On Memorial Day 2011, Awarii Dunes opened for play. Below is a sneak peek and slideshow of the highly acclaimed Jim Engh-designed course.
Overview
Located in the southern edge of the Sand Hills region of Nebraska, the course promotes itself with the slogan, "Where Ireland Meets The Heartland." Engh's inspiration for the links course came from his many trips to Ireland. On the first tee, the Irish influences quickly present themselves: strong winds, rugged sand dunes and tall natural grasses lining rolling fairways. Yet instead of an ocean, waves of Midwestern cornfields serve as backdrop.Although most golfers will not be able to play the more famous Mullen, Nebraska-based Sand Hills Golf Course, because it is private, Awarii Dunes may soon make traveling golfers' bucket lists, since this private course offers stay-and-play packages to the public. Awarii Dunes is located near Axtell, Nebraska, just a few miles south of Kearney and Interstate 80.
Course Fun Facts
Fun Fact #1: Axtell is known as "The Windmill City" and Awarii is Pawnee for "Wind Blown." If you plan on golfing Awarii you might want to pack a wind shirt! 15-25 mile per hour winds are not uncommon.Fun Fact #2: The front nine of Awarii dunes was formerly the Craneview Golf Club. The skeleton of the original course was used primarily to maximize the existing irrigation system. Engh widened fairways, expanded greens, moved tee boxes and replaced the bluegrass fairways with T1 bent grass.
Fun Fact #3: Hole 17, known as the "Bowl Hole," features a massive concave green that funnels slightly toward the fairway. As a joke, a member of our foursome putted away from the hole. The ball climbed up the drastically sloped green, briefly stopped at its apex, then released back toward the hole, just missing the cup. To put the putt into perspective, the ball traveled up the hill nearly 100 feet in distance and roughly a story and half in elevation change. The ball's rise and fall lasted more than 30 seconds.
Fun Fact #4: Less than 30,000 yards of dirt were moved to create the golf course. The course naturally winds through, around and over the dunes.
Fun Fact #5: The green complexes are out of this world. Holes 4 and 7 share a green that measures more than 35,000 square feet. Golfers should use a Texas wedge whenever possible from the apron and fairway. Short-game control is needed to roll the ball to certain shelves, ledges and sections of the green.
The Skinny Private Course Opened May 31, 2011 5 Tees: 6914, 6558, 6140, 5424, 4692 Yards Par 72
Stay and Play
Awarii Dunes is a private course but public play is available through stay and play packages provided by the Holiday Inn or the Holiday Inn Express in Kearney. Both hotels are located just 4 miles from Awarii Dunes Golf Club. The package includes accommodations, green fees, golf cart and range balls.Stay and Play Package Pricing For more information or to book a stay and play package call 308-743-1111.
Awarii Dunes 524 S Road Axtell, NE 68924 308-743-1111 www.awariidunes.com
