Jon:
Step out on a limb for your picks -- are you saying that Willshire and Hacienda are top 25 in the state for you ?
No doubt people have different emphasis points and preferences which is fine with me. I learn by the comments
people have and clearly since you live in the state you have more daily exposure. My last round at Willshire was
well over a decade ago -- ditto for Hacienda.
Thanks for the note on Port Washington. Have not played it -- but I have played other Watson courses -- namely his
successful effort at Reunion in the Orlando area.
Kyle:
I can understand how certain people feel about LaPurisima. But Winchester is a wondreful layout with a first rate site and a number of fine holes which compliment each other nicely. You'll have to do much more than say it doesn't belong. A bit more meat to your rationale would be a fine place to start.
Sir Ward,
IMHO, while it occupies a lovely part of the state and certainly has some merits, Winchester CC also possesses a number of flaws that prevent it from reaching the top echelon of California’s golf courses.
Shaping issues:
-The predominantly rectangular runway-style tees clash with the rounded look of the bunkers, fairways and green shapes.
-A handful of ovular tee boxes were shaped amongst the rectangular offerings, destroying continuity.
-Too many tee boxes are built up forcefully against the existing grade using exposed artificial piles of mined rocks.
-Fairway bunkers are frequently out of scale (too broad compared with fairways).
-Disproportionately narrow fairways cut with wide swaths of rough on either side.
-Greenside bunkering set too far from greens, thus capturing wildly errant shots instead of protecting pin locations.
-Cart path built to be more of an eyesore than need be.
-Creeks and artificial ponds completely rock-lined
-Little in the way of subtle humps and swales in and around greens to encourage thoughtful recovery shots.
Strategic Issues
- Often, the shorter tees provide the worst approach angles (e.g. back tees require less of a forced carry over bunkering or play down the long axis of the greens when the forwards tees do not.
-Fairway bunkers placed to extract penalty rather than to suggest strategy in many cases.
-Only centerline hazards are trees, or the occasional (sometimes blind) creek bed.
-The challenges posed by the straightforward, flat par 4s holes (3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 17) are a bit repetitive.
Routing
-Terribly long walks between holes.
Course Tour
http://www.winchestercountryclub.com/winchestercountryclub/content/view_c.php?s_id=1804112 Dark Horse shares a couple of these flaws (greens built up with rocks next to unnatural water features on 6, 7 and 18 for instance, tough walk, some cart path issues, etc.), but offers more variety in its holes and more artful putting contours on a similar property just a few miles away. The shaping is far superior, tying into the native grades with much greater subtlety. Bunkers are much more naturalistic, better proportioned and filled with sand that matches native soils.
While the 10th and 12th (and maybe one or two of the par 3s) could be considered connector holes, 1,2,3,4,9,11,14,15 and 17 are genuine standouts.
Course Tour
http://www.darkhorsegolf.com/page.php?page_id=2235&name=Spectacular_DarkHorse La Purisima enjoys a nice setting, but the awkward placement of manmade ponds (especially on the 2nd hole) detracts from the experience, as does the overabundance of steeply pitched false fronts and heavy-handed green shapes.
The steeper holes, mostly occupying the back nine, are all too frequently lacking in playability when the ever-present winds dry them out. This is due to the overly narrow, side-sloping, and sometimes blind fairways with penal native areas on either side.
Again, it is a pretty property, but no the course is no world-beater
I prefer Monarch Dunes up the road, among many other throughout the state.