| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1613 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2005-09-11 |
56,545,280 bytes |
70 |
6031 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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REAL |
WOODLAND |
Boat of Garten Ver II.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
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| COURSE NOTES |
revised version, 3rd and final release
This course was originally released as a 2001 inserted design and was the first I released for APCD. As I learned more of advanced APCD techniques I went back to the course and added to it. Eventually I got to the stage where it was almost a new version with new terrain and planting.
It now is a 2003 course with high re texture and blending and mapping.
Stewart Parker |
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LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewer - Michael Hubbard
NOTE
I have in this review sort to look at the course as it stands without making repeated comparisons to the original course that this is depicting.
INTRODUCTION
Boat of Garten is Stuart Parker's first 2003 links design following on from a good number of real courses in 2k1. At 55mb it is a good size and reflects both an intent to reproduce a good likeness to the original course as well as a platform for good course design.
Extract from the Readme - by Stewart Parker
'Boat of Garten golf club is set in the village of Boat of Garten in the highlands of Scotland'
'This course was originally released as a 2001 inserted design and was the first I released for APCD. As I learned more of advanced APCD techniques I went back to the course and added to it. Eventually I got to the stage where it was almost a new version with new terrain and planting.'
'The course in real life is approx 6000 yards long which is a bit short for the big hitters in Links. To make it more of a challenge as it is in real life , I added another set of tees on some holes which do not exist in real life extending the course to nearer 6600 . To play the longer course, simply play of the MIDDLE tees.'
COURSE
The course instantly captures your imagination from the first tee [Screenshot 2] with tall grasses which look excellent and gorse up around the green. I found the textures used very pleasing to the eye with a mixture of greens and yellows interspersed with the occasional tincture of mauve heather [Screenshot 4, 7] making the whole vista a thing of beauty. Even the sand traps have an unusually pleasing hue of peach about them [Screenshot 3]. On occasions the shrubs look a little dense such as around the 11th green [Screenshot 4] but then again it added some beneficial colour to the course. The greens themselves are unusual in texture. They appear very coarse [Screenshot 7] when close up and patchy from the approach view. If nothing else they certainly give a very different feel to the greens which is not unwelcome.
The hole previews are photo's taken from the course itself which are interesting to read. I couldn't help wondering however why the trees in the previews were all dark green and regular in form contrasted to the wider variety used out on the course itself? [Screenshot 5, 6] None the less the course looks accomplished in design.
Also evident are custom tee markers and flags giving it a truly Gaelic feel. Ironic really, because but for there presence I would not have imagined this course to be in Scotland at all, so used am I to rugged links-land courses from north of Hadrian's wall. Please note too the superb sepia loading screen [Screenshot 1] which puts you well in mind of the times when embarking upon your round. Sad to say, there are no crowds, however this has not the stature of a true championship venue requiring such.
PLAYABILITY
As the readme file states, at just 6031 yards in length this course is Short with a capital S. Stewart has to his credit included Middle tees providing a slightly more challenging set up at 6671 yards. However even with the extra yardage and taking into account its par 70 status this course lacks any real challenging holes of length. A good third or more of the holes are reachable with drive and lob wedge making it a grand course to hone those short irons to perfection. The greens are small on the whole but pretty flat making scoring around this track very attractive indeed. What I would say is that the two par 5 holes are really superb, making good use of dog leg and elevation layout to conjure up a feast of eventualities upon approach to small greens. Indeed elevation makes up a large part of this courses armoury, as one must pitch uphill to many raised greens with short irons. In addition to the smaller greens, the fairways are fairly tight which provides some restraint as one drives away the majority of the hole with the tee shot. Finally there is a profusion of OOB's to contend with such as the right side up the 18th. You have been warned!
DESIGNER INTERVIEW - STEWART PARKER
1. What is it about Boat Of Garten that really captures your attention as a course?
It is a completely natural course. It was created on the existing terrain in the days long before mechanical earth moving and has remained virtually unchanged since. It is a beautiful course set in beautiful scenery. If you play well, there is no better place to play well and if playing badly, the setting is so scenic that it Hardly seems to matter.
2. What has brought you the most pleasure in this design?
Being able to capture the feel of the course in links.
3. Would you have changed anything about this course if not reflecting the course as it exists in real life?
I could have created more custom scenery surrounding the course (round about the 1st and 18th) but that is still out with my existing capabilities with APCD.
4. As all your courses so far have been real ones, do you intend producing a fictional one sometime?
I create the courses in links that I like playing in real life but I may create a fictional course containing my favourite holes from the over 200 courses in Scotland I have played.
CONCLUSION
Visually the Boat Of Garten is very pleasing indeed with a good mixture of elevation, colours and tall grass. In play it is enjoyable too with short holes and flat greens. What it lacks is difficulty and challenge both in length and contours. True such is not uncommon for real course renditions, however this more than most is a course that would flatter your game immensely unless you are inept with the wedges. A par 70 with elevated small greens is the only defence against the onslaught of birdies that are sure to come. Not well suited to tournament play compared with the many illustrious giants of the real world.
IN A WORD
Diminutive Beauty |
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