|
Fescue Hollow Golf Links
by Mike Hornak
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1266 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2003-04-21 |
23,100,980 bytes |
72 |
7162 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
LINKS |
FescueHollowGL.CRZ.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| a4c5f381742411d79956002018dccc19 |
a590d9682be1c3a764c2dc2e8d12576a |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Joe Turner `Loner' May 2003
A portion of his read-me:
Welcome to Fescue Hollow Golf Links. Fescue Hollow is a fictional links course set in coastal sand hills. The course features very rolling, wide fairways (in places over 125yds wide) and many, many bunkers of all sizes, depths and shapes. You will not find one tree on this course so if you have trouble with the woods your in luck. The course is meant to challenge players of all types and abilities, I think it will test all phases of your game. The wind is brisk in breezy settings and a downright gale in windy. I attempted to create a design that must be played a few times before you can figure out where to go with your ball, the fairways can be like a roller coaster and the ball with kick and bounce in unpredictable ways. If you stray off the fairways or at least the deep green rough, look out!, there are wild grasses in the fescue that are deep and in places over your head. They will smother any attempt to get out so stay in the green stuff.
This course makes 4 that Mike has designed for us; the others are Fallow Fields, Lowlands, and The Barrens. All were well received by the players; this will not be the exception. It starts of with a very nicely made and clean looking tee area, leads into a fairway (unmowed, this is a 'links' course), the light rough serves as the first cut, then the rough which finally leads into fields of both short cropped and high brown fescue grass. We then get to a very velvety smooth green with a generous fringe. We find that the fairways are not only generous in size but at time huge, easy, not really. They are littered with well placed bunkers some with fescue grass in or around them, most attractive. The greens are well shaped and I would say a little under medium in size but with some interesting shapes, slopes and very well done breaks, nice putting, not easy but leaning toward medium. There aren't any trees on this course, you can at times see the ocean but it gives you the uncanny feeling of an utterly desolate meadow by the sea that magically was turned into a golf course. The few buildings you might see off in the distance fit in beautifully with this course.
I found that the sloping fairways and slight elevation changes forced me to continually change the trajectory of my clubs and I have to add that his caddie was excellent. The bunkers in the huge fairways were so numerous that you can play this course, every hole a different way each time you load up this course. The putting made you extra aware that you must have work your irons so to come close to the cup or the breaks were wide and sweeping, I must admit for a poor putter I enjoyed the challenge of these greens. The varying shapes of the holes along with the many bunkers and patches of rough will continually challenge you, hole after hole. Risk/reward? Try hole # 10 a par 4, 297y at my setting. It's an eagle hole but fall a little short and the front bunker is waiting to grab you. It's a fun hole and I can't see how anyone can resist 'swinging from the heels'.
This course is made in the 2001 APCD and is available for both L2k1 and L2k3 players, it is as you see an unbelievably small download so anyone can take advantage of its charm and forever changing playability. Do I like courses with trees, crowds, tournament objects, sounds and all of the other 'toys', of course but a course such as this cannot be overlooked, it's a beautiful play. Download and enjoy this small gem.
Reviewer Note
I am a player not a designer and therefore rate a course as a player for other players.
Summary :
Included: Read-me, cameo, splash, ball washers and buildings.
Not Included: Custom tees, custom flags, recorded round, hole previews, signs or numbers.
Statistical Information: Par 72, 7162y, 5-sets of tees markers, 4-3 pars, 10-4 pars, 4-5 pars. |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, heathland course. |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 6/10
This is a moorland links course, not a seaside one, and as such minimises
gimmicks such as water hazards and custom objects (bar the clubhouse).
That's not to say it's a stern test: bunkers are adroitly placed (there are -
bizarrely - two distinct sorts of bunker on the course) and tee shots to the
wide open fairways are far from guaranteed safety. No holes stand out as
particularly great, and there is a lingering 'constructed' feel to the course,
which should ideally be absent on the best links courses. |
Appearance 7/10
From a head-up view, this is largely a convincing-looking course (the same cannot be said of the Top View, where the obvious shape
placement is glaring). More could have been made of the textures, which look to me to be at odds with the course setting. The fescue
grass rough looks lovely, and only serves to accentuate how out-of-place the manicured green fairways are. The panorama is
understated but utterly fitting and is perhaps the best visual aspect of this course. |
Playability 5/10
I found Fescue Fields to be quite a frustration to play, because the hazards were actually too well placed, thereby forcing me to play
the course the way the designer wanted. Risking a shot and landing in the bunkers quickly became a no-no: they are deep and
challenging enough to almost invariably cost a stroke. If you like sand saves, and are good at them, the Fescue Hollow might be your
cup of tea. But you'll be in the minority. |
Challenge 6/10
This is a tough course. Not least because of the devilish bunker placement, but the deep rough is cut close in to the fairway and will
punish errant tee shots. Birdies are a rarity, thanks to bunkering, a variety of long grass, and some tough greens. Those playing
anything harder than Pro Click will struggle. |
Technical 7/10
I don't want to knock the technical achievement here, because a lot of hard work has clearly gone into the course, but there are
aspects that just don't look right. The fairways are clearly scythed out of the fescue grass, and some of the textures seem out of place.
Some fairway textures are quite clearly 'painted', which spoils what should be a rolling links countryside. Mike Hornak turns out some
superb courses, but I think this is just short of his best. |
| Overall |
A tough ride, and a somewhat unconvincing attempt to recreate a moorland locale.
This course isn't without its strong points, but be prepared to get to know it the hard
way. |
31/50 |
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.
|
|
Download course
|
Please support Links Corner
|
|
|
