|
Clubcito Diablo
by Eddie Schmidt
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 570 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2001-09-25 |
19,812,605 bytes |
72 |
7183 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
TROPICAL |
ClubcitoDiablo.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 81fa0321b1aa11d5a1ed0010b55cadae |
8811b8f8c66d22ea30f4f4a49869fe08 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Roger Worsham
Clubcito Diablo by Ed Schmidt is a fictional course set in a tropical setting.
Course statistics, Par 72, and plays 7183 Yards from the back tees, there are 4 tees to choose from.
Goodies included with the course are the following; Hole previews, custom objects, custom flags, custom textures, custom sounds, a custom panorama, and a beautiful splash screen. There is no tournament objects or crowds.
The hole previews are good, and I'll skip going on about this feature. The custom 2D includes ball washers. The flags were custom made and look very nice and are the same logo as the cameo shot. The panorama is new one and is very well done, and adds to the tropical setting. The splash screen is a beautiful tribute to the events of September 11, 2001. The splash screen is the only thing that I feel doesn't go with the course's tropical feel, but I don't care because the screen is a great reminder of the American Spirit.
For those who don't know Ed released a course called Southern Pines, and Clubcito Diablo uses the layout of Southern Pines with some changes to the layout, and major changes to the look of the course. Southern Pines looked like a course set in the Carolinas and Clubcito looks like a tropical paradise. Ed used custom textures for the tees, fairways, rough, and green, and they are first rate.
Ed's use of custom sounds is well done and blends in the courses environment. A few birds here, a sprinkler there. All the volumes are mixed well and sound real.
As I pointed out the course is 7183 from the back tees, but seems to play much shorter. This is due to the flatness of the course. There is very little in the way of elevation changes, either in the fairways or greens. In other words, you really can trust your MS caddie to hand you the right club. This means that scoring low is very possible, if you can keep it in the fairway. The fairways are wide and allow for both the Clicker and PS player to keep it in play. On most holes there is the fairway, the first cut and the rough cut. There isn't any heavy rough on the course. The big hazards here to watch out for are the well-placed bunkers, water, water, and water. Ed replaced some of the bunker hazards, and other areas from Southern Pines with water and this adds to the challenge. A good example of this is on hole #5 which on Southern Pines use to be a big sand trap, but now is a good size lake, forcing the player to use a 2-3 iron off the tee to lay-up and avoid the water hazard.
The signature hole is a tough call here. I think the par 3 second hole is a good candidate, but I also the like Par 5 14th, because of the look and the challenge. The 14th opening tee shot is quite a challenge. Miss the snap left or right by much and your ball is wet. If you go long you'll find your either behind a palm tree, in the rough or in a bunker. In other words you need a perfect tee shot. Believe it or not, on the picture I included with this review, I got through the trees, but every time I have made that shot, I am scared I am not going to clear those trees. That drive ended up 286 yards in the fairway in the center of the dogleg.
As I mentioned before because of the flatness of the course scoring low is pretty easy to do, if you keep it play. The greens are mostly flat, providing little putting challenge if you are close enough. The rough isn't too punishing, and neither are the bunkers. They are not very deep, and pretty easy to get out of to save your par. The trees and planting are really out of play on most holes and if you want them to come into play you will really need to work at it.
Even if you have Ed's first course Southern Pines, you should add this one to your collection. The addition of many water hazards add to the challenge, and the look and feel of the course are really top notch. My first round through a few weeks ago, I shot a +8 over. When replaying the course for this review I shot -7 under by keeping the ball in play.
Course Info :
Cameo Screen? Yes
Splash Screen? Yes
Text file? Yes
Hole Previews? Yes
18mb
Reviewed October 2001 |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, tropical course |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 5/10
I'm not sure what this course wants to be. Each hole seems to be designed in isolation, with unrealistic hazard placement and no real coherence to this flat course as a whole. Fairways are not penalised too harshly, the widespread cockleshell bunkers being a bizarre touch that never really comes into play. It's not bad news, the regular sand bunkers being exceedingly well placed, and most holes offering genuine playability, but it's too isolated for my liking. |
Appearance 5/10
There's little to look at here bar some unrepetitive and decent planting. The course lacks elevations and anything really attractive to rest the eye upon (which, I suppose adds to its realism in many ways), and even the sand and water seem quite soulless as a result. Technically the course is very good, and absolutely no technical problems interfere with the play. It's just that you get a feeling that it could be so much more. |
Playability 4/10
I suppose, because of the same-y look to many of the opening holes, and the lack of elevation contrast, this is something of a drag to play. Certainly nothing fired me into life or enthusiasm for the shots I was about to hit. Several holes later in the round offer a genuine choice of playing strategy, but I'd consider you lucky if you hadn't fallen asleep by then. |
Challenge 6/10
I found Clubcito a mite too easy, helped by lack of near-fairway hazards and open and (for the most part) gentle greens. The Par 5s were a mite simplified, and I scored three birdies and an eagle on them. While water makes an appearance (often artificially) on most holes, it shouldn't interfere with play if you're careful. The most testing holes are the most natural: gentle doglegs with well-guarded greens and any Par 3s where the wind comes into play. 6/ |
Technical 8/10
There are no obvious technical flaws here, although I thought a couple of custom textures, particularly for some of the many water hazards and the cockleshell bunkers, wouldn't go amiss. Otherwise, the shapes, elevations and textures appear very natural, if a little flat in places. |
| Overall |
A worthwhile if not particularly outstanding course. Play through the unremarkable opening six holes, and you'll find a better challenge beyond them. |
28/50 |
Please remember that Clipnote reviews are the opinion of one person and do not constitute an 'Official' Links Corner review of the course. |
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