Ashland, Nebraska
Quarry Oaks merges exposed ridges, valleys, and elevation swings on an ex-quarry canvas for one of Nebraska's top public-course experiences. Fun, fair, and scorable for all, its redesigned bunkers and strategic back nine make for a memorably honest test. Expect a major-league atmosphere with regional pricing.
Before your round, climb the original quarry rim just beyond the clubhouse for an aerial view of the course’s wildest landforms and Platte River corridors—a moment few guests take but never forget.
Quarry Oaks dazzles as a public-access championship test artfully sculpted into a breathtaking ex-limestone mine, using the natural quarry ridges, valleys, and scattered mature oaks to frame wide fairways and demanding green sites. The original John LaFoy layout maximizes elevation change and quarry drama, while the recent renovation delivers modern bentgrass surfaces, rebuilt and strategically recontoured bunkers, and an even stronger sense of scale. The result is an architecturally bold, shotmaker’s course with real risk/reward moments on both nines—and some of the region’s most memorable one-shot and par-five holes.
John LaFoy’s vision preserves the rugged quarry landscape, shaping holes to reward confident shotmaking, bold angles, and thoughtful risk-taking—a characterful modern public design.
Playing steeply over a quarry edge to a visually isolated pedestal green, the 202-yard 11th is a pulse-quickening par 3 that showcases the property’s stark landforms and demands nerveless iron precision. The wind and the hang-time make club selection especially fickle.
Play to the center and respect front-left pin locations; there’s little safety short and a miss long is jail.
A miss short, left, or long tumbles down slopes or finds gnarly rough—an easy double in waiting.
Fresh, firm bentgrass from tee to green with newly rebuilt bunkers, crisp fairway lines, and clean modern greens—expect standout conditioning post-renovation.
Well-paced public play typical, with event days managed efficiently; rounds are brisk outside of peak weekend hours.
Upbeat and unpretentious championship daily-fee club—regional pride with welcoming staff and no stuffy club airs.
Standard golf attire required; collared shirts and soft spikes recommended.
Call ahead or check the official site for the freshest updates on recently rebuilt tee boxes and green complexes, especially if specific yardage matters to your group.
Bring your full set and prepare for hilly walks—having all your clubs accessible pays off on severe down- or uphill lies.
Aim for mid-morning or late-afternoon weekday slots to enjoy the best pace and catch the stunning quarry light.
John LaFoy commissioned to design a new course on Abel family’s quarry land
Course opens for play, launches as a public-access daily-fee facility
Named Golf Digest’s Best New Affordable Public Course
Full course renovation and modernization begins
Major renovation completed: bunkers renewed, new yardages, tee and green complexes rebuilt
Hosts Nebraska PGA Pro/Scratch and Chamber Cup
Much of the course is carved straight from a former limestone aggregate mine, with holes running across, up, and down the old quarry slopes—and shots that feel launched into open sky. The mine’s rugged contours give both visual drama and unusual elevation swings rare for Nebraska.
The Abel family’s vision transformed industrial wasteland into a regional golf destination, preserving native forest and exposing limestone edges for maximum atmosphere. Every tee box, fairway, and green site was selected to maximize natural drama rather than erase it.
The year-long full-course renovation introduced sleek, new bentgrass playing surfaces and state-of-the-art bunkers, refreshing strategic choices, playability, and visual appeal. Golfers now face wider landing zones, more pronounced fairway movement, and crisp, modern green complexes.
Shortly after opening, Quarry Oaks was awarded Golf Digest’s Best New Affordable Public Course in America, a national nod to its unique blend of accessible pricing and championship-grade design. Its reputation as Nebraska’s most scenic and toughest public track was cemented early.
Built on a reclaimed limestone aggregate mine, shaping every hole’s terrain.
Ranked as Golf Digest’s Best New Affordable Public Course in its debut year.
Underwent a full renovation in 2024–25—nearly every feature rebuilt or modernized.
Elevations and quarry faces give much of the course an ‘open air’ amphitheater feel rare for Midwest public golf.
Course partners with major local tournaments—hosted Nebraska PGA Pro/Scratch and Chamber Cup events.
Challenging daily-fee with prairie and bluffside drama
Omaha-area design known for strong daily-fee tests
Friendly layout and a good second round near Omaha
Solid muni for a bonus round or tune-up session
West Omaha or Ashland for easy access to Quarry Oaks and Omaha’s best public tracks
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: If Quarry Oaks Golf Club is your kind of course, EagleSticks Golf Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: If Quarry Oaks Golf Club is your kind of course, Shadow Wood Country Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Indian Wells Country Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Quarry Oaks Golf Club.
Classic Lowcountry strategy meets Raynor’s bold genius
Timeless Coastal Lowcountry Shotmaker’s Test
Classic member’s golf on the banks of the James River
Mature parkland challenge in the heart of Durham
Classic Piedmont golf with a private, neighborhood feel
Classic Ross challenge in Alabama’s green heart
Community Sentiment
See something inaccurate in this listing?