While in Las Vegas last month I had a few hours to blow so took the opportunity to play Southern Highlands. It was the last design which the elder Jones worked on.....and one of the better "pre Chambers" RTJ2 designs that I have seen.......provided one can get past the superfluous and strip-like water features, many of which are not in play.
The course is a brute from the back tees; 7600 yards, with some short 4's on the card. Ample width is allowed between overly large bunker clusters which generally appear like RTJ2 style bunkers, just 3-5 of them strung together. Generally not in play but imposing as one stands on the tee.
The strength of the course lies in some fairly strong risk-reward holes; #'s 3, 4, 5, 13, 16 come to mind....with 16 being an excellent hole no matter who's name is on it. There are also a few traditional RTJ "brute" holes which actually balance well with the strategy found elsewhere on the course.
The weakness would lie in the aforementioned water features, a fairly bland set of par 3's, the obnoxious clubhouse....
The 18th hole is an enigma; way too much going on visually for me, but I "could" be convinced that there's some decent strategy there.
plaque
3rd tee shot
inside left bunker cluster on 3rd
4th tee shot with 240yd carry on the right, safe area on the left
5th tee shot with 270 carry on the right at the green, safe area on the left with difficult angle to green
7th tee shot
7th approach shot
8th hole
9th tee shot
9th approach - obnoxious "new" water feature on left with greensite move from the side of the hazard to behind it
10th tee shot
11th tee shot
12th tee shot & green
13th tee shot
14th tee shot
14th approach
15th tee shot
15th approach
16th tee shot - well done
16th hole from behind
18th tee shot - someone please confirm a WTF please
18th, part 2 - can there be any more going on visually on a golf course in existence?