A few courses - probably less than ten -  have opened in the past decade that have virtually escaped criticism and been universally praised. Wild Horse is one of those courses world wide.

The worst thing I have heard about it is that Wild Horse is practically dismissed   as being labeled as the best bargain in the United States, which is like labeling Yale as just a great university course or Bethpage as just a great public course. As my two brothers pointed out driving away, instead of costing ~$35 a round, suppose Wild Horse cost $150 - name the courses that cost $150> that are better? The list is short.

As the world leader in number of golf course construction projects, the United States has presented woefully few courses/clubs like Wild Horse that are worth emulating. Somewhere along the line, the message in the U.S. became contorted to be: more money spent = better golf. This sad formula has led to golf stagnating in this country.

Thus, it is especially refreshing to return to a place like Wild Horse where world class golf is enjoyed at a reasonable price. With the wind, firm playing conditions, and Bunker Hill's use of the ground contours, golfers who enjoy the art of making shots invariably fall in love with it. The same joys of the ground game and flighting the ball through the wind as found in the U.K./Australia are present here. For those of us obsessed with comparing the merits of one course to another, I can't help but by-pass comparing Wild Horse to U.S. courses and head overseas. My own hole by hole comparison with the cult favourite Cruden Bay has Wild Horse winning the 18th to finish 1 up.

Don Graham has been the Head Professional since Wild Horse opened in 1999 and has seen the course in all its different moods. Thus, he is in the ideal position to talk about the subtleties of the design and what makes it such a pleasure to play on a continuing basis. Dave Axland's Feature Interview in January 2003 on this site talks about some of the financial aspects re: Wild Horse. Don's Interview dwells more on the playing characteristics and the individual holes.

Read together, hopefully the two Feature Interviews begin to present a picture as to why Wild Horse is worthy of much study. Without doubt, great golf at a great price is an unbeatable combination.

Cheers,

Thanks for the nice article, Ran!

More "fuel for the fire" to FINALLY get out there and visit.  My wife and girls are headed to Cleveland for the annual visit to Grandma's house, and I will sadly (well, not soooo sadly) be staying behind for work.  Since they'll be gone for two whole weeks, maybe the timing will be PERFECT for a weekend trek over from Eastern Iowa.

Gotta get "the Mayor" on the horn and try to nail something down for then!

In addition, Don and the Wild Horse crew were incredibly accomadating of our crew to squeeze us in on the morning of the Nebraska Amateur semi and finals.



Neil Regan, George Bahto, Tom Paul, Steve, Bob Huntley, Mike Sweeney, Tony Chapman, Huck, Patrick Mucci, Dick Daley

Sorry to be off topic, but could someone name the chaps in the photo?  I can guess the tall chap and the Clinton wannabe.

Ciao

Sean

I can give you three of them..."distinguished" gentleman in the middle wearing trousers (Bob Huntley), red shirt (think Yahoo!), grey shirt next to him (the "Mayor", Dick Daley).

Good god, what a motley crew!

As you can imagine, that little trip was more fun than grown men are allowed to have.

Gotta echo Mike S. - many thanks once again to Don for squeezing us in.

And GREAT interview.

Re WH being somehow diminished by the price reference, well... I can understand that.  It would still be a great course at $150, $250, $350!  But we'd talk about it differently, methinks.  I find no problems with praising great "bangs for the buck."  Good lord do we need MORE of those - so the success stories like this, and Rustic Canyon, surely do need to be praised for such.  Of course the problem might come when course raters somehow downgrade these courses in this light - ie for god knows what reason thinking "the course can't be that great, it only costs $35 to play" - and I guess that might occur to some extent.

But to me that pales in importance to praising a course that achieves greatness at a great price.  I really think the future of golf rests with courses like this...

TH

AHHHRGGGGGGGGGhH!

I remember that shot well.  It was on the par five #3. A great drive and I thought a very well-hit 2nd left me right behind that bunker, with the 50 yard pitch shot I love so much (add sarcasm).  You see the result of said pitch, as that is shot #4.

GREAT golf hole, for just how this worked out.

TH

Reposted and please ignore Pat Mucci's finger on my shirt!

