Dismal River Club (White Course)

The first of two courses at Dismal River Club, the White Course was the most ambitious new build following the meteoric rise of Sand Hills Golf Club. Sitting roughly eight miles as the crow flies from Sand Hills, the Dismal River Club occupies the southern bank of Dismal River and a starkly different formation of sand dunes. These dunes are enormous in size and provide an otherworldly feel compared to the rest of the sandhills. The 1.5-mile cart ride from the clubhouse takes you up and into a landform that resembles a large reverse donut—a towering central dune with a circular valley around it—where the holes play. This truly makes you feel like you are separated from the rest of society, as almost all of the holes are surrounded by large dunes. The White provides a stark difference compared to the Red Course, which lies in view from the clubhouse, entrance road, and sees the majority of the club's activity. Nicklaus’s White Course is the closest thing to playing golf on Mars.

Some adjectives to describe the White Course would be massive, aggressive, and exhilarating. There is loads of fun to be had here with several punchbowl greens that funnel balls close to the hole, like the first, sixth, 11th, and 16th holes. There is also an equal number of ridge top greens that get battered by the wind and make precision key, like the third, fifth, seventh, and 14th holes. The White Course is up there with the Dunes Course at Prairie Club for being the biggest and boldest scale of golf in the sandhills, which in turn forces most players to take a cart in order to traverse the severe landscape. At the end of the day, The White is memorable and a perfect compliment to the more intricate and dynamic Red Course. 

Take Note…

You don’t know if you don’t ask. If you’d like the chance to play the courses at Dismal River Club, check out Kemper Sports’ website for stay-and-play options or simply reach out to the club directly, as they accommodate some outside play. 

Ch-ch-ch changes. The White Course has been fraught with many changes over its lifetime. Initially, the course was known for being incredibly difficult to the point where people called it unplayable in strong winds. While the course falls on the more penal side of courses in the sandhills, it’s much more playable than what past stories may suggest. At least eight greens have been softened from the original design, and several holes have gone through multiple iterations, such as the 13th and 18th. 

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