Jim, what I can say is this...when you look around at the surrounds at ballyneal and sand hills then look at the vertical movement in the fairways and greens they seem to fit naturally with the land. The greens look as though they were merely draped over ther natural surroundings and so do the fairways.
The greens at DR are absloutely insane...the hills in the greens are very sharp, very steep and have a sculpted look. Loot at a picture of the 10th green. The kitchen sink, dresser, armoire and bathtub are all buried inder that green. The hole played like a miniature golf course. It did not look real. When you look at the greens and fairways - the way the rise and fall, the way the fairways just shift in vertical climb sharply, then look at the surrounds, they clash sharply.
Jason no I am not biased against dismal river. I have no reason to have any bias against dismal river. I have no ulterior motive or hidden agenda. I am not a member at Ballyneal or sand hills or any other club that is a competitor of theirs. I dont own a course in competition with them, so I have no reason to wish therm ill. I actually like some of the work there. 1-3 are good, and 4-6 amazing. 16-18 is a good finish, but the stretch of 7-13 it became clear that it was severe for severe's sake...and hard for hard's sake.
Moreover, and this is a flaw that needs to be addressed, the speed of the fairways and greens did not fit
the contours. At ballyneal, the greens were around a 7-8 on the stimp so all the contour could be in play. At DR they were so fast it wasnt just "alot of run out," it was unplayable.
I simply asked an intelligent question about there being more earth moved than they DR rep claimed. Then this thread turned into typical personal attacks on me by the same exact people that come out anytime I start a thread.
Jason You have not played DR. You have only seen pictures. I promise you...2D pictures of DR give very little representation of exactlly how severe the site is. Now look at the way the bunkers pinch the front of the green. Look at the way what little front entry there is (if any at all) and you'll see that if it exists at all, it is not flat and will carom a short, low trajectory shot away from its intended target. You ask mayday or Jim Keever who saw me try to putt from 40 yards off the green at Yale or bunp and run a 5-iron form 110 on 18 at Yale...I know how to keep the ball low, out of the wind and use the rolls of the land and green to get those shots close. I grew up on a links course since I was 8, so yes I do have a highly advanced ground game. It is typical Nicklaus at DR...all aerial attack with precious few ground game options. The people I talked to who played the course and the other staff to whom I spoke all agreed...DR is a very difficult course for highly skilled players. For goodness sake...the MEMBER tees are 6690 and the rate/slope are 73 and 137...that is much too difficult...but the next set down are 5100 so if the 440 yd par-4 is too tough for you, the 270 yard par-4 might be too easy or short.
Moreover, you are really wrong to just call me names like "unprofessional." You have never played a single round of golf with me, nor have you ever seen me work. You are merely sticking up for two of your buddies in a transparent attempt to ingratiate yourself with them. That is not intelligent discourse. That's taking a personal dispute between myself and other people and using the list for ulterior motives like furthering that agenda. Moreover, your rhetoric of "I'd never allow you back again" is so inflammatory and unreasonable it borders on senseless ranting and anger and I have done NOTHING to you to deserve that. I have never attacked you, I have never embarrased you on a thread, I have never spoken ill of you. You and others are on a vendetta and other people are noticing that is a particularly unsavory one. Nobody should have to endure that...that is not what GCA is about.