Congratulations to GCA's own Forrest Richardson!

From today's East Valley Tribune:

Rocky Point course here to stay
By Bill Huffman, For the Tribune
May 25, 2006
PUERTO PEÑASCO, Mexico - It’s taken about a decade of planning and work, with a multitude of breakdowns along the way, but Arizona’s favorite Mexican playground — Rocky Point — finally has a golf course.
Oh, sure, the nine holes at Laguna del Mar Golf Club opened three years ago — and closed a year later. Chances are the locks and chains never will come off the gates, as, alas, Laguna del Mar is a mud bog.

But Saturday, with the governor of Sonora on hand for the celebration, the Links at Las Palomas opened its 18 holes. Designed by Phoenix architect Forrest Richardson, my guess is that the Links at Las Palomas is here to stay.

“I came away with a smile on my face,’’ said Richardson, whose work in the Valley includes Phantom Horse Golf Club in Phoenix and Coldwater Golf Club in Avondale.

“You feel like you’re in Mexico, but there is no escaping the linksy feel.’’

Having played that style of course in Ireland and Scotland, I would agree. Richardson has inserted some mystery and a little magic into his first project south of the border.

Truthfully, I’m surprised. When I first saw the Links at Las Palomas — from the air — I thought it might be a pancake-styled layout with standard tee boxes, fairways and greens. That Richardson was able to build so much rolling elevation into the course’s sandy base — and keep you guessing! — was a nice twist.

Then again, I’ve never understood why people flock to this land of plentiful shrimp and Bud Light. Unkempt would be the polite way of describing the Rocky Point scene. That it is engulfed in poverty also does not bode well, at least from a visitor’s standpoint.

Still the “touristas” come in droves, with a lot of them making the trek from the East Valley. And with so many “gringos’’ clamoring for entertainment, the Links is certain to be a huge hit.

“I feel like the reason everything has turned out so well is because we were connected to the project, and we were here during every phase of the building and shaping,’’ said Richardson of the 6,850-yard layout that features four sets of tees all the way down to 5,022 yards.

“The best way to describe what we have created is to focus on the tremendous sand dunes, and how the course will play up, over, around and through these beautiful land forms.’’

All the holes feature Spanish names, my favorites being “Zorro’’ (No. 5), “Tequilla” (No. 6), “Poco Diablo” (No. 14) and “Señor Vulea” (No. 16, “Mr. Turn’’). If there is a memorable stretch, it’s the 11th through 14th holes, where Richardson gives you lots of different shots, from a long par 3 to a short par 4 to a dramatic dogleg par 5.

The Links at Las Palomas concludes with an uphill par 5 that, due to a surreal backdrop against the neighboring resort, makes your day. And if all the bets aren’t quite settled, there is even a short 19th hole for that specific purpose, and it is a beauty, playing right into the Sea of Cortez.

If there is a weakness, it’s the conditioning of the golf course, particularly the greens. At the same time, the thick Paspalum seaside-dwarf grass is so hardy and aggressive, it won’t be long before the Links is picture-perfect.

“The Paspalum has been allworld,’’ said Richardson, who had tried another strain without as much success. “There’s still a little unevenness to the greens, but every week they get better and better.’’

Several media types were invited to play the Links during the grand opening, and nary a discouraging word was heard with the exception of the putting surfaces.

“Very fair with a lot of interesting holes,’’ said Nancy Howard, the editor of Arizona Golfer. “We found it to be a lot of fun, and especially ‘women-friendly.’ ’’

Jeff Foster of Arizona Fairways also liked what he encountered. “The greens were a little slow and shaggy, but from edge to edge it was pretty good. . . . Overall, very challenging with a lot of character.’’

Fans of the Rocky Point area will be amazed just how good the Links at Las Palomas is, and more important, will be. For a green fee that will range from $35 to $45 in the summer up to $65 to $90 in winter, it is reasonable, especially when compared to the staggering fees of $250 to $350 that now are being charged in Arizona’s other Mexican hotbed — Cabo San Lucas.

The Links also has memberships available at $25,000 and rising. Obviously, it must be a pretty sweet deal, as 150 of them already have been sold.

Hey, who knows? Maybe it’s not too late to take another visit to Rocky Point. With the addition of the Links at Las Palomas, well, at least they’ve got my attention.

Forrest, Congratulations!

Is there any chance you could post a few photos?  Love to see the movement you put into the land, the bunkering and some of the green sites.  

Also, by spending so much time on the site, I'm sure you built subtlety into the course that is sorely lacking from many of today's design efforts, perhaps you could describe them to us.

I had the opportunity to visit the course when it was being shaped. The land does have plenty of movement and the conceptual elements of the holes / routing looked quite good.

I hope to return in the near future and test the clubs against what Forrest has created.

Congrats to all involved.

I think Forrest said 2.5 hours from Phoenix or 3 hours from Tucson.

But it's in a frickin' FOREIGN COUNTRY!    (Said in my best Shivas impersonation.)

Bill:  South Dakota isn't?

