Getting To Know: Wild Horse Golf Club

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Don Graham who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
The golf course is a links style course with 63 bunkers on it. The course is maintained in a way to keep the conditions hard and fast. Everyday the green speeds run from 10 to 11 on the stimp meter, If it is hot and windy out they tend to get a lot faster. We don't have any trees or water hazards on the golf course. We have very generous fairways but if you miss a fairway you are in two foot or higher native grass. The locals call this grass "Wooga", I'm not sure why they call it that, I always say they call it "Wooga" because it was the nicest thing we could print.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
The golf course is usually in perfect shape, and is different than most courses in the United States. If you want to experience what golf is like in Scotland for pennies on the dollar then come play Wild Horse.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
As I said earlier the conditions are hard and fast. Play less club and expect the ball to bounce forward.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
We receive many top 100 ratings every year, but the rating I'm most proud of came in 2007 from Golf Magazine. Golf Magazine rated Wild Horse as the best golf course in the United States with green fees under $50.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
#16, it is a 445 yard par 4 that plays into the predominate wind from the south in the summer. The hole has a bunker in the middle of the fairway in the landing area. If you can miss that you have a long second into a two tiered green guarded by two bunkers on the right side. Another reason it is photographed and talked about a lot is 50 yards to the right of the green stands a windmill that still works that was used to water the cattle when the property was a ranch.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
My favorite hole is #15. This is a short par 4 that plays downwind and can be drivable if you have the guts. From the back tees it plays 342 yards but from the black tees where most people play from it plays 307 yards. The hole is guarded by several fairway bunkers that run down both sides of the fairway. The green is small and guarded by a large front bunker that covers about 80% of the green as well as another large bunker at the back of the green. The play is to hit, from the black tees something 250 yards or longer down the very left hand side of the fairway, this will allow you an approach shot that avoids the front bunker. A great golf hole to me says from the tee box, "here I am, come get me if you dare" and this hole does that, no gimmicks.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
We don't really have one of these. We do serve cold beer and generous mix drinks.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
We really haven't done a good job of keeping this. Kevin Stanek, from Omaha on June 25, 2011 shot a 62 from the gold tees in the finals match of State Match Play. He was playing against Wes Bernt from Kearney, they both agreed that Kevin shot a 62 even though it was Match Play, so that is our course record.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7002
Slope: 135
Rating: 73.7

More Information
Wild Horse Golf Club
40950 Rd 768
Gothenburg, Nebraska, 69138
(308) 537-7700
www.playwildhorse.com