| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1427 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2004-04-03 |
53,213,329 bytes |
72 |
7052 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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FICTIONAL |
UNCLASSIFIED |
Paradise Lost Country Club.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
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LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Paradise Lost Country Club - Designed by Mike Cropf
Reviewed by Chris Gormley
Background Info:
This is the 1st course released by Mike Cropf. The designer has stated that most of the design was done in 1.1 version of the APCD and that things like seam blending and such were not included because he had not yet attained the skills for those techniques. I thank him for going this route. Every designer has to start somewhere and the best designers know their limitations, and Mr. Cropf has decided to save those techniques for later designs after they have been mastered. I commend him for this. Now let's look at a little bit of the readme:
'PARADISE LOST COUNTRY CLUB
This is my first attempt at using APCD. I developed most of the course under 1.1, then updated many aspects under 1.5. Also, since I was just getting my feet wet at the time, I was not proficient at some of the techniques that are now commonly used in custom course design. Thus, this course is minus any kind of mappings, seam blending, custom terrains, or techniques that really make the imagery of a course come alive. My future efforts will include these better techniques. So, for now I hope the course is more enjoyed for its playability rather than its imagery.
I am going to leave the course unlocked, so if anyone wants to modify or update it, feel free. I was unable to create a cameo shot as I understand PSP 8.0 does not support this. Again, if anyone wants to create one for the course, go ahead.
I tried to design many holes with a risk-reward concept. The prevailing Northeast wind will dictate on may holes whether you will want to take the risk. You will also find that on several holes you will want to use a 3-wood, 5-wood, or long iron off the tee in order to hit your desired target area. The greens can be tricky and may just be some of the most challenging this side of Augusta.'
Overall Impressions:
For a first design this is pretty good. Paradise Lost CC is a very open golf course and there is plenty of risk/reward for a player here, which is what the designer wanted to achieve. There were some very good hole designs here showing that the designer has taken the time to think things out. The hazards were also well placed throughout the course. There are a couple of areas where the terrain could have been smoothed out a little better but these do not really detract from the playability of the course. On a couple of holes there were some rather sharp edges and corners where different textures met, but like the terrain issue above these do not really effect the play of the course. These are all pretty minor in nature and I am sure will be corrected as the designer gains more experience using the APCD.
The greens are pretty large and allow for a player to go for the pin in most cases. The fairways are also quite adequate even though there are a couple of tight spots on the course these do not affect the playability of the course.
There are 2 areas where this course is 'lacking' compared to other APCD designs and both are areas in which the designer simply needs to gain more experience with APCD. The first is the planting, which I think is the hardest thing to do about a course. Most first time designers tend to 'over plant' and get so many ideas going that things look cramped. But Paradise Lost goes the other way and I would have liked to have seen a little more done with the planting. I am not going to say the planting is bad, because it is not, it just needs a little more of it in places. The other area is the design of the bunkers. They are well placed throughout the course but they do need a little more done with them. They are rather simple right now and I think if the designer checks out the various tutorials that Links Corner has available it would improve his bunker design greatly.
Now let's walk through some holes on the course:
Hole 1: This is a par four that shows the thought that has gone into this course. Off the tee the player needs to decide on a couple of things. There is a large water hazard to the left and a large bunker to the right. Not to mention the fact on whether or not the drive will carry over the water to hit fairway. This is a very challenging hole and with about 4 different ways to play it makes for a great hole. The green is large and inviting so that should not give players problems, but the shots getting to the green could be troublesome in a good way.
Hole 5: This is a long par 3 hole that has an island green. Which is rather large so getting on the green and staying out of the water should not be a problem. But you have to watch out as there is a bunker in the middle of the island that could either help or hinder a player in making par.
Hole 9: This is a long par 4 hole that challenges the player right from the tee. The player can lay up short for an easy tee shot or they can take the risk of hitting a small little fade around and over the trees. There is a water hazard out there about 310 yards so you better make sure your drive is not to strong or you will get wet. The green is guarded by a large bunker in front and the green is sloped from back to front so make sure you don't spin back into that bunker.
Closing comments:
Paradise Lost CC is a very basic Tropical style course that does not have any of the bells or whistles of more advanced designs, which is fine. I think this is a very solid first design by Mike Cropf, and I think with a little more experience he will turn out some very fine courses. Although it is basic in its overall design the course is very enjoyable to play and should be checked out by everyone. I hope to see more courses by Mike Cropf in the future because he has already achieved a good grasp of the APCD and just needs to gain a little more experience in a couple of areas.
"I am writing this review from the viewpoint of not only a player but as a Tour Director. Although I am not a designer I understand the work that goes into a design as I have beta tested many courses and my review is simply how I as a player/Tour Director would view this course."
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