|
Callaway Gardens - Mtn. View
by Chas Demster
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1288 |
| Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2003-06-02 |
16,952,845 bytes |
72 |
7057 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
REAL |
MOUNTAIN |
Gallaway Gardens 2003.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| |
|
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Simon Kent June 2003
Designer: Chas Demster is an accomplished designer with many courses in his portfolio, including Callaway Gardens - Mtn. View (2001 version), Chauncey Canyons, Koscuisko Golf Club, LPC @ The Highlands, and two versions of TPC at River Highlands, with the 2003 version of TPC scoring an 87 in it's review.
Course History: Once home to the PGA Tour's Buick Challenge for more than a decade, Callaway Gardens - Mtn. View has been rated highly amongst the top courses in America by Golf Digest. Designed by Dick Wilson, this Par 72 Mountain View Course in recent years has seen many changes to its features, with complete renovations of the bunkers, cart paths and tee boxes being done. With a Rating of 73.7 and Slope of 139, this course will surround you in the tall trees aligning each fairway, with it all climaxing through breathtaking views of the lake in the final holes.
Playability: Considering this course was previously home to a PGA Tour event, it should be expected that this course will be quite challenging and unique, but rather it seems to be another Woodland Course that people have come accustomed to playing in Links. Stepping onto the tees, there is no challenge with shot selection, as once you have the driver placed in the fairway, the rest seems to take care of itself, as the rough seems to be the only test on this course, until the last few holes which has water hazards.
Shooting a -7 (65) Round, with 92% Fairways and 77% Greens in Regulation, and a total of 24 Putts, I did not enjoy my round at all, as I didn't find it to be challenging, fun or scenic, which is not what I expected, especially after playing Chas's previous course, TPC at River Highlands. This course certainly looks challenging and scenic in real life, but not so in Links.
The Course: The bunkers are quite low in height, the rough is thick, the pine needles under the trees are out of bounds, and the only real highlight of the round is seeing the lake, because before that the course is dominated by trees everywhere. If you keep your drives in the fairway, and play basic golf, this course will get quite repetitive, and perhaps the designer would consider making Callaway Gardens - Lake View one day, as that would more than likely offer more of a challenge than the Mtn. View course.
Favourite Hole: Hole 15 was once rated by USA Today as the fourth most difficult Par 5 on the PGA Tour, and due to it being very challenging and scenic, it was certainly my favourite hole (Screenshot 4).
Technically: The trees planted were varied, the shadows were done very well, while the fairways and greens also being quite smooth. However the texture used in the rough was 'to the eye' very ugly, but under the trees, the pine needle texture and planting of bushes were very good. Chas has certainly mastered all the basics of the APCD, but I don't think this course as a whole, was anywhere near as good technically as his previous effort, TPC at River Highlands.
Other: The course comes with a Splash Screen, Custom Flags and is Handicapped, but does not include Hole Previews. Chas is a very good designer, and the real life course may be very good, I just don't think the course is good to play in Links, as it is nothing unique or better than other Woodland style course.
Download Value: For such a small download, Chas Demster's work is definitely worth checking out, however as it is such a small download, don't expect any high resolution textures or amazing features. I would recommend it if you like the designer's other work, or if you liked the previous version of this course. It won't be staying on my harddrive, as I think TPC at River Highlands 2003 is the designer's best work to date.
Course Statistics: Links 2003 Course, Par 72, Real Woodland, 3 Tees, Distance: Back- 6445m, Forward- 6055m, Par 3's- 4, Par 4's- 10, Par 5's- 4 |
This course is available as a FREE download.
|
|
Download course
|
Please support Links Corner
|
|
|
