Dismal River Golf Club---Mullen, NE
Rankings as of 8/18/2010---
7th best course in Nebraska (Golf Digest)
Dismal River is the greatest luxury golf escape that I have ever seen. It is in the middle of nowhere Nebraska and
will take most people a very long time to actually get there by plane, train, or automobile. But once you are there,
there is absolutely no reason to ever leave. The accommodations are beyond first class, the amenities are off the
charts, and the staff is friendly, welcoming, and inviting. It is Golf Heaven, if there is such a thing, with heavenly
views in every direction.
Concerning the golf course, it is a total blast to play. But let me offer this qualification first…if you are above a 15
handicap and/or a dead-set walking golfer, Dismal River isn’t for you. You see, it is a really challenging golf
course. The shots required to score well will put your game to the test. At times, you have to be long and strong
while at other times you will need to be accurate. But more likely than not, you will need to be both. On the
walking, forget it…the size and scale of the property is to vast to walk. But this hugeness makes for great golf and
dramatic views.
In my opinion, the best hole on the course was the par 4 6th hole. Measuring 313 from the middle tees, the view
from the tee box looks like this…
Hit it 200-ish and you are safe and attacking the green with a false front and bunker guarding the entrance to this
small green.
The 10th hole is another hole that needs to be discussed. This 167 yard par 3 looks fairly routine, but difficult off
the tee.
However, further inspection yields a severely undulating green with a bunker smack dab in the middle of it.
The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is rated 73.3/139 from the middle tees. However, that is only half
the story. You will enjoy the golf, but more than that you will have a heck of a time simply being on the property.
Here is some more scoop on Dismal River.
-For starters, here is some information on the new course being built at Dismal with some jaw-droppingly amazing
photos thanks to Aidan Bradley.
-Additionally, here is the Speaker of the House talking about his time at Dismal River and, yep, I was there when he
was and it was pretty neat to interact with him and witness his all-time best round.
-And here is a video of some friends of mine taking the ride into the club via the secret entrance road.
-And I stumbled across this video as well.
Man, I love Dismal River!!!
To touch more specifically on the golf course at Dismal River, I'd say the following:
Jack Nicklaus' Dismal River is a very nice test of golfing skill. The thing I liked most about it was just that; it is a
serious test of shot-making, mental composure, and knowing your game. In fact, I felt a lot like I was playing a Mike
Strantz course a few times. That is it seemed to be like he was trying to mentally intimidate the golfer prior to the
golfer even swinging a club.
For example, take the 18th hole. For giggles, the first time I played that hole I decided to play the hole from the
back tee marker…all 600 yards of it!! After the tee shot, the hole plays straight uphill. So, mentally the golfer
might be saying, “this is B.S.…600 yards uphill par 5…this is too much…this is unplayable…this is a garbage
hole!!!” But here is the kicker, the green is a punch bowl green. Just get the ball on the green anywhere, heck just
trickle the ball over the fringe, and the ball will funnel to the hole. So you see, even a 10 handicap who can only
drive the ball 250ish can play the tips on this hole and still have a shot at par if they just keep scrapping. (FYI...the
18th green has been tweaked since I initially made this statement...but the Strantz mental intimidation tactics
remain throughout the course).
Anyway, this type of stuff happens again and again. An impossible looking hole, really isn’t…perhaps due to an
easy green. And easy looking holes, have butt kicking greens. But having said that, the course isn’t easy. It is a
shot makers course and you have to go into it with the idea that you are going to get tested.
Furthermore, I believe this course is Jack Nicklaus' homage to minimalism. It is said that he moved almost no dirt to
build the course. But the feel there is distinctly Dismal River. Compared to its more famous neighbor, Dismal is
more sculpted out of the natural setting rather than blended in like Sand Hills.
In a nutshell, the golf course at Dismal River is a challenge. It has mind-bending scenic views, crazy demanding
shots…but many are quite frankly easier than they look, kind of like that Mike Strantz head games thing I was
talking about earlier. With a size and scale feeling that is unmatched.
