Standout holes a treat for
Meadowlark Hills visitors

As a simple, generally open course, Meadowlark Hills in Kearney presents itself as a friendly round. However, when that 486-yard par 5 looks simple enough, consider the long uphill
approach to cap the near half-circle dogleg.

The course excels in two particular areas: a confident relationship with Mother Nature to tighten the course and the use of existing trees and land formations.

Set atop land in west Kearney, (where the wind is as common a fixture in the weather as the sun) Meadowlark Hills leaves a lot to the elements. Only a few trees actually come into play, and the course isn’t overwhelmed with fairway traps or water.

The hard work comes in handling the undulations, the large, quick greens and of course, the wind. With some open fairways and shorter length (Meadowlarks measures out at 6,009 from the middle tees, 6,517 from the tips), the key becomes setting up the best approach shots to go at the pin.

It’s never easy. Consider that the course isn’t set up for run-up shots, where you can try to roll the ball onto the green after landing it short.

Nos. 6 and 12 are par 5s that measure under 500 yards, yet don’t allow for easy on-in-two scenarios. All-in-all, Meadowlark Hills is a friendly course that offers surprising tests.

A closer look
There are a few standout holes at Meadowlark Hills, particularly No. 6. It feels almost like as if it’s a half-circle shape, where you tee off to the very bottom of the valley, then work you way back to your left and up the hill. Because of the stark elevation changes, and a few uneven lies, club selection and trusting the yardage work hand-in-hand.

No. 9 is a real challenge because of its incredibly narrow landing area off the tee. You have about 20 yards of open air space between the mature trees on both sides of the fairway to work your tee shot down the hill.

No. 12 a terrific par 5. The fairway bends to the right, then left, then right and left again as it turns toward the hole, cut into the bottom of a hill that offers protection on the north and west sides. Tall trees add scenery, but at 448-yards from the second tee, it’s possible to get home in two. Heavy bunker traffic, however, makes it a tough reality.

No. 14 is a thinking man’s hole. You can power a long drive to the skinny part of the fairway just to the left of water, or you can lay-up with a fairway wood, and leave yourself about 100-120 yards over the pond. Taking the latter route is the least stressful.