Dismal River Club – The Sand Hills Golf Experience

Golf at the Dismal River Club is more than an iconic experience. It offers two magnificent courses, ranch luxury, and a bevy of activities that run through the sand hills of Nebraska.

In these hills and bluffs, golf does not need topographical help like massive dirt moving; it just follows the ebbs and flows of the land. In this case, architects Doak and Nicklaus followed the natural land contours for the two courses. They have very different styles and approaches, and both made their courses a meld of their design with the natural wonder of the sand hills. They used the same land, yet they are different in the overall feel.

When thinking about it after playing both, it is best described as links golf on steroids in 3D.

The Doak Course, known as the Red Course, meanders to the east very close to the fork of the Dismal River. Plenty of ups and downs with the roll of the sand hills. If you miss the prime spot in the fairway, the ball can roll to a grassy area where you can still make a reasonable shot forward. The lines of each hole are visually stunning. There are no tee markers, just stakes that indicate a general teeing area. From this point of initial direction, each hole zigs and zags in the natural landscape. Aiming points for tee shots range from bunkers to landmarks to your own visual markers. You are overwhelmed with your first round, and you gain a sense of geographical familiarity by round three. Even with that, the awe of the topographical flow and awe remains no matter how many rounds you get on the Red Course.

Nicklaus was in designer heaven with the land, as the White Course could have been laid out in 129 different ways. There are tee boxes here, and as skill and difficulty increase, so does the carry for the first shot. One note is the greens are only sometimes what you see is what you get as there may be an impending mound or a natural fall off on the front or backside. It is not unfair, as a yardage book plus a familiarization round will give you a sense of the shot needed.

Incredible elevation changes using the land are the norm here. In typical Nicklaus fashion, there are very generous landing areas off the tee. That might give a sense of false comfort and confidence, given that the real challenges happen on the second shots onward.

If there is such a thing as a signature hole on either course at the DRC, they vary on the day, weather, light, and golf mood. I found they can look different from morning to twilight and in between. The feeling is like driving on a road, climbing a hill, getting to the top, and seeing an incredible vista open up. As the holes don’t run parallel or even close to each other, this experience goes from one to the next. These are exceptional courses all the way from #1 to #18.

These courses are not 7900-yard monsters. They are challenging because of the layout, which uses the land, and the natural obstacles and nuances that have existed for thousands of years. The geographical flow translates into very few flat lies on the courses. The best advice may be to play your first round on either course from the red tees to understand how these two design wizards made exceptional golf using the natural topography.

Getting to the DRC takes a bit of driving from wherever you might land by air. The club has various housing options, all within proximity of the main lodge, as staying off-property is not an option. Single rooms, small cabins, large cabins, and houses fit singles up to moderate sized groups. All the options have a rustic feel and touch—like a ranch house that is nice and restful.

The central lodge sports Buffalo Bill’s Pub, DRC Fine Dining, adjacent dining areas, and separate dining/meeting rooms. If your group wants to dine together, they have it in several private dining/meeting areas. For those sports fanatics, just behind the bar is a television theatre with crawl-in chairs, which make watching more than relaxing.

The massive porch and firepit just outside give a stunning view of the sand hills. These are the prime drink & kickback spots, tall tales of long drives, and even a stogie in the Nebraska night air. The additional offerings are a pool, spa, indoor golf simulator, and a poker/game room.

With all this activity, sustenance better match, and it does. Breakfast is a ranch-style buffet as everyone is raring to saddle up their cart and see if they can master the sand hills. One of the dining gems on the property is the Jack Shack, the snack house at the start of the White course. The best mid-day sandwiches and fuel ever at a golf course. The Jamin’ Jack sandwich combines ranch brisket, Swiss cheese, and apple-bacon jam on toasted bread. Add a homemade milkshake, and you just might sit a spell. Just like the sand hills, way more than expected.

In Nebraska, beef is king, and they boast they have the best steaks in the USA. They got our vote, and the fillet at the DRC is in the top three of all the steaks I have veraciously enjoyed. This is not food they serve because you are captive at the club; these are up-scale vittles from the local land, prepared with an eye towards the day’s end of guest satisfaction.

Of course, if you haven’t ridden it hard for 36, there is more to do. Horseback riding through the hills is more than impressive, and how about getting in a giant tub and floating down the Dismal River?

Likely, the hidden yet most exciting facet of the additional DRC activities is the shooting club/range. From pistols to long riffles, you can do it all. Try to hit the steel buffalo from 500 yards, a distance most have never tried. Really test your firearm savvy and skill with the steel bison one mile up the ridge. Professional instruction and safety monitoring are part of the experience, so they never-ever will feel comfortable and get initial mastery quickly. Hunting excursions on the property can be arranged for a group.

The Dismal River Club is one of the best golf experiences anywhere. The land-golf-lodging-culinary-activity blend fires hot on all cylinders.