The cheapest golf course in the region is also a unique one, because for just $4 you can play the sand greens of Dannebrog CC just north of Grand Island. While technically outside of the Nebraska Sandhills, the course plays over raw prairie land and is a step back in time to a bygone era of the simplest form of the game. Dannebrog is a place that any golfer must experience once in their lifetime.

Wild Horse Golf Club sprang from an effort by the citizens of Gothenburg, Nebraska, to improve the quality of life in their town. To fund the project, they sold 1,000 shares of stock, priced at $500 each, and established 50 residential lots around the perimeter of the golf property. Although Wild Horse occupies a subtle piece of land—it sits at the southern edge of the Nebraska Sandhills, where the dunes melt into the prairie—it is similar to Sand Hills in its minimalist construction, strategic design, and delightfully firm, sand-based turf. Since opening in 1999, Wild Horse has been one of the best public golf courses in the country, and perhaps the best you can play for under $100 any day of the week. –Garrett Morrison

Augusta Wind is a barebones sandhills golf experience in all the right ways. In this case, local farmers and ranchers simply hit golf balls around the property to determine where the holes should be. Frankly, they did a damn good job for a group of amateurs. Some of the holes play over aggressive slopes and hint at the amateur nature of the design and construction, but that’s what makes a stop at Augusta Wind so worthwhile. The raw natural beauty of this course and its landscape provides an almost spiritual experience for golf purists and others alike.

Positioned on a bluff high above Nebraska’s largest lake, Bayside provides what they call “extreme golf.” These claims are entirely accurate as the course is a truly wild ride over the rolling terrain and staggering arroyo washes. The more intimate front nine is chock-full of unique hole designs and dazzling greens, while the back nine is a monumental journey traversing an intense landscape that produced some extremely challenging golf holes. You will experience some of the most idiosyncratic golf holes you’ve ever seen at Bayside.

Built in a pocket of dunes just east of the main sandhills region and right off Interstate 80, Awarii Dunes is what Jim Engh believes “could be one of my best.” Like most of the courses in the sandhills, very little dirt was moved to create the golf course that Jim has stated to be inspired by the great links of Ireland. Some of the boldest and most extreme greens you will ever putt across can be found here, which is a great reason to stop for a round if you are ever driving by on Interstate 80. Conditions here can vary by year and the severity of the previous winter. 

The new kid on the block, GrayBull Club, is the latest addition to the Dormie Network’s catalog of private golf courses and the newest golf course built within the Nebraska Sandhills. The club aims to be an upscale modern destination with fancy dining options and top-of-the-line amenities. As for the course, it occupies a set of medium- to large-sized dunes which provide an ideal canvas for dramatic golf holes. GrayBull is one of the most visually arresting courses in the region with its plethora of exposed sand areas and undulating greens.

A modest nine-hole course just outside of town that is a terrific asset to the local community and visitors alike. Like many of the other local nine-holers on this list, a small structure and honor box act as the pro shop. Sign your name, slip in your cash, and play the course all day. At its core, Mullen is a delightful walk and worthwhile stop for anyone passing through town or who scored a tee time at one of the private courses in the region.

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw changed the trajectory of golf course architecture in the remote Nebraska Sandhills in 1995. Sand Hills Golf Club proved that a faraway course on spectacular land could work. It was a “field of dreams” moment for the golf industry, which had been focused for decades on building in population centers. Developer Dick Youngscap deserves immense credit for pushing the crazy idea of taking golf to the small town of Mullen, four-plus hours away from any major airport. Hard work, friendliness, and a passion for the game of golf are the reasons why Sand Hills exists, and those virtues are exemplified by everything the club does. –Andy Johnson

If you’d like the chance to play Sand Hills, write the club a letter as they allow any non-member to play the course once in their life. Just know that the club has a short and busy season, so not everyone can be accommodated, or response times may take a few years, but it is one of the best opportunities to play one of the greatest golf courses in the world. 

