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Chelshire Estate C.C. 2
by Randal Queen
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 728 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2002-01-10 |
20,290,276 bytes |
72 |
7284 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
PARKLAND |
Chelest2.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 0dcd05a105e811d6a1ec0003470647bf |
558954d9750854ea4bbfcc287657aa72 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
Chuck Clark
January 2002
Background: This is the 3rd course released by Mr. Queen. His previous courses include Ashland Oaks and the very well received Gooseneck Bay (regular and tourney). I have not played Ashland Oaks, but I did play Gooseneck Bay. Gooseneck is a very interesting and tough links style course that is a lot of fun to play. I had not played the first version of Chelshire before, so I have no idea what to expect. In the read-me, Randal says: 'this is the second version of Chelshire Estate created to shorten the 14th fairway, change the length of the 11th to make it easier to hit the peninsula fairway, and to shorten the 17th green so you can make it to the left fairway from the back, still barely. If there is a wind against, don't try'. Hmm, doesn't sound like a lot of changes to necessitate a version two, we'll just have to play it and see for ourselves.
Overall Impression: This is a parkland course with a pleasing woodsy feel to it. If there is a pano, I would not know it. The forest keeps you from seeing the horizon most of the time. The textures used are unusual and different. The fairway texture in particular takes awhile to get used to. It is light colored and has very visible mowing stripes. I was a little taken aback at first, but it really grew on me. By the end of my first round I really liked it. It looked like a Bermuda grass that was in a dormant stage (for the winter). I thought it made the course very distinctive and special looking. The planting is well done and very appropriate. There is little or no undergrowth, but it seems to all fit together. The course is very clean and neat looking, like a fine country club. Undergrowth would have made it look wild and messy, which would not have fit in at all. The bunkers are well done and expertly placed. I seemed to be in a lot of them, so they weren't too hard to find.
The layout is intriguing to say the least. Randal seems to like a lot of risk-reward type shots on his courses, and so do I. There were a number of tough shots you had to pull off, to gain some advantage on the course. Split fairways seem to be a favorite here. There was the par 5 seventh which had a split fairway that was very interesting. The two fairways on this hole were not just split by a bunker or a little rough. These two fairways were separated by a forest and a couple of hundred yards. If you chose one over the other, you were stuck with this choice for the duration. The eleventh hole had another tough choice. You had to lay up in the regular fairway or go for an island fairway that was pretty tough to hit. I went for the island on my first round and made a 9. On my second round I played conservatively and made a nice boring par. The seventeenth is another split fairway par 5. Be warned though; don't go for the left fairway if the wind is against you.
Good Points: There were many good things to like about this course. I liked the textures, the planting, the layout and the abundant risk/reward type shots. The course was very interesting and playable. Water was used to good effect on this course and was well done. The course was difficult but playable. Some of the holes bordered on the fantasy type (see below), but the course was so well done you didn't even notice. I also liked the Cheshire-Cat on the Splash Screen. He seemed to be grinning at you like watch out, here it comes!
Not So Good: There were a few small things I didn't like. There were a few too many blind shots for me. I would have liked to see the tee's elevated a bit more to give us a better view of those beautiful fairways. The bunkers were bordered with a wood plank texture. I would not mind this on a hole or two, but this technique was used on every bunker on the course. There was also one of two pin placements that were a bit too close to the edges for my taste. On the twelfth hole I hit my approach 9.7 feet from the hole and I was in a sand trap. Now that was a 'tucked' pin!
Summary: This is a beautiful and fun golf course. I would recommend to anyone. It is a pretty small download too. The course is interesting and keeps you thinking all the time. This would be a great course for match play. The player who is behind will have lots of risk/reward decisions to make to try and get back into his match. I really enjoyed playing it and look forward to playing it again. There are no technical errors on this course and it is a joy to look at. If you have played version 1, then you may or may not care to get version 2. But if you have never played the earlier, than I heartily recommend getting this one. You won't be disappointed!
I am both a player and a designer. I review courses primarily from the standpoint of fun and playability. I appreciate courses that are beautiful to look at, but first and foremost I want a fun experience. I have spent many hours designing courses myself, so I understand the blood, sweat and tears that go into the design process. Any critical comments made here are meant to be constructive and helpful.
Included/Not Included:
Included: Cameo screen, splash screen, handicaps and short read-me.
Not included: hole previews, tee signs, custom tee markers, and custom flags. |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, estate course |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 5/10
A target-style course, clearly estate-based from the luxurious selection of tree planting, Chelshire almost gives you the impression of playing in midwinter, thanks to the unusual selection of washed-out textures. The golf takes a little more to stand out: hole design is subtly tortuous, and those playing close-up views and without a Top Cam will undoubtedly struggle. Estate courses generally lack the astute tactical finesse that has been applied to these holes, and as a result Chelshire Estate struggles to fit in. |
Appearance 7/10
The incredible variety of colours on display really catches the eye: the pale grasses are a novel touch, and the beautiful selection of trees is both natural and appealing. Some over-stated elevation work helps you catch the best of the view. The texture transitions are looking old hat, however, particularly around the water and, close-to, some of the planting looks artificial and unblended. |
Playability 4/10
Too many blind tee shots and unclear holes make this something of a wrench to play. The trees too often provide an extra and unwelcome hazard, and too little is apparent to the player in the head-up view. The layout makes for accurate targeting rather than risk/reward, and the course as a whole - while being surprisingly absorbing - is a frustration rather than an enlightenment. |
Challenge 4/10
Frequent water hazards and some tricky lies in the trees will both push scores above par. There are some borderline-awkward gradients on the greens too. But - as mentioned - the course's real difficulty lies in the hidden challenges, unfairly tucked away from the view of the golfer. When you find yourself on most tees wondering whether to hit right or left, you know there's something wrong with the design as a whole. |
Technical 5/10
Textures seem to have been the real problem here: as well as some sharp transitions, there is considerable blurring and obvious lines between faces. Some of the texture assignations seem to be very confused as well. While some great quality planting has been executed, it can't rescue some of the many problems here. |
| Overall |
A course not without its flaws, but problematic in terms of textures and fair play. |
25/50 |
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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