I like Pronghorn/Nicklaus for a variety of reasons:
1. Unlike Michael Dugger, I thought holes 2-4 were excellent. The 2nd hole is a wide par 5 that demands good directional strategy and execution to approach the well protected green from the best angle. Similarly, the short par-4 4th hole requires good strategy, and the challenges are obvious enough to make you think about how to attack. The 4th is somewhat like the 10th at Riviera. Best to play left and leave yourself a wedge at the angled green. Try to drive the green and miss right, and you have a big problem.
2. There's a nice variety of golf holes, with different looks and hazards to negotiate. One might argue the contrary opinion; that the course fails to have a coherent look to it, since the holes differ so dramatically. #12 and #13 are both shortish par-4s through a rockier part of the course, but they are very different, and each is enjoyable. The 13th hole features a pot bunker in the center of the fairway, exactly where I wanted to hit my drive. The 12th hole is sort of strange, in that the play looks like a 4-iron or driver off the tee, with very risky options inbetween.
3. The course starts out fairly gently, and increases the driving demands as the round progresses. Carry bunkers for the best line of approach start around 215-220 yards out on the 1st hole (from the second set of tees, 7000 yards or so) and gradually increase to about 255-260 by the 11th hole, continually testing the player's driving ability. The 11th hole is terrific, with an enormous fairway with three distinct startegic options to choose from.
4. Unlike some of Nicklaus's more recent courses, the greens are very gentle. Combined with the super fast, immaculate conditions, one senses he has a chance to make putts. Since the rest of the course, from tee to green, is demanding, it's not a backbreaking test. At least you have a chance to score if you can roll it straight.
5. I liked the front nine better, but most will find the back nine, with two short par 4s and two reachable par 5s (holes 12 through 17 go par 4-4-3-5-5-3) to be the sportier side. The back-to-back par 5s are once again excellent examples of directional strategy, where the player thinks about how to attack the hole before playing his ball.
6. Gee Mike, the 6th hole is cool, isn't it? 500 yard uphill par 4, with a ridge about 20 yards short of the green. If you can carry the ridge on the second shot, everything carries down (and beyond) a green sloped hard away from the player. I made a 4 and felt quite excited about it.
The Fazio course has greater aesthetic appeal, and has some wonderful golf holes as well. The Fazio team moved considerably more earth to complete the course. The "look" of the Fazio course seems more consistent and integrated. But the more I thought about the Nicklaus course, the more I appreciated the straightforward challenge and the variety. Looks easy; plays hard. A flat course laid upon flat basalt fields.
For me they are both in that 6-7 range, leaning towards 7. Most Oregon residents love them.