Rankings as of 8/18/2010---
7th best course in Nebraska (Golf Digest)
Dismal River is the greatest luxury golf escape that I have ever seen. It is in the middle of nowhere Nebraska and
will take most people a very long time to actually get there by plane, train, or automobile. But once you are there,
there is absolutely no reason to ever leave. The accommodations are beyond first class, the amenities are off the
charts, and the staff is friendly, welcoming, and inviting. It is Golf Heaven, if there is such a thing, with heavenly
views in every direction.
Concerning the golf course, it is a total blast to play. But let me offer this qualification first…if you are above a 15
handicap and/or a dead-set walking golfer, Dismal River isn’t for you. You see, it is a really challenging golf
course. The shots required to score well will put your game to the test. At times, you have to be long and strong
while at other times you will need to be accurate. But more likely than not, you will need to be both. On the
walking, forget it…the size and scale of the property is to vast to walk. But this hugeness makes for great golf and
dramatic views.
In my opinion, the best hole on the course was the par 4 6th hole. Measuring 313 from the middle tees, the view
from the tee box looks like this…
Hit it 200-ish and you are safe and attacking the green with a false front and bunker guarding the entrance to this
small green.
The 10th hole is another hole that needs to be discussed. This 167 yard par 3 looks fairly routine, but difficult off
the tee.
However, further inspection yields a severely undulating green with a bunker smack dab in the middle of it.
The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is rated 73.3/139 from the middle tees. However, that is only half
the story. You will enjoy the golf, but more than that you will have a heck of a time simply being on the property.
Here is some more scoop on Dismal River.
-For starters, here is some information on the new course being built at Dismal with some jaw-droppingly amazing
photos thanks to Aidan Bradley.
-Additionally, here is the Speaker of the House talking about his time at Dismal River and, yep, I was there when he
was and it was pretty neat to interact with him and witness his all-time best round.
-And here is a video of some friends of mine taking the ride into the club via the secret entrance road.
-And I stumbled across this video as well.
Man, I love Dismal River!!!
To touch more specifically on the golf course at Dismal River, I'd say the following:
Jack Nicklaus' Dismal River is a very nice test of golfing skill. The thing I liked most about it was just that; it is a
serious test of shot-making, mental composure, and knowing your game. In fact, I felt a lot like I was playing a Mike
Strantz course a few times. That is it seemed to be like he was trying to mentally intimidate the golfer prior to the
golfer even swinging a club.
For example, take the 18th hole. For giggles, the first time I played that hole I decided to play the hole from the
back tee marker…all 600 yards of it!! After the tee shot, the hole plays straight uphill. So, mentally the golfer
might be saying, “this is B.S.…600 yards uphill par 5…this is too much…this is unplayable…this is a garbage
hole!!!” But here is the kicker, the green is a punch bowl green. Just get the ball on the green anywhere, heck just
trickle the ball over the fringe, and the ball will funnel to the hole. So you see, even a 10 handicap who can only
drive the ball 250ish can play the tips on this hole and still have a shot at par if they just keep scrapping. (FYI...the
18th green has been tweaked since I initially made this statement...but the Strantz mental intimidation tactics
remain throughout the course).
Anyway, this type of stuff happens again and again. An impossible looking hole, really isn’t…perhaps due to an
easy green. And easy looking holes, have butt kicking greens. But having said that, the course isn’t easy. It is a
shot makers course and you have to go into it with the idea that you are going to get tested.
Furthermore, I believe this course is Jack Nicklaus' homage to minimalism. It is said that he moved almost no dirt to
build the course. But the feel there is distinctly Dismal River. Compared to its more famous neighbor, Dismal is
more sculpted out of the natural setting rather than blended in like Sand Hills.
In a nutshell, the golf course at Dismal River is a challenge. It has mind-bending scenic views, crazy demanding
shots…but many are quite frankly easier than they look, kind of like that Mike Strantz head games thing I was
talking about earlier. With a size and scale feeling that is unmatched.
