The Ranch

[Mike_Cirba]

cleaning out my desk and came across a review of The Ranch in Travel and Leisure golf....

Now why in the name of Bobby Jones would T&L Golf do a review on The Ranch?

I was born to write the T&L article on "Country Club of The Poconos at Big Ridge".  

I would wax eloquently about the winding 12 miles of cart paths, philosophize Thoreau-like on the 1000 wooded acres of land the course is strewn, projectile-like upon, and point out the unique shot values where the 9 iron from the tee on a par four is often the only available play.  

 

[PThomas]

Mike -- even the name of "your"    course is dumb/awkward/too long!

[Kevin_Reilly]

Word on the street is that this course was sold to a Korean group -- deal closed last week.  Haven't seen anything official, though.

[Tim Gavrich]

Has anyone here sacrificed film or digital camera memory and taken pictures of this golf course?  As I fancy myself something of a golf masochist, I'm a bit intrigued.  

[Evan_Green]

Has anyone here sacrificed film or digital camera memory and taken pictures of this golf course?  As I fancy myself something of a golf masochist, I'm a bit intrigued.  

Tim

I would suggest taking a look through their website if you havent done so already - there are some pictures there - also some computer generated flyovers which don't do the course justice in terms of difficulty.

http://www.theranchgc.com/index.php

[John_Conley]

The Ranch isn't the same Institute thingy Neal Meagher and Damian Pascuzzo were involved in that people don't play, is it?  I thought that was in San Jose or something.

I don't have the patience to read through the thread.  Thanks for any help provided.

[Matt_Cohn]

Evan is right about the flyovers. You ask yourself, can the course possibly be that severe? In fact, it is much more severe than it looks. Plus the greens look flat on the flyovers and they are actually very penal.

[Kevin_Reilly]

The Ranch isn't the same Institute thingy Neal Meagher and Damian Pascuzzo were involved in that people don't play, is it?  I thought that was in San Jose or something.

I don't have the patience to read through the thread.  Thanks for any help provided.

Different course.

[Chris Perry]

Question for Tom.

Is the Ranch worse than Wente in terms of difficulty?

Because I lost at LEAST 15 balls there, had a misreable round, yet still thought the property was stunning. And you're talking to someone who likes extreme designs even though I can't keep my ball in play on them.  

RE: #7. I don't even regard that as a layup area, it's rather pointless for them to even mow that area, and I find it simlar to 14 at Spyglass, and we know how good that hole and course is, don't we?  

That said, don't you think they could have made the course a little longer? LOL. If they are going to be sadistic they might as well go all the way.  7600 would have done it.

I'm curious to get your guys opinions on Diablo Grande since it is in the area. It looks to be much akin to Cinnabar and San Juan, and the property intrigues me enough to want to make the effort to play it if I ever come to the Bay area again.

PS, you guys gave me lots of good stuff to scour for on Google Earth tonight, thanks. Too bad only holes 12-17 show up for the Ranch, I guess they built those ones first.

[Matt_Cohn]

If you're trying to post a score, The Ranch is way harder than Wente, I think. At Wente, if you're smart and you play a couple of key shots well, you can keep it in play all day. At The Ranch, especially on the front nine, you're bound to lose a ball or two or seven somewhere along the way even if you're swinging at it pretty decently. Plus, by the time you get to the back nine at The Ranch, I think most people are worn out and have stopped trying to post a score. That makes it harder, I suppose.

Chris - stunning, yeah. But for a hiking trail or a golf course? And as far as the length, yeah, it's not long. If I keep the ball in play there, from the tips, I have wedges into 15 (!) of the 18 holes, and that's not even hitting driver all the way around. But the hard part is getting it into play so I'm not hitting those wedges from grass as high as my knee.

[Tom Huckaby]

I'm with Matt on this - I too find The Ranch WAY tougher than Wente.  Oh, Wente does have some pretty tough rough to the sides, but the playable areas are a LOT wider.  Matt nailed it - The Ranch is one of those courses that no matter how well you play, you're going to lose a few golf balls.  I have played Wente many times w/o losing a ball. Oh it's not an easy course - particularly from back tees - but it really is a cupcake compared to the severity that is The Ranch.

