The Story of Ballyneal

Ballyneal began as the dream of a little boy who was charmed by the Open Championship of Great Britain. He would awaken at five in the morning to watch Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, and other greats in their prime. The boy soon realized that the sand dunes south of his hometown looked remarkably similar to the land he saw on television. Courses would have no trees, while hosting a landscape of countless bumps and hollows throughout fairways and greens. The boy's passion for the game, along with the influence of grandparents who were avid players, spurred him into considering golf as a career. Jim O'Neal chose to become a golf professional. Jim attended Ferris State University for the Professional Golf Management degree, and currently works as Head Golf Professional for the Meadow Club in California.

Jim's older brother, Rupert, returned to the family farm after college to raise corn and wheat, while continually fueling his passion for life with a variety of activities. When bird hunting and dog training collided, he started Wild Thing Hunting Club.

As the new business began to thrive, Rupert contemplated additional amenities such as lodging, a dining facility, and a nine-hole golf course. Golf and upland hunting share many characteristics: from the walk through a field or over a fairway to the satisfaction of a day battling the elements and a worthy opponent, whether that is a golf course or fowl. When Rupert approached Jim with his idea, Jim shared his own dream of taking it to the next level, believing they could build something world-class.

To start things in motion, they decided to contact architect Tom Doak, who immediately saw vast potential in the land. The O'Neal's were thrilled to have Mr. Doak on board. With his background in links design and his blossoming career, Doak was a perfect fit to route the course at Ballyneal. After two years of fine tuning the routing, Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf formed the ancient chop hills into fairways. Throughout the routing process, shapers were able to preserve the natural flora and fauna of the area, while allowing the contours of the land to dictate their direction. The course was seamlessly blended into the natural landscape, as to assure that few could tell that anything had ever been changed.

For Mr. Doak's design to play as it was intended, turfgrass would need to be grown and maintained that would support the design. The turfgrass is maintained by Superintendent Dave Hensley, whose unmatched efforts provide a traditional links playing surface in the heartland of America. The variable weather, sandy soil, and ideal turfgrass are fundamental in Ballyneal's evolution into one of the most enjoyable links experiences in the world.

The staff at Ballyneal strives to make members and guests feel comfortable and welcome at all times. If there is anything Ballyneal staff can do to assist or aid your stay, please do not hesitate to let them know.