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Where the Sand Greens Still Roll My Introduction to Sand Greens Golf (by Ben Vigil) Growing up in Nebraska and playing golf provides one with some unique opportunities and experiences. I've been fortunate enough to check off many boxes, from Top 100 courses to playing nearly every 9-hole course in the state. However, there's been something I've wanted to do Continue Reading

First Look at the "New" Old Dane Dakota City Course Transformation Nearly Complete Old Dane Golf Club's transformation from a nine-hole course to a 12-hole playground is nearly complete. The Dakota City course is growing in ahead of its 2027 opening, and will bring something not seen before to the Nebraska golf landscape. Canadian golf architect Trevor Dormer, a longtime Continue Reading

The Most Avid Golfer in Nebraska There are a lot of numbers that might sum up the life of Dave Auwerda. 189 miles - the distance he drives on a typical day of golf. 3 hours - the amount of time he spends in his Ford Maverick. 6.43 miles (11,309 yards) - the total distance of the two golf courses Continue Reading

They Called Him "Par Sam" By Stu Pospisil (Omaha World-Herald and Golf Historian) They called him “Par Sam.” Here’s the reason: Because in 1922, during one of his seven Nebraska state championships, Sam Reynolds of Omaha played 99 holes in 14 under par. He’d get called by a different name years later – “Senator Sam Reynolds” – but I’m rushing Continue Reading

The Anticipated Return of Quarry Oaks After more than two years without a tee piercing the ground. Without a divot. Without a ball mark. Quarry Oaks is back. Quarry Oaks Golf Club in Ashland shut down for two full seasons to renovate a golf course that needed a little facelift and a few significant changes. It reopens today, May 1, Continue Reading

Nebraska Golfer is an online publication of the Nebraska Golf Association. Formerly a digital magazine distributed quarterly, Nebraska Golfer is now delivered in a blog format through nebgolf.org. It includes regular features on the people, places and events that make golf in Nebraska great.   Breakup, Pandemic, Golf By Ben Vigil A breakup. A global pandemic. It was a recipe Continue Reading

Hitting the Slopes Premieres Tuesday at 7 p.m. OMAHA (March 1, 2021) – The Nebraska Golf Association is launching a new video series on Tuesday night called "Hitting the Slopes." The series follows a Course Rating trip by staff members Ben Vigil and Sam Oehm last spring, during which they rated seven courses in four days. The NGA annually visits 10-20 Continue Reading

Spring 2020 Issue of Nebraska Golfer Now Available The Spring Issue of Nebraska Golfer is now available. Click the image above to view this month's issue. Content includes: The Year Charlie Borner Jr. Invented the Broom - In 1970, Charlie Borner Jr. became the first player to sweep the NGA's majors, the Nebraska Match Play and Nebraska Amateur. The Season Continue Reading

October 2019 Issue of Nebraska Golfer Now Available The October Issue of Nebraska Golfer is now available. Click the image above to view this month's issue. Content includes: The Ranch - A new private destination course is coming to Nebraska's sandhills. Read about the Gil Hanse Design course located just south of Valentine. 5 Things You NEED to Know about Continue Reading

USGA Unveils Upgraded GHIN Mobile App, Offers Easier to Use Interface and Innovative Features The app evolves into a playing companion that golfers use before, during and after every round LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (October 5, 2026) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today unveiled the next iteration of the GHIN® mobile app presented by Sentry, featuring a comprehensive refresh Continue Reading

Three Tips for Posting This Season Active Posting Season Began March 15 The official golf season kicked off earlier this week here in Nebraska, and with temperatures rising, it's time to get in golf mode. Here are a few tips for posting scores this season. Post the Same Day You Play It's very important to post your scores right away. Continue Reading

Three Things You Should Try This Golf Season Active Posting Season Begins March 15 The official golf season is upon us here in Nebraska — and there's nothing like a winter weather advisory to usher it in. Still, the extended forecast looks promising for NebGolfers to get out and start posting scores once the Active Posting Season begins on March Continue Reading

What is a Handicap Index®? You have a Handicap Index, but do you know exactly what it represents and how it's calculated? It's not just an average of your scores, or what you should expect to shoot every round. Your Handicap Index is a portable number that represents your demonstrated playing ability.   It is based on your past scores Continue Reading