Mike,

Next time you lose a bet to Mucci, he might make you wear these instead:

Mike, I'd call it an 8 with no hesitation.  I can definitely see travelling there just to play WH and WH alone.  In fact, many do... Dick Daley is a very wise man.

But yes, if one comes off a few days at SH and then plays WH, the latter is bound to suffer in comparison.  But given my all-too-frequently-stated take that SH is the best course on the planet, jeez that should be NO knock on WH!

BTW, it would be an absolute BLAST to play with hickories, from any tee.  SH would only work from the front tees (and from there god what fun it would be).  Ran never did play all the way back, did he?  Can't see how one would make a few of the carries.

TH

Wild Horse will reopen for play on March 1st weather permitting

Memberships still available:  Fees below do not include tax.

Single Membership  $425.00  

Huck,

I don't think my wife is going to go for a Clayman type move for the Sweeney's to Nebraska, but this has to top even some of the Mark Rowlinson's deals as the best in golf!

Holey moley - you're right - also re coolness factor it's also right up there... hmmm... of course my wife would never go for the Clayman move either, but... $425 is not THAT far outside the "wife won't notice or can't give me crap because she likely spent that on clothes last week" zone... hmmm... it may well be worth it to buy that just to get a bag tag and a newsletter, not to mention convince her I have to go there for the club championship/member/guest!

TH

Why is there no officail write up from Ran on Wildhorse?

Dick's My Home Course piece is great, but I would have hopped Ran would jot his thoughts down.

John - It would be interesting to see of how many who make the pilgramage to Sand Hills actually go see Wildhorse. I think that anyone who hangs out here in the tree house feels, especially from Dick's comments, that if they don't stop by and see it they are missing something special.

Jordan - What I meant that it hasn't been profiled in the courses by country/ courses by architect section. Read Ran's write up of Sand Hills (& the others he has done) and then tell me that another write up like that would be pointless.

...
Neil Regan, George Bahto, Tom Paul, Steve, Bob Huntley, Mike Sweeney, Tony Chapman, Huck, Patrick Mucci, Dick Daley

You mean to tell me that Tom Paul actually plays golf! And here I thought all he would have time for is to post many thousands of lengthy posts on this website.

I have not found any better reason to click on a thread other than the fact that Tom Paul has posted to it.

I haven't been able to read the threads much this weekend, so I missed this interview w/Don until now.  I also would like to thank Don for having been a very accomodating and helpful pro.  As stated, he squeezed this bunch of hooligans into the tee sheet during their State Am match play and the next day, he got us on for a late evening round after the State pro-am, which was very well attended.

Someone above mentioned (or it is a typo) that 13th green is 5000Sq ft.  I haven't measured it, but would bet almost twice that.  

Besides Don, his faithful sidekick Robert Wayans (spelling?) and of course Superintendent Josh Mahar, have made this course a rare jewel to visit and play.  

If I could find a reason to move there, like a small but steady part time job or a teaching position for my wife, I think we would try it.  I have a great deal for a yearly membership pass at the course I play here in Green Bay, on a pretty good course.  But, If there is a better deal for yearly membership relative to the quality of the course than Wild Horse, I have never heard of it.

One thing however, that one might consider as to why the yearly membership is so reasonable.  As those of you know who play there, carts are a big deal in Nebraska.  They have a very robust cart rental and care business for those residents and members at Wild Horse who pay a yearly rental-storage fee.  And, the heat can get to where a cart is a useful way to play and not get stroked out.  So, while many of us love the place because it is a great walk on a great golf course, we should remember that the ubiquitous huskers in carts helps Don's and board's ability to keep the prices low.  And, the prices at WH are probably in line if not a bit higher than the local economy and golf scene commands.  The locals are the backbone of the course.  And their friendliness is part of the joy of traveling there to experience this unique place.

If they'd ever want to expand the food and beverage service, I'd be willing to put my family restaurant biz experience to use there.  A little more choice on food might be welcome particularly to those coming from far away.  Half the talk you hear from those that go up to the Sand Hills, is about burgers by Tom on Ben's porch.  I am confident that a similar legend for burgers or other unique pub and grub could be folded into the Wild Horse legend with a future clubhouse upgrade in kitchen and pub area.