Tom:
Hey, I thought we agreed upon 80% of
things -- I guess the number is dropping with each one of my posts!
Glad to see you like Skokie -- if you can get back there and see the post-Pritchard effort I think you'll really like it.
FYI -- I rate for GD not GW.
My comments were never intended to be a "knock" on Shoreacreas, but just a recognition that there are a number of dull holes within a layout that does offer quality holes. In my mine courses with a series of ordinary holes don't merit inclusion at the highest of levels. Shoreacreas is a must for Raynor fans, but it's more of a stylistic aspect that influences people who flavor that [articular form of design and sometimes look beyond any shortcomings that are clearly present.
Tom, with all due respect, I do agree that there are courses that are worthy of study and are clearly dynamic in so many ways and whether they are rated or not rated is not that important.
Trust me Tom, I do value a wide range of courses. There are many of them in my neck of the woods and across the country that I believe have so many fine elements. I do rate for GD and inclusion into the top 100 (as repugnant as that may be to some people) is part of what I do as a rater for that magazine. I can name a host of courses that I favor that are not long but strategic and classic in their design (to wit in NJ -- Hollywood, Forsgate / Banks Course, Somerset Hills, The Knoll, Atlantic City CC, etc, etc). In my mind each of the aforementioned courses is equal or better than Shoreacreas.
Pete:
You're absolutely right about Rich Harvest Links. Until the modifications are made, at least to a few of the holes in question, it's doubtful the course will be seen in a positive light by many people.
Jerry Rich did a solid job for a first time layout design. I just hope people who look at the course do not go off big time in underrating the many fine aspects of so many holes. But, we all know, that courses are often judged by what is "missing" rather than what is "present."
Just a humble opinion ...
P.S. Tom, you never mentioned if you had played a Rees Jones course that you liked. I guess your non-answer indicates there is no such course in your mind.