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Dutcher Creek much improved with 18 holes By TIM TROWER The impending expansion of Quail Point Golf Course has a generated a lot of excitement, but there�s another nearby course that recently completed a similar project. Dutcher Creek Golf Course, located on Upper River Road in Grants Pass, went from a nine-hole facility to 18 holes and opened last winter.' The course, which is similar to Stewart Meadows in Medford in that it isn�t terribly long or hilly and doesn�t have a lot of mature trees, first opened in 1994. The possibility of going to 18 had always existed, and in the past five years, tinkering and brainstorming led to what the folks there now consider a great success. "The reaction has been really positive because it�s playable for so many different levels," says general manager Sean Ward. "We still have long par 5s, like No. 16, that can be a real challenge for the long hitters and better golfers, and we have shorter holes as well. "Among the most pleasing aspects of the new design � which involved adding nine new holes but also revamping many existing holes � is that it affords a chance to use whatever clubs you carry, something I found true on a recent outing. The Oregon Golf Association representative who surveyed the course for handicapping purposes said the same thing, says Ward, adding, "We�re real happy about that. "Because there aren�t a lot giant trees, the course in the past used long, thick rough to encourage players to hit it straight. Given the new configuration, a concerted effort was made to keep the rough shorter. "It helps people as they�re getting familiar with the course," says Ward. "It helps the pace of play. There�s not so much time spent looking for balls." The rough remains very difficult to hit from, however. Though nine holes were added, 10 new greens were built. The former No. 1 hole was a 271-yard par 4 from the whites; now it�s a par 5 that measures only 401 from the whites � easily reachable in two shots. Two of the new holes on the perimeter of the course have the tee box tucked into chutes, giving the golfer a feeling of solitude as he hits. The 18th hole is handicapped as the toughest hole, even though it�s only a 283-yard par 4. The chute prevents a direct tee shot to the green, leaving a dogleg left. The approach is to a smallish green that slopes to the front, where a pond that must be carried adds more difficulty. The 16th hole, the 503-yard par 5, used to be the fourth hole. The green for what is now the par-4 seventh hole used to be the green for the par-3 third hole. The perception was that tucking another nine holes into the roughly 80-acre tract would put too many holes too close together. That wasn�t the case. One ball was hit near us, but it came from two holes over from an elevated tee, and was so badly played the course layout could not be at fault. "A couple of people made comments that they thought they�d be a lot closer to people and see a lot more people than they did," says Ward. "That perception will go away as the trees grow up. Our fairways are a decent width." A COUPLE OF WEEKS ago, it was noted here that Quail Point faced water restrictions from Medford Irrigation District. The course, like all of MID�s customers, has been asked to cut back water usage 30 percent. Quail Point is one of five courses in the Rogue Valley that uses or could end up using water from MID. Stewart Meadows and Bear Creek have alternative creeks and ponds "that pick up water that would otherwise leave our system," says Carol Bradford, MID manager, and have yet to ask for water. Quail Point and the Rogue Valley Country Club get their water from MID, and StoneRidge gets a portion of its water from there. "All of the golf courses around here have the most efficient systems," says Bradford. MID customers have gone out of their way to comply with the reduction, says Bradford. Those who didn�t think they�d be able to have discovered otherwise, with counseling from MID officials, she says. Bradford has been with MID for 22 years. She likens the drought this year to that of 1994. The difference is that back then, there was no carryover water to speak of in the south reservoirs � Emigrant, Hyatt and Howard Prairie lakes � that MID draws from. This year, 4,100 acre feet carried over from last year, but there has been little natural stream flow. "We�re counting every drop, every drop, I tell you," says Bradford. THE ROBERTS FAMILY, Mike and Annie, have had a run on hole-in-ones � four over the past 10 months. Mike, a teaching pro at Rogue Valley Country Club, recently aced the 160-yard 11th hole at RVCC. It was his second, coming after his first last August. His wife recorded her first ace last July at the club and followed with her second in Palm Springs, Calif., in November. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.