| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 760 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2002-02-06 |
43,483,280 bytes |
72 |
7300 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
OCEAN |
Santa Barbara's Finest.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 5b6755d8081443278f66f0c7ac7d1a95 |
278fe6d5e55f59361d2cdab3c69700ed |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
James Wood
March 2002
Course Overview
This is a fictional course and you would infer from the course name that it's set along the California coastline. Quite a few elevation changes were utilized here as you make your way around the course. A very pleasant planting scheme along with quite a few amenities is also present. The holes have rock numbers imbedded into the ground instead of hole signs. These were a nice change and looked very good. Many of the tee boxes and bunkers were riveted with landscaping timbers. Good use was also made of rock textures throughout the design. The fairway, rough, etc. have nice pastel type textures that were blended well and look well together. Fences, buildings and other objects were also used well.
Tips for Playing the Course
There are a few tough greens here and there with many tiers and contours making putting moderate to difficult.
Fairway widths are generous with the exception of a couple of holes. This should make the course suitable for all types of players.
Occasionally the designer took the big stick out of your hands where it may strike you as an odd place to have to lay up. This stood out on the par 5 4th hole. If you play the hole into the wind you can hit driver but the hole is not reachable in two shots under those conditions. With the wind turned off you can reach the green with two 3W's.
The par 4 5th hole has bunkers in the middle of the fairway. These hazards artificially divide the fairway into two narrow landing areas. Into the wind I was left with a 245 yard carry to the pin. This was not quite as drastic as it could have been because the second shot was 47 yards downhill. Still quite a tough approach and probably not a realistic two shot hole for the Power Stroker.
Favorite Hole
I liked the approach shot on the par 4 12th hole in particular. You can see the course logo on the hillside to the right of the green.
Overall
There is a lot of attention to detail in the course. The graphic presentation is superb. You get a lot of different looks on many of the holes but the course hangs in as a cohesive whole. This is difficult to pull off but it was done very well here. A few holes drifted dangerously close to the fantasy realm but the course architecture was well done and it's a very nice addition to anyone's collection. I personally really liked the course. It stands out from the crowd, it was well done technically, and it's a very interesting layout. I got more than I expected out of it and I think anyone who hasn't tried or heard of it will be pleasantly surprised.
This review will be based on playability, aesthetics and originality. Please keep in mind that this is only my opinion following my play-testing of the completed course.
I fully understand the hard work and immense skill that is involved in the designing of these courses and my comments will try to be constructive and without bias. |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Real, heathland compilation course |
Location
TBA |
Conditions
TBA |
Concept 3/10
Compilation courses have always been an interesting, varied and
exciting way to sample golf, which is why the Santa Barbara variant is
odd. It's not particularly badly put together, for its age, but it is almost
completely unmemorable. The opening nine, in particular, are entirely
unworthy in being in a 'Finest' compilation, and even the best holes on
the closing stretch seem somewhat dull and derivative. Taken on its
own merits, though, what we have here is a reasonable if unremarkable
set of holes that appear, far more than being located in California
seaside, to be calling the Yorkshire Dales home. |
Appearance 6/10
My, Jason Connor loves fences! I don't think in any other designer's oeuvre I've seen such a great length of fencing. And rocks, come
to that. To give credit, it rarely looks silly, except when the occasional fantastical conceit creeps into play. The overall heathland
appearance is reasonably well elevated and reasonably well textured but still somewhat rough around the edges. Plenty of custom
objects reveal the work that has gone in. |
Playability 5/10
The Finest is reasonable as it goes, but surprisingly difficult to get into. This may work in its favour, because it's necessary to go back
for a second go to remind yourself what some of the holes are like! Even if you find the front nine a drag, it's pretty much worth sticking
with for some good risk/reward golf later, but you could hardly call it a feast of golf. |
Challenge 8/10
Tricky, but certainly far from impossible, Santa Barbara Finest is certainly one on which to hone a variety of skills. Clever hazard
placement and some reasonable but testing greens are good opponents, and the range of hole lengths will keep anyone on their toes. |
Technical 5/10
You still feel that a craft is being slowly honed at this course. The disparity between its intended location and the heathland visuals is
peculiar to say the least. And the planting shows an uneven touch; the low-res textures best avoided in places. But it's a step up from
its predecessors. |
| Overall |
If you can ignore the way-out-of-place course environment, then this is a passable if
hardly memorable frolic. |
27/50 |
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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