I played The Hideout about two years ago, and I had all sorts of problems with it. First was the expectation. Given what I had heard beforehand, I was expecting a log cabin in the woods and a little dirt parking lot (something like the Dunes Club at New Buffalo, Michigan). Although it was back off the beaten track, it just looked like another south Florida tract--wide open piece of property fringed by trees in front of a modest, but modern, clubhouse, and a paved parking lot.
I played alone, and there were few others there. I thought both par 5s on the front nine were mediocre. The second hole was a dogleg left with at least 130-140 yards between where the fairway ended and the green. One either had to lay up and then hit a mid-iron in or just bang away and try to play from the waste area. I don't think par 5s should play drive, 7-iron, 7-iron. The ninth hole, also a dogleg left par 5, was supposed to have a fairway split by pine trees at the second shot. However, the trees were not clustered; they were scattered. So, you just bang away and hope your ball finds its way through. I recall both par 3s the front nine faced the same direction, although the distances were dissimilar. Then, after the 12th hole (another dogleg left par 5), the course concluded across a road and into an entirely different piece of property--heavily-wooded and sandy. The final six holes were doglegged like a jigsaw puzzle into this separate property because there apparently was not enough land to support any other routing.
I am told Moran worked for Robert Von Hagge, who worked for Dick Wilson, and I could see the lineage in the greens. They required very precise approach shots, and some seemed to me to be angled so that they rejected pretty good shots.
Having said that, there were some excellent holes on the course, most notably No. 11, a great long straight par 4 at the back edge of the property.
I always like to see bright, young designers come along and get a chance to demonstrate their ability. From what I have read on this thread, apparently Moran has moved on to do some fine work, and all the best to him. I just don't think The Hideout represents the best.