Very disappointing. Like Tom H. I have been near there, never played, but heard it was a good course. From the pictures it looks like a huge disappointment.
Garland you should have also played Marshallia Ranch. I haven't played Dairy Creek, probably never will, but you rank it preferable to Monarch Dunes? Why?
I suspect after Sandpiper and La Purisima, Hunter thought he knew enough about architecture to self design it. Had Hanse and Doak done it, it would have had a major influence on other course designs for this area in the last 20 years or so. Funny how little things like that have big influence or how things turn out.
I compiled a list of where I wanted to play based on what I read here. The list included Marchallia Ranch, but not Hunter Ranch. I twice sent them to my overworked buddy. He twice lost the lists. He chose Hunter Ranch.
Monarch Dunes has too much misuse of ponds in my opinion. I was taking pictures there, but when I got to the ninth tee, the artificial look of the contrived pond there turned me off and I put away the camera for the back nine. Turns out my preferred 18 of the trip would be to play the back nine of Monarch Dunes twice. The tenth fit my lefty fade to a tee, running my second right by the pin into a stiff headwind. The one disadvantage of the back nine is the string of holes running all in the same direction. Fortunately they all play so that my lefty fade will be held in play by what I assume was the prevailing wind from the ocean. I though the holes carved out on the back nine were for the most part very interesting. Monarch Dunes does fail the high course rating low slope criteria of Mr. Huckaby. Perhaps a little more width there would also be useful.
Oh, and by the way, I may very well be a John Harbottle butt boy.
I think his Gold Mountain Olympic and Juniper courses are two of the most memorable I have played. I am chomping at the bit to play Palouse Ridge. I would have been there this weekend making a double with Wine Valley if I had not already been committed for the weekend.