GrayBull’s Design by David McLay Kidd is the Latest Masterpiece Added to Rich Dormie Network Portfolio of Course Design
David McLay Kidd overlooks the site of GrayBull in the Sandhills of Nebraska.
Renowned course architect David McLay Kidd visited the site that will become Dormie Network's GrayBull Club in Maxwell, Nebraska to determine how he and his team would design the course.
After just one visit, he felt like he was reading a familiar fairytale.
“This site, it’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views,” Kidd said. “It’s wide open, no big roads, no visual contamination – it ticks all the boxes.”
Kidd adds his name to the Who’s Who list of Dormie Network course designers including Arnold Palmer (ArborLinks), Tom Fazio (Briggs Ranch and Victoria National), Coore & Crenshaw (Hidden Creek and Dormie Club), and Lester George (Ballyhack).
Together, the designers of Dormie Network’s seven golf courses have won more than 80 PGA TOUR events and shaped more than 600 course projects worldwide. Individually, however, each design puts its own unique stamp on the diverse portfolio that makes up Dormie Network.
Consider Palmer’s work at ArborLinks, a links-style course boasting bentgrass greens and fairways that gently weaves the fabric of the surrounding community into its design. Nebraska’s cornfields and expanses of prairie frame the course, yet the same links approach taken at Ballyhack by George is defined by its own environment, punctuated by dramatic elevation changes, deep bunkers and a rugged terrain that often has you feeling like you’re in Scotland, not Virginia.
Fazio’s Briggs Ranch is distinctly Texan in nature, featuring a Spanish-style clubhouse anchoring a design that is a love letter to the famed Hill Country. The gentle undulations throughout the course seamlessly flow into the surrounding terrain.
Fazio took that same approach of respecting the local environment to Victoria National, but carved out its own unique test from an abandoned coal mine. Spanning more than 400 acres, it puts golfers to the test through tight landing spots and water hazards seemingly at every turn.
“Victoria National is different from a lot of courses throughout the country in that it gives you no chance to ‘take a hole off,’” said Brad Wilson, general manager. “Every hole is demanding in its own way and if you lose focus for just one shot, you can make a big number very quickly.”
The duo of Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore have fashioned a pair of courses that are full of twists and turns, all while ensuring the look and feel of both Hidden Creek and Dormie Club remain true to the communities they reside in. Hidden Creek starts with a wide, inviting opening hole luring players into a beautiful setup that looks like a walk in the woods, but is anything but.
Likewise, Dormie Club smoothly blends its 18 holes into the rolling hills of North Carolina, presenting in a series of tests that are sure to delight – and confound – guests, such as a 241-yard reverse Redan par three.
Dormie Network’s curated collection of courses stand out, as each are found on the list of best courses in their respective states. With a focus on ensuring an enjoyable experience for players of all skill levels, these designs strike a perfect balance between challenge and playability.
Each Dormie Network club provides a unique experience that caters to the needs of groups, making it an ideal destination to bring friends and colleagues alike. Members enjoy full privileges at every club in the Dormie Network, each featuring a variety of private meeting spaces, onsite cottages, inspired cuisine and boutique apparel.
