Quarry Oaks, near Ashland

Quarry Oaks is one picture-perfect setting after another. The view of the Platte River from tee boxes and fairways on the back nine are so spoiling, the creek and water fountain on No. 18 barely catch the eye.

But this golf course near Ashland is more than a few holes along a drying river. At each hole, heavy forests tighten up the fairways and sand traps are set at the perfect distance away to gobble up tee shots. Most often, you can’t see any hole but the one you are on, a great facet about top-of-the-line golf courses.

The course design at Quarry Oaks takes advantage of the settings. Steep, sloping hills make for great views from tee boxes and tricky landing areas in the fairways.

As you approach No. 13, be aware. The Platte River is close and adds definite character to the following four holes.

It doesn’t actually come into play, but you’ll probably want to keep your eyes on it in between shots.

Some of the best holes are No. 6, a deep-dropping par five that gives you a constant feeling like your slipping down the hills. No. 16’s tee boxes hang way above the fairway and give a great view of the past several holes. No. 18 effectively uses a creek and an isolated tree to prevent an easy walk home.

Certain parts of the actual course are a little rough. But overall, the course is lush green and the sand traps are soft and fair.

Each hole means a different view, different strategy and different shots, but you don’t have to be a top-notch golfer to enjoy it. In all, it’s one of the best courses in the state.

A closer look

There are so many challenging holes at Quarry Oaks near Ashland, and with distances ranging from 7,000 to 5,000, there’s a spot for golfers of every level.

Nos. 1 through 3 are fairly simple compared to the rest of the course, but they give you a great chance to warm up, judge the greens - which are smooth and steady - and get a few good scores in early.

No. 4 is a mid-range par 3 with a tough trap on the right. No. 5 requires great placement off the tee. Traps on the right force you left, but a single tree hugging the left fairway makes down the middle the only real safe bet.

One of the best holes on the course is No. 6, a par 5 that doesn’t play that long at 512 yards from the back tee. But the tee shot is entirely downhill to a fairway that never seems to settle and plays a dogleg to the right. The area around the green is wide open, which makes going for the green in two a fun and realistic challenge.

No. 7 and No. 9 are the third and first holes in handicapping. They are long holes, reaching 400 yards, and have tough, uphill second shots with little or no bail-out areas, so you almost have to go for the green.

No. 10 is a great, simple opener for the back 9. The par 3 eleventh is a scenic tee shot over water with similar bounding rough short of the green, meaning pulling a club long enough is important.
No. 12 is a great par 5 with hills on all four sides of the fairway and greens. Sand traps play large roles on the second and third shots.

Three holes border the Platte River, starting with No. 13. None of the holes are overly hard, but the tricks of finding fairway and avoiding deep trouble are just as important.

The best view of the Platte might be at No. 15, the longest par 3 on the course. No. 16 features a stair-stepping ladder of tee boxes rising up in the trees.

No. 17 is the best looking of them all. Again high above the fairway, the tee boxes show you everything: lots of fairway, the green, and plenty of water, all surrounded by thick trees and vegetation.

When you reach No. 18, the hard work is not over. The hole features a threatening creek down the right side of the fairway, and an overhanging tree on the left guarding the green from your approach shot.