[Jason Topp]

Anyone have views on this course near San Jose

[Tony_Chapman]

Jason - You may want to do a search. This is Huckaby's favorite course!!  

[Jason Topp]

My searches always seem to yield nothing.  Anone have suggestions?  I modify the time parameters.

[THuckaby2]

You guys just want to ruin my day, don't you?

Jason, Tony is right, you might want to do a search and find previous discussions of this monstrosity that might be loosely called a "golf course."  I can't bear to think about it again.  It's about 5 miles max from my home, and I also can't bear to play it...

I hate the course.  Hate it, hate it, hate it.  Did I mention I hate it.  Oh, I forgot to tell you, I freakin' hate this course.

 

And if you've followed this forum at all, you might recall that I have a well-earned rep for loving everything.

Which brings up a weird point:  I do hate this course, passionately.  It's everything that golf shouldn't be about: incredibly over-the-top severe, with a place to lose a golf ball on BOTH SIDES OF EVERY SINGLE HOLE (think about that for a minute); absolutely unwalkable except for Scott Burroughs and other masochistic ultramarathoners, with one ride from green to tee that we measured at over a mile, with others nearly that length, and several more that double back upon themselves; way overpriced; I guess that's enough description.

BUT...

if someone wanted to play that course tomorrow, assuming I had a life that allowed golf (which I don't for the time being)....

I'd play it.  It is golf, and there are some fun shots to be faced.  There is a cool par three with a bunker in the middle of the green that is gimmicky, but neat.  It is one hell of a challenge.  There are some nice views as it does sit on top of a little mountain.

I just wouldn't recommend this course to my worst enemy in terms of an enjoyable golf day.

Because not everyone is like me, for whom golf PERIOD, no matter where, is always going to be fun.

TH

[Jason Topp]

Tom:  Unfortunately, the guy I'm playing with will become more enthused with your description.  He hits it straight and is more than a bit of a masochist.  He used to want to play full court one on one basketball in college ... outside ... in Tempe ... in August.

I chose Pasatiempo for one round.  I'll let him choose the other.

[THuckaby2]

Jason:

I am going to type this very slowly.

YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE FREAKIN' BAY AREA AT YOUR DISPOSAL... AND THE RANCH IS WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO CHOOSE TO GO???

Please, save yourself.  OK, even if your friend is a straight-hitting masochist (and that's one unique golfer, lemme tell ya), you guys are gonna spend a LOT of money for one stupid golf hole after another.... fairways terraced into the sides of the mountain... dumbass layups required with 5 yard wide layup areas... and all this at a top end price....

I beg you, save yourself.  Save your friend.  There are SO many other courses that are actually fun to play, even for a straight-hitting masochist.  Hell Cinnabar Hills is right near The Ranch and actually offers good golf, at that high price.  It is very fun, and severe enough to please your friend.  

I could likely name 30 public courses within an hour's drive that are superior to The Ranch in every conceivable way... even for your masochistic friend... Hell if he likes that, drive south to Gilroy and play Eagle Ridge, another over the top course, but one that's at least somewhat decent....

Save yourself.
 
But if you choose this masochism, please do report back.  You likely won't hate it as much as me.  But I REALLY would like to hear about it if you walk.  Because I tried to convince Scott B. that this was the one course that even he wouldn't want to bother trying to walk... wait till you see the hills, the hikes, the stupid double-backs... If you can play every shot honestly and walk that course in less than five hours and end up less than exhausted, then call me when you get to 16 or so and I'll be there with the beers for you at the end.  I am not kidding.  I want to meet the idiots, er I mean tough guys, who walk that golf course.

 

[Jason Topp]

I can tell you I'm not walking.  I may see if I can goad Tony into doing it.

[THuckaby2]

Oh man... oh well, I guess it will be cool to hear from another person about this course.  So far only a very few have been brave enough to play it.  Focusing on the positive, well... it certainly is a challenge (second highest slope from the tips in the entire NCGA, which ought to tell you something about how it punishes the bogey golfer), and all of this at 6300 yards max.  There are some fun shots to be faced, for sure.  You likely haven't played many holes like what you will see there - it is unique.  There's a drop shot par 4 that can be driven, and that is rather fun... but of course at humongous risk.  As I say, the par three with the bunker in the green is neat.