2025 NebGolf Wrapped The year is coming to a close and we wanted to take a look back at the 2025 season, by the numbers. In 2025, we had 33,423 members at 160 member clubs. It is the most individual members the association has had since 2000. Those members posted an incredible 638,610 scores to GHIN, which was 20,000 more Continue Reading

Introducing GHIN Challenges! We're excited to announce GHIN Challenges, a virtual competition feature on the GHIN App, where golfers can post scores to compete on a leaderboard at a participating NebGolf Member Club. A handful of Fall NebGolf Challenges have been launched across the state for the month of October (see below). Once you've opted into one of these Challenges, Continue Reading

"Where do I get my pops?" So, you've calculated your Course Handicap and Playing Handicap for the day. What now? Well, you might need to know where you get your strokes based on your Playing Handicap. That's where the Stroke Index comes into play. The Stroke Index is the value assigned to each hole on a golf course to indicate Continue Reading

Course Rating™ vs. Bogey Rating™ vs. Slope Rating® Every golfer with a Handicap Index can tell you what their number is and most know how to figure out how many strokes they get on a certain day by calculating their Course Handicap and Playing Handicap. Most know there are ratings for each tee set on a golf course, but do Continue Reading

Mittag is 2026 Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year Tarheel's Sweep of Men's Majors Produces Another Postseason Award OMAHA (November 13, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Ashland's Coltrane Mittag as the 2026 Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year presented by SWAG. Mittag, who now competes for the University of North Carolina, broke Continue Reading

Honnens is Nebraska Women's Amateur Golfer of the Year Maverick Earns First Postseason Award OMAHA (November 13, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Lincoln's Elly Honnens as the 2026 Nebraska Women’s Amateur Golfer of the Year presented by SWAG. Honnens is a graduate of Lincoln East High School and now a junior on Continue Reading

Nietfeldt is 2026 Nebraska Senior Golfer of the Year First Player to Win Junior, Men's and Senior Awards OMAHA (November 13, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt as the 2026 Nebraska Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year presented by SWAG. In his first year of senior golf, Nietfeldt (50) won Continue Reading

Kelley is 2026 Nebraska Junior Golfer of the Year First Award for New Husker OMAHA (November 13, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Omaha's Tommy Kelley as the 2026 Nebraska Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year presented by SWAG. Kelley, a graduate of Omaha Creighton Prep, put together a historic performance at the Continue Reading

Thiele is 2026 Nebraska Girls' Golfer of the Year First Award for Husker Commit OMAHA (November 13, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Wahoo's Brooke Thiele as the 2026 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year presented by SWAG. Thiele, a senior at Bishop-Neumann High School, had an incredible year and ran away Continue Reading

2026 NebGolf Junior All-Star Team Announced Thiele, Kelley Headline SWAG All-Stars OMAHA (November 12, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Association’s 2026 Junior All-Star Team presented by SWAG has been announced and includes team captains Brooke Thiele of Wahoo and Tommy Kelley of Omaha. Members were selected based upon their performance in state and/or national tournaments and select team events this Continue Reading

Kelley/Kelley and Carlson/West Qualify for 2027 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying Conducted on Thursday at Indian Creek ELKHORN (October 15, 2026) - Tommy and Jack Kelley of Omaha earned medalist honors and along with Tom Carlson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Bob West of Watertown, South Dakota, advanced through qualifying for the 12th U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Indian Creek Continue Reading

Nietfeldt Adds Another Trophy with Nebraska Senior Match Play Title Postponed Final Conducted Friday at Platteview Golf Club BELLEVUE (October 9, 2026) - Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt added another trophy on Friday, winning the postponed Final of the 16th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue. The Final was postponed more than a week due to excessive Continue Reading

McCabe Captures Inaugural Nebraska Mid-Amateur Match Play Semifinals and Final Conducted Tuesday at Happy Hollow Club OMAHA (October 6, 2026) - Omaha's Dylan McCabe captured the Inaugural Nebraska Mid-Amateur Match Play Championship at Happy Hollow Club in Omaha on Tuesday. The new championship kicked off in April, with Mid-Amateurs (25-and-older) competing in a 64-player match play bracket. Players scheduled their Continue Reading