Tee it Up
country club, gillette campbell county, golf, recreation, sports,
While buffalo may not roam here, you just might say that Bell Nob Golf Course in Gillette is where the deer and the antelope play. Mule deer, to be specific.
“And we do have antelope on the course, quite a few, to be honest,” acknowledges Kirk Wasson, professional and manager of the county-owned 27 holes. The course operates under the auspices of the Campbell County Parks and Recreation Department.
Despite that Wyoming’s winter weather cuts short the golfing season, Bell Nob averages about 25,000 rounds annually, a respectable number even for courses in warmer climates.
“We’re officially open April 1 through Oct. 31, give or take a week on either side,” Wasson says. “Then we put the greens to bed and shut the water off to get the course winterized.”
The 18-hole regulation course, built in 1981, features four tee boxes to ensure enjoyment by players of all skill levels. The yardage is 7,258 from the back tees, with a course rating of 73.2 and a 123 slope. At first glance, golfers may underestimate Bell Nob.
“It’s a very links-style golf course. We’re mainly fairway and sagebrush, and it’s very hilly,” Wasson says. While there’s water on a few holes, it’s the wind that can be deceptive. “We get a lot of wind out here because there are no trees, so there’s nothing to block anything,” he says, adding that Bell Nob is “one of the few courses in Wyoming” with large, undulating and fast greens. During 2008, 90 percent of the course’s bunkers were refurbished.
According to Wasson, Bell Nob’s No. 6, which is a par 4, is the signature hole. “From the very back tee, you can see a lot of the golf course. In fact, you can see the knob, a big hill that looks like an oversized bell. Of course, that’s how we got our name, Bell Nob. It’s a beautiful hole.”
Bell Nob golfers enjoy reasonable $35 green fees for 18 holes, or they may purchase a season pass for unlimited golf, not including carts or range balls. Pass prices range from $650 for a family to just $100 a year for a junior golfer.
Because Bell Nob is the only 18-hole course in the Gillette area, it stays busy hosting corporate tournaments.
Also at Bell Nob is a 9-hole, par 3 known as the Wee Links, which opened in 2005. “One of the reasons why we built the par-3 golf course is for kids, and it’s been very, very good,” Wasson says. The county’s recreation program organizes summer-long instructional activities for Gillette’s young linksters. Junior golfers play the Wee Links for $2 a round, or just $1 if playing with an adult.
Another golfing option is the Gillette Golf Club, a 9-hole tract which opened in 1969. Lonnie Reed is the general manager and golf professional.
Story by Sharon H. Fitzgerald
