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Tom Huckaby

Re: Opening Holes (Picture identification) - More difficult
« Reply #25 on: November 12, 2008, 04:38:18 PM »
Bill - OK, I can see that.  Pretty cool ampitheatre potential by 9.

TH

Bill Satterfield

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Opening Holes (Picture identification) - More difficult
« Reply #26 on: November 12, 2008, 04:39:38 PM »
Kalen, I bet the 13th at Qualchan is the most hated hole in the entire Northwest.  I've talked to people in the area that won't play Qualchan because of that hole alone.  I agree, it isn't a great hole but I don't seem to despise it near as much as everyone else.  It offers a quirky way to drive the green if you're willing to take your chances at driving it through the trees on the left.  The biggest complaint I have with that hole is hole virtually every tee shot is going to find it's way to the same landing zone at the bottom of that hill.  It takes a lot of the skill out of the tee shot and beats the heck out of the ground where everyone is taking divots.

#10 I actually don't mind at all.  I like the option of driving it over the trees on the right towards the green if you want to be risky (I've only pulled that off once in about 5 tries) and I think the greensite is one of the better challenges on the course with the deeper, skinnier green with the horseshoe bunker on the left and the terrain sloping down to the right.

#18 I agree is tough for seniors and ladies to reach the regular green which is exactly why they put the 2nd green short of the creek to play to, but for other players it is an exciting approach shot up the hill, over a creek, to a back-to-front sloping green.  I like it.

Casey Wade

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Opening Holes (Picture identification) - More difficult
« Reply #27 on: November 12, 2008, 04:40:40 PM »
Yes, the mysterious SoCal course has been correctly identified as Saticoy.  John Harbottle went in and redid the bunkering and it came out fantastic there.  I looked at some before and after pictures and it was a stark contrast.  Here is the list:

1.  Jug Mountain (McCall, ID - Donald Knott)
2.  TPC San Francisco Bay at Stonebrae (Hayward, CA - David McLay Kidd)
3.  Whispering Pines (Trinity, TX - Chet Williams)  -  Whispering Pines is a fantastic course that doesn't get a lot of publicity outside of Texas.  The setting, design, variety, and challenge are excellent and well worth a visit.
4.  Saticoy CC (Somis, CA - William F. Bell)
5.  Eugene CC (Eugene, OR - H. Chandler Egan)
6.  The Creek at Qualchan (Spokane, WA - William Robinson) - This is my favorite course for under $30 that I've played.  I know Indian Canyon gets a lot of hype, and I enjoy it too, but Qualchan is my favorite for the Spokane munis.
7.  North Oaks (North Oaks, MN - Stanley Thompson)
8.  Augusta Pines (Spring, TX - Dave Relford) - This course tried to duplicate several holes at Augusta National and currently is one of the Champions Tour stops.
9.  Grand Pines course at Bentwater (Montgomery, TX - Jeffrey Blume)

Bill, # 3, Whispering Pines picture is actually # 2, not the first hole.
Some people are alive simply because it is illegal to shoot them.

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Opening Holes (Picture identification) - More difficult
« Reply #28 on: November 12, 2008, 04:45:46 PM »
Bill,

I'd have to agree with your thoughts there in principle.  I still played it alot despite a few goofy holes.  My faves on that course are #2 and #16...both excellent holes.

As for #10 you must hit a long high drives cause it takes both to drive that green.
On #13 I did go for that green a few times..and you would think that the ball would find its way to the green on that steep slope, but it always managed to stay up there and make for a brutal chip approach.
18 is indeed a good hole for males between 16 and 55, but thats about it.  ;D

Bill Satterfield

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Opening Holes (Picture identification) - More difficult
« Reply #29 on: November 12, 2008, 05:37:53 PM »
Casey, you are right.  I have that labeled wrong in my picture files.  I kept looking at that hole thinking, "this doesn't look quite right" because that opening hole is a dogleg left and I didn't remember that much junk on the right side of that green.  I thought I had gone crazy, but now I see I just had the picture labeled wrong.  Thanks!