|
fallow fields
by Mike Hornak
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 761 |
| Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2002-02-06 |
13,914,724 bytes |
73 |
7324 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
LINKS |
fallow fields.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| acf1a8811af011d69956002018dccc19 |
c60c37d2a89619b3211eb727d3e4ce68 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
Chuck Clark
February 2002
Background: Since there is a good read me included with this course, I will let the designer speak for himself: 'Fallow Fields is links style course set in hilly grassy terrain. There are not a lot of trees and the fairways are generous, but there are lots of deep pot bunkers waiting for an errant shot. This is my first release with the APCD and I have learned a lot! It took approximately 6-7 months to get this far, and I still have a lot to learn.
At this time I wish to give my deepest thanks to the people who have helped me get this thing off the ground. My beta testers, Flaz and Ross, and my alpha tester Gator. Gator took a look at what I had back at Christmas and gave me the push I needed to see it through. The splash screen and logo were made by Flaz, and he did a superb job on both. Flaz really has alot to do with my first course being as good as it is, he sent me suggestions by the score and really got behind this project in a much bigger way than can be described. THANK YOU FLAZ!!!!!'
Overall Impression: I have been reviewing a number of (hmm, what is a nice way of putting this?) not so good courses lately. I have been really hoping to get a pleasant surprise one of these days. Well, guess what? This course is a pleasant surprise and more. It is a links style course set in a prairie type of setting. There are numerous bunkers all over this course, with lots of them being of the 'pot' variety. Expect to get in a bunch of them. The planting consists of grassy knolls with small scrubby type trees. It is all very well done and I enjoyed this course very much.
Playability: This course is very playable if you think your way around it. There are a number of risk-reward type shots, which I always love. The fairways are fairly generous though if you choose the correct line off the tees. I usually don't use Hole Previews, but I thought this course was screaming out for some. You really need to plan your way around and through all the pot bunkers. The one small issue I have with this course was the severity of the greens. They were pretty slanty at times and I know some people will not like this course just because of that. I generally thought they were pretty good, but a few were over the top for me as well.
Shot Values: There was a good quota of shots required here. You had to take some chances off the tees if you wanted to have an easier chance at birdies. You had some long holes and some short ones. I really appreciated the drivable par 4 fourteenth. I always love these types of holes. You also had some side hill and up and down hill holes too. All in all I thought this course really excelled at providing a good array of shots. I also liked the split fairways like number 3 and 9 (see above). These are really fun holes to play.
Visuals: I really liked the look of this course. The use of textures was very good. The planting was very well done. And the pano was ok, despite not really being visible very much. The only small quibbles I had were the texture used as the fringes (I thought it was a bit too dark) and the lack of a first cut around the fairways. The bunkers were really well done, with a sod face texture. They were fun to play out of, even though they were screwing up your score.
Technique: The APCD technique was very well done. I did not see any serious errors. I really like the bunkers, the planting and the areas surrounding the greens.
Summary: This course is fantastic. I heartily recommend it to everyone, especially considering the download size. The only people who wouldn't like this course would be those of you who really don't like severely sloping greens. That is the only drawback that I can see, other than the lack of custom stuff that I know some people look for. If the greens were a little less severe and the course had some more custom inclusions (like previews) then it would demand a 90+ score for sure.
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:
Cameo: Yes
Splash Screen: Yes
Hole Previews: No
Tee Signs: No
Custom Tee Markers: No
Custom Flags: No
Handicaps: No
Custom or Added Sounds: No? |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, farmland course. |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 7/10
This course has some excellent qualities: wide fairways, penal
bunkers and some wild-looking rough. Most holes are designed to traverse
a narrow path between one or more of these, which is what links golf
should be all about. Several hole designs are excellent and really make
you work for position. Sadly, there is more than a touch of 'shape
placement' about the course which - especially in the Top View - detracts
from these otherwise good features. |
Appearance 7/10
Certain areas of this course are wild, rough and very links-like in feel. Unfortunately, other parts, especially the rough in general, are
just too fresh-hewn and clean-cut to be convincing. While the technical presentation is excellent (certainly by 2001 standards), this just
isn't wild enough to really gain the top marks. |
Playability 8/10
Fallow Fields is very playable for many reasons, not least the accommodating fairways and the need to avoid (at all costs) the deep
bunkers. The Road Hole at St Andrews could take some lessons from the nasty bunkers here, and while they are perhaps not the most
realistic, they are well placed and designed to genuinely cost you strokes. If you miss said bunkers, though, the course play honestly
and fairly, which is all you need ask for. |
Challenge 9/10
Part of the appeal of playing this course is the consistent risk/reward challenges it puts up for you. Strokes in the bunker or wild rough
will be harshly punished; this is often compensated for by the easy greens. But this is precisely what links golf challenges are all about,
and as such this course excels. |
Technical 7/10
This is mostly made from stock, and some of the flaws are very obvious from the top. Certainly the many bunkers could require more
attention, and the lack of blends is starting to look old-fashioned. But the likes of extrusions and planting are done extremely
competently, and the course appeals as a result. |
| Overall |
A playable course, but apparently designed using a painting-by-numbers scheme,
which creates an artificiality that never makes you believe that you are playing links
golf. |
38/50 |
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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