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Black Valley CE
by Mat Leclair
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1308 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2003-07-12 |
35,620,056 bytes |
70 |
6906 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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FICTIONAL |
WOODLAND |
Black Valley CE.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
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LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
Bob Hankla
July 2003
Black Valley is a fictional design located in a rolling forest area. I was initially assigned the review for the original Black Valley, but before I wrote the review Black Valley CE was released, so this review is based on Black Valley CE. From reading the document coming with the download, a planting problem on one hold was repaired, a fringe texture was changed, and some tournament objects were added. The first hole is a good representation of this course. A par 4, it drops 14 ft from tee to green. Most of the holes do drop from tee to green, although a few have slightly uphill tee shots. The fairway is bound on both sides by dense trees with a grassy underplanting. The hole shape is nicely done, with flowing lines and bunkers.
The green complex is nicely done, with bunkers guarding the green and framed nicely by the trees and grasses. The textures used work well together, but except for the rough, I wouldn't really consider them high-resolution. The bunkers are very well done, with a blended bottom to the lip and unblended top. This gave a well-defined lip but still blended into the sand. My only suggestion might be to slope down into the bunkers a little more. Where water is present on the course, it looks good, but I would suggest a little more planting around the edges. The hole designs are done well. There are a good variety of hole lengths, and they are nicely shaped as mentioned before. There are a lot of elevation changes on the course, but for the most part they are gradual. Everything flows smoothly, especially the fairways and greens. The fairways are sized appropriately, with nothing approaching unplayable. The greens are average sized, with subtle breaks.
You won't see many large-breaking putts. There are a couple risk-reward holes, one of which I'll describe later. Overall, this is a very well done course. There are no construction flaws to be seen, and it plays well and looks nice. A tournament option is provided as well as hole previews. One minor thing I noticed was a few misspellings in the hole descriptions, I know, how anal! There are no sounds included. I would consider it moderate to easy.
Favorite Hole: My favorite would have to be #11, a short par 4 at 349 yards that doesn't have to play that long. It is bordered by water tee to green on the left. Depending on how much of the water you want to carry, your second shot can range from 40 to 120 yards. Making your choice more interesting is two bunkers spaced 35 yards apart in the landing area. I don't know about you, but a 45-yard bunker shot isn't my favorite position to be in. The green is guarded by a front right bunker with a false front left of the bunker. A well designed hole.
Recommendation: This is a well-built and nice looking course that is fun to play. I would recommend it to everyone. Thanks for a great course go to the designer.
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, forest course. |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 9/10
Consistency is the strong aspect here at Black Valley. From first hole to last, the design and appearance of the woodland and the tidy layout of the holes therein is impeccable. The use of water is well-timed and not excessive, what is much more important is the use of the many undulations which make this forest, quite simply, one of the best ever seen in Links. |
Appearance 9/10
Take a glimpse at the yellow-planted undergrowth; you'll gasp with wonder and stay amazed for the rest of the round. From a reasonable distance, it looks quite simply remarkable, despite the fact that the planting overlays a stock texture. Elsewhere much seems to be well in order. The green textures belie the difficulties that they conceal, and the bunkers are expertly sculpted. The only let-downs for me are the harsh transitions (no great shakes with the blending), and the overuse of stone-walled sides to many water features. |
Playability 9/10
You'll get around Black Valley very quickly. Time flies among the isolated tree-lined fairways, and every shot is that little bit new and different. There are many stunning views - every stroke I took on the first hole was preceded by a potential screenshot - into the bargain; the whole course is a great tribute to its designer. |
Challenge 4/10
Oh, those greens. Oh, that rough. Those wicked, punishing greens and rough! Black Valley is an over-wrought nightmare at certain points, and even those putts less than 5 feet are no guarantee. The rough is little better - there is 'standard' rough in place of first-cut, and some well-disguised heavy rough where one might expect a lighter cut. It's all hard work, and the occasional water hazard does little to make it any easier |
Technical 8/10
In some ways, you have to be impressed with Mat Leclair for achieving what he has with so little. The file size is tiny by today's standards, the textures are nothing special, and the whole thing has been put together metaphorically seamlessly (given that there aren't actually many convincing seam blends). It would have been nice to see at least one or two signs of civilisation, and the water features could certainly use tidying, but the great elevation and bunker work are heavily in the designer's favour. |
| Overall |
A terrific and surprisingly atmospheric course. Undergrowth to die for. |
39/50 |
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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