Co-hosts Kathy Bissell and Gary Van Sickle interview Tygh Campbell, one of the owners of The Retreat at Silvies Valley Ranch, and the golf course architect, Dan Hixson, who created their courses, including one that measures 8000 yards called the Hankins Course.
The Hankins Course is also reversable. They play the course the regular way and then reversed, alternating days depending on whether the day is even or odd. The 5th hole, played the normal way, is super long, playing as a 680-yard par five. Reversed, who knows?
The resort also has another 18-hole course, a 7-hole course, a 9-hole par 3 course and a
reversible putting course. Part of the charm of the 7-hole course, called McVeigh's, is that you can have a goat caddie. The goat caddies are selected from the herd of 3000 goats on the ranch.
In addition, to goats, the ranch raises cattle and has plenty of wildlife on its 150,000 acres.
The location of Silvies Valley Golf Resort is high desert in eastern Oregon which gets only 9 inches of rain or snow each year. ( This is similar to Palm Springs, California.) It is east of Eugene between five and six hours by car. It is west of Boise, Idaho about 2 1/2 hours.