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Charleton Golf Club
by Stewart Parker
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1665 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2006-04-05 |
70,623,232 bytes |
72 |
6577 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
REAL |
PARKLAND |
Charleton Golf Club.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 0ce3db362c024e3b919e84c8a487b374 |
8cd8863ef8033328fc456f630cfdfef9 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewer - Michael Hubbard
NOTE
I have in this review sort to look at the course as it stands without making repeated comparisons to the original course that this is depicting.
INTRODUCTION
Charleton Golf Club is Stewart's second 2K3 APCD design of a real Scottish course. Produced along with The Boat of Garten, it carries all the charm of the genuine Scottish scenery and feel.
Extract from the Readme - by Stewart Parker
'Charleton Golf and Country Club ,acclaimed to be one of the most beautiful Golf courses in Scotland . . . Although set in Fife which most people associate with seaside links courses Charleton is a different challenge. Not an over narrow course it is known for it undulating very fast greens . . . On many holes you have lots of room of the tee but must get the ball in the correct position to avoid being blocked out by trees or other hazards.'
'The idea was to create the course, which I play once a year in autumn, using the stock objects in APCD. This Trying to create an autumn look with just the stock autumn trees without to many obvious clones was also a problem but hopefully this has been achieved.'
'Charleton is designed to be played with the mod at all speeds. In real life the greens are very slick and fast.'
Along with the course, Stuarts read-me file is a great companion including 2 pictures of the venue for comparison. Note the accuracy of the clubhouse for example Screenshot 8 . . . The splash screens too capture the autumnal feeling very well indeed.
COURSE
There is a good feeling of maturity and realism to Charleton right from the start Screenshot 1. Its views are splendid, partly due to the fine blend of colours and partly due to the superb integration of the panorama Screenshots 2, 3, 4. As such the distant views here are outstanding which adds to the stature and realism of what is presented. If Stewart's intention was a Scottish Course in the autumn then he has achieved his aim for sure. There are some clones here and there, but nothing outstanding to spoil the view achieved with great care. What is unusual about the layout however is the fact that the majority of the trees form a perimeter around the course with very few mature trees between any of the holes. You will note this by taking a look at an overhead of the course. This provides the course with a very open and spacious feeling where your eyeline is constantly drawn to the horizon.
The greens are a soft green hemmed in by rough all around Screenshots 2, 6, 8. There are a number of hillocks to be found around the greens, providing a few sharp bounces now and then Screenshot 6. As such they provide some timely contouring to the business end of each hole. The tees have some dried grass in places, some with divots, implying wear Screenshots 1, 3, 4.
The tall grasses vary around the course from assorted shades of brown Screenshot 1, 3 to a more rusty hue Screenshot 4 which appears to sit well with the autumnal theme. Many of the trees too have a richly burnished bronze colour to them that is very grand Screenshots 1, 2, 3. The St Andrews flag of Scotland adorns the greens and the Scottish thistle the tees. Black and white driving markers are present in appropriate fairways. There are very fine hole previews with each hole having its own name aka Augusta. There is no inclusion of crowds or tournament options however.
There is no distinct lip to the bunkers around the course and the blending to sand appears a little blurred in places. The sand texture is a little unusual Screenshot 7. It looks rather like sandstone to me, and as such creates a rather compact look to the traps. I can't say that it is my personal preference, but it sure looks different.
There are one or two anomalies around the course that catch ones eye. The rather conspicuous house at the back of the 13th green for example Screenshot 5. The flurry of small trees located behind the 16th green Screenshot 6 and the way the road seen in Screenshot 4 appears from nowhere and terminates in a field near the clubhouse.
