David,
The last time I was out at Soule Park was when Gil and Jim where doing the vast reworking of the course which was going to be a huge improvement. From what I could see, Soule Park was going to have better looking, better built bunkers then Ojai Valley Inn, and that to me is just beyond words for OVI!
Much of the problems for OVI are in terms of what works best for them for their clientle, or at least what they think works best for them. They are a resort that relies on a history, dating all the way back into the early twenties when folks like Jimmy Cagney, Gable & Lombard and many more, frequented the Ojai Valley, just to get away,and that's exactly what it is in Ojai even today, a getaway! But the folks at Ojai, who are generally a very nice group of people, simply have utilized that history and turned it into a gimmick of sorts. They built a spa on top of one of the better original holes on the course, the former 6th, a tough little up-hill number with a huge, nasty Billy Bell bunker guarding the left side of the green. While the green and bunker are still there, a brand new trendy spa/hotel sits between it and the original tee.
For what seems to be about the 40th time, they've also changed the routing too. This time, the back becomes the front, and gone from the new opener is the back tee which used to stand guard ont the other sideof the road over-looking the valley of the 10th fairway. Gone also are the more important features of that hole, like the center bunker, as well as a set of guarding ones on the right side of the hill.
Ojai is very much removed from L.A., even though they like to advertise you can there in an hour. I myself, even like to go the extra long way out there, simple because its so beautiful. It's hard to believe an area like that is so close to L.A. even exists! (not only Ojai, but Fillmore, Santa Paula and Moorpark)
But getting back to the brunt of the question, is Ojai worth it?
Well, it's a difficult question to answer. Most of the Thomas is in great disrepair, or just simply doesn't exist anymore. Some fo the holes on the original may have been world class, like the original 14th, or even the 15th and the 16th! But like I had mentioned earlier, the entire course is a place to mourn GREAT golf. Because that's what it was at one time.
I hope that helps.