[Pete_Pittock]

         Added bonus. Buck Wolter has posted the routing of both courses at Reply 69 (page 3).  Obviously smarter than me on this issue.  Additonal (professional) photos are at http://www.silviesvalleyranch.com/golf.php.You can scroll to the bottom for an enlargable map, or look at replies 24 or 69. You can scroll to the bottom for an enlargable map. Otherwise you need to look at the map at Reply 24.
       
        There was no map or yardage book when I played, but a yardage book is in the works. Garland has provided Google Earth images which I am incorporating, but I must note that the views I've checked do not have finished bunkers, but their placement seems to coincide with the darker spots. Also, there were no yardage markers, so my laser helped. I do not know if it has been GPSed.
               The name is the Resort and Links at Silvies Valley Ranch. It is not a links. The elevation runs from 4600' at the lodge to 4800' at the irrigation pond by Craddock #12 tee. The nearest town is Seneca, which has the historical coldest temperature ever recorded in Oregon, -54F. Fortunately it was about 150 degrees warmer when I was there. The owner says Silvies is usually colder than Seneca.

         The Hankins course will be in play on odd numbered day. On the interactive map it is the "G" course, its working name was Grant. The Craddock course (ex-Harney) will be in play on even numbered days. I'd avoid booking a two day starting on the last day of July or August. Bent greens and bluegrass/fescue fairways. I played at the beginning of July and  experienced grow-in conditions, but a very trusted source says conditions are much better (8/24) . Expect firm conditions and greens running somehere around stimp 10.
        At check-in (on the right) you will be transferred to a golf cart. The building on the left is the activities/gift shop. The lodge looms on the left, overlooking a pond. Great food and antler chandeliers. Beyond the lodge are two-bedroom log cabins. The next building on the right was under consruction and will have lodging for the golfers. 
        When you head out to the course it will be a half mile of dirt road, like some courses in Nebraska. At the lake you will see the short (Egan) course, which has holes from 70-120 yds.. Next to the road at lakeside is a flat area where you can play to every green. Above the Egan you can see the Hideaway (i.m.o. inaptly named). As you continue to the Hideaway there is a no-frill driving range to the left..

        Of the courses I have played, these courses are geographically similar to a meld of Rock Creek Cattle Co. and Clear Creek at Tahoe.
        Most of the shared greens have about a 25-45 degree difference in angle of attack, from generally the same direction. One green ( 8 Hankins )  has about a 60 degree difference of attack angle and two (Hankins 11, Hankins 16) have a 90 degree approach difference. At best they are medium in size, which was smaller than I expected with greens designed for play in two directions. Contouring was not severe, light to medium movement in putts.
       I will return this year.


IMPORTANT NOTE: I shouldn't have to say this but keep you eyes and memory open because it will be very helpful tomorrow.Known too many golfers who aren't sentient when they play.

HANKINS COURSE

  1     2      3      4     5     6     7      8     9    OUT    10    11   12    13  14   15    16   17   18     IN    TOT
  4     3      5      4     5     4     3      4     4        36    4      4     4       3     5     3      5     4      5       37       73
415 150 590 370 550 465 200 410 500  3650  445  305 445 140 505 175 490 330 590 3425  7075
370 150 470 325 490 425 175 385 405  3195  385  285 405 115 490 145 450 365 505 3085  6280   
335 105 380 305 420 365 125 320 360  2715  330  270 325 105 385  90  405 270 440 2620  5335


This is the first time I noticed, that the back 9 has a higher par and a shorter yardage. Very interestink.


 

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE #1 -HANKINS   Par 4 - 415 370 335
The extremely wide fairway serves three hole (Hankins 1, Craddock 17 (coming in from the left) and Craddock 18 (heading towards you on the right). The entry to the green can be identical from both fairways. Hankins 2 can be seen at the top of the view, Craddock 18 can be seem below Hankins 1.
The hole actually plays to the NE.




The extremely wide fairway serves three hole (Hankins 1, Craddock 17 (coming in from the left) and Craddock 18 (heading towards you on the right). The entry to the green can be identical from both fairways.

The tee shot is wide open, but you should favor the left side bunker for a right side hole and vice versa. Elevated tee, crossing a valley which gently slopes to the right. The tee for Hankins 2 is on the ridge behind and to the left of the green.



photo, taken looking over the right side bunker, shows you should have played left to open up the green.




