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Sand Hills

by Chip ~ September 26th, 2008. Filed under: Course Reviews.

Chip - 2008

Tony - 2008

Nick - 2008

Sand Hills
Mullen, Nebraska

In 1990 a parcel of poor cattle grazing land was presented to Dick Youngscap’s…and the world is better for it.

After an option was put on the land in 1990 Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore were invited to take a look around. A few months later they were hired to design a course and in turn the land was purchased to construct Sand Hills Golf Club. Just as with many parcels of land in Scotland the soil simply didn’t have the correct mix of nutrients to support proper cattle grazing. The course opened just a few months after Ben’s second Masters win.

Never before had someone thought about building a course in such a remote location. The closest town, if you call it that, is Mullen with a population of 491. With that said, Sand Hills stands for all that is right in modern architecture. Youngscap, Coore and Crenshaw truly broke the genie bottle and modern golf course architecture has resorted back to the minimalist greatness with new architects like Tom Doak, Gil Hanse, and others embracing this “less is better” approach. Now we have Ballyneal, Rock Creek Cattle Company, Bandon Dunes, and others to enjoy for it. Thanks goodness for Youngscap’s vision and risk appetite.

This land formation was created thousands of years ago when a sea was blown eastward (for whatever reason?) and the sandy sea bottom was formed into dramatic dunes by the omnipresent winds of the prairie. There is 20,000 sq miles of dunes in this part of the country.

The clubhouse, dinning room, and cabins are all spartan but comfortable. They serve excellent dry aged Nebraska beef and have a top tier wine list. Justin has the course in impeccable shape and Cameron runs the operations like a Swiss watch, that is, play whenever you want. The burgers cooked by Cowboy Tom at Ben’s porch rival any burger out there.

Several things stand out at Sand Hills. First is simply the scale of the place. 8000 acres allowed Coore and Crenshaw to take the routing in unlimited directions. Supposedly over 130 holes were discovered and it took them over a year to figure out the perfect routing. Probably the best souvenir for the golf course architecture aficionado I have ever seen hangs on the wall in the dinning room at Sand Hills that illustrates the many potential holes drawn in pencil on Coore and Creenshaw letter head, complete with fold marks from the architects back pants pocket. They wouldn’t sell it to me…I tried!

The course is located in valley opposite the clubhouse. Actually it is about a one mile cart ride from clubhouse to first tee.

Hole #1
You know you are somewhere like no other when you arrive at that first tee. Your vista on one really leaves the golfer breathless with expectation. As you would expect from two mild mannered men the first hole is a shortest par 5 with ample landing areas. Its’ nice way to get started on this masterpiece.

Approach #1

Green #1

Hole #2

Very very little was done as far as earthmoving or land shaping. Dirt was moved by the shovel full, not the dump truck.

Green #2
The ridge in the front right of this green is huge and downwind required the golfer to play almost a perfect shot to get to a back right pen.