The Ranch -San Jose

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen - did you count all the twists and turns?  And how can you trust that sad product from that inferior company?

 

But OK, OK, I was exaggerating also.  I do recall that using the hand-held Bushnell we added it up at around a mile.  

Oh yes, these are mega-hikes.  Thus the long ago challenge to Scott "I'll never take a cart" Burroughs.

BTW, check out some of the cart rides on the front nine... and remember this site is far far far from flat....

TH

I did look at the preposterous routing of the front 9, and the zig zagged lines of the cart paths tell the whole story...they don't build em like that when they are flat.  

I was mostly distrubed that when one finishes the front 9 they are only about 1/2 mile from the clubhouse...I should have fully expected it to be closer to 1 full mile...  

[Tom Huckaby]

What's even crazier, Kalen, is that when one finishes 9, one really CAN'T GET TO THE CLUBHOUSE.  You're likely 1/2 mile away as the crow flies, but the only way to get back is to go back through the front nine.  I am not kidding.  The cart path to 10 goes over a walled-off bridge with not even any way to get down to the street, which COULD take you back to the clubhouse...

THis is one crazy golf course.

TH

[Gib_Papazian]

Huckster,

On #16 at your home course:

Why hasn't anybody turned that into a spectacular Reverse-Redan?

[Tom Huckaby]

Huckster,

On #16 at your home course:

Why hasn't anybody turned that into a spectacular Reverse-Redan?

Because that would require thought, earth moving, and a lot of effort and money... none of which anyone gives to my beloved home course.

But heck, they did re-do all 18 greens in the last five years or so... more than we could have ever hoped for.  Reverse redan on 16?  Please.  I'll be more than content if they just keep the greens in as great shape as they are now... which takes a lot of work and effort.

TH

[Andy Silis]

Huck!

Watched the flyover for the first time! Still laughing out loud!

Question: How the hell do you get at a front left pin on #7 with that tree at the front left corner of the lake before the green. Tell me it's not as bad as it looks on the flyover.

I'm from the Bay Area ( born and raised in Palo Alto ) and a San Jose State grad. ( Is the Spartan/Bronco rivalry still as intense as it was in the 70's and 80's when I went to school and lived there? ) Been living in Chicago since 1986 and I still miss the weather and everything else! I get back about twice a year and after that flyover I now believe I have to play The Ranch just because it looks to be an "experience" unique in golf!

Regards,

Andy Silis

[Jeff_Stettner]

Gib,
I am disappointed. You have a discussion of the most poorly conceived golf courses in Norcal and I see narry a word about Moraga CC (the back nine in particular)?

[Andy Troeger]

What's even crazier, Kalen, is that when one finishes 9, one really CAN'T GET TO THE CLUBHOUSE.  You're likely 1/2 mile away as the crow flies, but the only way to get back is to go back through the front nine.  I am not kidding.  The cart path to 10 goes over a walled-off bridge with not even any way to get down to the street, which COULD take you back to the clubhouse...

THis is one crazy golf course.

TH

Huck,
How could you let me pass this one up on my trip coming up out your way? I've never played a golf course that I couldn't finish (as an erratic driver of the ball), yet also couldn't leave! It would be a one-of-a-kind experience...  

[Tom Huckaby]

A Silis:

The Bronco/Spartan rivalry still exists, but it really really faded when we gave up football.  As you know back in the day the football teams used to play each other, and even though our poor little D-II Broncos generally got killed, the rare close games or victories (were there any?) were a huge big deal.  Now without that, well... they've created this "challenge series" that gives a cup each year to the school with the most wins in all sports combined, but it seems to me no one pays that much attention to it - MUCH more attention is paid to each school's league rivals.  Oh, the basketball games still have some meaning... but it's nothing like our day.  I am 85 grad of SCU.

Now as for The Ranch #7, all I can say is it's WORSE in person that that flyover shows. I am not kidding.  It truly does have to be seen to be believed.  One's choices after a decent tee shot are either a SW layup to an area 5 yards wide, or a shot from a downill lie in about the 200 range trying to wrap it around a tree, over a lake, to a green that has a 5 foot side to side tier, with OB left and a cart path to bounce the ball OB.  I swear this could be the single worst-conceived golf hole I have ever seen.


Andy:  I believe your plate is full with the best we have to offer.  But if you want the worst for contrast, well you know where to go.

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

RETRACTION

I've neen reminded off-line about something that was in the back of my mind, but should have stated in my post above... the awful tree on 7 at the The Ranch has been removed.  So while it remains an awful golf hole, it's not quite AS awful.

