Just got back home from my road trip from Philly to Sutton Bay to the Back Hills back to Dismal River and Sand Hills. We had an A+ time, and the 5th Major was the cornerstone of the fun.
Dismal River was amazing. Chris Johnston was an amazing host and his staff was world-class. The guys acting as caddies are actually much better golfers than many of us, and their knowledge added to the experience. I know how tough it is to run a tournament, especially with 7 teams, some of whom needed to leave early on Sunday. Great job, Eric!
I also have a renewed respect for Nicklaus design. I thought the course was fun, whimsical, and full of surprises. The green surfaces were very well designed, forcing the player to be on the right portion to have a shot at holing the putt. The bunkers were well placed and looked nothing like earlier Nicklaus courses I had played. Honestly, they looked more Doak/Hanse/C&C than Nicklaus, which was fine with me.
Jack also used elevation changes very well. #5 and #6 were masterful uphill shots and there weren't any "signature" drop shots to be found. Nice!
But best of all, Dismal River has a soul. It's tough to put my finger on it, but it's definitely there. Dismal River is a VERY special place that I dare say can be transformational. There's a sense of peace out there that's impossible to fake. I don't know if it's the easily seen Milky Way, the atmosphere where everybody there (staff, golfers, guests) is part of a family, Chris Johnston's love of the place, or a very, very good and wonderfully fun golf course......
Guys - you owe it to yourself to get to Dismal River, and you'll be glad you did.
Last note - We played at Sand Hills on Monday. It's only about 8 miles away as the crow flies, but it's about a 45 minute drive if you decide to take paved roads. We all know about the greatness of Sand Hills, and the accolades are deserved. I have nothing but the highest praises for Sand Hills.... But, the closeness of Sand Hills and Dismal River provides a great opportunity for golf architecture study - to look at the contrasts and similarities and to realize that C&C and Jack both built something special in their own way in what is probably the most remote part of the lower 48.
PS - I thought the Dismal River chef did world-class work. Great choices, great greens... I loved the way he used the "sense of place" in his dishes....