[Jay Mickle]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I scheduled a tour of Lost Rail on my way to the Midwest Mashie but with time on my hands and unlikely to return to the area I decided it was better than hanging in the hotel waiting for a ride to Landmand. As luck would have it I hooked up with Jake Marvin who was equally game to spend some time seeing a new course. I had never heard of the architect, Scott Hoffman, but a little research led me to believe that our time would not be wasted.
Due to the total sellout of memberships months before even opening, no outside play was available but GM Tim Halpine had offered to show us around. Jake and I arrived a bit late and Tim had left perhaps thinking that no sane people would come out to see the course on such a rainy morning. Wrong!! Unable to play the course Jake Marvin and I walked the course in a steady rain. Intrigued by each hole and wanting more we were in no way tempted to head for the clubhouse. Equipped with a yardage book Jake (3.5 hcp) and me (15.8 hcp) look at the course as playing from 7036 yds and 6052 yds. It is a rare course the asks a question on every shot and provides very few level lies. The routing, the shaping, the bunkering and green siting were all exceptional. I am a fan.

Jake Marvin on the 4th tee. Here as on most of the holes the drive requires consideration of both hazards and topography.

The backside of the course is crisscrossed by a series of deep washout ravines that architect Scott Hoffman masterfully incorporated into the design. This is the picturesque par 3 5th set behind the collapsed railroad bridge.The downhill par 4 7th features 2 greens that make drive placement critical depending on green of the day and pin position.




Here the back of the 8th green uses the old railroad bed.


Here we leave the ravines behind with this’ll short 313yd par 4.



The 199yd par 3 14th.


The 15th features this infinity green supported by the flag post outside the clubhouse.



The short 16th with a great table top green with distant views out over the Platte River valley.



The long 496yd downhill 17th.



The 526yd 18th adds a diagonal cross bunker to give you one more hazard to negotiate before you end..


The End

[Joe Andriole]

I had the privilege of playing Lost Rail with Scott Hoffman last week and strongly concur with Jay. Scott is a member and resident of the area and I suspect will be regularly tweaking the course for the better. It's a superb routing that goes in and out of a small ravine where a few varied holes are accommodated to great success. Overall, the landforms are superb and not unlike Omaha CC. Scott told me that a course that inspired him when he saw the land was Eastward Ho! The green complexes are superb and imho better for their moderate and different  sizes. This course will shine even brighter when the fescue emerges and grasses matures etc. Overall, it's a fabulous addition to the growing collection of Nebraska venues.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The young assistant pro drove me around the course when I was there in late August. It looks exceptional, and like others have said thought the routing was very good. There are some thrilling shots. I look forward to playing it next year. It is a golfer's club.


I loved this par three as well.






When Tim, the GM, heard I was a Lutheran pastor, he informed me that when Scott was a kid attending his Lutheran church, he would draw golf holes. I told him I did the same.

[Tim Martin]

The young assistant pro drove me around the course when I was there in late August. It looks exceptional, and like others have said thought the routing was very good. There are some thrilling shots. I look forward to playing it next year. It is a golfer's club.


I loved this par three as well.

Tom-Your a sucker for a forced carry!

[Tommy Williamsen]

The young assistant pro drove me around the course when I was there in late August. It looks exceptional, and like others have said thought the routing was very good. There are some thrilling shots. I look forward to playing it next year. It is a golfer's club.


I loved this par three as well.

Tom-Your a sucker for a forced carry!

I admit, I am. This forced carry has a lot of room for failure, so it isn't very penal. Gotta admit it is sure pretty and seems like a good green design.

[Ronald Montesano]

Anyone who emulates Eastward Ho| is wise.

This land reminds me of the rolling land outside Toronto.

Nice to know where the lost rail figures into the course.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Looks like a really interesting new course from the photos. Also good to hear of a new name in Scott Hoffmann. Do you know who built the course?

[Joe Andriole]

Landscapes Unlimited

[Tommy Williamsen]

Landscapes Unlimited

Bill Kubly is part owner as well.

[Joel_Stewart]

Also good to hear of a new name in Scott Hoffmann. Do you know who built the course?

Scott will be charmed to hear this.  He worked for years as a senior design associate for Tom Fazio and was lead at Martis Camp and The Quarry.  Over the last several years he's been working with Jackson Kahn.

[Kalen Braley]

More Pasatiempo-like inspiration to be found in Nebraska.

Love it!

[Ally Mcintosh]

Also good to hear of a new name in Scott Hoffmann. Do you know who built the course?

Scott will be charmed to hear this.  He worked for years as a senior design associate for Tom Fazio and was lead at Martis Camp and The Quarry.  Over the last several years he's been working with Jackson Kahn.

Good for him. He is a new name to me and I suspect many others.

[Tim Gallant]

A post on Twitter sparked a search on GCA, where I found this thread. Has anyone managed to play it since it opened?

[Jim Franklin]

I played it in July. Fantastic. Scott did a wonderful job. My favorite hole was the short par 4 7th with two greens. Fairways were much better than in the picture. We had heard they had some winter kill last year so waited a year to play. Wise choice.

[Paul Rudovsky]

Played Lost Rail in early June and loved about everything about it...both the course and the "sense"/"feel" of the club.Could not agree more with any set of comments. 

Interesting to have two "new" courses (one not so new) draw virtually universal praise on GCA...this and The Lido

[Joel_Stewart]

The 15th features this infinity green supported by the flag post outside the clubhouse.
The End

I left Prairie Dunes last week to play Lost Rail.  Its super solid especially in the wind. 


The only thing I suggested to Scott is to remove the trees behind the 15th green so it doesn't kill the skyline view.

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