Dismal River Continued...

18th Hole, Par 4

In my last post I used the phrase "latest and greatest remote destination.." to exemplify the kind of golf course which creates buzz and excitement around the world of golf.  This year that golf course is Tom Doak's latest design at the Dismal River Golf Club, in Mullen, Nebraska.  It is a golf course successful in its virtue of modern minimal design.  I can say this with accuracy and truth as I have participated in the construction first hand.  Even the few holes which required significant earth movement, were only disturbed in part to connect fairway landing areas and add playability.  The 2nd and 13th greens required NO earth movement whatsoever.  They were both tilled, cleaned, and planted as we found them.

2nd Hole, Par 4

I believe all those involved in the project all believed in and tried to emulate the principles of design which Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw pioneered at the Sand Hills Golf Club back in 1991.  Today both of these golf courses exist in remote and often harsh conditions.  Where Sand Hills has stood the test of time, Dismal River follows in its foot steps, adding to the wonderful golf experience that can be had in the Sand Hills of Nebraska.

 3rd Hole, Par 3

My contribution to the construction and design of the new course at Dismal River started by mowing out the prairie grass, but I was mostly on the business end of a rake.  No matter what the task it was a really special privilege to be a part of this vision in the Sand Hills and to help create a legacy for world class golf in this region.

 5th Hole, Par 3

6th Hole, Par 4

37 Days at the Dismal River Golf Club

  

The Dismal River pictured with 13,15, and 16 greens

 

Spacious Nebraska sand hills



Chasing work around the world has its benefits, but I really can't say with much certainty where I'll be working six months from now...At the beginning of this summer I thought it might be a good idea to take online courses for a degree in turfgrass management (it still might be) until I got the word that I would be travelling home to New York for a restoration project with Jim Urbina. All the while I am receiving e-mails about working in China, Scotland, and then out of nowhere, Nebraska!

I travel light and am usually available to work in a matter of 1-3 weeks, easily able to get on a plane to China or Australia and work there for a month or two. This is exactly what happened at the beginning of August 2011. I exchanged e-mails and phone calls with Renaissance Golf Design in regard to their latest project in the Sand Hills of Nebraska, one of America’s treasured golf lands. I couldn’t resist the offer, the project promised to be great along with a chance to sharpen my skills for my upcoming work in NY.

10 and 11 Green viewed from atop "little horseshoe"

The first week we all began to get our feet wet, mowing down fairways and areas to be disturbed but the true golfing landscape quickly unfolded before our eyes. The property at Dismal River is amazingly fit for golf with many natural green sites and naturall hazards, there is no way this could have been created by man. Architect Tom Doak simply blazed a path to a golf course that was always there.