Huck:
Okay, don't tell me where YOU hit it, but tell me which holes you thought the desert was way too close to the green. Just saying it "in general" doesn't really help me at all, no matter how many times you say it. Which holes are going to kill your dad?
FWIW, here is my newbie opinion on Stone Eagle:
I really liked the greens. Each one had enough contour to make recovery interesting, challenging, and possible. I had plenty of these shots during the two rounds, and enjoyed rolling the ball to the hole. On many holes, I had the option to use the slope, and it worked out well, some not so well. Hell, I even chipped on in from the front of #13 to save par.
As mentioned above, I missed plenty of greens. There was room to miss. On # 8, I missed my second shot long and left. It was fine, but did take me 3 to get down for par. I found only one green to be unapproachable. On #10, the narrow green angles away to the gofers right. There is a bunker front right, and bail out zone is short left. I hit mine long left, and it was sleeping with the rattlers. It was a poor shot and deserved death, but, I prefer the finality of a cliff or water rather that searching for it in the briquettes.
As for severity, if you miss, you deserve a challenge. But if you miss in the rocks, you’re pretty much dead. The bunkers are deep, and the sand was soft. Long sand shots were very difficult, and on #18, Mr. Benham’s ball plugged on what looked like a 60 degree slope. Kinda fun for me to watch, but Mike wasn’t liking it.
As far as tee shots, I found #4 and 18 the ones that required threading the needle. All others had plenty of room.
I could not see playing this course on a daily basis since I like to walk. Even in the winter, I do not think I could walk Stone Eagle. Elevation changes make this a very difficult walk.
I had fun, but this course is not my cup of tea.