Silvies Valley Ranch, Oregon -- Reversible Course

[Adam Lawrence]

As many here will know, Tom Doak isn't the only architect who has been working on a reversible course of late. Frank Pont has _two_ reversible projects in Europe that he expects to start building this winter, and Dan Hixson has been creating one too -- Silvies Valley Ranch in Oregon. I stumbled across the website for the course just now...  it looks rather appealing.


http://www.silviesvalleyranch.com/golf.php

[Tom_Doak]

Adam:

I invited Dan Hixson to come play in the Renaissance Cup at Forest Dunes, and he did!  He told me his course is quite different from The Loop - with a lot more topography to sort out, he built something like 27 greens to get two separate courses with some shared (reversed) fairways and greens.  I will try to make a reciprocal visit in the next year or two when I'm out west ... but when I looked at the map to find it, I smiled that people think Forest Dunes is out in the boondocks!

[Jim Franklin]

FD is fairly simple to get to. Anything in Oregon is a PITA unless you live there.

[Adam Lawrence]

Adam:

I invited Dan Hixson to come play in the Renaissance Cup at Forest Dunes, and he did!  He told me his course is quite different from The Loop - with a lot more topography to sort out, he built something like 27 greens to get two separate courses with some shared (reversed) fairways and greens.  I will try to make a reciprocal visit in the next year or two when I'm out west ... but when I looked at the map to find it, I smiled that people think Forest Dunes is out in the boondocks!

Yes, I looked at the map and had a similar reaction!

[Stephen Davis]

I have been following the progress of SVR for a while now, and am very excited to see it someday. It is a beautiful part of the country, but it is definitely WAY of the beaten path.

[Dan Herrmann]

Way off the beaten path is right!

I lived in Oregon for 9 years and never got close to that part of the state (and I drove through much of Oregon).

[Garland Bayley]

And here I thought the neighboring course Bear Valley was a must play. Pete Pittock has played it. Slag Bandoon has played it. Even my buddy Bruce has played it.

Pete might get on this thread and let you know when it'll open.

The area where Silvies Valley is is a magical mountain meadow IMO.

[Bill_McBride]

I believe our good friend Slag was involved in the building of Silvies Valley.  His bunker work at Wine Valley is terrific.

[Garland Bayley]

I believe that means he played Bear Valley every Thursday evening with men's club.

[William_G]

first I've heard of this

it's a long ways from anywhere, yet that is the beauty, just like many other well known modern courses

we'll have to see as it looks to be a hybrid of reversibility in that it has many shared fairways but many independent greens

the golf season may be March -November

interesting! hope they have deep pockets

[Tom_Doak]

the golf season may be March -November

Dan said April, not March ... I was asking if I might get up there if I was in Bandon this winter.

[William_G]

the golf season may be March -November

Dan said April, not March ... I was asking if I might get up there if I was in Bandon this winter.

well at least I was only one month off being a non-"architect", LOL

[Peter Pallotta]

I think our own Slag Bandoon actually *worked* on it. Hopefully he chimes in with his experience and insight.

Peter 

[Pete_Pittock]

all I have is an unsubstantiated  rumor about an opening. My reading of Hixson's writing on the website is construction is complete, and is at grow-in stage. It is too late in the season to open this year. I heard that the ranch does not want to open the course until the other activities and amenities on property are available. That is all I know except it is a longer trip than to Bandon for Portanders.

[James Brown]

This post makes me wonder how many more 'secret' courses are in the works out there that I have never heard of.  Does anyone keep a good, comprehensive list of new courses under construction or development? 

[Will MacEwen]

This post makes me wonder how many more 'secret' courses are in the works out there that I have never heard of.  Does anyone keep a good, comprehensive list of new courses under construction or development?

I know a new course opened in the Toronto area this year - Lebovic, a Doug Carrick design. I know little more about it, but it is surprising that a new course could open in such a thriving and popular area and not get mentioned on here.

[Adam Lawrence]

This post makes me wonder how many more 'secret' courses are in the works out there that I have never heard of.  Does anyone keep a good, comprehensive list of new courses under construction or development?

I know a new course opened in the Toronto area this year - Lebovic, a Doug Carrick design. I know little more about it, but it is surprising that a new course could open in such a thriving and popular area and not get mentioned on here.

Doug had been working on that course for over twenty years! He said he first drew up plans for it in 1996, but planning issues delayed it by two decades!


I believe he had another opening this year as well, can't quite remember where.

[Will MacEwen]

This post makes me wonder how many more 'secret' courses are in the works out there that I have never heard of.  Does anyone keep a good, comprehensive list of new courses under construction or development?

I know a new course opened in the Toronto area this year - Lebovic, a Doug Carrick design. I know little more about it, but it is surprising that a new course could open in such a thriving and popular area and not get mentioned on here.

Doug had been working on that course for over twenty years! He said he first drew up plans for it in 1996, but planning issues delayed it by two decades!


I believe he had another opening this year as well, can't quite remember where.

20 years will likely beat the Union Bay project by a decade.

[Michael Dugger]

This project has been a long time in the works precisely because Dan Hixson wanted to do it the right way.  He and Norbert have been diligently working away (in between horrible weather and crazy Malheur "occupier" incidents!  LOL) for what seems like about 5-6 seasons now.

If I recall correctly, Dan said he had a ton of land to choose from and there would be no excuses for cramped or tight quarters.  When making comparisons, he felt amongst modern gems the palette at Silvies reminded him a lot of Tom Doak's Rock Creek Cattle.
 
I consider Dan to be a soft spoken and tactical self promoter.  He's not much for grand proclamations and big braggadocio, but I bet he's pretty pleased with how the course turned out.

The reversible course idea gains steam, although there's no doubt that Burns, OR is definitely BFE.

[Pete_Pittock]

July 2017. Kemper Sports.


The Silvies Valley Ranch website http://silviesvalleyranch.com publishes an occasional newsletter, and you can sign up on the main page. The latest issue was yesterday. In addition to the above news there are a lot of pictures.

[Ronald Montesano]

God darned Lawrence should pay attention to the great golfing website of the mighty Niagara...


http://buffalogolfer.com/wordpress/2015-interview-series-with-dan-hixson/


I'd wanted to get to Wine Valley when I was out west last fall, but it rained buckets and buckets, so I went to my last name, instead:


https://peregrinoverde.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/return-to-healthy-mountain/


I loved Bandon Crossings (Hixson, as well) and think that he is a talent and a half.

[Tim Leahy]

I dont see any cart paths. Is it walking only?

[Pete_Pittock]

Don't know with 100% certainty. My guess is there will be carts.

[Sean Ogle]

Really excited to get out there and play this. Been looking for an excuse to drive east for awhile

[Dave McCollum]

Completely off topic:  watch your speed on that lonely central Oregon highway that gets you to Burns.  It seems like every time I drive it, someone blows by driving much faster than the posted 55 mph speed limit.  Invariably, I see them later pulled over by the highway patrol.  Once I was driving west at a very reasonable 65 mph (on cruise control) and got passed by a cop who ignored me.  That must be an acknowledgement that 55 for a uncrowded western highway in perfect conditions is just too slow.  Also their limit of tolerance for how much.