Stephen Szurlej
The Prairie Club (Dunes Course)
Valentine, NE • Public
The Prairie Club (Dunes Course)
109 S Main St
Valentine, NE 69201-2007
United States
Telephone
Overview
The Dunes Course, as the name implies, flows through a rumpled blanket landscape of the rugged, treeless, windswept sand hills of central Nebraska. Most fairways are generously broad, most greens are perched, tucked or otherwise half-hidden to reward only shots correctly placed at certain angles. The most fascinating hole comes early, the par-4 second with out-of-bounds indicated by a barbed-wire fence hard along the right from tee to green, but other holes like the par-4 eighth with a notch in a dune that gives players a peek-a-boo look at the green as they approach and the multi-option sixth and 13th are just as entertaining.
About
Awards
ranking history:
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 184th, 2017-'18.
100 Greatest Public: Ranked since 2015.
Highest ranking: 35th, 2015-'16.
Previous ranking: 41st.
2025-'26 ranking: 36th.
Best in State: Ranked third, 2021-'22. Ranked sixth, 2023-'24. Ranked seventh, 2025-'26.
Previous ranking: 6th.
2025-'26 ranking: 7th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Good course for the Sand Hills and makes you want to come back for more."
Read More2026
Review
“Vast prairie course with large fairways and greens. Hard to pick the correct line though. I really liked the long second with the enormous green as well as the Alps eighth hole."
Read More2026
Review
“One of the most underrated golf courses in the United States. Anyone making the trek to the sandhills of Nebraska should make time for The Prairie Club."
Read More2025
Review
“When I arrived at the first tee of the Dunes Course at The Prairie Club, nestled in the sandhills of northwestern Nebraska, I looked at the challenge and stunning visual display before me and smiled. The uphill hole was rimmed by wild, sprawling bunkers, a safe line of play, and perhaps a risk-reward option—a great starting hole. To say that this then happened 17 more times in the next four hours might only be a slight exaggeration. I’m sure that a perfect golf experience doesn’t exist, but if it does, the Dunes Course is probably close. Every hole is some combination of uniquely interesting, thrilling, surprising, and challenging. Hole locations are impossibly tucked in corners behind dunes, greens stretch for acres in all directions and sometimes appear where you least expect them. Some bunkers are so ominous that you can forget about getting the ball out…you may be challenged getting yourself out. I don’t think I ever smiled so much at a golf course design. And to top if off, despite all of this, I did not come close to losing a ball. It’s hard to combine fun, playability, challenge, and strategy into a single course, but this design manages to pull it off, and it does so in a truly spectacular setting. You may never play a better course in your life."
Read More2025
Review
“An upscale sand hills course in a complete golfing resort anyone can enjoy. Highly recommended for most golfers."
Read More2024
Review
“(Dunes) -- much like Landmand/Sand Hills this is routed in a wide expanse of property. Visually stunning like Landmann and the first six holes were awesome – one of the best starts I have played. 1 & 2 were stern par 4’s measuring 458 and 478 yard. The 3rd was 590 yards that had some massive movement on this lengthy par 5. The 4th at 145 yards featured a great green complex. The 4th was a slight dog right up the hill at 371 yards and then finishing the stretch was a shorter par 5 at 542 yards with a fairway similar to 3, but played in the opposite direction. The rest of the course was solid and the finishing two holes were a beast, It had a great variety of hole lengths, green shapes (mostly large greens) and plenty of uphill holes adding to the difficulty. Like Landman if the wind is whipping this course plays way harder. The conditions when I played it was maybe a one-club wind."
Read More2024
Review
“Big fast greens, fast and firm wide fairways, fun and difficulty factors goes up when the wind blows."
Read More2023
Review
“Exceptional course with incredible views of the prairie on every hole. This is the public's Sand Hills, a wonderful test on the windswept prairie. Pairs well with other resort offers to create a complete destination/experience."
Read More2022
Review
“An excellent inland links course with excellent conditions."
Read More2021
Review
“The Dunes Course provides a better golfing experience more typical of the Sandhills region and it is the better of the two courses at Prairie Club."
Read More2021