 

I say that in complete jest, but seriously, to a Californian - especially a Southern Californian - Mexico truly is way less foreign than Nebraska or South Dakota.  I'm sure Arizona natives understand as well.

Tom, I wonder about that.  I don't know how much you've traveled in Mexico, but I've been to some places in Mexico that bear absolutely no resemblance to Southern California or Arizona.  Old Mexico is pretty Third World-y.  

I don't know what Puerto Penasco is like, however.

Tom,

I understand what you're saying.  I guess my point, as a Midwesterner by birth and someone who's traveled in the southwest and Mexico, is that Mexico (the real Mexico, not Cabo) definitely feels like a foreign country (and that's one of the reasons I like it).  As much as a Californian, especially a pretentious one, might feel out of place in the Midwest, he still will be on more familiar terrain than in Mexico, IMO.  I don't know if you agree or disagree, but I don't think we're arguing--our positions do not necessarily conflict.

After three years of writing a book together, Forrest has finally figured out what a good hazard is and where to place them  All kidding aside, Forrest is a very insightful architect and does excellent work!!  He is willing to take some chances in his designs and everyone should expect to see a lot more great projects like this from him in the future.
Congratulations Forrest!

Forrest was generous enough to offer an opportunity for a wiling GCAer to come down and see the site, maybe see what is involved with actually building a course, a few years ago. I'm sorry I wasn't able to take him up on his generous offer. Sounds like the course is coming along quite nicely.

Well then Bill, they have plenty of that in SoCal as well.

 

Bill:  South Dakota isn't?

Tom, when I lived in SF, some people there considered Los Angeles as a foreign country.  Some considered Oakland as a foreign country.  

Here is some info re Rocky Point:

Arizonans making Mexican resort 2nd home
By Bill Huffman, For the Tribune
May 25, 2006
PUERTO PEÑASCO, Mexico - In some ways, this little fishing village dubbed “Rocky Point’’ is beginning to look a lot like Cancun.

With high-rise, futuristiclooking condominium towers jutting up in every direction along this flat-as-the-horizon beach, Rocky Point might need to go back to its original name, Puerto Peñasco, just to handle the new image.

The driving force behind the change is the Worldwide Group from Hermosillo, Mexico, and two developers from Phoenix — Alan Mishkin and Steven Barger of Abigail Properties.

Between them, they have built, or are building, 15 massive towers of condos that are 10 to 15 stories high. The 342-acre project is called the Las Palomas Seaside Golf Community and includes an 18-hole golf course that just opened.

According to Barger, 860 out of the 1,500 condos are already sold, with sales totaling more than $300 million. Amazing numbers when you consider the project is not quite three years old.

Just as eye-opening, 75 percent of the sales have been to Arizonans, with 30 percent to 35 percent tied to East Valley residents.

“There are lots of reasons why people are buying property down here,’’ Barger explained. “First of all, it’s still very affordable compared to other ocean-front property throughout the world. . . .

“And for Arizonans, it’s only three or four hours to get here, which is as close as you can get to the ocean from Phoenix or Tucson.’’

As Barger pointed out, owning property in Mexico is easier than it once was.

“Sure, you might need title insurance, just like you need in the (U.S.),’’ Barger said. “But it all goes into a bank trust, so you control the property just like you can in the (U.S.).’’

Today, one-bedroom condos start at $300,000 and go all the way up to $1.8 million for a 13thstory penthouse. Amazing appreciation, considering those original units back in 2003 sold for $160,000 to $500,000.

Mishkin, who at one time owned the golf courses at the Arizona Biltmore and Scottsdale Country Club, said there is another reason people flock to Rocky Point.

“There is no hustle-bustle like back home, and the ocean is like therapy,’’ Mishkin said. “Arizonans have always had a love affair with Rocky Point, and now that’s true more than ever.’’

While owning beach property is sweet from a lifestyle standpoint, having a golf course like the Links at Las Palomas is the final piece of the puzzle, Mishkin said.

“Now all the amenities of home are right here at your second home,’’ he said of the community.

According to Mishkin, Las Palomas also has been good for the locals, reducing unemployment to an unheard of (for Mexico) 3 percent while bolstering the economy with what will eventually be a $750 million impact.

What’s it all mean? Mishkin said only time will tell, although he likes what he sees — and hears.

“They’re now referring to Rocky Point as a ‘blue-collar San Diego,’ and that’s pretty cool,’’ he said. “I know this might seem hard to fathom, but by comparison, Cabo (San Lucas) has 12,000 rooms and condos, and we have about 4,000 right now.

“But with the 50 miles of beachfront in every direction, someday Rocky Point will be bigger than Cabo.’’

The Links at Las Palomas is located on the edge of town. Right on Sandy Beach. The 6th is named Puerto Viejo — "Old Port" — and is aimed  straight at the port and ships.

http://www.thelinkslaspalomas.com/

Forrest- How hard was it to grow-in the Paspaulum?

Did you have any "local" issues? (Stories of corruption abound in Mexico)

The straight lines of the lake wall are reminiscent of a Raynor effect. Were you thinking of him when you made them, juxtapose the softer countours of the dunesey land?