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Jordan's Creek
by Jeff Jordan
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1261 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2003-04-02 |
15,027,697 bytes |
71 |
6781 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
PARKLAND |
Jordan's Creek final.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 4068f1fbb2804694b702458318480bc0 |
f4716446817b7ecb0ee409ddc583e6c3 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Simon Kent June 2003
Designer: This is Jeff Jordan's first attempt at designing, and for a newcomer to the design world, Jordan's Creek is a great start to this designer's future.
Playability: After an extended break from playing Links, this was the first course I had played in a long time, and from the outset it made me really stop and think about how lucky I was to be playing such a great course on my computer. I personally could imagine playing this course in real life, at a long lost relative's estate that has been given to the family in the will, with the course barely ever being played and hidden away from the public like a 'secret garden'.
The holes looked naturally longer than they actually were, and whether that was done purposely or not was a great effect. It must have been the 'first game back blues', as my statistics would probably lead people to believe the course is hard, with 61% Fairways and 38% Greens in Regulation, but with 17 Putts and a score of -8 (63) the course is fairly easy.
The Course: The first test in the course is the Par 3, Hole 3, as it is an atypical length Par 3, which really makes you think about what type of shot you are going to play. The elevation changes in the fairways and the sloping in the greens were very good, and as the fairways are very smooth, drives get good roll on them, which after 18 Holes should show on your average driving distance statistics.
The course itself 'looks' very nice, plays very well, and the only real drawback were that possibly too many holes were 'straight and long', and the designer could have possibly varied some of the holes to make the course more challenging.
Favourite Hole: Hole 8, the signature hole of the course, is definitely my favourite hole, as it is scenic and challenging (Screenshot 2), with Hole 16 also being one of my other favourites for similar reasons (Screenshot 4 and 5).
Technically: There are no major flaws evident in the course, certainly none that affect playability, and the only major drawback would be that the textures haven't been seamed together, but the lines between the fairway/fringe/green have been curved well and look quite natural. The textures used were very good, as they weren't evidently 'stock' textures used on most courses. The bunkers were done well, with the shadows and planting were certainly the most impressive feature, but I don't know if it was just me, but the trees 'looked' a lot like 2001 trees, and not what I've come used to in Links 2003.
Other: There are no Handicaps or Hole Previews, but the fruit trees and natural sounds make up for that. There are no Tournament options (goes well with the natural theme of the course), but unfortunately behind the double green 9th and 18th there are two marquee tents which really weren't needed, and in future a clubhouse should consider being used by the designer. The read-me is short, but from reading Jeff's words, it really made me value the time and effort put into making a course, and as a reviewer, I would never criticize any designer's work, as each course is somebody's effort in one way or another.
Download Value: Being a relatively small download, Jordan's Creek is a hidden gem from a first time designer that is worth checking out. Even slow internet speeds should consider the download, as the opportunity to play a unique effort from a designer with the potential to release other great courses in the future, is not something that should be passed up.
Course Statistics: Links 2003 Course, Par 71, Fictional Parkland, 3 Tees, Distance: Back- 6192m, Forward- 5270m, Par 3's- 5, Par 4's- 9, Par 5's- 4. |
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, parkland course. |
Location
TBA |
Conditions
TBA |
Concept 7/10
Jordan's Creek is a pleasant and warm parkland course with a few surprises thrown in. Choppy undergrowth makes an unwelcome (although not unbefitting) appearance - notably in front of the 17th green, and catches shots as effectively as any bunker. Water is used stringently and is not in-your-face as on many courses. The variety of holes is impressive without having to use elevations or too many gimmicks, and there's a decent sense of location for a course of this age. |
Appearance 5/10
Good views are at a premium, thanks to the general flatness of the course. I don't think the course is the visual knockout that it aspires to be, and such things as planting and bunker lips are competent without being particularly impressive. The aspiration to use custom textures is admirable, but the bluey-green putting surface looks a little odd. Little visual oddities all round the course, to be honest, detract from the golf. It's not bad, but it's not good either. |
Playability 9/10
A very impressive round of golf on the whole. There are tests, surprises, a great variety of hole types. The main niggle is the number of blind tee shots, but in fairness, they're not too difficult to second-guess. There are quite a few clever touches to the round: not hard enough to be gimmicks, but something a bit unique which helps the course stand out. |
Challenge 10/10
This has been nicely judged. The tough turn will undoubtedly cost strokes, and those who miss the tight landing spots may well be bunkered. The deepest rough is used purely as in-play hazarding and is worse than any sand. But the greens are accommodating, free of pre-Mod excessive-gradient-itis, and will often result in good scores. Expect to drop a few but pick several up as well. |
Technical 4/10
In some ways, the technical accomplishment is a weak link. There are no glaring errors here, but likewise it's hard to look at the course without seeing a sharp edge, a hard transition, or an area of odd-looking or cloned planting. These sort of intrusions shouldn't detract from a fine round, but sadly they often do. |
| Overall |
Jordan's Creek gets by on a great layout and a good sense of fun. It's no great shakes visually, but should be worth half an hour of anyone's time. |
35/50 |
Please remember that Clipnote reviews are the opinion of one person and do not constitute an 'Official' Links Corner review of the course. |
This course is available as a FREE download.
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