Rankings and riding the currents...

[RJ_Daley]

Not that I am too carried away with the ebb and flow of rankings, but on this theme of moving with the currents...

Has Rustic Canyon made it to a place in the rankings on a rising tide?  A tide of indignation that it was first overlooked when eligible.  Now that the tide has come in and floated it to a place of recognition, will it just as soon recede in the flood washes that have ravished it twice?  Can RC sustain a place of recognition on a rankings list if it continues to experience the damage it has in these flash flood events with yearly to semi-yearly need to do reconstructive work?

Fair or unfair criteria on which to base rankings?

[JakaB]

RJ,

Rustic has a great future in front of her...The owner seeing the greatness of the course will soon raise rates accordingly, build a new clubhouse better suited to the new belt notching golfers and improve the drainage issues to insure a constant flow of the +$100 greenfeers and wine drinkers that will book tee times a full two weeks in advance.  I personally can't wait to spend a full five and one half hours enjoying the subtle nuances Tommy is always so happy to expouse..

[RJ_Daley]

Well, I certainly don't dismiss your scenario as possible.  I don't know the owner-operator nor have insight into their operational goals and philosophies.  They have remained true to their formula, so far.  

Just as Mike Young touched on in another thread, the big fancy club house geared towards the CCFAD wine at the 19th hole set would likely be an operational mistake, IMHO.  They fill a void in a market now that is unique and with much lower overhead.  I like Tony's  (comtngolf) Tag line of "the higher you get, the higher you get".  I thin of that in terms of the higher you get, the less oxygen there is to breath.  In golf, the higher you get, the higher you get, and the greater your nut is, everyday!

[JakaB]

Looking at a couple of great California modern courses ie: The Preserve at 51 and Rustic Canyon at 63...I think it is safe to say that the market will soon price Rustic at 51/63 or 80%...now I don't know what The Preserve costs to play but I bet whatever it is Rustic will be $100 for weekend play in five years.....The day it hits $100.. I will get on a plane and happily go pay it....mark my words and give me a call.