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Xilver Prairie 2007
by Rick Weathers
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1786 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2007-08-02 |
70,568,960 bytes |
72 |
7060 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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FICTIONAL |
PARKLAND |
XilverPrairie 2007.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 52348f8faf104c6c8e897079d00100ae |
0be9bf199095fbabf8bed0a8c26d9ad9 |
| COURSE NOTES |
The APCD 1.5 rework
Aside from the usual hi-res textures and seam blending that goes into a 2003 upgrade, I've put many, many hours into totally remaking Xilver Prairie. One of the biggest improvements you'll likely notice is how the overall length of the course was increased by approximately 200 yards to better suit mod play. To accomplish this, I had to completely strip the original plot and move many green and tee area complexes. The panorama was scaled down and reworked to make the transition between course and pano a more subtle one. You'll probably notice that a great deal of the original planting set has been changed to more closely match the new texture set. Much time was spent in creating many new objects and modifying some of the old ones. Practically every bunker has been reshaped and several new bunkers have been added.
As you play your first round, I'm sure the custom 3D from terrain objects will come into view. There is virtually miles of 3D fence surrounding the plot. The 3D clubhouse and the gazebo (featured near the 18th green) was built to add more realism to the design. As suggested by a beta team member, I built 2 pump houses which you might not view during normal play due to their location on the plot. As a result of having too much fun with the apcd mod, I created 3D trash containers and ball washers at every tee area. Even the little towels are built from terrain. Both of the rest areas are 3D as well; I was curious to see how lattice work would look as an accent and the extra time spent was worth the nice look. One day I hope to master the 3D aspect of the apcd, but I'm pleased with what I've created on this course. Other things I've added, which should have been done with the 2001 version, are crowds, custom tee markers and custom flag. If you play with the tournament objects on, you'll find a custom leaderboard I created, featuring some of the names of my beta team located behind the 18th green. I modified the hole previews that were originally designed by Dexter Gresh. I spent a huge amount of time trying to revise the greens for mod play without entirely removing the challenge of the greens in the original version.
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, farmland course |
Location
TBA |
Conditions
TBA |
Concept 8/10
Clearly set amid old farmland, with the stone terracing a constant
reminder, Xilver Prairie is a clever battle between a cunning architect and
a brave golfer. Artful hole designs, not least the 6th and 16th, keep you on
your toes, and the whole course tends to the flamboyant rather the
straightforward. The atmosphere is excellent, complemented by the farmstyle
touches and the long fescue grass that dominates the planting. Just
now and again, not least down the closing stretch, there's a bizarre
landscape feature which makes you think 'was that really necessary', and these excessive touches are a little spoiler. |
Appearance 8/10
Some impressive views are to be had over the rolling hills and the water features, and the planting and panorama merge impeccably.
For some reason, though the whole course looks distinctly grainy - perhaps due to the dual colours in both planting and textures. The
terraced walls are actually less impressive than in previous incarnations, although the texture set is thankfully much improved. |
Playability 7/10
The main frustration here is the lack of visibility off the tee. Without a top view, it's difficult to hit many of the winding fairways, and
consequently it's harder to accurately calculate approach shots. Let it not be said, though, that this course is incapable of throwing up
surprises, novelties and challenges: it is more than packed with its fair share of enticements. |
Challenge 10/10
Despite the gimmickry, Xilver Prairie remains a perfect balance between clever hazard placement, challenging but readable greens, a
multitude of lies, and some inviting Par 3s. Mis-aligned drives will cost shots in the long run, but play with intelligence, and the course
will give you every chance to earn back those dropped shots. |
Technical 9/10
The attention that has gone into keeping the course coherent is superb, and the course has gone through successive incarnations to
subtly improve its layout and appearance. It is still missing some of the sobriety and realism that mark the best fictional courses, and
would not be chosen for many for strictly competitive golf thanks to a reduced player perspective, but it's very, very good for all that. |
| Overall |
A well-stylised and well-pitched set of 18 holes. Not always wholly believable, but
worth checking out for the clever landscaping and some original ideas. |
42/50 |
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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