Hi all. I'm new to this board, and was pleasantly surprised to see a discussion on Tom Fazio at the top of the list. I play at one of Fazio's newere courses, The Members Club at Aldarra, about twenty minutes east of Seattle. Aldarra has been open for about 15 months now, and was recently rated the third best new private course in America, for what those things are worth.
The course is not without controversy. It was definitely a challenging piece of land, and while I'm not up to speed on what it cost or how much dirt was moved, I'm sure both were significant numbers. It's a hard course, too. It's done "wonders" for my index, which has gone from 3.9 to 6.6 in that time, but it's a handicap that "travels well" if you know what I mean.
There are holes which members, myself included, think are just plain silly hard. Fifteen is an uphill 220 yd par three, with a shallow two level green and a huge bunker which sits about 15 yards short of the green. In the winter it's a driver. From the back tee, about 235, it's a virtual dogleg because of overhanging limbs about sixty yards from the tee which don't come into play from the lower tee. There are holes requiring mid to long irons with greens sloping away from the player in the back. The final four have been dubbed "The Gauntlet." I played them recently 4-4-4-4, 1 over, my best ever.
I've heard Fazio is extremely proud of Aldarra. At the Masters a two years ago he was said to be showing off pictures of the course. The founders of the course tried to create a pure golf experience--no outside tournaments, small clubhouse, no banquet facilities, moderate guest play, in the Pine Valley mode. And a hard golf course that will test you every shot along the way. They, and Fazio, have succeeded. I do think there are things on the course that could be moderated, but playing this course with the greens at full speed gives you a taste of what pros face every week. I recently hosted a player currently on the Asian PGA tour who's played all over the country. His take--it was one of the top two or three courses he's ever played.