Oh yeah, one more thing you need to know about this course:  the back tees listed on the card are COMPLETELY FICTITIOUS.  They don't exist.  The plates are all marked correctly.  Compare what it says on the plates to what they list on the card and you will see what I mean.  It's particularly comical on the par threes... where the card might say 190, and the farthest plate backing up to a cliff is 145.... oh where oh where has that 190 tee gone, oh where oh where can it be?

As for your friend, well... if he manages to walk that course with no helping rides from you, then he has proven his devotion to walking beyond a shadow of a doubt.  You'll see....

TH

[Mike_Cirba]

The Ranch (fake tee markers and all) sounds a LOT like "Country Club of the Poconos at Big Ridge", except that the latter is built on almost 1000 acres, and features 12 MILES of cart paths from the first tee to the 18th green.

Some rides from green to tee seem to take 10 minutes or longer.  

Amazingly, with all of that land at his disposal, architect Jim Fazio was seemingly unable to find a single decent golf hole.  

 

I would be shocked if it's not worse than The Ranch.  

[THuckaby2]

Mike:

Let's just hope neither one of us ever has to make this comparison based on personal knowledge.  I mean playing one of these courses is enough... playing BOTH would be beyond the call of duty, no?

 

It's funny, but at The Ranch, what galls me more than the cart rides are the fictitious back tees.  I mean, the cart paths are necessary if one is going to rout a course around the mountain on which this place sits... of course the real issue is why build a course there at all, but the idea is to help sell homes, so what the hell... but ficitious back tees?  That's a new one on me.  

Here's the scorecard:

http://www.theranchgc.com/images/scorecard.jpg

Here are the distances and ratings, as done by the NCGA team of which I was a part:

Men
Black               72        72.9     152      6372
Blue                 72        71.3     147      5956
White               70        68.9     139      5391

The black tees listed on the scorecard just plain do not exist.  And it's not a matter of them not being open, or not being built... in most cases the laws of physics prevent their existence.

I really don't know why this matters to me, but it does... it's a form of false advertising... and pisses me off.

 

[Jason Topp]

Tom

How do you rate a course from tees that do not exist?

[PThomas]

Jason -- if you want to buy Huck a hat from his favorite place I'm in for half of the cost!

[THuckaby2]

As you see, we didn't.  We rated the real distances.

Us course raters are intelligent and great guys, for sure.  But even we can't defeat the laws of physics.  

The distances on the card are ficitious on nearly every hole.  The rating is for the real distances.  Those are marked on plates on each tee, or little signs.  Make a comparison to the card as you play... it is good comedy.

TH

[Tony_Chapman]

Jason - See if you can talk your buddy into Cinnabar Hills as Tom recommended (I've never played it) or San Juan Oaks (which I have played) and found really enjoyable.

[Jason Topp]

Perhaps team hats for the Kings Putter.

[THuckaby2]

Jason -- if you want to buy Huck a hat from his favorite place I'm in for half of the cost!

Paul, please.  Remember it's 5 miles from my home.  One of my golf buddies is a marshall there.  I have more crap from this course than I know what to do with.  The do have a decent logo.. my kids like it.  

TH

[PThomas]

Huck -- I thought due to your hatred of the place you would have had zero stuff from there...

oh well...I would have even autographed it for you....

[THuckaby2]

Paul:

I have generous friends.  The Ranch also does love to get their name out there.

Just remember, I said I own it.  I did not say I wear it.

 

Side note:  when this course was discussed before, when it opened in the middle of last year, bets were taken on how long it would survive.. well... finances are seeming to become an issue... they run specials and coupons and the like with advertisements nearly every day in the San Jose Mercury...

So Jason, if you do go play, make sure and get one of the special deals.  Oh, it's a rotten shame with all of our actually good courses around you are choosing this one to play... it would be a CRIME if you paid full price.

TH

[Jason Topp]

Jason:

"I could likely name 30 public courses within an hour's drive that are superior to The Ranch in every conceivable way..."

Tom - care to name a top five public placing price, distance from San Jose and quality as equally weighted factors?

[THuckaby2]

Certainly.  Excluding Pasa itself, and limiting this to public courses, I'd say....

