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, to the public and a new era will begin for the club.
The course originally opened in 1997 and has been one of the most scenic courses in Nebraska since, with significant elevation changes across the entire property, and views of the Platte River for much of the back nine.
Tree management had always been an issue, as the property was dense with several different species of trees. The bunkers needed work, and a few holes needed a new look. The Abel family has owned the course since its inception, and went all in to assert Quarry Oaks as one of the best public facilities in the state.
The original golf course architect, John LaFoy, returned to lead the renovation. The project included the implementation of bent grass on greens, tees and fairways, and several new tee boxes. All bunkers were upgraded to Pervious Concrete, a modern drainage and liner system. Tree management and underbrush clearing was a major effort too, allowing for more airflow and a bigger emphasis on the namesake oak trees.
Among the actual design changes to the golf course, is the development of No. 9 from a par-4 to a par-5. This is a hole that has drawn ire over the years, and that efforts to renovate in the past have come up unsatisfying for the golfer.
The 548-yard hole from the tips (I Tees), features a small aiming bunker in the fairway, as the golfer hits to a somewhat blind landing zone. Depending on where the drive lands, it can carom down the slope a long ways, or stay up on top with a better look at what's ahead. Spoiler alert, it is a well defended green with a catch-all bunker guarding the front some 30 yards short of the surface. Another greenside bunker left and a dropoff to the right make you think twice before going for the this slender green in two.
Another par-5, the now 569-yard 12th hole might not look like much has changed, but the incredible amount of trees that have been removed open up the hole and offer some great views of the Platte River, even from 600+ yards away on the elevated tee. That tee has also been moved to the right and back, to give the golfer that ideal visual.
The other major change came on another hole that heard grumbles on its tee. No. 14 was a par-4 that previously featured a blind tee shot to an awkwardly split fairway with an impossibly sloped section of rough between the two portions of short grass. The new 14th offers a wide, and mostly visible, landing zone. It now takes a proper place in a visually pleasing stretch of three holes along the river with the Burlington Northern Railroad beneath the bluffs.
A main attraction is up next, as the par-3 15th offers one of the most thrilling shots on the course. There are a myriad of teeing options, from the 220-yard I Tees to the 75-yard IV Tees. The one that will get the most play though is the Dynamite Tee, set on top of a dynamite shack from the 1950s that was discovered during the renovation, which allows for a unique experience from a little over 100 yards.
The signature 17th hole has been cleaned up and will still be one of the most photographed holes on the course. While the par-5 finisher is also relatively the same, except the elimination of the creek that flowed into the pond and down the right side of the hole. The new bunkering and the large trees that guard the green from those trying to reach in two, give the 18th a great look.
The now par-72 course offers four different teeing areas, from the IV Tees (4,721 yards) to the I Tees, which are not for the faint of heart. The 7,213 yards includes some lengthy par-4s, including the 486-yard par-4 13th. The new tee box forces a carry of about 230 yards to the fairway, and leaves a blind approach shot from 200+ yards to a green 50-feet up the hill. The I Tees are one of the highest rated tee sets in Nebraska, with a men's Course Rating of 75.9 and Slope Rating of 144.
A major clubhouse renovation was added in after the course work began. Though it is about the same footprint as before, the clubhouse includes some big upgrades. Mainly for golfers, the bar and lounge area has a welcoming and comfy atmosphere, along with great views of the 18th hole now. There is tons of room outside as well to sit and watch golfers finish their round, including fire pits to huddle around during the cool evenings.
The new golf shop is a place where money will for sure be spent, stocked lots of great gear sporting the clean oak leaf logo of the course. And don't forget the bocce ball courts that are being installed currently on the hill above the 18th green.
A cool feature will be the cameras showing live action on the Quarry Oaks website. One is in position on the par-3 4th hole, in case anyone decides to drop an ace. Another is in place on top of the clubhouse, and will be able to view multiple holes, including the 18th.
Tee times are difficult to come by now, but a tee time waitlist is available on the course website. Check out quarryoaks.com for more.
Welcome back, Quarry Oaks.
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
