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Prairie Fire
by Duncan Ridley
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 214 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2001-04-02 |
19,615,666 bytes |
72 |
7396 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
PARKLAND |
prairie fire.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 2417e5801d5111d5ac9ddcaa4947dd4d |
1827b81e0f8c0345326f8c63b1d4144b |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Mick Lenton
Thoughts from the 1st: The first thing to get used to is the expanse of dry grass texture, which IMO not sit too well with the GREEN greens of the holes themselves. You can eventually get used to the yellow of the dry grass but the contrast is, I think, still too great and either the rough should have been greened up a bit or the rest mellowed to suit.
Having said that, for a first course this has been very well done, although maybe I could accuse Duncan of trying to run before he can walk regarding complexities of design.
The Course: This par 72 course is quite unusual in having 3 par 3's on the front 9. There are just 2 tee positions available, back and middle. It is built, as it's name would suggest, on sparsely vegetated scrub or prairie. Quite flat in general. Never having seen prairie in real life I do not know whether the planting is correct but it certainly look good, although do they have trees that green in the prairie?? I need help on that one!!
The planting is mostly low bushes and grasses, dotted with rocks. I would like to have seen a bit more variation in the types of rocks but that is my opinion. The ones that are there look OK. There are also trees planted, as I have said, quite lush, green trees. Whether these are right I cannot comment, but the general planting does look quite good. The only really negative point I have about the planting is that, in places, the planting on the winding brook does not seem to sit well on the steep banks.
As I have said the majority of the course is the stock' Dry Grass texture, in fact stock textures are used throughout.
The tees are surrounded with a ring of rough rather than fringe and the striped fairways, which have not been individually mapped, are surrounded by fringe, rather than 1st cut, which would give no penalty if you just miss the fairway.
As I have said, IMO these textures are a bit too 'green' to sit well with the dry grass but you can get used to it.
Patches of deep and wild grass are dotted about and can catch you out if you are a bit wild.
This course is, I think, very much of a learning curve as it improves greatly as we play around and from the 10th, the course is designed very well, culminating in the final 3 holes, the design of which would not look out of place on any course.
Referring to my comment above about Duncan trying to run before he can walk, I am really talking abut the bunkers. Bunkers can be constructed quite simply and still look quite good. However Duncan has tried to be a bit more adventurous, but unfortunately appears to lack the skill or knowledge to carry it off.
The problem is he has tried the extrude approach but has failed to map the mud texture he has used for the edge or wall and has also not worked/smoothed the edges so they are sharp and also there is texture bleed. This is a shame as it does detract from the course somewhat. There are also some very sharp edges, usually in the normal places, where there is an elevation change where textures meet. These can be seen a lot on the tees, some of which are quite 'scalloped'. Once again it is the age old problem of not having any protecting verts to smooth the transition, Also for the want of a bit of edge turning. I have to say though that, in general, the mesh is very tidy, which is nice to see. There are several good tutorials that cover this and of course extrusions and bunker construction to improve one's design skills. Some very good ones on the tutorial section on Links Corner itself and of course Lee (Bomber) Harris's tuts which can now be found at
Another good idea is to D/l a couple of good courses from a proven designer such as Mike Jones or Lacy Gearheart. (Apologies to all those I have NOT named here but I could not put an entire list for obvious reasons.) Put them into APCD and see how the job is done by the best.
Also a good idea is to have the course play tested by a good designer who would tend to pick up on the design faults that maybe a pure player might not.
It is still a nice course though, and worth a look.
Playability: The course is very playable, especially if you want a gentle round that will not tax you TOO much. Although saying that, the course does get more difficult on the back 9 where a brook that winds through part of the course really comes into play.
The fairways are quite wide with mostly good landing areas, reasonably flat although there are some undulations on some of the fairways.
Bunkers are very sparse, especially on the fairways and those that are on the fairways rarely come into play. Some of the greens are well bunkered though.
There is virtually no vegetation close to the fairway's or green's so not much to get in your way. if you are a bit wayward.
The green's themselves are quite well designed with only the 5th and the 12th with any real problems. The 5th has not been contoured at all and the 12th makes up for it, double. The par 3, 6th has quite an interesting saucer contoured green
Of the par 5's, I think the 3rd, 7th and 14th could be reached on a good, or VERY good day and the 18th is very reachable but the green is quite difficult to make up for that.
So easy front nine with few hazards leading to an increasingly difficult back 9.
Good Points: Nice planting. Great design, especially the back 9. Good 1st course. I would also like to say that although the course has been built very close to the edge of the mesh it has been disguised very well.
Bad Points: The bunkers and the sharp edges. The fact that the front 9 are a bit featureless compared to the back 9. Also there is a lack of Objects on the course to finish things off.
Favourite Hole: The 18th. Lovely hole. Pic below.
Least Favourite Hole: Difficult - Maybe the par 3 , 8th as it is so featureless.
Final thoughts: I will probably have this as an epitaph, but please remember I am ostensibly a designer, not a player. A little more knowledge of APCD would have made this a very good course. It still isn't bad though, especially the back 9. Please take note of the advice Duncan..Well done.
Worth a look and may be a keeper for some who like courses a tad different.
Course Info :
Cameo Screen? Yes
Splash Screen? Yes
Text file? No
Hole Previews? No
19mb
Reviewed June 2001 |
This course is available as a FREE download.
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