To let everyone know, Rustic does have a logo, and it is pretty basic and simple: two hills off-setting each other to form a canyon. Uber Director of Golf, Mark Wipf came-up with it. This was only after unsuccessful several attempts by myself to help him.
Now, I have to address the 4th and the 18th, and.........TREES! (Brad should appreicate this because after all, he is a foremost authority on how trees have affected so many golf courses over the years)
Yes, tract housing developments are an ugly sight on any golf course, but the fact remains that they (The houses) were there before the idea of a golf course ever came into being. The golf course is separated from the houses by a flood channel and natural open space of some 150 +/- yards. Does it come into play, mentally, these typical early 1980's two-story homes in a quaint Moorpark neighborhood that is not unlike any LA suburbian?
Not for me at least, I grew up around them, but for others I'm sure that it does.
Personally, it doesn't affect my views on the actual architecture of the course. But exactly as Tom Huckaby has noted, there are those that don't look at Architecture in a vaccuum (Hoover or Dirt Devil) and will let any small-negative become a bigger influence in a final outcome of opinion. Those types are out there and they dominate Golf, or at least their vision of it. Thankfully it isn't my vision. I'll take the homes anytime on a site that was utilized to its fullest (architecturally speaking) then one that was taken simply for granted. (Like Sandpines for instance)
So what is the answer?
Why TREES of course! They have recently planted some small ones to block out the housing that comes into view on the 4th. But of course, as in the same situations in the past, they won't be enough, so they'll plant more, and more. All until the sight of the housing is gone and in a few years some of us who live in our "vaccuums" can expounce on how trees have negatively affected Rustic Canyon #4 because they have grown into the line of play.
Trees have also been planted to line the left fairway of the 18th, so it can hide a ugly driving range fence, which will eventually someday change how that hole plays, and so on and so on, etc. etc. etc. Has the driving range fence at Riviera #2 ever drawn as much heat as Rustic #18? I don't like it, but to me it doesn't downgrade one bit of the phenominal architecture that exists at Riviera--er, other then holes #7 & 8:)(Thanks Tom Marzloff!)
This same thinking is why there are now GPS monitors on all of the golf carts.
There have been many times before the new clubhouse had even been started, that the David's, (Moriarty and Kelly) Lynn and myself all said that it was ashame that they even had to build a clubhouse and driving range. We would have been more then happy to see Rustic Canyon operate out of that tiny little trailer, phone lines flooded with golfer's hoping of getting a tee time, and where just out in front of that trailer, Jessica cooked you a hot dog and served you up a cold beverage while sitting at one of the home-made wooden picnic tables, looking at all of the golfers with smiles on their faces.
It was then, that I felt like I was a member of the legendary Apple Tree Gang, only it was Avocados and lemons that were growing on the hillsides.
That time, this very last year from May to when the clubhouse was started was A Golfweek "10", PERFECT! Brad Klein, you'll know what we have experinced in the last year and see it too, when Wittenbury first opens up. I do hope you enjoy it while it lasts because there are plenty of customers that aren't going to be happy with something.
In truth, it only shows how the sum of the immenities to the general golfing public, eventually ruins the entire package when it really doesn't need them. "Haven't they ever heard of "choosing the customers you want," David Kelly recently exclaimed to us on Rustic Canyon's 10th, after hearing that they would be adding GPS to the golf carts.
I couldn't agree more.