[Tim Copeland]

I know we aren't supposed to pass judgment based on pictures, but this one looks like a lot of fun to me.

Thanks for posting!

O yeah...loads of fun to play....no fun to maintain

There is a happy medium...and this course is not it...not even close

Someone that knows the greens fee figure out how many rounds have to be played to get to .......lets say....$1.5 mil

THEN we will startt to work on the construction and all of the changes.......

I know nothing about the project except that it is a gorgeous course with a headache of features to maintain.

Of course....most gorgeous women are high maintenance

[Tim Copeland]

Never mind.....I looked at the website

Money is no object

[Michael Dugger]

Never mind.....I looked at the website

Money is no object

There is a saying in Bend that nobody is from Bend.  

Lots of dollars in Bend.  Lots of California dollars.

[John Kirk]

It sure is pretty.  Beautiful little trees, too.

[Kyle Henderson]

Are the fairways as smooth and lacking undulation/movement as they look in the pictures?

I know if I were to walk off course I would have to be stepping over things and watching for turned ankles. If I walk on course, is it almost akin to walking pavement?

I would describe the movement in the fairways as more broad, not the little wrinkles that we see at links courses.

It's difficult to capture that kind of elevation change with a camera

They are far from flat, however, a good many dead elephants out there.

And yes, the rocky gunk and hairy bunkers make for careful walking.

But I didn't really find myself out there too much and I can be quite wild.  The playing corridors are ample.

I seem to recall that photos of the Nicklaus course showed a lot more movement in the fairways than what I see in the Fazio course pictures. Big, rolling swales and such... Can anyone verify this?

If that is the case, does this difference reflect different characteristics in each site or mainly shaping differences.

[Michael Dugger]

The entire Pronghorn complex is on very similar terrain.  While I have not played the Nicklaus course, I feel fairly confident stating that there is little difference in the overall elevation differences.  As I mentioned earlier, I doubt there is more than 50' change in elevation throughout the entire property which I was told spans 700 acres, including both courses plus trimmings.

I just didn't do as well as Tommy in capturing the elevation change but there are indeed places on the course where you are looking uphill, downhill and up from a deep catch basin within the fairway

[cary lichtenstein]

I know we aren't supposed to pass judgment based on pictures, but this one looks like a lot of fun to me.

Thanks for posting!

O yeah...loads of fun to play....no fun to maintain

There is a happy medium...and this course is not it...not even close

Someone that knows the greens fee figure out how many rounds have to be played to get to .......lets say....$1.5 mil

THEN we will startt to work on the construction and all of the changes.......

I know nothing about the project except that it is a gorgeous course with a headache of features to maintain.

Of course....most gorgeous women are high maintenance

I couldn't help myself when I saw this comment "Of course, most gorgeous women are high maintainence".

Just ask all the guys who are divorsed from these gems if it is most, or perhaps "all". Ask Tiger or Phil

[Tom_Doak]

I don't know what the construction budget was for Fazio's course, but I can tell you that Jack Nicklaus was absolutely flabbergasted that Fazio & company would move so much earth in the rock there.  I could not help noticing his comment since it sounded, dare I say, "minimalist" in leaning ... either that or he was jealous that Fazio got to spend so much more money than he did, I'm not sure which.

Both sites are relatively flat, Fazio's probably the flatter of the two, I don't think there was even 50 feet of elevation change there.  (Our site a few miles away has about 60-70 feet of elevation change, but only because we had our choice of 1500 acres and I looked for the elevation changes.)

[Tim Bert]

Tom Doak - I don't see an Oregon course on the development list of your website.  Is this a private or public underwtaking near Pronghorn?

You're getting less and less time to publish that Pacific Dunes book I've been anticipating for three years.  How about just emailing us the available commentary on the design and construction of the holes?

[Matt_Ward]

Michael:

Thanks for the photos and the quite insightful / detailed analysis.

I had the pleasure in being at Pronghorn in '05 and toured the Nicklaus course because my visit coincided with a freakish 50-60 mph day. The opportunity to play was not practical or worthwhile but I was taken by the qualities Nicklaus and team included for the original 18.

After the first 18 I was able to tour the Fazio course -- a few of the holes were further along than the others and what you have described is quite accurate.

The two layouts have simply sent a very loud and clear message that the Bend area is now accelerating as a "must visit" place for golf -- as well as the other activities that are part and parcel of the area.

As Tom Doak mentioned he will have a layout nearby and the range / diversity of the other courses already present is quite good. Frankly, I can't think of a better place for summer weather than Bend in the USA -- warm days with no humidity and often cool nights.

Pronghorn is indeed a place on the move -- up.

[SPDB]

Matt -
Indeed. It seems that the totality of Bend is really making it quite the destination.

[Tom_Doak]

Bend is a happening place, that's for sure.  David Kidd is already at work on his course; we are about to start clearing ours; last word was that the other new project with Palmer and Coore/Crenshaw courses is a bit delayed and won't start until next year.

It's still got a long way to go before it can compare to the great golf destinations in America, in my estimation.  I don't know if any of the courses which exist so far will be considered in the top 100 in America down the road ... a far cry from those destinations which already have multiple entrants.

[henrye]

Michael,

I don't think I have ever seen such a unique course since Paul Turner posted Hirono. Thanks for posting.

Thnaks so much for sharing Michael. Wonderful photos! A very unique looking course.

Am I missing something here?  Other than the fun looking #6 and the out of place #8, what so unique about this place/course?

[Michael Dugger]

bump

[SPDB]

I'll echo some of the comments here that there looks to be a lack of fairway movement or contouring, but the pictures are quite compelling.

Quick question/observation. Is anybody else having a difficult time discerning fairway from greenspace? It was a little disconcerting at first, but after looking at these pictures, I think it could be employed to great effect making distance difficult to determine.  

[Sean_A]

Thanks for posting Michael.  From the pix the most interesting parts of the course are the green sites.  Many look like they gently slope toward trouble without resorting to wild slopes which wouldn't fit the fairly flat terrain.  I like how the fairways blur into greens.  You are right in that it looks like many of the tee shots are similar.  I think it is because there is WAY too much sand in play for my liking.  This amount of sand gives the holes a much of a muchness look which isn't attractive IMO.  #s 6 & 7 look to be great holes and the bunkering on #6 looks fantastic.  Do you have other pix of #8 that show more of the hole?

Ciao

[Jerry Kluger]

Let me see if I can ask my question without sounding like I know so much because I don't pretend to be an expert.  In looking at the course I see a piece of property which does not have elevation changes but does has some very interesting natural features - the small trees, rocks, etc. which to me don't play that much into the design. Instead, what I see are big beautiful - although perhaps a bit flat - fairways and a whole lot of bunkering - many of which seem very large.  The bunkers do allow for a much easier recovery than the trees and rocks but they are a buffer from the natural hazards.  Most of the desert golf I've played in the Phoenix area uses the desert as the primary hazard and not bunkers except around the greens so I was wondering what others might think is the better approach or is there a way to combine them?

[George Pazin]

Thanks for sharing, the photos look great.

I only speed-read the comments, but I didn't see anything regarding walkability. Did you walk or ride? If you rode, did it seem comfortably walkable?

Regarding memorability: Barney always hates when I say this, but the 4 Fazio courses I've played (2 more than my Doak and C&C courses combined, how's that for biased? ), I really struggle to remember specifics on various holes or the routing. I think a big part of that is that they've all been riding only or riding heavily encouraged courses.

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