Local group buys Buffalo Ridge Golf Course in Kearney, returns it to playing condition

KEARNEY, Neb. — The idea for Bill Seibert and Ed Wiltgen’s new business venture started where most good ideas begin, on the golf course.

In this case, the new business idea was buying that golf course.

“We were like, man, we gotta figure out a way to make this thing happen," Seibert said. "If it ever comes up for sale, we gotta figure out a way to get this bought so we could have some sort of access to it.”

That opportunity to buy Buffalo Ridge Golf Course in Kearney came in January. A group of 11 investors, seven of which live in the adjoining Buffalo Ridge subdivision, took over the nine-hole course in April.

“To take a group of 11 people and find out a way to tackle a golf course, which isn’t something you can just do, it’s been incredible,” Seibert said.

Years of drought had taken its toll on the grounds, leaving them in poor shape.

“They were having well issues, so they weren’t irrigating, they couldn’t irrigate because the motors weren’t running right," Seibert said. "So the course was in, really, some pretty tough conditions.”

That meant months of work to get to Thursday’s grand reopening. Seibert says the course superintendent hand-plucked hundreds of pounds of dandelions just from the greens.

“(We) rebuilt all the greens, basically. The greens had become so disrepaired that it was a constant job to get them back,” Seibert said.

After restoring the course to playable condition, Seibert says the new owners feel immense pride. Now, they’re eager to share the course with the community.

“Buffalo Ridge is open, the greens are rolling, the fairways are tight,” Seibert said. “Get out here, Buffalo Ridge is back and it’s going to be rocking and rolling."