A true lay of the land nine-hole golf course laid out by an ex-superintendent of Sand Hills Golf Club. Tee and green locations were selected and the native grasses were simply mowed down to fairway height in the first iteration of the course. Holes four through seven all play right up against and on top of a large dune ridge while the rest of the course occupies fairly flat land. A neat, barebones course that demonstrates what it’s like to build a golf course in the absolute simplest method possible with very little earthmoving and an extremely small budget. You’ll likely be the only player on the course when visiting.

When Sand Hills Golf Club was being built in the mid-1990s, local rancher Chris Abbott sought out Dan Proctor–who was helping build Sand Hills–to help build a course in the neighboring town of Hyannis. Dan only had enough time to roughly build three holes, which were finished and grassed by the locals. Dan then made subsequent visits to get Pelican Beach to nine holes. This is one of the most exciting and authentic nine-holers in the U.S. that will run you $15 for all-day play. I urge you to make a detour if you are ever traveling cross-country on I-80 and support this wonderful golfing playground.

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The first of two courses at Dismal River Club, the White Course was the most ambitious new build following the rise of Sand Hills Golf Club. The particular dunes that the course occupies are enormous in size and provide an otherworldly feel compared to the rest of the sandhills. Some adjectives to describe the White Course would be isolated, aggressive, and exhilarating. There is loads of fun to be had here with several punchbowl greens that funnel balls close as well as very challenging ridgetop greens. Nicklaus’s White Course is the closest thing to playing golf on Mars.

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Doak’s free-flowing Red course is set on a large rumpled hillside that slopes down towards the Dismal River with nearly 200 feet of elevation change. The 400-foot-tall dune ridge backdrop, unique dune formations, and open-ended routing make the Red course distinct in the region. While the course falls victim to the shadow cast by Sand Hills Golf Club, its genius routing, world-class par 4s, and construction team made up of some of the best names in the industry firmly plant this design as one of the very best in the modern era.

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The Dunes Course is likely the largest golf course in the U.S., boasting an average fairway width of 58 yards and over 100 acres of maintained greens, tees, and fairways (The average for a golf course in the U.S. is roughly 40 acres). A mighty journey is also in the cards at the Dunes Course as the routing takes you on an enormous six-plus-mile loop that traverses more than 600 acres of wild Nebraska Sandhills terrain. Outside of the massive scale, there’s loads of visual eye candy in the form of bunkers and phenomenal fine fescue grass playing surfaces rarely found in the U.S. The Prairie Club provides the highest-end public golf in the sandhills.

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As the name suggests, the Pines Course at Prairie Club takes players on a trek alongside the Snake River Canyon edge through an ancient ponderosa pine forest. The dramatic sandhill dunes push right up to the canyon for an experience that weaves in and out of the towering pines and rolling hills. The dunes here are slightly smaller than the ones you traverse on the Dunes Course, but no less interesting to play golf over. The combination of the dynamic Pines layout and sensory blitzkrieg experience at the Dunes makes the Prairie Club a superb public golf destination.

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Free with 18-hole round

The Horse Course at the Prairie Club is a concept of golf that needs to be replicated more often. This short course has nine greens, 10 “holes” and free-flowing shortgrass turf for a choose-your-own-adventure style of golf. Simply pick a flagstick to hit to and play the hole as you wish. The Horse course is a delightful way to end the day as the sun gets low. Do not miss this on your visit to the Prairie Club.

Right on the edge of town, Frederick Peak Golf Club is a community hub and entryway for newcomers to the game that also provides a thought-provoking design with dramatic elevation changes. The course gets its name from the prominent peak just north of the property that’s visible from most of the 10 holes. Loads of weekly leagues, special events and practice grounds for high school golfers make this a valuable asset to the community and traveling golf enthusiasts alike. Those visiting the nearby Prairie Club or CapRock Ranch should dedicate time to visit Freddy’s, as it’s referred to by locals.

CapRock Ranch takes players on a dramatic journey between rolling sand dunes and steep canyon edges eliciting the feeling of walking through a national park. This design stands out in the sandhills due to the proximity of the holes perched above the 200-foot-deep Snake River Canyon. The combination of its calculated routing and delicate, hand-built touches catapults this design into rarefied air among modern golf courses. A true spectacle and one of the finest courses in the region.

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