Golf in Nebraska
Overview
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This page explains golf in Nebraska. The sorter handles the local question by city or ZIP.
Golf in Nebraska
Nebraska's municipal and public courses are open much of the year in the eastern part of the state, with the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department operating four public courses including Holmes Golf Course. The Nebraska Golf Association lists more than 130 public courses statewide, many offering senior rates.
Published local price
Mahoney Golf Course (Lincoln city municipal), 18 holes $18 weekday / $29 weekend; rates vary by season and tee time
Published range: $18 to $29.
Golfing Nebraska / Lincoln City Golf · as of 2026Golf score
39th of 51 states for retirement golf
Golf score blends year-round playability (34%), playable access (16%), affordability (16%), course pedigree (12%), and statewide course density (22%).
Courses
A sample of marquee courses across Nebraska, with where to play and how to book.
Course profile
Minimalist links laid over natural Sandhills dunes and blowouts · Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
This is the legendary private club in the Mullen Sandhills that put Nebraska on the world golf map. It was routed across the natural dunes with almost no earth moved, so the land does the work.
$$$$
Big rolling prairie greens, wide fairways, dramatic canyon edge · Tom Lehman and Chris Brands
South of Valentine in the Sandhills, the Dunes is the bolder of the resort's two big courses. You get huge greens, generous fairways, and long views out over the prairie.
$$$$ · Slope 133
Firm prairie links turf, native grasses, ground game rewarded · Dan Proctor and Dave Axland
A genuine prairie links in Gothenburg that plays firm and fast and was built to be walked. The rates stay friendly, which is a big part of why it draws golfers from all over.
Opened 1998 · $$ · Slope 134
Rolling prairie hills with long views over the Missouri valley · Paul Albanese
Part of the Ohiya Casino Resort up in Niobrara, this is an open, rolling course with wide prairie views. Anyone can book a tee time, and there is a friendly same-day replay rate.
Opened 2014 · $$$ · Slope 134
Big elevation changes through an old quarry above the Platte · John LaFoy
Near Ashland, this scenic public course winds through a former rock quarry with real elevation changes and Platte River views on the back nine. It reopened after a recent renovation.
Opened 1997 · $$$
Tree-lined corridors and water across a parkland layout · Jim White
A public championship course on the south edge of Lincoln, with tree-lined holes and water in play. It is an easy, well-kept choice when you are in town.
Opened 2001 · $$
Three nines of mounded fairways and big fairway bunkers
A 27-hole public course in Elkhorn just west of Omaha, with three distinct nines you can mix and match. The rolling, mounded fairways keep things interesting round after round.
$$
We've mapped 12 courses across Nebraska so far.
What Nebraska costs
Cost of living
90
BEA index, U.S. = 100
State income tax
~5.0% state income-tax planning rate
Social Security
Not taxed
How people start
Most metros list city-run courses with published fee schedules. Those set the affordable floor before any private club enters the picture.
Many courses post a reduced weekday senior rate and a season pass. The difference between pay-per-round and a pass is the number that usually drives the yearly cost.
In warm states the season runs most of the year; in cold ones it is a few months. The yearly cost is rounds-per-year times rate, plus cart and equipment.
Towns in Nebraska
Omaha Parks and Recreation operates eight municipal golf courses, including four 18-hole layouts: Benson Park (par 72), Elmwood Park (par 68), Johnny Goodman (par 72), and Knolls; senior cart packages are available and tee times can be booked at city-of-omaha.book.teeitup.com up to seven days in advance.
City of Omaha Parks and RecreationCommon questions
Nebraska's municipal and public courses are open much of the year in the eastern part of the state, with the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department operating four public courses including Holmes Golf Course. The Nebraska Golf Association lists more than 130 public courses statewide, many offering senior rates. Towns like Omaha have their own local options.
Nebraska has a cost-of-living index near 90 (U.S. = 100), about a 5.0% state income-tax planning rate, and does not tax Social Security. The full state guide breaks down property tax, sales tax, and long-term-care costs, each sourced.
Sources
The life your money is for