[Jonathan Cummings]

I just played the new Fazio course across the lake from Black Rock - Gozzer Ranch GC (Coeur d’Alene, ID).  It's phenomenal, easy modern top 100 and a Doak 7.5+.  

Scott Hoffman was the lead and he seemed to be taking a page out of our favorite architects - Doak, C&C, Hanse, etc.  The hand worked highly detailed bunkers look to have been there forever.  The course has wonderful flow and a routing with a story (intro, body, climax and denouement).  Holes 8-14 were the strongest.  The views from many holes are as good as it gets in golf.

I can’t wait to play it again.

JC  

[Sean Leary]

JC,

I have a friend who played it recently and raved about it, especially compared to Black Rock.   Have you played the Fazio course at Pronghorn, and if so, how does it compare?

I look forward to getting out there.

[Mike_Cirba]

Jonathan,

Isn't Gozzer the one who was supposed to hook up with the KeyMaster in Ghostbusters?  

Who knew he/she/it had a ranch??!  

Thanks for getting us excited to take another trip we can't explain competently to our wives/partners/significant others to some gawdforsaken corner of the globe for golf.   We really appreciate it.

"Hey honey...haven't you just absolutely yearned at times to spend a day out on the range punchin' dogeys?"  

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Mike just plant the wife on a beach chair by the lake and go play golf.  The Coeur d'alene area is stunning.  

If she doesn't like the beach put her in front of a slot machine at circling raven.

[Jesse Jones]

Just returned from a trip to Black Rock. No one had a bad word about GR.
I hope to get out there by the fall.

[Tom_Doak]

Jonathan:

Isn't that the property you were going to consult on for a friend years ago, when Hurdzan & Fry were going to design it?

[bakerg]

From a very cool chick that I know this course is a step forward for Mr. Fazio.  She has played ten rounds so far at Gozzer and believes that Fazio is starting to get better at his job.

Now for most people when they praise Fazio I tend to just view them as "retail" golfers and move on.  But, this friend knows her stuff.  She has tackled the Sand Hills of  Nebraska and has made extended stays out in Bandon, so I don't think she is steering me wrong on Gozzer.

If someone can post them for me I have a couple great pictures of Gozzer I can share.

[Kalen Braley]

From a very cool chick that I know this course is a step forward for Mr. Fazio.  She has played ten rounds so far at Gozzer and believes that Fazio is starting to get better at his job.

Now for most people when they praise Fazio I tend to just view them as "retail" golfers and move on.  But, this friend knows her stuff.  She has tackled the Sand Hills of  Nebraska and has made extended stays out in Bandon, so I don't think she is steering me wrong on Gozzer.

If someone can post them for me I have a couple great pictures of Gozzer I can share.

Gary,

You can email them to me, I'll put them up for you.

kbjames_70@yahoo.com

[Jonathan Cummings]

You are right Tom, that's the place.  'Consulting' is too strong a word but a close friend has been a principal in the place and from that vantage point I've 'observed' the project over the past 8 years.  In fact, that friend you've met - he was my partner at the Ren Cup at Atlantic City.  

I've written a draft article about the 15 companies/partnerships, back-stabbing, rugs pulled out, even fist fights about the project.  The end product is astounding after all the BS.   Some day I have to find a magazine that would actually run the article.

I tip my hat at Fazio and Discovery, they've done a really good job.

JC

[Scott_Burroughs]

JC,

Have you played the Fazio course at Pronghorn, and if so, how does it compare?

Jonathan,

Did you see Sean's question?

Also, when does The Idaho Club's Nicklaus course open on Lake Pend Oreille?

[Kalen Braley]

Here are the photos Gary sent me to post:

[Tom_Doak]

I am SHOCKED that the bunkers look like they do.

Time to go to the Perry Maxwell style I guess.  It won't be as popular but at least I might find out whether the design of the golf course was any good, instead of whether people were just getting off on the rough edges.

[Jonathan Cummings]

TD - Well you should be too as the bunkering is (like many of yours and C&C courses) inspired and brilliant.  

Go up and see the place, it's a statement you would not expect out of the Fazio group.

JC

[Dave_Wilber]

Hey gang..

Just wanted to put in a nice word for Scott Hoffman. I've been doing the agronomy on one of his creations with Fazio called Martis Camp in Truckee, CA. Scott Bower, a great friend, is the Golf Course Supt. Grassing as we speak. Here are a couple of shots from my iPhone. Not great quality...sorry..I lost my digicam on a site a month ago.



and

[Jonathan Cummings]

Sean - I've played the Nicklaus course at Pronghorn (wonderful!) but not the Fazio.

Scott - Idaho Club (old Hidden Lakes) will open in the spring.  It's a redo of nine of the original holes with nine new holes added on the south side of hwy 41.  It won't be in the same ballpark as Gozzer.

JC

[Tom_Doak]

Jonathan:

Okay, let's start over.

When I saw the pictures of the course, it took me about two seconds to see that the lead associate must be Scott Hoffman, who was at Pronghorn previously.  I haven't met him, but I've heard a lot of good things about him from the people at Pronghorn and from our client at Wicked Pony.  And he does build some really pretty bunkers.

But that's nearly all you've talked about, and that won't make Gozzer Ranch any better than Pronghorn, or any other course Scott goes on to build.  The operating questions are:

a)  What are the greens like?
b)  Is the routing really good?  [Your first post did mention the "flow" of the course and that the better holes were between 8 and 14, but nothing at all about why, other than pictures of bunkering.] and,
c)  Did he make the most of those bunkers to produce great golf holes?

I guess my point, which I've expressed about 100 times over the past year, is that 75% of the conversation about most new courses on this site consists of "Gee, the bunkers are pretty."  If the quality of any course is really 75% about pretty bunkers, then it's not very good.  I trust you are saying that Gozzer Ranch is more than that, and since you've been there, I'd love for you to tell us why, because until further notice when I head out of Missoula airport I'm heading southeast, not west.

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