Hit Soule park today 12/19, for the first time in about 30 years. i never played it a lot, but the times I did when I was living in the area gave an appreciation of it as solid and scenic course. The ... Continue »

Hit Soule park today 12/19, for the first time in about 30 years. i never played it a lot, but the times I did when I was living in the area gave an appreciation of it as solid and scenic course. The Gil Hanse makeover was something I wanted to check out and I finally got around to it. I was not disappointed. Very nice conditions all around with some Hanse touches, like the extended close-mown areas beyond the official fringes to extend the putting options. Fairways tended to be more open and reasonably forgiving, offset with character to the greens complexes which often had significant contours to consider. Local knowledge helps because being on the correct side of the green or below the hole frequently made a big difference in your chances to score well, but often you couldn't see/gauge that from the fairway. Summarizing: tee boxes fine, fairways nice, rough not very punitive, bunkers in very nice shape, greens also in nice shape, reasonably quick and generally challenging. There is a nice flow to the course and the surrounding hills and mountains create a very attractive and somewhat dramatic setting. Pace was fairly steady, if a touch sluggish. We teed off a little after 12:00 and were the second to last group to finish on 18 with just enough daylight.

I didn't get to try it out, but the clubhouse has been improved and the restaurant there has a good reputation as a place to eat. It has open areas and places to perch with sightline to the course. Basically a cool spot whether a golfer or not. GDR25 has praised the place for its overall value and the quality of the course and I have to concur. I also have to find excuses to get back here more than every 30 years or so.