1. Cinnabar Hills - damn good course, maybe 10 miles from downtown San Jose but still actually in city limits.  Set in bucolic valley near Calero reservoir... great course, 27 holes, hell Rich Goodale says it's better than Pasa.  I don't go that far, but at least it is arguable.  Somewhat pricey on weekends ($100) but deals available during the week, and at twilight.

2. San Juan Oaks - about a 30 minute drive south of San Jose, maybe a little further, but a VERY good course well worth the drive for sure.  Couples/Bates design, many fun strategic choices to be faced, fantastic drainage, pretty good price.

3. Santa Teresa (my home course).  No great shakes, basic muni really, but with a few holes that are indeed very interesting.  In San Jose city limits, a few miles closer in than Cinnabar.  Well worth playing as it is pretty cheap.  But price would be the issue here far more than quality.

4.  Pajaro Valley - great course in Watsonville, unfortunately tough to get there from San Jose in less than 45 minutes, so slips down the list here.  Good price, great greens, very creative holes, great fun.  But definitely a difficult drive over the hills.

5a. Cordevalle - fantastic course in San Martin, about 20 miles south of San Jose.  Mostly private though, and VERY expensive, thus I put it below the others due to the high price.  If cost weren't an issue this would be #1.

5b. Coyote Creek - two decent courses also in SJ city limits, maybe 7-8 miles south of city center.  Pretty darn near The Ranch, actually.  People in here rag on the courses but I find both to be good fun.  Nothing super, nothing bad.  Same prices as Cinnabar, but some deals can be had.

5c. Spring Valley, in Milpitas.  Good price, great fun, shortish course with very few bunkers, but damn good greens with wild slopes.  Definitely quirky, so don't expect "tough but fair".... need sense of humor to enjoy... maybe 10 miles from downtown SJ.

5d. Shoreline in Mountain View - maybe 10 miles north of SJ.  Darn good course, many water hazards, links-ish in feel even with those.  10-12 is as good a 3-hole stretch as any course around.  Decent price, worth playing.  Gets very windy.  John Krystynak's home course....

That's it, really. And I know I cheated giving you more than 5. Oh there are other fine public courses around, but all would be a much farther drive away.  There are also others closer in that are decent. If you want to go into those, let me know.  

Note ALL of those listed above are so much better than The Ranch as to make the comparison comical... even my beloved, humble Santa Teresa....

TH

ps - another one worth doing is Delaveaga, pretty near Pasa in Santa Cruz.  Figure 5-10 minutes further from SJ than Pasa is... and its kind of a junior Pasa... more of a muni course in terms of conditioning, but still damn good, with some VERY good holes that need to be seen.  Tough and very tight, seems right up your friend's alley.  But also in Santa Cruz, so a bit of a drive.  Pretty darn cheap also.

[Jason Topp]

Thanks Tom

[Evan_Green]

FYI

I DID NOT FINISH 6 holes in a row. I lost well over a dozen golf balls (probably closer to 20) and I am a 5 handicap.

Its the kind of course thats so penal if you're off your game it can shake your confidence in your ability to make pars and bogeys... It took me 3 weeks of no golf to get back on track!

[Evan_Green]

Yes there really is a 5 yard lay-up area!!! Tom is not exaggerating!

[THuckaby2]

Evan:  thanks.  Most people do think I'm exaggerating about this course.  You having seen it know the awful truth.

I played GREAT golf one of my rounds there and lost 4 golf balls.  I mean this was pure ball striking, as good as I can do.  My other round was like yours - probably a dozen balls at least lost.  One time was back tees, one time was middle. My index ranges from 3-6.  Last time there my two friends I was with - a 12 and a 16 - lost so many golf balls that we stopped counting.  I'm not kidding.  By the 7th hole the 16 handicapper had lost over 24 balls so it ceased to be any fun to count.  He quit after 15 holes, ostensibly because he had an appointment to get to, but the truth is really he must have started to hate having to ask me for more golf balls.

But the sad thing is that Jason's friend is not out of the ordinary really... there sure is a class of golfers for whom stories like this make the course MORE attractive.  And in a way I can understand that... a challenge is cool.  But the challenge at The Ranch is also SO stupid... and so over the top... that conquering it wouldn't even be all that fun.  Sure, one could hit 5iron off of every tee and perhaps only lose 5 golf balls.  Is that golf?

That's The Ranch....

TH

[Jason Topp]

I get the sense some of you don't like the course.

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