Well, after being away from a computer since Sunday night, I will try to answer Mr. Jackson's questions.
Q-How Pelican does not fit naturally into its surroundings.
A-Like most courses where a routing is planned from a desk and not the field, and millions of yards of ground moved to create terraced or corridor-like areas for golf holes--Pelican Hills is one of these. There is some natural tie-tie in work, only after these corridors have been created and when they are firmly carved into the slopes of the hills.
As I written before, look at Lehigh CC or Ojai Valley Inn and tell me that these places weren't situated on severe sites and yet the best golf revealed simply by taking golf holes into area that only Mother Nature could understand. Yes, Eco reasoning today prevents many from doing this, but I maintain it as the result of many modern designers giving into the process and not standing-up for what can be described as palatable design. Its getting worse, and what do these designers do? They join the Sierra Club and advertize themselves as eco-friendly specialists knowing how to deal with the plight of many various species that aren't in fact endangered. We are talking of building places with natural trees and grass and other natural fauna. How does it compare to housing, where most of these environmentalists shrivel up and die when trying to fight these types of developments?
I could go on, but will answer the next question.
Q-Tell me what great physical features of the site were not utilized. I think it only fair for you to be as specific as possible. I did not talk of the how the course lays with the land because I do not see where this ideal has been compromised. Think of the piece of land it sits on. Tell me of another course in the area which has been placed on such a piece of severe ground and does a better job of fitting into its surrounds.
A-To me, the makings of a great course require golf first, and everything else being built around it. That to me is taking advantage of the land. The ground at Pelican could have produced a sporty design that required twists and turns of natural quirk, yet revealing some very interesting natural greensites that could have been talked about for ages. This is the same type of design that once existed at a similar property of a course I have studied extensively in aerial photos and was featured in a photo in Geo Thomas's Golf Architecture in America--San Pedro Golf & CC, also commonly known as The Royal Palms. It was designed by Billy Bell and fell victim to the Great Depression. You could have nearly fit four of these SPG&CC designs on the same land that occupies Pelican Hills 36 holes.
It was a natural routing on very severe land and yet, maintained very natural hazards which sustained native life. You'll have to buy Daniel Wexler's next Missing Link's book to find out the rest.
Q-Tell me of another course in the area which has been placed on such a piece of severe ground and does a better job of fitting into its surrounds.
A-Let us look at the Links of Monarch Beach, which I rate as one of the worst RTJ Jr. designs I have ever played. It is on just as crummy as land. Had about the same amount of earth moved on, and even has two holes that almost touch the ocean in the same way as Pelican South. I will give in that Ocean North is a far superior course then Monarch Beach ever will be, (architecturally) but the developments are almost exactly the same. (stagnant, boring, mis-used,over-marketed etc.)
This is the spot where I have to defer to Bill V's usual trees/fog/ocean comments on Calfornia. In this context of Pelican Hills and Monarch Beach, those comments couldn't be more then exact. That big huge body of water called the Pacific Ocean, and the view that it yields, is dictating the experience. Surprizingly, Ocean North takes advantage of some older Billy Bell type features on hole #17, where the hole look as if it is ready to fall off the cliff and into the ocean or maybe even deep space, It is the ultimate in horizon green settings. You can get these same types of settings at Torrey Pines, Los Verdes GC, and Sandpiper. Stand by for a shock, but I like that about that paticular hole.
Q-Now, you said the course lacks substance and is stagnant architecture. Could you elaborate. Perhaps my perception of the architectural features and design strategy are off base.
A-My views of both courses is as such. Ocean South and Ocean North are two different courses, but please give me a feature of these two courses where one is challenged by a sand hazard in or near the middle of the fairways to spice up play or creat different options that might welcome some interest?
While the seemingly Ocean South does have a severe green or two I have to agree with Peter McKnight on the lack of interest in the putting surfaces on Ocean North. I usually love to remember key features of putting surfaces on the courses I have played in my years, and the only memorable key feature I remember at both Pelican courses is on either #1 or #2 of the South course. The rest I seem to remeber as nothing more then slightly-sloped, kidney and oval-shaped table tops.
Another feature I found at Pelican Hill was that the best way to the green was usually aiming, from the tee, at the fairway bunkers which would be out of play for most. (And yes, I was playing from the PROPER tees. Afte that, and especially on Ocean North, it seemed as if no matter where you were that you had a open shot to the flag. I guess that would mean that the course was designed for playability, properly. (#3 North comes to mind in this regard.)
All in all, I felt that with some chances in routing, even with the same corridors for both courses, something quirky and fun could have been created. Unfortunately, that never came to pass.
In closing, I wan tto also say that yes, you are correct,i always bring up a classic course when shwing comparisons. I think we should as most of the courses I have mentioned usually have features that SHOULD have been handed down to US as LESSONS in how golf courses SHOULD be designed.
My bringing up Riviera and LACC gas everything to do with time spent in the area with the desire to STUDY GREAT GOLF ARCHITECTURE. If your desire is to go play golf with a beautiful view and you can afford it, then go play Pelican Hill and add it to your resume of courses played so you can tell all of your friends. This of course has everything to do with impressing clients and impressing friends. I'll stand by my thoughts and impressions simply because I have seen much better.
And if you do come to SoCal, I will be more then glad to show you around, have dinner, show you my thougts of what could have been some pretty impressive spots for golf that may have been the site of the best Fazio course ever--If minimilism was in those terms.