Change my assessment to:

Now as for The Ranch #7, all I can say is it's different in person than that flyover shows, pretty much worse. I am not kidding.  It truly does have to be seen to be believed.  One's choices after a decent tee shot are either a SW layup to an area 5 yards wide, or a shot from a downill lie in about the 200 range, over a lake, to a green that has a 5 foot side to side tier, with OB left and a cart path to bounce the ball OB.  I swear this could be the single worst-conceived golf hole I have ever seen.  The good news is the tree that used to be there is now gone.

[Gib_Papazian]

Jeff,

What a glaring omission. Mea Culpa. I had forgotten about our climb to Moraga's back nine. I thought having the caddies dressed as Himalayan Sherpas was a nice touch though.

Like Huck, I've got to amend a previous post. Algie Pulley Jr. is the end of the conversation . . . .

[Jeff_Stettner]

I will never forget going to Moraga with my father as a potential club to join when I was 17. Boy, am I glad he chose Sequoyah...

[John Keenan]

In the category of poor golf courses on bad pieces of land I would present The Bridges in San Ramon. A Johnny Miller course. I guess you could say he did the best with what he had to work with but as Gib noted Dublin Ranch shows what an excellent design can be built on far less than an excellent location

[Matt_Cohn]

Andy,

Re: #7, I just went right through the middle of the tree. No other way to do it.

Sad it's gone.

[Tom Huckaby]

I have a friend who's a member at Moraga, and while he talks a lot about how hard that back nine is (and he's right about that), he also doesn't hate it.  I try to steer the conversation elsewhere when it comes up.

And John, oh yes, The Bridges at San Ramon belongs in this conversation most definitely.  Good lord what a monstrosity that is as well.

Matt - would you still be sad that tree on #7 is gone had you hit it?  

[Jed Peters]

I have a friend who's a member at Moraga, and while he talks a lot about how hard that back nine is (and he's right about that), he also doesn't hate it.  I try to steer the conversation elsewhere when it comes up.

And John, oh yes, The Bridges at San Ramon belongs in this conversation most definitely.  Good lord what a monstrosity that is as well.

Matt - would you still be sad that tree on #7 is gone had you hit it?  

Tom:

I won't play a Johnny Miller design if someone paid me to.

Okay, well maybe if someone paid me to play it.

I've caddied at the Bridges, not even played. What a piece of crap.

Regarding Dublin Ranch, I thought it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the par 63 layout/idea.

[Tom Huckaby]

Jed:

Ever been to Eagle Ridge in Gilroy?  It's more Miller, more of the same overly severe overdone soul-wrecking golf.  Sigh.

My we do have a lot of bad golf courses in the greater Bay Area...

 

[Mike Benham]

Jed -

How about Metropolitan at the Oakland Airport?  Perhaps Miller's greatest piece of work ...

Mike

[Kalen Braley]

I've played both Metropolitan and Thanksgiving Point here in Utah and would agrue that TP is the better course.

[Matt_Cohn]

Tom,

Since I don't anticipate playing there again, they could have planted a second tree right next to it, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Tom Huckaby]

Mike brings up a good one - Metropolitan is great fun.  I don't doubt Kalen though that Thanksgiving Point is better.

And Matt, so you're not masochist, you're a sadist.  Good to know.

 

[John Keenan]

Another Miller course, that admittedly I have not played, but have heard both good and bad is Stone Creek in Marin. I am familiar with the location from its prior life as the Renaissance Faire.  From what I know of the area a tough piece of land to work with stunning views I would suspect great Oak trees but not one that would seem to naturally lend itself to a golf course. Add in a  home development and even more issues!!

I have not played Thanksgiving Point but have Metropolitan and I like that course very much.  A basic flat peice of land fill turned into a great course.

[Matt_Cohn]

How do you compare the architectural effort at a beautiful expansive meadow in Utah versus a flat trash dump in Oakland?

I've played TP and I think they may have gotten more out of the land at Metro than they did at TP.

TP is "better" but I think it could have been "mo' betta".

[Kalen Braley]

How do you compare the architectural effort at a beautiful expansive meadow in Utah versus a flat trash dump in Oakland?

I've played TP and I think they may have gotten more out of the land at Metro than they did at TP.

TP is "better" but I think it could have been "mo' betta".

Matt,

That could very well be the case, but in terms of which course is the better course, hard to not go with TP on that one.

[Jed Peters]

I thought Metro was actually done by associates of Johnny and had very minimal work done by him on it?

As for Stonetree, I've heard it is still more of the same crapola, though I've never played it.

[Tom Huckaby]

I wouldn't disagree with anyone who says Stonetree is more of the same crapola.

Matt likes it a lot more than I do.  I guess it's not THAT bad.  But once again it's another severe golf course....

TH