HOLYOKE, Colo. – Golf is supposed to be fun. It’s a game, and the inherent uncertainty of trying to strike a small ball long distances across uneven terrain is the best part. Ballyneal nails that quality better than most.
Firm and fast with its fescue fairways, hilly and bouncy and somewhat unreal setting on a great natural pile of sand in the middle of flat Midwest plain, Ballyneal has earned a ranking of No. 4 among Golfweek’s Best modern courses built since 1960.
Because it’s a blast.
“I had a really great crew out there, and they were all just having fun building something really wild and different,” said Tom Doak, who designed the private layout in middle-of-nowhere eastern Colorado that opened in 2006. “The client was not really a golfer, so the only instructions we were getting were to make it fun.”
Despite so many inland courses abusing the word links in their names, there’s not a lot of true links golf in the United States. But despite being so far from an ocean – a requirement to be a true links – Ballyneal is about as close as you can get without saltwater. Built on pure sand dunes, the layout sends golf balls rocketing into all directions. What happens after landing is more important than how the ball flies.
“You just get a lot of variety out of that site,” Doak said. “And of course it’s always windy, and they maintain the fairways pretty firm and fast. That’s the most fun kind of golf you can play, right?”
Editor’s note: Golfweek’s Best course raters judge courses in 10 categories on a points basis of 1-10, then offer a non-cumulative overall rating.
1. Routing
How well the holes individually and collectively adhere to the land and to each other.
The two returning loops take full advantage of the Chop Hills, as locals call this massive sand dune sitting atop the otherwise flat High Plains nearby. Without ever becoming overly steep, Ballyneal scurries up and down the slopes in a playful, “What in the world is over there?” manner.My rating: 8 out of 10
2. Quality of shaping
The extent to which course construction creates design elements that fit in well and provides a consistent look or sensibility.
Doak wasn’t afraid to throw a few curve balls and sliders early in his career, and it shows in the shaping around Ballyneal’s greens, which is often extreme. Everything ties beautifully into the surrounding natural slopes, but don’t expect subtlety near the greens. Fairway shaping is much more muted, allowing natural slopes to provide plenty of interest.My rating: 9
3. Overall land plan
Ease of integration of all built-out elements with native land, including course, clubhouse, real estate, roads, native topography and landforms. Extent to which land plan facilitates long views of surrounds and/or interior views of property.
Wide open with long views, Ballyneal is a golf course first, second and third. There are cabins, a clubhouse with restaurant and a pro shop set off from the course, close enough that everything is in walking distance but never interfering with the golf.My rating: 9
4. Greens and surrounds: 9
Interest, variety and playability of putting surfaces, collars, chipping areas and greenside bunkers.
Some of the most interesting, and sometimes perplexing, greens in the world. The perimeters of the greens in particular are wild, and on several holes it’s possible to purposely putt off the greens into adjoining slopes, then watch the ball roll back toward the flag. Such extremity requires mastery of design to not devolve into goofy golf, and Doak pulled off just such a feat at Ballyneal. It’s radical but never silly.My rating: 9
5. Variety and memorability of par 3s: 7
Differentiation of holes by length, club required, topography, look and angle of approach.
The one-shotters grow in length as the round progresses, stretching from 145 yards (from the tips) at the beautiful third, with its steep green in a natural sandy bowl, all the way to brutal 237-yard 15th, which allows a run-up approach.My rating: 7
6. Variety and memorability of par 4s
Range of right-to-left and left-to-right drives and second shots required, as well as spread of length, topography and look of the holes.
Ballyneal offers the full spectrum, from the potentially drivable seventh and its wild green setting all the way to several monsters stretching more than 500 yards off the back of the teeing areas. Particularly on the shorter and mid-length par 4s, there are plenty of options on angles of attack to set up the best bounces into the greens. Ballyneal also has a quirk: There are no formal tee markers, so players can choose the length of any hole to fit their games.My rating: 7
7. Variety and memorability of par 5s
Variety of risk/reward opportunities on tee shot; how interesting the second shots are; variety of third shots required.
Because of the extremely firm turf across which a ball can roll seemingly forever, Ballyneal’s three par 5s at first appear to be easy scoring opportunities for a bold and accomplished player. But the natural slopes always threaten to take an overly aggressive long approach down and away into plenty of trouble. The 515-yard eighth and the 546-yard 16th, in particular, offer interesting risk-reward options.My rating: 8
8. Tree and landscape management
Extent to which ornamentals, hardwoods, conifers and other flora enhance the design and playability of a course without overburdening it or compromising strategic flexibility and agronomy.
There are no trees – this landscape is all about the giant exposed dune towering over surrounding flat ground. Even with the nearest ocean more than a thousand miles away, the sandy terrain provides a links-like experience in a captivating landscape.My rating: 9
9. Conditioning and ecology
Overall quality of maintenance, discounting for short-term issues (weather or top dressing); extent of native areas; diversity of plant life and wildlife.
Ballyneal offers the best kind of fescue fun – raw, thin in spots, incredibly firm and fast. The club focuses on playing conditions, not on some random metric of green. The fairways are thin and sandy, much like the best links courses in the United Kingdom and Ireland.My rating: 9
10. “Walk in the park” test
The sense of the place as worthy of spending four hours on it.
The views, the dunes and the silent isolation provide a perfect escape for Ballyneal’s well-traveled membership. My rating: 9
Overall rating
This is not a cumulative score.
This course is deserving of the ultimate golf compliment: As soon as you finish a round on Ballyneal, you want to go right back out to try all those shots in that unbelievable setting again.My rating: 8.5
More rater’s notebooks of Tom Doak’s work
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Course rater’s notebook: Ballyneal in Colorado among best U.S. courses
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