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FaircInnis
by Chuck Clark
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1335 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2003-09-04 |
20,013,306 bytes |
72 |
7048 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
LINKS |
FaircInnis_locked.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
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LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
Simon Kent
September 2003
Designer: Mention the name Chuck Clark, and the master of smaller sized courses comes to mind, as Chuck has excelled at creating challenging and fun courses, all generally under the size of 20mb. His course portfolio includes Box Canyon Fantasy, Bunker Hill, Crocodile Falls Golf Course, Crowning Hills GC, Flood Lands GC, Rocky Nuts GC, Rugged Coast CC, The Players 18 and Torrey Pines South 2002. Considering his designs have included Fictional, Imaginary and Real courses, across many different styles, it is no surprise to see Chuck release yet another brilliant course, to add to his ever growing legend.
Playability: The greens were quite hard to read in many places, and as there are tiers in many of the greens, it's important to really be accurate with distances when shooting for the pin, so that you can guarantee yourself a safe putt on every hole. There were many big risk/reward holes, especially the Par 5's which required some strategic thinking to reach the greens in two shots, while there were also some Par 4's which were drivable, such as Hole 17 (Screenshot 6). Every shot on this course seemed to require a deep thought process, while it seemed every hole was a great driving hole, and in the end I shot a -12 (60), with 92% Fairways and 94% Greens in Regulation, with a total of 25 Putts.
The Course: FaircInnis refers to a meaning of 'links land in the sea'. The first thing you tend to notice on the first few holes is the openness of the fairways, as it allows the player to choose where they wish to drive their ball, and with different wind conditions and pin placements, there would be many different ways to play this course. The fairways had many undulations, while the curves in the greens will force a player to place their shot right next to the pin, or be faced with putts that will be hard to read on many of the greens. The course could have been made harder with more bunkers placed in positions where shots are likely to fall, but with nice additions like old shot markings on all of the Par 3's (Screenshot 5), this course is certainly one of the best Links courses made in recent times.
Favourite Hole: Hole 17 (Screenshot 6) was my favourite hole on the course, as I found this drivable Par 4, which offered a good risk/reward situation, to be very well designed and extremely fun to play. However, Hole 18 (Screenshot 7) was a very close second, as it is one of the most scenic and enjoyable finishing holes I have ever played, as the lighthouse is simply amazing to look at.
Technically: It was hard to find any faults around this course, as there were no visible sharp lines or edges, and in most cases, the most noticeable feature is the exceptional work with the planting and bunkers (Screenshot 3). The use of seam blending was a welcome addition, as the course looked very professional, and due to none of the texture's that were chosen seeming to look out of place, the course technically was very well made.
Other: The zip file includes the course file, read-me, top view of course, two splash screens and a recorded round. It's hard not to mention the size of the course all the time, but considering it has really great hole previews, custom tees and flags, it is hard to imagine a course this good, could fit into a zip file that is only 20mb. The course does not come with any real tournament options like crowds, but due to the setting of this course on an island, out in the ocean, crowds would have seemed unrealistic if they were added.
Download Value: Considering this course is only 20mb, comes with a healthy amount of extras in the zip file, and is simple one of the most enjoyable courses I have ever played, it is a download that I have no doubts in recommending. I personally see this as being in the top 25 courses ever category, as it presents a challenge, while still remaining enjoyable, and due to it being such a remarkable course for it's small size, it will be permanently etched on to my hard drive, while also being burnt to CD.
Course Statistics: Links 2003 Course, Par 72, Fictional Links, 2 Tees, Distance: Back- 6436m, Ladies- 6184m, Par 3's- 4, Par 4's-10, Par 5's- 4.
Round Statistics: Back/B/M/M/Pro/Classic, -18 (54)
File Sizes: Zip- 20mb, Crz- 19mb, Sha- 9.01mb |
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Imaginary, links course. |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 8/10
This is a consistently impressive links course characterised by open
fairways, protected by rough mounds and pot-bunkers, and some very
testing greens. There's an aura of artificiality about it, though, which
accounts for the 'fantasy' rather than 'fictional' description, and just
occasionally the hole design sways away from the links standard. A couple
of holes have narrower fairways and water hazards in direct play, which
forces you to play target golf, and this reduces the wide-open links-style
feel of the course. |
Appearance 9/10
My main problem is with the dirt cliffs, which simply do not look right. Otherwise, there is plenty to draw the eye: some excellent lowlevel
planting, several bonus objects to look at (I love the lighthouse and the windsurfer) and some brilliantly smooth blending, covered
over with deep grass (ironically this is best at the cliff tops). Those that hate links golf will still be bowled over by the appearance of this
course. |
Playability 9/10
Tee shots are very permitting for the Champ and Elite players, which encourages you to go for some big shots. You have to be more
selective along the coastline, of course. Putting is hard on the punishing greens, but the beauty of this course is the large number of
ways available to tackle every hole. No two rounds are the same at FaircInnis, and it will keep you coming back for more and more.
And more. |
Challenge 8/10
The difficulty level is well-pitched, although some of the challenge comes artificially from the ramped-up greens. The deep rough
hazards are punishing and of course there's the constant threat of the ocean. These are negated to some extent by the open, wide
fairways: if you hit them an approach shot should be pretty easy. My test round came in at -3, which represents a fair challenge overall. |
Technical 8/10
Chuck Clark is a whiz with the APCD, but his courses do tend to have an artificial look about them. Certainly, although the grass
textures look good here, the cliffs don't look natural and the greens could use some fine tuning. But there is some immaculate seam
blending here, and the planting as a whole is superb. |
| Overall |
Overall A very good-looking and playable course. Don't expect realistic links, but play it for
the shotmaking thrill and some stunning views. |
42/50 |
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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