[mark chalfant]

Some friends told me that Hunter is scenic and fun to play. is it  a basic routing or is the land well used/ with good movement.
are some nice greens part of the mix ?  thanks

[Tom_Doak]

Mark:

Gil Hanse and I tried to get that job, many years ago, after Peter Oosterhuis introduced us to the landowner Mr. Hunter.  It is a really nice piece of ground.  I can't remember who wound up doing the course, but I did stop by several years later to have a quick look around.  It was quite busy so I had a hard time seeing the whole thing, but it looked reasonably good.  However, the formula of "big greens for public play" looked like it would render a lot of the strategy moot, for a good player.

[Aidan Bradley]

[Jordan Wall]

Aidan,

I am so glad you post on this website.
I love all of your pictures!
They are awesome!
Thanks man!!!

[Aidan Bradley]

Thanks for the kind words Jordan. Below is one of my favorites from my recent trip to Ireland. Will post some more another day.

[Robert_Ball]

Aidan,
I was just about to direct Mark to your great Hunter photos on golfcoursephotography.com

Mark,
Hunter is definitely scenic.  The views of the vineyards, oak trees and rolling hills are especially nice from the 3rd tee (Aidan's first pic) and 4th green.  But there isn't much interest in the design, IMO.  I've played several tournament rounds there and every player plays every hole the same way.  There really is only one legitimate option on every tee with the possible exception of #6 which has an oak in the middle of the fairway.  And when the wind is blowing as it often is the course is a beast for higher handicaps. The 12th and 17th are two of the worst designed holes I've ever played.

On the plus side, the conditions are great for an affordable public course, the ranch-style clubhouse is a nice hangout and you've got all the wineries to sample nearby.  I especially recommend Eberle Winery directly across Hwy 46 from the course.  Arrange a tour and tasting in the caves they've built to store their wine.  And old town Paso is fun.

Tom,
The course gives credit for the design to Mr. Hunter and Mike McGinnis, the club's original head pro.  I think it's a shame they did not seek out an architect such as yourself for the job.

-Robert

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Tom Doak
I have been told, I think maybe it was Gil Hanse, not sure, that you presented Hunter with a propose routing.  If so, did he use it?
Golfers in Southern California rank it much better than average.  I have not played it.  But have often thought that Hunter learned from what was good and bad at his first courses, Sandpiper and La Purisima, and from a Doak routing to build a pretty decent place.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Calfiotna......

Tom, you've built courses in Barnboogle, Holyoke, Bandon, Cabo, Sebonack and almost central Calfionta.

Where in the Hell is Calfionta?  

Interesting stuff about Hunter Ranch.

What I would't give for a glass of vino growing out there in that field next to it!

[Adam Clayman]

I have golfed Hunter Ranch quite a few times, but not for several years. The course I played looked nothing like Aidan's pictures.

I don't know if the course has changed that much or Aidan is just that good of a photog?

Either way, I always considered many of the holes at HR, fun but looking back, it is remembered as borderline goofy. Trees and water and more trees come into play on most of the holes.

I always considered LaPurisima the better course.

[Evan_Green]

Thanks for the kind words Jordan. Below is one of my favorites from my recent trip to Ireland. Will post some more another day.

Aidan

That is one heck of a great shot.

What course is that?

[Tom_Doak]

Lynn:

We did indeed give Mr. Hunter a proposed routing for the course, but he wasn't that impressed and didn't steal much from it.  (My main reason for stopping in the one time was to see if he had.)

For many years after that I wouldn't do a routing until I was signed up to do a job, for fear that I would be doing the work for others.  I made an exception for Sebonack, and that worked out well for me , but of course nowadays I have more leverage in the power struggles than I used to.

Even when you are protective of routing work, one's client can also lose control of the project, a la Erin Hills, and then your routing is pretty much into the public domain.  Thankfully, Whitten and Hurdzan were too stubborn to look at it and preferred to do their own version.

[Aidan Bradley]

Evan,

It is the 3rd hole at Cheann Sibeal (which in Irish means Sibil Head, a local landmark) also known as Dingle, a remote course, but wonderful, simple and remote. Like Carne, as honest as they get. This image was the benefit of never giving up, always believing there is one more image to be squeezed out of the gift of a beautiful day. I was lucky, and very grateful.  Glad you enjoyed it.

Aidan.

[rjsimper]

I've played Hunter Ranch 4 times.

My thoughts are that the first 6 holes are quite good, though I'm undecided about the tree in the 6th fairway.  The better land is on the front nine...the back nine starts to try a bit too hard.  The 10th, though I don't mind it, is a gimmicky start to the back nine, and several of the holes on the back pinch the landing area unnecessarily - the 11th is silly, and the boomerang par 5 around the lake (15, I think...) is ridiculous.

18 is a letdown, but I'm not sure if you can really call it a letdown after a back nine which doesn't equal the front.

It's in a pretty location, and its a very low-key place.  The greens are for the most part, large and not overly imaginitive - more gentle sloping than anything else lots of "big and round" going on.

If you're familiar with area courses, I say take the front at Hunter Ranch and the front at La Purisima and you've got yourself a heck of a golf course.  

HR also has 3 or 4 little practice holes - 70 yards long or so that are a great little tune-up or cool down.

[Mike Benham]

I will agree with the comments on Hunter Ranch made so far.  The conditioning has not been the greatest the times I have been there, both times in June and therefore don't look as nice as the photos.

Afternoon rounds do get breezy and for Tommy, the vino produced by the nearby vineyards are some of the most affordable in California.

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