder why there would ever be 2 gas stations on the same corner or why half the McDonalds's have a BK just down the street?"

Shivas:

Nope, I definitely never did wonder why that was.  

But if that "competitor symbiosis" thing is true and I ran Macdonald's I'd recommend that Macdonald's buy all the BKs and just keep the BK names down the street.  

But who the hell really knows in this wonderful world of American capitalism we live in. A few years ago Wally U was complaining that different ball lines were hurting sales of the Titleist Professional. When they asked him which competing ball lines were hurting the Professional he said all the other ball lines Titleist was making!  

Go figure!

There is a huge difference between Bandon, Scotland and rural Nebraska. One the real season in Nebraska is about 4 weeks.  When it rains in Nebraska during this so called season you cannot play because of lightning. It is hot as hell there now. Scotland has a good 6 to 9 month golf season as does Bandon. Nebraska is not on the ocean either. I will be surprised if the you build it and they will come concept will carry beyond about 6 to 8 courses before the market dries up for great golf in a bad bad place. I do agree the 4 or 5 near each other actually does benifit the whole as per providing a market strong enough to support infrastructure like hotels etc.

Please explain to me how public access to these courses should work considering the fact that the clubs are asking people to spend $50,000 to join and might only make it out to play once a year?  

Corey, that would be very hard to explain at $50K membership.  Based only on speculation, I wonder if a limitted public access, daily fee, CCFAD model would work on that sort of rotating open access basis, where the daily fees would offset the national member's fee to a large and more attractive extent.  

For instance, if each of those 4 clubs had an open day, SH Monday, Dismal, Tues, Prairie Wed, Bally Thurs and all closed to public and open only to members the weekends and other 3 days a week, wouldn't that be enough time for the national members?  If by reservation, a relatively full tee sheet of 100 players at $150 a pop one day a week for 20 weeks (say 300K) would go a long ways towards the limitted maintenance budget those courses have by comparison to bigtime urban clubs. A national member plays there how many times a year?  I'll bet not more than 10-15 on average.  There'd be plenty of open tee times, it seems to me.  If you are going to play a place 10-15 times a year, wouldn't you rather pay half of the current dues intitiation and give up one day a week tee times?

Of course, this doesn't address the private club IRS tax and corporate organizational rules.

Corey, all these things are relative.  For instance, I have played at Sand Hills, as an escorted guest, when there were only about  10-12 4somes playing there in total, and the round was in the vicintiy of 4.5 hours.  Yet, a timely round wasn't a consideration for any of the folks I was with, to my understanding.  In fact, most of us would have liked the time to go slower.  

It is all about personal preferences and what one's particular level of financial comfort is, in my view.  For instance, If I had a moderately comfortable professional level of income, and 50K was about as much as I'd spend cash on a car or boat, I wouldn't mind the idea of one day a week, my club was open to public, for the benefit augmenting costs of operations.  That day I could opt to go to the other club that had recipricals, as I understand Cary's proposition above.  As a national member, that conflict week probably wouldn't only occur a few times a year anyway.  When that club had its open day, I'd expect a few of the other reiprocal clubs members to come over to our place.  In fact, I would look at the member dues as a value added feature if we had reasonable workable recipricals with the other area Sand Hill facilities.  I'd even think that the value of the membership would be worth it to meet and develop friends and competitive rivalries with the other club's memberships.  The more I think of it, the more I like the proposal set forth by Cary if legalistic and structural provisions could be worked out.  The potential for interclub matches is very intriguing.

I also like the idea of open to the public that one day a week, by reservation or letter request because if you happen to be there at that time, you meet many interesting people.  

While I would decide to specifically join one of those clubs for a significant initiation fee because I would make a determination that I liked their specific membership culture and unique values, I would see the open day as a bonus for the diversity it would bring.  I wouldn't feel gipped if I paid an initiation fee and the outside, unescorted guest by reservation paid like $150-200. Particulary, if the intitiation fee had a trasfer, buyback or recovery feature to it.

I wonder how many folks wouldn't be a national member if there were any hint of an open day a week, and liberal recipricals with the other area clubs.

Not sure David, but there will certainly be less if the courses are open on a daily fee basis.  Maybe, just maybe a certain element that joins this club does not want to see Joe Sixpack or Mary Wineglass(thanks Matt w.) regardless of how much they "revere the architecture".  

I would like to echo the statement of others.  This is not a destination for anyone unless golf is available to everyone willing to pay a package or daily fee at an acceptable (?) cost.  I have been to Bandon 4 times with other golf fanatics, so if you build something of great value, people will come and come again.  Even now, Bandon is not a trip I can afford without much consideration and planning.  If a location is special, you make other sacrifices and go.  

I have driven from Valentine to Gothenburg and everything they say about this landscape for golf is true (in my limited analysis).  There is great opportunity as a destination that I personally would add to my list of special trips if someone like a Mike Keiser has a vision for Nebraska.  It will not be a destination if only a priviledged few (no malice here) can afford it.  I consider Nebraska development a parallel to Bandon for remoteness and golf potential (maybe even more).  I don't see it becoming a location for real estate development creating an influx of permanent residents.  I just hope it doesn't become a mecca of private/no access courses dotting the landscape.

Several are correct that we keep bringing this topic up.  Dick has some valid and agreeable wishes; the only thing I would like to add is a handicapped or reciprocity with other private clubs. However, that probably will not happen, we will more than likely see what has happened everywhere else in the U.S.  Semiprivate, Munis and completely private.  

As we have beaten to death before, the Wild Horse model can be copied (Semiprivate) and it is obvious that the SH model is being copied. (Private)  I cannot tell you how many people I know here in Nebraska that are not Memorial to Labor Day, cart golfers that are waiting for the opportunity to play a Sand Hills.  We will be repeat business to the future clubs.

Jason

P.S.  Terrorism? Omaha was second on Timothy McVee’s list.  

For those speculating about The Prairie Club's privacy policy and possibilities of outside play allowed, these are direct quotes from the club's web site:

"The Prairie Club is a private remote destination with a planned national membership approximating 350 players.
Limited reciprocal play will be initially allowed, with conversion to an equity structure anticipated thereafter."

and also:

"And while a private club is envisioned, play would initially include designated days in which players with membership elsewhere could be admitted with a call or letter from their home professional. Provisions for youth golf and Evans Scholarships are intended."

http://www.prairieclub.com/


I recall that initially, the club stated that one course would
be private and one would be open to the public, but
apparently that has changed.  Get out there early!

So the only isssue is an airport and places to stay. If you use Bandon as the premiere model, this area will succeed big time.

Succeeding big time on a commercial and fiduciary basis, is not my idea of success. Quite the catch 22

An airport would only diminish the tranquility of what's already there, SH.  

Craig - It's three hours from my house, Wild Horse is less than two and I can tell you there is still mystique!!! It ain't that remote for me.