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Brydestone Golf Club
by Mitch Sirk
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1505 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2004-11-06 |
8,749,056 bytes |
73 |
7270 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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FICTIONAL |
HEATHLAND |
brydestone gc 2004_locked,crz.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| ca7588a3d77d4fbbb28d98d10a048f1e |
832635662d5ac34e996138945ab3923d |
| COURSE NOTES |
The most significant changes from the 2001 version are the following:
Holes 6, 10 and 18 have had changes to make them more realistic and in the case of the 10th, more tricky.
ALL the green complexes have been reworked and there are very many humps and hollows within the greens, which makes putting more difficult. Users of the mod will not want to putt on FF level at Brydestone!
Why have I done this? Because tricky greens are appropriate for this type of course and landscape and I wanted the putting to be more interesting and challenging. There is a lot of help available within Links for putting for those who need it. Also I wanted approach shot strategy to be a little more involved than merely pin placement � you have to consider what the ball will do when it lands and build that into your thinking.
Finally I believe it gives the course more longevity because no two putts are the same, and greater play value. Those that get to know the greens will score better. If you are playing a tournament here I would suggest a practice putting round would be a wise investment!
There is a tournament option with crowds and new tournament objects. There are many new textures, which of course are now blended using the enhanced features of APCD 2003.
Mitch |
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LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Designer: With five Links Corner recommendations and two players choice awards amongst his course portfolio, which includes Aitch Heath Municipal '92 (2001 and 2003 versions), Brydestone Golf Club (2001 and 2003 versions), Kanaal New Course (two 2001 versions), and Owelstery White Horse, Mitch Sirk is certainly a well known and recognized designer within the community.
Course: The course from first impressions is obviously aesthetically appealing, but the heart of the course is found in each holes design, because as the hole previews show, there is certainly a strategic element to successfully playing each hole. This is due to the fact that many of the holes have multiple fairway options, and with the fairways being undulated, it is vital that the player is aware of the angle of the ball as it lies when setting up for the next shot. Some of the best parts of the course are not actually near or around the fairways, with the designer having made sure to pay attention to the outer areas, which allows the players to get fully caught up in the atmosphere of the area. Whether you are playing by yourself or with crowds on, Hole 18 is a wonderful finish with a superb clubhouse, and with the course being not only enjoyable to play, but also amazing to look at, Brydestone Golf Club is a course you'll want to play again.
Favourite Hole: The Par 5 Hole 6 was my favourite hole on the course, as the designer seemed to create a hole which wasn't just another Par 5, but rather something where the player had many different things to admire and ponder at the same time. Even though it is a short hole that winds itself downhill, unless your successful with the drive off the tee, the hole could well turn into a disaster on the scorecard, with bunkers, rough and water all waiting to swallow the ball. Visually, the panorama sets up a stunning backdrop, but if you can manage to concentrate for long enough, an eagle opportunity waits for those who strategically manage the hole as it should be played.
Playability: Even in relatively easy conditions, the course can be quite challenging, with the bunkers being able to catch out the best of drives due to the rolling hills and elevation changes. Because of that, it is crucial to work out how far your drives will go off the tee, particularly if the hole is playing downhill. The greens are challenging, beautifully presented, and are very realistic, with each of the pins being positioned well on the green. In windy conditions, this course can become extremely brutal, as with many of the fairways being tight, and greens very small, the key to shooting a good around on this course is to think about your shots carefully, so that you regulation percentages remain high. The Par 4 on Hole 12 is drivable, but players really need to consider if the reward is worth the risk, as landing the ball on the green is quite difficult. Even though the shorter Par 4's may appear to be easier, they can actually turn out to be the most difficult, so it is important to think about what distance you wish to hit your second shot from before you have even hit the drive off the tee.
Technically: Mitch is certainly not a newcomer to course designing, which is evident with the quality and range of APCD techniques used all around the course. The course includes an array of custom textures and a wide planting scheme, which portrays a colourful outlook no matter where you look. From hole to hole you will find a diverse range of bridges, cart paths, rocks, streams, walls, and waterways, all of which blend in very well with the chosen panorama. Technically, the designer takes the player on a journey, with fairway undulations and a wonderful use of elevation work, which can deceive the player easily in what looks like a calm situation. Although not a focal point of the course, the bunkers were also created and lipped very well.
Other: The course contains a cameo, custom flags and tees, handicaps, hole previews and splash screens. The hole previews as well as being visually stunning, are also very helpful, as they allow the player to see both an aggressive and safe way to play the hole. Make sure to look at the splash screens very carefully, as you may not be the only one playing a round of golf on the course at a particular time. If you like to play with crowds, the designer has included them within the course, allowing you to simulate a tournament style atmosphere if you so choose. Even though the course does contain many advanced APCD techniques, the loading times are surprisingly fast, so players will be able to enjoy many rounds on this course without any worries.
Download Value: Being a P2P course, there is always an expectation to include as much value within the course and zip file as possible, and in this case, there is no exception. At just over 70mb, the course is not a small download, but included in the zip is a course guide, read-me and two recorded rounds, so there is enough to keep the player occupied for quite a while both in and out of the game. Just like his previous design, the course is very well made with high quality APCD techniques being used, and with the course being so beautiful, it will be staying on my hard drive for a long time.
Information:
Course Statistics:
2003 - Fictional Heathland - Par 73 - 3 Tees
7270yds (Back) - 6605yds (Forward)
Par 3's: 2 - Par 4's: 13 - Par 5's: 3
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Imaginary, heathland course |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 10/10
This is a wonderful idea for a course. Speaking as someone who has spent a large proportion of his time in North Yorkshire, playing golf through this region would seem almost impossible. But the course has been carefully carved through dale and valley, and merged into the landscape with perfection. Individual holes are bang on the mark, offering challenge (too much if you don't play with the Top Cam), variety and fun. As a set of 18 holes, I believe this has rarely been bettered. |
Appearance 10/10
Without exception, I believe this is the best-looking Links course available, and if I could would give it 11 out of 10. The textures blend seamlessly into one another; the planting of rocks and wild grass is natural and brilliant; the panorama fits like a glove. I could go on, but I scarcely need to. |
Playability 9/10
A fantastic course to play. Options off every tee, and opportunities to use every club in the bag. There are only two Par 5s and two Par 3s at Brydestone, which might limit the variety for some people, but most will play this course time and time again, if only to discover new opportunities to make different shots and enjoy visuals that weren't apparent the first time around. |
Challenge 7/10
There are a couple of issues with the challenge overall. Without the Top Cam enabled, it's a very hard course - every tee shot is blind, and even some approach shots are harder than they appear from the main view. With the Top Cam, it's a mite too easy, the short length of many holes being a contributing factor. Ideally a good challenge lies somewhere in between, but there is no midway option with the Top Cam. To really make a good challenge of it, the views of middle and long-range need to render more clearly, this then becomes a technical issue. |
Technical 9/10
Without a doubt, the strong textures and planting hold this course up, but the long-range lack of visibility is a drawback (although perhaps wouldn't be unexpected in this terrain), as are a couple of very minor folds in the mesh that I encountered on the way round. With a little more technical work, this could be the best Links course ever, anywhere. |
| Overall |
A stunning, original, impressive and beautiful course. Everyone should play it at least once, although once won't be anywhere near enough for most. |
45/50 |
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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