Sundoon, OR...an interesting find from rec.sport.golf

[Tim Taylor]

Saw a link to this on the RSG news group. Check out the pictures of the undisturbed property. Looks pretty inviting.

http://www.sundoon.com/

Looks pretty cool for all you Pacific Northwesters.

TimT

[Dan Herrmann]

I'm guessing they have a lot of volcanic rock under that soil that could make design pretty tough.

And, if you like wind, there's nothing quite like the Columbia Gorge

Quote from the webpage - Natural terrain + Fought's proven design concepts = Great holes and shot opportunities

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Oh Boy another Oregon Golf course with continuos wind and spectacular views!

[Dan Herrmann]

Oh Boy another Oregon Golf course with continuos wind and spectacular views!

But this is about a 6 hour drive from Bandon!

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Dan?

So is Bend!  

I must admit that The Dalles is probably 3 hours closer to me than Bandon.  I will be happy to wander its fairways.  My only question concerns the wind.  Hood River and the Dalles are the Wind Surfing Capitals of the world.  Variations in pressure from the east side of the Cascades to the west side of the Cascades creates some pretty serious and constant winds during the summer months.  Often times greater than the light Zephyr's of some other areas.  

I simply must ask whether there are some other considerations beside land forms?

[peter_p]

Actually, this will be a Washington course as it is across the Columbia River from The Dalles. It is less than two hours from Portland, even less if they ever increase the speed limit.
I've probably driven past this spot about fifty times and through it probably ten. On most passages I have marvelled about the golf course propects of the land, which is rumpled and clumpled. Geologiclally it appears to be a massive earthslump and slide.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Well Peter at least Washington will finally get into the game!

You know the Gorge better than I, what are the wind conditions at "Sundoon?"

[JohnV]

The Dalles is right at the eastern end of the Gorge and the winds howl there.  One of the best wind-surfing spots in the world.  The Dalles Country Club is a cute little 9-holer above town that can easily have 50 MPH winds blowing through it.

The course should be very interesting.  Especially those holes around the lakes when the wind is blowing.

[Dan Herrmann]

Amen - I thought my car was going to take off like an airplane because of the wind the first time I drove on I-84 in that area.

It's a nice drive up US197 from Bend too.  Very remote, but starkly beautiful.  There's actually a lot of land in there that could be good for golf.

Problems would be potential water shortages and igneous rock everywhere.  My pitching wedge still has a scar on it from a Bend-area course.

[peter_p]

Cos,
     The Dalles is a little less windy than Hood River, and this site should be a little bit less windy than the TDCC because it is a little lower and a little east of the gorge entrance, thus less venturi effect. It all depends on pressure gradient between eastern and western Oregon. It should be easy to design for winds which definitely blow east and west
      Water shouldn't be a problem, there seem to be some creeks and a fairly large lake and dam next door.
      www.globexplorer.com shows the landforms north of the river at its narrowest point.

[Norbert P]

Here's the lowdown on some other Oregon golf courses that are in the works or proposed.

  http://www.oregonsgolf.com/Oregon%20Golf%20Course%20News.htm  

Check out this quote by Sundoon GC designer John Fought...

Fought ... "said he believes the course will someday compare favorably to Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, Neb. ..."
  (I hope so!)

  Pictures of land of Sundoon at available  www.Sundoon.com

 (Sorry, this is a C+P from another post.)

[Craig Van Egmond]

Fought said approximately the same thing about Washington National in the Seattle area. How he had seen all the U.S. Open venues and that Wa Na was a U.S. Open worthy course

[JBStansell]

Perhaps Washington National is worthy as a tournament course, but I'm skeptical.   I can think of several others in the area that I would rather play, particularly considering the green fee.

As for Sundoon, I worry how the wind will affect its popularity, and therefore its viability.  Wind makes for an interesting round, but I think the "average Joe" will avoid any course where the wind constantly blows hard - and I'm betting that's the kind of course they'll get.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

I would love to have an exchange with Mr.Fought.  The multiple O.B. sports courses he has designed; Trophy Lake,Cimarron, Wash Nat., and Langdon Farms, all have an interesting design technique.  They tend to have large imposing bunkers that are not really in play.  A friend described the courses as being like a blonde with big hair.  Really great to look at but lacking in substance.

O.B. sports has been reorganized after some of their money dried up.  

Who agrees with me on this design technique?  Do you like it?  Will it stand the test of time?  Does the maintenance cost make sense to get a visually interesting golf course?  Is this really how Fought would like to deisgn or was this a corporate marketing directive from O.B. sports?

[Pete_Pittock]

According to this newspaper story (the golf course segment is at the end) it is back on track.
http://gorgenews.com/news/?p=3118