|
The Hill & Dell Club
by Paul Nicholson
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 833 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2002-03-27 |
13,487,351 bytes |
71 |
7099 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
WOODLAND |
hill&dell.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| f3d1e1840b21401f83cdfac8f700dfd9 |
1a1c5cc9291c3f5037eb520927b100d2 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Matt Lilly April 2002
Expectations: I have not dealt with this designer before. Therefore, I have no expectations for this course, although it has received stellar user reviews.
Opening Musings: This is Paul's eighth release to Links Corner, his other designs being The Pines, The Desert, The Island (I and II), Cooper Chapel Golf Club, Charleswood Golf Club, and McNeeley Lakes Golf Club. He stated in his ReadMe that he was concerned about the file's small size, because people tend to look over these courses. However, many quality courses have been released in this range, so let's take a closer look and Hill and Dell and see how it shapes up.
Views from the First: This is a fictional/ woodland course. A bit of fairway fringe surrounds the tee boxes, and some think shrubbery and undergrowth covers up the rough under trees. There are two fairway bunkers to be concerned about off the drive on either side of the fairway. A good overall choice of textures has been used. I especially liked the fairway texture, which, if I'm not mistaken, is similar to the one used in Xilver Plaine. The green gently feeds from the back of the putting surface to the front.
Hole 3: You will take your drive from an elevated tee on this 424-yard par 4. Although some holes on this course might seem long, you will almost always be able to hit a long drive, which will help shave some yards off the overall distance. A snake-like fairway forces you to constantly be thinking about your next shot ahead of time. The fairway bunkers might come into play if you hit your drive too weak.
Hole 7: Another winding par 4 with fairway sand traps to be cautious of. While for the most part the bunkers are well done, the traps are a little rough around the lip. You will have to contend with a two-tiered green, with the front portion being lower than the rear.
Hole 11: It is nearly impossible to see the green from the tee of this 148- yard par 3 due to the presence of some tall planting. It is somewhat of a blind shot without the use of Hole Previews or the top-cam. You must account for distance gained in the drop from the tee. The caddie is not always adequate in its selection, and often leaves you with too much club.
Hole 17: A very tricky 221-yard par 3. Distance is very hard to judge and you will have to do a lot of decision making depending on what tee you play from and what clubs you have in your bag.
Favorite Hole: Number 17.
Good Points: Paul pretty much seems to have the APCD down pat. Planting is very well done all over the course, and elevation changes feel very natural. Also, be sure not to miss the Hole Previews, as they are some of the best I have seen. Even if you don't usually use them to play the game, be sure to take a peek anyway, as Paul's humor and creativity will put a smile on your face.
What Needs Work: The course seemed to get repetitive with all of the snaking fairways. It might have been a bit overdone. Also, the course seemed a little 'dry' with the absence of any water. Water hazards are by no means a requirement for a course, but they do tend to provide a little visual treat, and help 'sport up' a course. Also, the bunkers need to be touched up just a little bit.
Final Thoughts: This is a wonderful release from Paul, and is one that I enjoyed thoroughly. This just goes to prove that good courses can come in small packages. Most everything was done well, and this course will find itself a permanent place on my hard drive. This course comes strongly recommended, especially to those 56'kers out there, who (like myself) cannot always afford the larger releases. I eagerly look forward to any of Paul's future endeavors.
Course Info :
ReadMe: Yes
Splash Screen: Yes
Cameo: Yes
Hole Previews: Yes
Custom Sounds: None
Tournament Objects: None
Crowds: None |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, forest course |
Location
TBA |
Conditions
TBA |
Concept 7/10
A much more restrained effort than the designer's preceding notoriety of
The Island. This, in truth, is a good-looking and interesting course, much
more believable, and featuring plenty of the elevation changes promised
by the name. It's not flawless: there is slightly too much tendency towards
blocked and winding fairways and the holes seem to exist in relative
isolation to each other, but the environment is a strong example of how the
aura of a British forest (I'm thinking the Forest Of Dean particularly) can be
captured with clever planting and landscaping. |
Appearance 7/10
Impressively clone-free and authentic, Hill & Dell certainly looks the part from a distance. Close-up, it's a bit weaker, to be honest.
Textures are often stretched and blurred and there are some alarming transitions. Some of the bunker work is a bit jerky too. For all
that, there's a decent impression to be made here. |
Playability 9/10
You really get a sense of pitting your wits against the designer here, such is the cunning placement of bunkers and forest lines. It's
actually tremendous fun and there are several subtle lines which can be taken on every hole. If only the course weren't so damn
calculated, it'd be a riot. I don't usually make mention of the hole previews: here they are worth looking out for, though! |
Challenge 5/10
You'll either pick up a bunch of shots here, or lose loads. Certainly, anything that finds the deep rough will have the player in worlds of
pain. The bunkering does you no favours, and several greens are particularly difficult to read, if not testing in the gradient. It would be
quite possible to score anywhere between 65 and 85 here. Too vague! |
Technical 5/10
Quite a few problems here: by no means elementary ones, but several things could use ironing out. Textures, in particular, are quite
weak, and the number of blind shots could be cut down. It wouldn't hurt the course to remove some of the gameplay contrivances for
some more natural woodland features either. |
| Overall |
Fewer holes in isolation and less of the designer's contrivances would be welcome:
a greatly improved effort otherwise |
33/50 |
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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