A superb and affordanle Top 100 course
The third day of golf in Nebraska provided a marvelous contrast of courses that really is the essence of the game – Wild Horse and Augusta Wind golf clubs.
First up was Wild Horse, a magnificent layout in Gothenburg that is so affordable ($87) and a magnificent test of golf it’s ridiculous.
Golf didn’t appear promising when thunder and rain moved through Wild Horse a couple hours before my scheduled tee time. But it was gone when it came time to peg it on No. 1. The previous day’s oppressive heat gave way to a brisk breeze and temps in the mid 60s. I needed a wind shirt, but all of my outerwear was safely hanging in a closet back home.
So, I toughed it out, and by the back nine there was a mix of clouds and sun and all was right with the world.
Wild Horse certainly lived up to its Top 100 ranking. There’s not a lot more to be said about it. Wild Horse is one of golf’s best values.
Wild Horse Golf Club: Lightning-fast greens
Even after the rain, the fairways were firm and the ball was running out. There’s plenty of room so that if you pick the right line off the tee, you can get away with some mis-hits and still be in play. Greenside bunkers are generally pretty deep, but the greens are large enough so that you can play away from tucked pins and still be on the putting surface.
I was told that Wild Horse’s greens were going to be some of the fastest I’d play, and that certainly was the case. Uphill putts were fast; downhill putts were faster. It felt like 5-foot putts were tap-ins, and 10-footers were like 5-footers, if that makes any sense. The surfaces were perfect – pick your line, get it rolling. No wobbles or bounces. There was a good mix of slope and undulations/. If you didn’t, or didn’t get the correct speed, you could end up looking silly.
The surrounds are closely mowed, giving players numerous short-game options. Use the slopes to funnel the ball toward the hole. Be creative; use your imagination. You’ll be glad you did.
Hardscrabble golf at Augusta Wind
I stopped for gas in Gothenburg and asked a local where to eat lunch. He suggested T. Walker’s in downtown and it was outstanding. I’m not a foodie, but the chicken-fried hamburger steak special – it came with mashed potatoes, green beans and a roll for $14.95 – was really good. I didn’t have room for a slice of homemade pie, and I regretted it for the rest of the trip.
Leaving T. Walker’s, I came to the proverbial fork in the road. Drive 90 minutes to my next stop at Bayside Golf Club in Brule, or take a detour an hour north to Stapleton, home to the nine-hole Augusta Wind Public Golf Course.
In the end, I took the road less traveled – north to Augusta Wind. And in retrospect, I’m glad I did.
Augusta Wind is the polar opposite of a place like Quarry Oaks or Wild Horse, where play is plentiful, not a blade of grass is out of place and you can drop a bundle on pro shop merch.
At Augusta Wind, I pulled into an empty parking lot at 2:30 p.m., put my greens fee ($20 for all day) and cart fee ($20) into a white envelope, slid it into the honesty box, and loaded my bag onto the maroon gas-powered cart (one of four). My opening tee shot was in the air at 2:44 p.m.
Like Dannebrog, Augusta Wind ain’t fancy. There’s no golf shop or grill. It’s a hard-scrabble course built across rolling terrain in Nebraska’s sand hills. I loved the small, circular greens, some of which had a massive amount of tilt.
Like the other courses I visited, Augusta Wind has its share of elevation change. The second hole is an uphill par 3 of 157 yards that plays probably 10 yards longer than its scorecard yardage. And the green runs from front to back.
The par-4 fourth hole is a downhill dogleg right with a gully fronting the green and was my favorite hole at Augusta Wind. The fifth hole plays along the edge of the property, and on this Wednesday a small herd of cattle had congregated next to where my tee shot landed. I’m not sure if they were annoyed by my presence or just disinterested spectators.
The wispy native grass along the edges of the fairway reminded me somewhat of Scotland. It was high, but playable. I only had one hiccup – I walked off the seventh green and didn’t see a white plate marker for No. 8, so I teed up on the blue marker and took aim at a green in the distance. Turns out I just didn’t look in the right direction. I had played my tee shot toward the ninth green before I realized my screw-up.
Not to worry, though, with nobody else on the course I simply got back in the cart and drove back out and played the eighth hole correctly. Then I played No. 9, a par 5, from the correct white marker.
After loading up my clubs – there’s no outside help at Augusta Wind – I cranked my car and took a last look over my shoulder. In my mind, I envision a Saturday group in untucked t-shirts and John Deere caps with coolers in hand, talking and laughing about who knows what around the first tee waiting for their friends to clear the first fairway. No fancy logoed polos, no $2,500 fitted irons in the bag, no aim-point on the greens. Just a bunch of guys who love the game and playing with friends.
Next up: the end of the road at Bayside Golf Club.
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News
Featured image of Wildhorse No. 1 courtesy of Wild Horse GC
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