One of West’s bests,
the Hills a scenic joy

It pays to look ahead. In fact, it’s encouraged.

“Is this your first time to Heritage Hills?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, then you’ll want to drive ahead on holes 2, 6 and 10. Just drive down the fairway, then go back and tee off. And watch where the flags are on all the greens.”

Simple enough, right? It’s not just a basic philosophy.

At Heritage Hills in McCook, it pays to pay attention to details.

Try No. 6. Is that tree just right of the fairway, 180 yards away, or is it 250? Turns out, it’s about 200, and a simple drive toward the tree will likely make your second shot a side-hill, down-hill and balance-buster out of the rough - all at the same time.

Aim a little left, and your squarely in the fairway. But you won’t know until you look. The hills of Heritage Hills - in combination with some natural scenic beauty - deserve their fair credence. At
about 6,100 yards from the second tee, Heritage Hills is short on distance, but long on twists and turns and ups and downs.

It’s a thinking man’s course, too. Given the setting, with the links, the bunkers, the change of colors and the wide-open spaces, McCook boasts one of the more unique golf courses in the west or anywhere in Nebraska.

When you add it all up - the scenery, the mental challenge, the look-hard-play-easy feel - it’s one of the best golf courses in the state.

A closer look
One of the hardest aspects of McCook’s terrific Heritage Hills Golf Course is judging the distances to the landing area from the tee.

Sometimes, a quick jaunt in your cart through the fairway eases the unsettling mind. In other cases, clubbing down simplifies the course without hurting your scoring chances. No. 2, a par 5, is a real treat to try to reach in two. It plays downhill, a definite advantage, and offers some room to miss short or a little right.

While some holes are easy to reach, the greens are consistently tough. Fast, true, slippery, all good and bad, depending on what you leave yourself after your approach.

The best bet may be to play for two-putts, rather than trying to sink the 18-footer. The par 3, No. 7 is just a beautiful set up.

The big green is surrounded by four bunkers, all of them easily visible from the elevated tee box. No. 9 is two-hill trek that plays to a green above your feet.

It’s really hard to judge the distance to the hole, so it’s best to identify the pin location from the tee box.

It can feel as if there is nothing on the other side of the hill when you set up. No. 10 starts downhill, then heads up and back left, requiring quite a bit of carry to take out the dogleg. Carrying a corner is a character of Heritage Hills that allows risk takers a chance to be rewarded.

An absolute favorite - both in playability and looks - is No. 11. Plenty of sand awaits your tee shot, if you get greedy. Regardless of where you land it, the approach shot must carry to a tight green, with bunkers in the back.

It’s a joy just to look at it, and offers fun the second and third times around, too. And No. 16 is a great looking, tough playing par 3, with a large valley to carry to reach the green.

There are many, many holes that can capture your interest and imagination. It’s part of the fun. It’s part of the challenge. It’s a part of golf in McCook.