Both Diablo Grande courses are good fun - worth giving a try at least once.  But check the map - it is pretty far out to the east...

TH

[Mike Benham]

I wonder what the new ownership group plans to do with the course, if anything ... they already offer numerous discounts to encourage play ...

Diablo Grande also compares to Cordevalle, very similar property features ... and yes it is a long way east, and then south or north ... but you could make a 2-day trip and take in Stevinson Ranch just to the Southeast of it ...

[Chris Perry]

Diablo doesn't look any farther from the Bay than Monterey is, and we all know thats worth the drive.

I went to Pasa and Monterey the last time I went down there, so I'd be looking to play different courses next time. Right now I have:

Half Moon Bay (both)
Possibly Wente again or the Bridges at Gale
Diablo Grande
Cinnabar/Cordevale
Dare I say it.... The Ranch, just to see how many range rocks I can lose.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Chris:

Please delete The Bridges at Gale Ranch unless you really are into masochism.  THis is another VERY overly severe course, much like The Ranch, only longer.  There are some decent holes, but for the most part it's another stupid golf-ball gobbler.

As for Diablo Grande, looks can be deceiving as to how far away it is.  From San Jose you have to go northeast to 580, then south on 5... it's a pretty long haul.  But I guess you're right, it's not that much farther than Monterey... but there you have many choices.  DG is it out there except for Stevinson, and that's still further east.  As I say, fun courses, just do prepare for a long day.

Add San Juan Oaks to your list as well - great fun, decent price.  Same goes for Pajaro Valley over near Watsonville... and I don't see Pasatiempo on your list... that's a must.

TH

[Tim Gavrich]

Has anyone here sacrificed film or digital camera memory and taken pictures of this golf course?  As I fancy myself something of a golf masochist, I'm a bit intrigued.  

Tim

I would suggest taking a look through their website if you havent done so already - there are some pictures there - also some computer generated flyovers which don't do the course justice in terms of difficulty.

http://www.theranchgc.com/index.php

If you ever visit the course- I suggest bringing 2 dozen used (e.g. green X-outs) Florida lake balls.

Funny thing is that Silver Creek Valley CC is only a mile or less away from The Ranch and it is actually quite a good golf course (Mike Strantz redo of Ted Robinson)

Evan--

I had had a look at the website, and I did have a look at the flyovers.  Based on the descriptions, it's understandable that the website doesn't have many photos; the flyovers make the course look almost manageable.  I did a Google Image search and found only a few panoramic photos.

Are there any GCAers who took some pictures of the stuff the website would be too ashamed to display?

[Tom Huckaby]

Tim:

I figured the digital images would burn up if I tried.

 

So no, I don't have any pics.  But yes, out of morbid curiousity I too ran through those flyovers - what they don't show are the MASSIVE elevation changes.  What they do show, however, is how you can lose golf balls on every single shot... all of that brownish looking rough stuff is 99% certainty lost ball.  If you care to, take a look at the flyovers with that in mind then judge how manageable you believe the course is.

152 slopes don't come cheaply - especially when in the first try the number was actually closer to 170.

Nothing on this thread has been exaggerated - that's the saddest part of all.

TH

[Tim Leahy]

Diablo doesn't look any farther from the Bay than Monterey is, and we all know thats worth the drive.
I went to Pasa and Monterey the last time I went down there, so I'd be looking to play different courses next time. Right now I have:
Half Moon Bay (both)
Possibly Wente again or the Bridges at Gale
Diablo Grande
Cinnabar/Cordevale
Dare I say it.... The Ranch, just to see how many range rocks I can lose.  

You can also skip Halfmoon Bay old, only one good hole, 18, and they are in the process of redesigning it, currently playing as a par 3 temp. Halfmoon Bay new is way overpriced, I would play Bayonet/Blackhorse in Monterey instead, worth the drive.

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom,

I'll still match you horrible course for horrible course.

As I mentioned when this thread started a few years back, just imagine;

A course in the beautiful Pocono Mountains with elevation changes of over 200 feet on a woodland course laid out on something like 2,000 acres of property.

