Bob H:
I did not mean to imply or suggest that expense was completely dismissed. No doubt there is a budget for 99.99% of the courses ever built.
But the broader and more central issue is what actually came into being after all the approvals and other related issues.
The sad fact is that superior land only produced a so-so design. The Preserve is a good layout but it's far from one that would prompt anyone outside of 100 miles to wake up and say, "Boy, I really need to play THAT course." Great land and location failed to have a course of equal stature.
That's a pity in my book.
Bill S:
Team Fazio has gotten better in achieving a consistent approach to design that provides more moments than just an obligatory one or two "signature" holes. The issue is does the level of effort rise to a certain greatness that sparks real diffentiation from previous efforts or is it merely a change of address / zip code.
I'd have to say the jury verdict on that, for me at least, is a mixed bag.
Bill, the issue of greatness is not whether the course is, in your words -- "nice" but does it offer a compelling portrait of a design that ADVANCES beyond what Tom Fazio has done previously. In those terms, for me at least, the answer is a clear no.
In regards to Pasatiempo -- I see Mackenzie doing far more on a very limited amount of land and in providing for a design that still holds itself well. Pasatiempo engenders shotmaking requirements that never lose their fascination for a wide range of players. For me, the different between them is really night and day.
Regarding Glenwild -- congrats on the hole-in-one !!! The 11th cuts a fine look from the tee -- seeing the ball disappear must have been a grand moment !
Glenwild, for me, is a cut above so many of other Team Fazio layouts. The demands are elevated and the diversity of holes is far greater than what you see with so many others. Glenwild is very beautiful but it cuts much deeper with change of pace situations that require the player to adjust constantly to the situation encountered. Take the hole that precedes the 11th -- the 10th is a wonderful short par-4. It offers an array of different options and then you jump to the 11th which is a very demanding but equally beguiling hole.
The issue for me so many times on GCA is that so few people play courses beyond a certain location. Few people see Park City as a golf destination but it's moving quite quickly to compete with other mountain areas as a supreme spot for quality golf. It's not there just yet, but the addition of Glenwild opened my eyes.
Tom Fazio is clearly capable of superior golf designs but I often wonder whether the sheer number of projects relegates his overall successful batting average to a lesser number than it might otherwise be.
, but I guess I don't see the greatness that Glenwild has over The Preserve and would appreciate your thoughts so I can see a different perspective. Thanks.