Quote:
Originally Posted by Hey_Porter
Nice pcs, RE...but where's your written take on SR?
HA! you got me. it's been burning in the back of my brain ever since the trip and i suppose your comment is enough to put the spurs to it and finally get it done.
caveat: i've only played it the one time in it's current configuration and once before in the previous version, so my sample size is really small. most of what i say below is conjecture. my opinion of courses always change the more i play them.
quick summary:
my hunch is there will be a lot of people that will find this to be their favorite course on property and it's hard to blame them. as we've all heard it has more coastline holes than all of the other courses combined, no sand traps only grassy depressions, no forced carries (unless you chose to take an aggressive line, i.e the 6th).
there are some things that other people may like that aren't exactly my cup of tea, at least upon first time playing. case in point: i was somewhat surprised at the number of infinity and infinity-like greens. don't get me wrong, i enjoy them, but by a quick mental count there were infinity greens on 1, 3, 5 (kinda), 6 (kinda), 7 (depending on flag placement), 9, 15 (if you play your drive down the right), and 17 (kinda). i suppose it's what you get when you have so many holes along the coast, but it struck me as possibly a bit much...i'm more than willing to change my opinion upon further play.
if you don't know the course and aren't playing with someone that's been there before, it's likely worth getting a caddie or at least a fore-caddie (or study the hell out of it before you go and make notes). there are a couple of drives that aren't on obvious lines (looking at you 10, and especially the blind 14). there are also hole to hole transitions at the south end of the course 7 to 8, 9 to 10, that aren't currently marked very well. there was a marshal directing traffic when we played.
one additional point: the greens were obviously still quite new and not as mature and filled out as other greens on property. the lines of seeding were still visible and they roll different than anywhere else. don't take your Sheep Ranch putting game to other courses without adjusting.
a few holes that stuck in my mind
Hole 1: by far the most welcoming drive on property. hit a little draw that finds the speed slot down the left side of the fairway and you'll likely have 140 or less into a receptive par 5 green. hit a drive right and stay on top of the hill (like i did) and you'll still have a downhill approach of ~200 and a reasonable look at par or better.
Hole 3: this is the short par 3 with an infinity green. hit your tee shot long and you could be down near the 16 flag. the flag when we played was tucked just behind the hill on the left. seriously consider an alternate shot off the tee (putter or hybrid like a putter is not wrong).
Hole 11 (Volcano): just a fantastic par 5. not going to say anything else, just go play it.
Hole 16: par 3 (and we've all seen the video of the woman acing it with a putter from the forward tees). shares the same multi-tiered green with Hole 3. proud to say i made a three putt par from the green tees on that hole. sad to say we each played two balls and i made bogey using a wedge and putting out from where it landed on my first ball.
Hole 18: if the first hole is the most welcoming on property, the 18th is the most hospitable while showing you the door. 436 uphill par 5. par should be routine, birdie or better expected for reasonable players.
in summary: it's going to be a tough decision moving forward which courses to choose during our annual trip in January. i've already signed up to play SR next year because i need several more rounds to develop an informed opinion, but i only have four 18 hole courses to choose from during the time i'm there and Bandon has five. **** you Bandon for being so good.