Bombers will have this view of the green, wide open for a Texas wedge. Nice small ridge. The front part of the green is a bowl. Go off-line long and you could have 15 ft. of break

 
The first green from the ridge above the left side. Elevation change from front to back. Craddock 18 tee is in the background.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 2 HANKINS      Par 3 150 150 105     Not on the Craddock course.
Hole heads WSW.


Drop shot maybe 3 stories, favorable ground short of the green. This is probably truest in color, but still a bit lighter than actual.  The fairway in view left rear is Craddock 17, looking at its teeing ground.


Nice placement of bunkers to reward accuracy with a short iron.



The tee for #3 is behind the high ground beyond the green.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 3 HANKINS      Par 5  590 470 380
Slight dogleg right with overall direction to the W. The fairway is shared with Craddock 16, which heads from W to E.
The green is shared with Craddock 15, which approaches the complex towards the WSW

 Right of fairway is native grass area. My aiming point for the tee shot was towards the fairway bunker, assuming the architect had reason to site it there. A lay-up approach should be towards "Hankins"


View from the back tee
 


from the middle tee, which is around the right side bluff gives a better view of the hole. Play would be over the left horseshoe marker



Tee shot which stops near the fairway bunker will have this view. Odd flooring of the bunker and the rake is named 'hazard'


Fronting/right bunker is a common scheme covering the half of the shared green which is designed for the other hole approach




Our green from green high left



and the view from Craddock 15 shows the elevation drop from left to right.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE  #4 HANKINS      Par 4  370 325 305
Short 4 slightly downhill, heading to the ENE. Craddock 15 shares the fairway, heading to the W.
Green is shared with Craddock 14, heading to the ESE.


The tee shot doesn't give much definition because of the slight downslope. Play is straight unless the hole is cut front-left or back right.



This elevated view, shot from behind the 3rd green has a better view



View towards the green showing the fairway bunker



A view from right of the green. Contouring will channel some balls off the green

.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 5  HANKINS     Par 5  550  490  420
Steady uphill dogleg right par 5 heading to the NW. Fairway is shared with Craddock 14, heading to the SE.



The tee shot view, and should be played knowing the best approach to the green will be best played from the right side.



Long view of the green, shot somewhere near "Hankin". Collapsed pioneer cabin ruin to the left



The green  from front left. A ball hit to the left rear fringe will not necessarily release back



The green from the right side.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 6 HANKINS        Par 4  465  425  365
The 6th continues climbing up the valley to the NNW. It shares the fairway with Craddock 13, which plunges down to the SSE.


Tee shot is uphill with a fairly strong camber to the right. Green is behind the pine at the 'corner'. You could be blocked from the green on either side.


Green is to the right of the thicker trunk on the left.  A running approach should bounce straight.


Open green, center contour.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 7 HANKINS       Par 3  200  175  125
The 7th is near the high point (4,8000'). Play is S.  You can see Hankins 6 coming in from the SSE. You can also see the green of Craddock 12
beneath the 7th tee. Not on the Craddock course.


Very slightly downhill, hole moves across the high ground to the brink of the next valley.


Green from front right. If you can turn the ball to the left it has some redan


Green from the back right corner and a bunker I didn't see until later

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 8 HANKINS       Par 4  410  385  320
Green shared with Craddock 9. Tee shot plays S, approach plays SW.




Where's the green?  Six story drop to the fairway, bunker in the distance. Trace of a bunker to its right. Line of charm is to the right side of the bunker, and the trace bunker is the distance you want.
It's a dogleg right! Here is the approach from the big bunker, fall-away green


And here is the view from the trace bunker


If your approach is a smidge too hard this view from right and beyond shows what is in store.



Next hole is 500 yds downhill, not the 200 yd. uphill hole behind you.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 9 HANKINS     Par 4   500  405  360
Gently sloping down the valley to the E.  Fairway shared with Craddock 9, uphill to W.
Green is shared with Craddock 8, which plays ENE.


Above picture is the tee shot, down valley towards the vee.


Approach from "hankin" on the google map. Green is below the bushy pine at center right.


Your wedge approach. Running shot swings prominently left


The green from the high side.


The green from behind right.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 10 HANKINS       Par 4   445   385  330
The 10th features a blind tee shot as the course begins moving up to a high meadow. Plays as a slight dogleg left to the W,
The fairway is shared with Craddock 8. The green is shared with Craddock 7.


