I spent a weekend at Ballyneal two summer ago that was one of the best golf experiences I've ever had... Up there with Bandon, Garden City and Merion among my favorite US courses. Ballyneal was designed by Tom Doak and is currently listed as the 46th best course in the US by Golf Magazine and #95 in the US by Golf Digest. From Denver International Airport it is a 3 hour drive through 150 miles of ultra flat corn fields until you notice that the terrain has changed to some amazing hills and dunes. Ballyneal is best described as an inland links. It has super wide fairways with lots of humps, bumps and moguls, sandy soil, fescue fairways, no trees, large humpy greens, lots of wind and plays firm and fast. All that is missing to make this a true lins is an ocean. There are 4 buildings on site. One contains the pro shop, one has lodging and a restaurant, the other has lodging a small spa and pub. The fourth is the owners house. The weekend I was there there were a total of five golfers on site. The Club is billed as a national "destination club. This model apparently has not worked in the recent economy and the owner, Rupert O'neil was forced to sell the place. What a shame. I hope it survives.

The course is walking only. You can carry your bag, use a pull cart or take a caddie. There are no paved paths. There are no formal tee boxes or tee markers: there are several teeing areas on each hole and the person who won the previous hole can choose where to tee off from. I know that GK is a site that focuses on course conditions, but on a course like Ballyneal that's not the top issue at least with regard to bunkers (which are wild blow-out style natural hazards edged with , and sometimes including various plants) and the rough which is pretty much left to nature. The fairways and greens are the main focus and they were in great shape and lots of fun. There are many elevation changes throughout the course so you'll face an assortment of uphill downhill and sidehill shots. There are some wild greens and you will have some long and crazy breaking putts similar to Doak's Old Mac, although not quite as big or wild as those at Old Mac. I was treated like a member. There was a gourmet chef in the kitchen who prepared dinner for the five guests and Rupert. I played 36 holes a day, and could have played more. It was two days of fun that words can't do justice to.

I have been playing Eagle Trace for 5 or 6 years now and last year will probably be my last. They do not water the fairways, they are hardpan. There is dirt surrounding several of the greens. I began removing my ball from the traps because of damage to my new 58 degree Titelist. Its like hitting off of a driveway. With a little TLC and some $$$ this could be a respectable local course. Be afraid... be very afraid.