ArborLinks is Arnold Palmer’s Nebraska course, and it shows. Opened in 2002 on rolling hills east of Nebraska City — directly across from Kimmel Orchard — it’s a 7,031-yard championship layout routed through natural grasses with five sets of tees, a state-of-the-art practice facility, and a clubhouse tucked into the landscape. It’s ranked among the best courses in the state and plays like a private club should: quiet, conditioned, and empty.
It’s part of the Dormie Network, a national collection of private, golf-first clubs with on-site lodging — the five guest cottages added in 2007 make it a legitimate overnight destination, not just a day trip. Membership is the way in, and the network model means one membership opens doors at clubs across the country.
For the rest of us, the public alternative in town is Table Creek, a solid and affordable 18 just west of Nebraska City. But ArborLinks is the one architecture fans whisper about.