Then imagine something so grand scale as to require a 12 MILE cart ride from first tee to last green.  Imagine that trip consisting of a course that maxes out at 5902 from the tips, with a slope of 137.

Imagine holes where you tee off with a nine-iron, only to then hit a blind, full carry 210 yard shot over 7 foot tall reeds and wetlands to a blind green.

Imagine Jim Fazio on multiple hits of acid.

You've now seen the Country Club of The Poconos at Big Ridge.

Satellites are afraid to get too close, but check out the routing at the following URL.   Imagine 5-10-15 minute cart rides between holes...

Imagine...

http://tinyurl.com/pu4y9

[Tom Huckaby]

Wow.

In terms of horrid golf courses, methinks we have the champ, and it's not my beloved The Ranch.

But let's look at it this way:  we've found two great courses for guys like Scott B. and Evan F. to prove once and for all their devotion to walking.

 

[Mike Benham]

Diablo doesn't look any farther from the Bay than Monterey is, and we all know thats worth the drive.
I went to Pasa and Monterey the last time I went down there, so I'd be looking to play different courses next time. Right now I have:
Half Moon Bay (both)
Possibly Wente again or the Bridges at Gale
Diablo Grande
Cinnabar/Cordevale
Dare I say it.... The Ranch, just to see how many range rocks I can lose.  

You can also skip Halfmoon Bay old, only one good hole, 18, and they are in the process of redesigning it, currently playing as a par 3 temp. Halfmoon Bay new is way overpriced, I would play Bayonet/Blackhorse in Monterey instead, worth the drive.

If you are including the "over-priced" proposition, then I would exclude Cinnabar and Cordevalle from the must visit list ...

Ps:  I would play Half Moon Bay Ocean at full price before I pay full price at Cordevalle

[Tom Huckaby]

Now Michael, let's not put our beloved local Cinnabar Hills in the overpriced category - sure it is on weekends - but well... I still think it's worth it for a one-time thing.  And they run constant specials.

I'm with Tim on Half Moon Bay - Ocean though.  I never have liked that course, like it even less these days.  But hell it is on the ocean, and in some sense it is fun to see, once, for a visitor particularly.  

Re Cordevalle - yes, that is not worth the gouging they do the general public those rare days it's open for such.  Assuming that's what you mean - oh yeah, no way is that course worth the full price.  That being said, if you can get in on one of the Monday tournament specials, or get some other price break, well... it is a pretty damn good course - better than Cinnabar Hills, I'd say.  Way better than HMB-Ocean.

TH

[APBernstein]

(I hope this works.)

Here is a link to the aerial of what looks like at least holes 15-18 (without the lake's water on 18).  The rest of the holes look to be roughed in if you zoom out a bit.

The Ranch

[Tom Huckaby]

Andrew - that's actually a picture of holes 12-17 on The Ranch - these existed for a good long time before the rest of the course was created.  They're on the side of a hill facing Evergreen Valley and it's gazillion homes - I think the idea was to generate some buzz before they built the rest of the course.  You can sort of see 10, 11 and 18 roughed in, but you really need to know where to look.  It's a VERY long way from 11 green to 12 tee.

Interestingly, I can't see even any traces of the front nine in this pic...

And in case you're wondering, the course if you move to the right and down is Silver Creek Valley CC - decent, also very hilly, no great shakes really.

TH

[APBernstein]

Tom:

Mind you, I have absolutely no experience with this course.  But after viewing the generated flyovers from the website, it looks like holes 12-17 are the least severe of the holes at The Ranch.  Is that generally correct?

If they were trying to generate buzz, it seems as if that buzz was a form of false advertising, no?

[Tom Huckaby]

AB - yes, it certainly was a form of false advertising, but not completely.  I suppose it might be correct to call these the least severe holes on the course, but you still can lose a golf ball on both sides of each and every one.  Remember, all the brown you see in those flyovers is waste-high, give up/re-load type rough.

For a long time the only hole they had built was 12 - downhill par four, at least decently wide, looked OK.  Getting anyone to think the entire course would be like this - well THAT would have been false advertising.

 

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