Well, after over two years of waiting, my chance to play Ballyneal had finally arrived. I pulled into Holyoke, CO and got a room in the Burge Hotel just inside of town. It was about 5:00pm and I was anxious to get out and see the golf course. As I drove south from Julesburg on Highway 385, I wondered where the heck the Sand Hills were. The land was as flat as a football field. However, after I checked into the hotel and headed south out of Holyoke, I could see the distinct rolling sand hills on the horizon South of town. As I made my way through the farmland and around the dunes I came to a sign no bigger then your average street sign that said "BALLYNEAL". I knew I had arrived.
What greeted me as I drove up the gravel entry road was a site I will not soon forget. The golf course and the clubhouse complex greeted me on the horizon like a heavenly meeting of land and....well....sand! If there were one club that I was going to join immediately, it would be Ballyneal. The greens and there surrounds are the most interesting I've ever putted and played. The array of shots that can be played are infinite. I'm a sucker for interesting greens and surrounds, and these are paramount to anything I've ever seen. SERIOUSLY
Now keep in mind I'm saying all this as the greens are still being mown at a tall height to ensure a high density of turf on the putting surfaces. By May 9th, the greens should be running very well. Once the remainder of the fairways reach the consistency and turf density of the 18th, which lies on the fertile soil the Midwest is known for, the course will be in flawless FIRM and FAST shape.
This golf course will NEVER get old. The infinite possibilities of pin and tee positions, various wind conditions, you WILL learn something new and different about every hole each and every time you play it.
When I arrived, I noticed that the tee boxes appeared to be very rustic and unkept, and I wasn't sure I liked them. However, by the fourth hole, I knew they had done something special. I'm not sure if a name as been given to these tees yet, but I am going to call them "Infiniti Tees" On most of the holes you cannot tell where the tee boxes end and where the fairways begin. This is especially true from the fourth tee, where from the back tee, the tee boxes cascade down the hill, and appear to be part of the rolling, undulating fairway more the 160 yds. away. Shear genius.
The design team also appeared to do some unique things in some of the sandy scrub areas. It appears that they removed some of the native flora in an effort to create natural bunkers. Below is an example.
By removing the natural flora, the wind will create bunkers and blowouts over the years where bunkers were not initially manufactured. This will again lend to a different look at Ballyneal from year to year.
It was a struggle determining which pictures to post, as plenty have been posted, and I took plenty myself. However, I have added some below to show people the best that Ballyneal has to offer.
First Fairway from left side.
Front left Greenside bunker on One
View from the third teebox back to the second green. One of the great bunkers of Ballyneal.
One of Four Spectacular Par Threes. #3
The vista point on the course. The 4th Tee. Note: the teeboxes cascading down and appearing as one with the fairway.
The par three 5th hole from the 6th tee. Again awesome bunker.
The fifth green and sixth tee from a tall dune.
The awesome par 5 8th. I initally thought this hole was close to 600 yds. long, but come to find out its just 515. Very deceiving.
Notice the undulations in the 8th green. Awesome view from the 9th tee.
The table top par three 11th.
Short Par 4 12th.
237 yd. Par 3 15th. Green is in a large bowl. It makes this hole play much easier.
Finishing Par 4 18th