Geez Ryan.
All that time studying landscape architecture and worrying about innovation,creativity, and innovation
and to think you could've just designed a few fescue enshrouded bunkers (with just the right nonwhite color of sand),called it minimalism and been revered on this site.
....or just built 10 holes with cross bunkering at 270
Yeah, Lord knows, that's all Tom and Jim and Bill and Ben and Gil and all the rest do. Why, any of us could be designing top 10 courses like that!
George, Jeff,
We already did do that at our Blackstone course, certainly a recipe for success.....
The latest Golf Magazine International Awards:
1. Diamante (Dunes)
Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico
7,300 yards, par 72
866-901-1456
diamantecabosanlucas.com
Davis Love III's greatest win -- at the 1997 PGA Championship -- concluded with a final putt backdropped by a rainbow. Diamante's aptly named Dunes course is his pot of gold. Situated six miles north of downtown Cabo San Lucas, on the Baja Peninsula's western coast, this striking Love design not only fronts the Pacific Ocean, but also features fairways and greens etched into colossal, brilliant white sand dunes. Most distinctive is the 588-yard, par-5 17th that heads away from the beach. It dishes out multiple landing areas and a green elevated by 50 feet. More accessible, if nearly as compelling is the 154-yard, par-3 16th, its target obscured by sand and scrub, a la Pine Valley, with the ocean beyond. Purists may pout about the lake that affects play at the 12th and 13th, and the 146 slope from the tips may as well be 166 when the wind howls, which is often, but for its relentless shot demands, sheer variety and stunning beauty, Diamante is our pick for the best course to open outside the U.S. in 2010.
2. Mission Hills Haikou (Blackstone)
Haikou, Hainan Island, China
7,800 yards, par 73
86 898 6868 3888
missionhillschina.com
Host to the recent Mission Hills Star Trophy event, won by Lorena Ochoa, this vast Brian Curley core design for Mission Hills' newest mega-resort is carved into black lava rock and features striking, tattered-edge bunkers and dense vegetation. Thrilling forced carries over lava gorges and superb variety throughout are highlights.
3. The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula (West)
Hainan Island, China
7,484 yards, par 72
86 898 6213 8800
shenzhoupeninsula.com
This gently contoured Tom Weiskopf design is built entirely on natural sand. Among the enticements are artfully sculpted bunkers and transition areas, boulder outcroppings and several memorable holes along the South China Sea, including the drivable par-4 15th and the rugged par-4 16th which hugs a wide, empty beach, with waves loudly lapping at the right side.
4. Bahia de los Suenos
La Paz, BCS, Mexico
7,010 yards, par 72
866-202-0789
bahiadelossuenos.com
Tom Doak's firm, fast layout two and a half hours of mountain switchbacks northeast of Cabo San Lucas hews seamlessly to the naturally tumbling terrain. Tees and greens melt into the surrounds, bunkers bleed into the thick native desert and the sheer variety is overwhelming, from holes framed by giant Cardon cacti to others that touch the sea, giant white dunes or mountain slopes.
Luckily Old Mac & Lost farm didn't qualify this year!
We are just looking to do something that hasn't been done yet. Taking Desmond to the extreme, not just creating fun and interesting golf holes, but making sure you know what you are playing. This is unlike a lot of Desmond holes where you weren't really sure if that was just a mermaid or.........
I think Desmond was trying to walk too fine of a line between creating a real golf course and mixing in his visual quirks which were a little too subtle from the ground to really capture the average golfers imagination....
With this course we know what we want to achieve and everyone is on board. We are not trying to hide what we are. Its in your face, and it may be a little too much for some to handle...... But like I said, the work we have completed thus far can stand up to any multi-course complex in the world as far as variety and interesting, thought provoking golf.....
This is just pure fun...