Dismal River Golf Club - Construction Progress Update

[Bruce Wellmon]

All I have is a pic of the approach on #12.
And good news, I'm due for my every 2 year upgrade on my cell phone this week which will put an end to poor quality pics.

[Bruce Wellmon]

June 2012.

October 2012. 13 tee shot. Dogleg right.

Before.

With a downhill approach. And another great backdrop. Just beautiful.

[Bruce Wellmon]

14 is such a great, unique hole visually with the 2 mounds framing the fairway.
One you can reach, one not. Just a great look. the green is tucked behind the second mound.
 

[Bruce Wellmon]

Downwind for us, 15 was almost reachable. Almost being the key.
I wound up on the downslope with an uphill approach to a tiny target area. I might rethink that next time.
Note the "valley" in front of the green.

[Bruce Wellmon]

16 is a nice par 3 going right up to the edge of the Dismal River.

I don't have a picture of the tee shot on 17. It is a blind shot to a terraced landing area. If you land on the right side of the fairway, you will be at the same elevation as the green. From center and left, you have a downhill approach to another green adjacent to the river.

[Jim Colton]

Very cool stretch of holes. I love that 13th! Thanks for sharing Bruce.

[Tony Weiler]

Really amazing how things have changed since the end of June!  Thanks for the Pics, Bruce.  TW

[Bruce Wellmon]

And we reach the epic 18th. Sort of a nice setting, I would say.

The tee shot.

The approach. I had 196 in. lt is a stout finisher.

Looking back.

It is amazing how much has changed since the 5th Major. They were raking 18 green then. Unbelievable.
19-36 at Dismal is fantastic. I don't think I have ever played a course that had as much variety to the holes as this.
It's walkable. It's visual. I can't wait to see it in 2013.

[John Kavanaugh]

I even walked the course.  As a matter of fact I expressed to Chris that if we were allowed to take push carts I would walk every time.  Of course this is based on my love of the old course which makes a perfect cart venue late in the day.

[Jud_T]

And to think think it was this close to being a Tiger Woods design....  :

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/travel-insider/dismal-river-sandhills-ballyneal-nebraska-golf/

[Ben Sims]

How much play has the new course received this fall? 

[Mike Nuzzo]

And to think think it was this close to being a Tiger Woods design....  :

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/travel-insider/dismal-river-sandhills-ballyneal-nebraska-golf/

How close was it?
I didn't know $15MM* away was close?


My guess for fee + construction + excess maintenance

[Tom_Doak]

And to think think it was this close to being a Tiger Woods design....  :

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/travel-insider/dismal-river-sandhills-ballyneal-nebraska-golf/

How close was it?
I didn't know $15MM* away was close?

My guess for fee + construction + excess maintenance

Mike:

Rumor has it that Tiger's group was going to design the course for free, so I would guess your $15 million figure is pretty high.

Still, I don't think there is any way he would have got his course built for anywhere near what we spent -- fee included.

[Tom_Doak]

Tom: , but did you get a sense from what you saw for Tiger's design philosophy and whether he had a good eye for design? Or was his project driven by seasoned professional with Tiger adding a bit of input here and there?

I always get the impression that Tiger was more sophisticated than the majority of other tour players where appreciation of great design was concerned - maybe that has carried over into his thoughts about design?

Brian:

I've always thought that Tiger had a pretty good sense of design and golf strategy from the way he attacked courses.

However, I wasn't around at all when he was on site at Dismal River, and I never had a peek at whatever plan he and his team suggested for the course, so I have no way of answering your question.

[Mac Plumart]

Back from a trip out to Dismal.

I was stunned by the progress of the Doak course from just the time that has elapsed from the 5th Major (about 5 weeks).

The greens are just about perfectly grown in, the turf is a fast and firm as I've ever seen, and the green speeds to undulation/contours was darned near perfect.  Simply, WOW!!!  Might be the best maintenance meld to design intent I've seen.

Here's a shot of the 6th hole.  290 yard par 4 from the members tees.

[John Cowden]

No. 6 got the better of me all three times I played it last weekend.  Still haven't figured out how much less than a driver is th proper tee shot.  Of course, the wind will have something to do with the correct choice.  But you're spot on about the course condition.  Superb for such a new layout, with only a couple spots lagging, such as no. 12 fairway 75 yards in, but that was definitely outside the norm and reportedly due to a later seeding followed by a bit of a deluge.