Golfers battle heat for Dalhousie's public opening

Dalhousie Golf Club is living up to the title of hottest new golf course in Southeast Missouri.

On Tuesday, the Gary Nicklaus-designed course was both, opening its fairways to the public for the first time on a day when the temperature reached 94 and the heat index topped 100.

The course -- which opened to members late last year -- was open for reviews to players who saw the course for the first time.

"It needs a little air conditioning, I think -- it's just been hot," Donna Shirrell of Fruitland, Mo., joked as she played with her husband Clarence, and his longtime golf buddies, retirees Robert Penrod and Max Stovall.

The foursome enjoyed their first look, but encountered unfinished features that members, who have been playing since winter, have adapted to.

"I think it's a beautiful course," Clarence Shirrell said. "If it was signed a little better we'd know where to go next. We're kind of arguing about how to get to the No. 2 tee box. We ain't sure."

With only about half the cart paths poured, newcomers had to explore the course a little, or outright ask directions, to find the next hole, marked with a small paper sign staked next to the tee box. Distances to the green, temporarily scrawled on sprinkler heads, were also difficult to figure.

The course, which played to about 80 percent of its capacity on Tuesday, expects to complete all its cart paths within two weeks.

"I like the course, but they're a little early to have this guest thing," said Penrod, a retired Cape Girardeau developer now residing in Ocean Springs, Miss. "It would have been nice to have the cartpaths in. It's a little hard to get around. It's a little early, but it's a nice course."

Brothers Aaron Seabaugh, Drake Seabaugh and step-brother Brad Johnson were getting their first look at the course in a best-ball match with their father, Ron Seabaugh, a member and useful guide.

But Drake was in need of more than a guide when he faced a birdie putt on the par 5 No. 18. He uttered a "Holy cow" as he gawked at his fourth shot, which was straight into the teeth of one the course's most unique features, a two-tiered green 90 yards in depth. A 50-yard birdie attempt merely had to run down a mountain side, through the fringe, down into a valley and back up -- all while breaking to the right. His vain attempt left about 10 yards for par.

After completing the hole, the foursome experimented with various near-impossible putts, including trying to get a ball back to the top level.

"The green is amazing," Drake said.

"It's cool," Johnson, visiting from Wyoming, added.

"I saw one in California like this, but it wasn't quite as long," Aaron said.

The threesome agreed No. 15, a par 5 with two-fairways leading into the green, was their favorite. They also agreed on the course overall.

"It's nothing this area has ever seen," Drake said.

While the day gave first-time golfers a chance to see the course, member Rich Miller, playing with fellow member Keith Gregston, estimated he'd played the course 50 times already.

"I've played 350 different golf courses in my life -- I've got a list of everyone of them -- and this is going to be one of the best," Miller said.

Miller and Gregston, employed by Noranda, have entertained numerous clients already and have enjoyed the first-time looks.

"We brought some people up here Saturday to play and their mouths fell open when they saw it," Gregston said. "We had some guys down from St. Louis today and they couldn't believe it."

jbreer@semissourian.com

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