| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1415 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2004-03-14 |
57,556,992 bytes |
72 |
7554 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
WOODLAND |
Finger Lakes CC1.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 53690d89587c4ab0950ea97790906b18 |
90727ad518010b74a4f67a5be61f3592 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Bill Bradley
Finger Lakes is a rendition of a real area in NY State, but not of a real golf course. This is Budric's second course, he also designed Budric's Mountain Valley State Park and Country Club for which he claims the accolade of the longest name for a golf course in Links - and he may well be right!
Technical Stuff
Length 7554 yards Par 72
4 par 3's,10 par 4's, 4 par 5's evenly distributed
Longest hole 579 yards, shortest hole 161 yards
5 tees
45 Mb download
Included: Cameo, splash screen, read me, and some textures.
Not included: Crowds and tournament objects.
Difficulty: Not particularly difficult.
The course is not locked.
General Impressions
Finger Lakes doesn't look like a real golf course from the start - fair enough, it isn't meant to be a real golf course. But for me the various textures do not sit particularly well together. It isn't an inspiring course, indeed I found it to be somewhat bland! I must say, however, that I think the rolling hills pano fits in extremely well with the course.
Textures and Planting
I'm really not happy with the textures Budric has used on this rendition. Although he has created quite a few of his own textures, the main ones - fairways, greens and sand - are all the old Links 2K1 textures. His rough is a custom texture though I feel sure I have seen a very similar texture on another course - though I may be wrong on that one. As I mentioned earlier, the textures don't really seem to fit too well together (see screenshot 1) - Bud's fringe texture simply doesn't seem ever to have belonged to the fairway, or for that matter to the rough. The rough is slightly raised from the terrain which it surrounds (screenshot 4) and this can give an odd bounce to the ball in some places, I think this is a matter of taste, I know some players like to see the rough raised a little but, unfortunately, when it is it doesn't really react like real grass - the ball doesn't bounce off the rough in real life and so perhaps shouldn't do so in Links either.
Bud's planting is fairly good with a nice variety of trees and plants throughout the course. The course is not over planted nor is it too sparse.
Hole Layouts and Elevations
There are some places on the course where the elevations seem to be a little unrealistic - whole swathes of fairway that rise up in front of you cutting off the entire forward view (screenshots 5 and 6) or small areas which suddenly drop off at an angle totally different to the surrounding terrain which bounce your ball off into the rough from the fairway. Part and parcel of the game you may say, but in reality. are they? There are quite a few sharp edges around the course and places where the fairway elevations and the fringe elevations simply don't match up with the fringe dropping off at an acute angle (screenshot 7) and one or two places where the water doesn't seem quite flat - then again that could be my eyes! The greens are generally a reasonable size and shape with variations in elevation from fairly flat to some with some quite challenging putts to make.
Bud has worked in some very good risk/reward situations - one in particular which comes to mind is on the par 5 9th (screenshot 8). A good drive onto the fairway leaves the player with the choice of going over the lake and the bunker to hit the green in two, thus setting up a reasonable chance of an eagle or playing safe and laying up along the fairway for at best a birdie or par.
Unfortunately Bud has not put any hole previews into the course, so those of you who play without a top view are not going to be too happy. There are several blind tee shots (screenshots 2 and 3 show one of them, with and without the Top Cam) on the course and also some blind second shots. I guess that leaves the player with the option of not actually aiming but just accepting the aim that the computer gives - not always the best option I found.
Ambient Sound
Bud has used sound to good effect - with birds, insects, frogs, running water etc to good effect. It is not intrusive but provides a pleasant background accompaniment to the round.
General Comments
Although this is Bud's second course, it is his first in L2K3 and I think it is a shame that he did not take advantage of APCD 1.5 to put in some seam blending or to use the new textures which were available within the program. I am sure, however, that Bud can learn from the mistakes he has made on this course to come back with a much better one next time.
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