Blind tee shot, line is towards the low notch, or slightly right thereof. No problems in the landing area, which is relatively flat.


View of green from landing area


Green from wedge distance




10 green from  high left. Entrance to green is from the right

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 11   HANKINS    Par 4    305   285   270
Another blind tee shot. This hole plays to the high meadow. Direction is E. Fairway semi-shared with Craddock 7, a par 3.
Green shared with Craddock 6, which comes in from the SW.



Driveable hole. The optimal line is probably just right of the small tree just left of center. Plenty of miss room on the right,
not so much on the left



At rhe crest of the hill. Green is pretty flat, some could argue it falls away.


This view of the green is from the right, taken from Craddock fairway. More putting surface over green's. horizon.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 12  HANKINS    Par  4   445   405   325
Straight, slightly downslope hole, heading to the SW  .   Green is shared with Craddock 5, coming in from the E.
Last part of the fairway is shared with Craddock 5


Tee shot. Because of shared green, very slightly left of center may to charm.


The approach


Sentinels in front of green.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 13  HANKINS      Par 3    140   115    105
Level, but depression between tee and green. Plays to the SE.  Not on the Craddock course.


diagonal front of green creates distance uncertainty


This view from the left shows vertical narrowness, general lack of front-back slope.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 14  HANKINS    Par 5  505  490  385
Straight hole playing to the ENE. Not part of the Caddock course



The 14th is a straightaway hole, elevated tee. Fairway slightly uphill with negligible side camber. Small green, very much segmented.



If you lay-up for a wedge approach you'll likely won't have a level stance which could play havoc with the next shot.


View from the left shows the segmenting, with a fronting bunker


and the green from front and right. Best mistake may be a tad long.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 15 HANKINS      Par 3    175   145   90
Slight drop across a valley, playing ESE. Open to winds. Not on the Craddock course, but to explain this map the green appearing above tee is Hankins 14, the green above the line of play id Craddock 4, the green above our green is Craddock 3, tee areas for H16 + C4 are next to C3's green.


The picture is self explanatory. Adventures long.


My normal side view of the green, from the left side.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 16  HANKINS    Par 4     490     450    405
The straight hole overall is flat, playing to the NW. It shares the fairway with Craddock 3,. The green is shared with Craddock 2, which approaches from the E.


Slightly elevated tee shot, ball will run out and to the right. Kinda aim at the tall tree left of the green


Open approach which will accept a running approach. Reachable in 2, the greenside bunker isn't a bad miss.


The green, as shown from the left side.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 17  HANKINS       Par 4   330   305   270
Downhill all the way heading SE, the green is slightly left.  Fairway shared with Craddock 2. Standalone green


The second of three finishing holes to have birdie as a realistic result. Blast away.



Right half of the green is wide open.

[Pete_Pittock]

HOLE # 18  HANKINS      Par 5  590  505   440
So very downhill they've decided to use it as a marketing gimmick. Hope you can carry to the downslope of the center mound and you/ve hit the speed slot.  Hole plays SE. Fairway shared with Craddock 1 as a crossing "x". Stand-alone green


Back tee, obstructed view



Middle tee





Green distant,below small cloud near photo center, is reachable. Favor right side as strong downslope feeding balls to green.


Very receptive for pitch and run, even from well over 100 yds. Beware going left of your line as slope quite likely will cause ball to run across and off the green's left side.

[Tom_Doak]

Pete:


Good on you for getting up there!  Look forward to your review.


The colors of the grass on your first hole pictures are interesting.  Was it really hot?  Was it very firm and fast?

[Pete_Pittock]

As I remember the color of the grass was slightly less green. I does play firm and fast. I played for altitude, even though it doesn't usually affect my play and had a number of shots through the green, an occurance that for me is slightly less likely than winning the powerball jackpot.

[Dan Herrmann]

.

[Pete_Pittock]

Dan,
The only photos up are for hole #1. I will probably get a few more holes done tonight.

[Peter Pallotta]

Thank you, Pete, for all your work on this.
I've been at the main website; a special place, and it's striking how the trees scattered throughout the vast landscape create for me even a greater sense of the scale. 
From photos I've already picked out one my favorites - the Par 3 13th on Grant/Hankins!
Peter

[Garland Bayley]

Redundant now.

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