Jon, any thoughts about the course?
Jim:
I only had one loop around Sand Valley and the six holes open at Mammoth Dunes, but I really liked what I saw. Sand Valley is a typically excellent Coore & Crenshaw design will all of the usual hallmarks: interesting greens, wide fairways, naturalistic bunkers and a nice balance of long/short/hard/easier holes.
There are a number of very fun, very memorable holes. The short par-4 opener, which is driveable (with some risk) in the right wind, is a lot of fun. The par-3 5th hole plays from an elevated tee to green that is huge but must be hitn. The 6th is an excellent par-4 with terrific fairway bunkers partially hidden from the tee and a wild front-to-back sloping green (you can see this green in the first aerial I posted above). The 9th is another reachable par-4 with a green so severe that quads are possible. The back nine is likewise really good, and the closing holes are excellent -- I especially liked the long par-3 17th, which plays to a punchbowl green.
Based on what I saw of Mammoth Dunes (I believe the 1, 2, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are the holes that are open), if the final 12 holes live up to the first 6, I'd expect it to be held in at least equal regard to Sand Valley. The first hole (left in the second aerial) has the widest fairway I think I've ever seen - play to the upper right and you get a clean look to an open green; play to the lower left and the approach is blind over huge bunkers. The green is equally as massive. The 16th is an excellent and very beautiful par-3. And the 18th is a lovely three shot par-5 that finishes at the base of the clubhouse.
Bottom line - it's the equal of Streamsong as a public golf destination. I'll certainly be returning to see the completed Mammoth Dunes and the Coore & Crenshaw par-3 course that is about to get underway. The site itself is so good that the potential is virtually unlimited. I'm very eager to see how it all turns out.