Just read about a planned new resort in Curry County, Oregon–heard about it on Twitter from @westerngolf – Via Golf Vacation Insider (full story here):
Crooks Point (sic) Resort aims to be more family oriented, where golf will be but one of the main activities along with fishing, hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, and spa-going. Another cool twist: guests will be issued golf carts upon arrival; cars won’t be permitted on the grounds.
The golf course itself will have Perry Dye’s name on it, not Pete’s, which should help keep the green fee “down” around $115, including a cart. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort guests pay $220 in high season to walk.
–Golf Vacation Insider
I wouldn’t exactly call the fact that guests are issued golf carts on entering a “cool” twist but any economic development is good for the state of Oregon right now.
While I agree that Bandon can be pricey for most Oregonians, if you’re going 36 holes the rate is actually pretty reasonable for the caliber of golf you get. Perhaps Crook Point will encourage Kemper Sports to reinstitute the Oregonian rate year-round if they find that they’re starting to lose business to Crook.
I have to say, though, with Sandpines (a Rees Jones track) already offering deep discounts to golfers who really don’t give a hoot about their architecture just an hour away, and a solid track in Bandon Crossings that allows carts, I’m not sure this project will be economically sustainable. Bandon is just too good and there just aren’t enough people in Southern Oregon for the number of courses.
The Perry Dye course is being built for completely different clientele than the Bandonistas – thus the architecture will be less important and the “views” sufficient to satiate the golfers that will frequent the layout.
It would be great if Perry did something special, but the development is calling for more of a business/family retreat which usually means a “resort” style course (think wide flat fairways, perimeter weighted mounding, flat greens and no fescue).
There is only one developer with the vision of Mr Keiser.