About the talk the talk, walk the walk issue, Tobiano is not the only course in the business doing that... that's very true and I really thing that's a sad but necessary part of the business.
There are a couple of good holes out there, and some holes that are well presented... but to call it Great is another word...
That's a softer version of my comments, but being provocative is essential to encourage debate.
Hole by hole:
1) OK, nothing special, not sure about the grass lines and bunkering on the second shot
2) OK, although if it was intended to be driveable, I doubt a lot of players would go for a semi blind
target with lost ball long or left... wind in the face makes it more like 360 yards hole
3) OK, small par 3 over ravine, severe green
4) OK tee shot, the bunkerless hole is without real strategy, suppose to tempt a running shot but the green configuration doesn't favor any angle of approach. Weird looking grassing line at the green
5) Actually a fun tee shot, unique down the valley (would be better if it was not semi blind). I do agree that the cart path is bad, but that was the last hole to be seeded and it might have been a last-minute maintenance issue to open the course last year.
6) OK, nice cliff of the tee. The horizon line on the green is just not quite making it.
7) Dramatic pitch over a cliff... I'm not sure the hole works playing with a hard downwind, it would be impossible to hold that green even with a sand wedge. New greens are always firm though. Have a hard time seeing how a 15 handicap with a 8 iron can hold that green.
The hole doesn't work for average players, their second shot is blind with a canyon on the right to a 15 yards wide fairway that kicks the ball in the canyon. It's also a cliff side hole where the design is purposefully sending you away from the cliff.
9) OK hole, narrow but downwind and short enough to hit 3-wood of the tee. Second shot, I'm not a fan but OK
10) Standard par 5, well presented, severe green site but the use of the backstop makes it worké
11) Well presented hole. Wider than it looks, but not overly wide. Lay up off the tee, the spine in the green is severe and unavoidable. I tap a ball with my hand on top of the spine and it roll off the green.
OK for better players who would hit over the canyon to that pin but the average player who bails out on the left side of the green is going to 3-putt and 1-chip from there. Good or bad (I let you decide.)
12) Long par-3, severe bowlish green, bunkers on both side. Standard, green makes the hole severe
13) Impressive looking par-5 off the tee, no advantage playing close to the cliff, especially on the second shot where the further away you play from it, the better... really a 3-shot hole
14) Semi-blind off the tee, second shot is kind of fun... possibility for ground game.
15) Average par 3 with a great view and bunkers on the left to make sure the hole has nothing to do with the scenery.
16) Akward tee shot, too long is dead, left is bunkers, should play 3-wood off the tee, even if it's a long hole. then standard golf from there.
17) I like that hole, Even though it's the 3rd par three downhill over a cliff, it has some character for some reason. I don't blame it on McBroom for the repetitive par-3, the site is cliff and small plateau and cliff...
18) Long par 4 into the wind, no real strategy, hit the fairway and long, hit the green on the second shot.
McBroom had a hard site to start with, avoided to create 1 or 2 real stupid holes, which is a good accomplishment. Sadly to, he might have, could have had a better routing if he tried to built a par 70 6700 yards course on such a severe site... marketing won again with the necessity of 7300 yards and par 72.
People would look at scenery and think it's great, I look at golf and think it's OK
The berm on the highway is horrendous... too bad there's no roadlayoutatlas.com, that person would be sent to jail!!!