PLAYABILITY
Measuring 6577 yards, Charleton, like many genuine venues is rather short. It boasts only two par fives [one of which is reachable in 2] and two par three holes. Of the par four holes however there is great variety in being three drivable holes on 2, 7, and 12 along with 3 par four holes measuring over 450 yards. Both the 2nd and 7th holes are beautiful holes to play, with the latter requiring the clearance of some tree's to arrive at the green . . . There are a few sharp right to left doglegs to negotiate along the way and an opportunity to flirt with the water if you dare both in the form of burns and ponds. This along with a profusion of OOB's requires careful thought off the tees as the driver is invariably not the best club to use. This inevitably adds a level of difficulty to the course although its length ensures that position is key when the holes are in easy reach.
There is a good use of elevation throughout the course which adds depth to ones game. The second hole for example rises some 44 feet after which it drops some 46 feet to the third green. Such variation aids greatly in the playability of this fine venue.
There are relatively few sand traps around the course and whilst a number are still in play, the lengthened mod play relegates most to simple eye candy. The heavy rough can play hard, but the rough itself is quite generous as is its width around the fairways. With careful play then, this course is there for an attacking player to exploit.
The greens are no more than moderate in size which is good and reasonably contoured to provide just the right combination for positive approach play and putting. In truth, Charleton holds few terrors except the ignominy of failing to score well here.
DESIGNER INTERVIEW - Stewart Parker
1. Do you feel that making a course mod friendly is important?
'Due to the much more realistic play that the mod allows, it works really well with a real life course and and allows more enjoyment . Also most serious links players and designers seem to be using the mod now'
2. Have you had to make many adjustments to the course to make it mod friendly?
'The only adjustments made to make the course mod friendly were made during beta testing when some of the green slopes had to be slightly changed, but the course was designed for the mod from the start.'
3. How did you arrive at your choice of sand texture?
'The sand texture was arrived at simply by trying numerous textures until one was found that suited and matched up with the others . Paul Seaman made or supplied most of the course textures so thanks again to him'
4. What has given you the greatest pleasure with this creation?
'The fact that so many people have enjoyed playing the course and the fact that it turned out so much like a Scottish course in Autumn using mostly "stock" APCD planting objects which I was never sure would have been possible'
CONCLUSION
Charleton is a most enjoyable course that captures the true feelings of Scotland. It is not arduous in any way and plays very well with the mod as intended. Whilst it offers no tournament options, it is none the less well suited to a round of gentile competition. It has all the feel of your local course, bathed in autumn sunlight. At 72mb it is a good size file, but well worth the download.
IN A WORD
Autumnal Splendour |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Real, parkland course. |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 8/10
An unpretentious but yet impressively good-looking course, Charleton runs heavy on the Par 4s (including eight of the back nine) and presents a heavy risk/reward challenge with its many small, drivable greens but punishing deep grass rough. It's a different sort of game on Links to in real life, where doubtless golfers would be more conservative and stick tight to the fairways, but the course conversion - as with Dullatur - has brought what might otherwise be dry golf a new lease of life. |
Appearance 9/10
For the most part, this course really looks the business. The panorama is omnipresent and brilliant to look at, and the textures are a good match and blend flawlessly. The planting is totally convincing and adds an extra direction to the play. There are just a few niggles, such as the slightly atypical 2D buildings scattered around the field of play, the directionless road, and the bulldozed hummocks around the green. None of them have major implications for the play of the game, thankfully. |
Playability 9/10
A fantastic round of golf, crammed full of risk/reward, driveable Par 4s and tricky, deep bunkers. It scarcely registers that the back nine is lacking in variety, nor that the deep rough will mercilessly gobble up anything slightly off the fairway. |
Challenge 4/10
This plays considerably easier than it would in real life, and the driveable greens make parts of the course less than a formality. The greens, although small, don't appear to be anywhere near as challenging as they are supposed to be, and a practised hand will escape even the most difficult of lies for a par. Bogeys are most likely on the testing Par 3s, but there are only two on the course. |
Technical 9/10
A very good piece of APCD work, on the whole, although I would like to see a bit more attention granted to the non-playing areas of the course. It would help to tighten up the sense of location and atmosphere: under nice conditions it's almost possible to forget that you're playing in Scotland at all. |
| Overall |
A loving course re-creation and one of the best Scottish courses available for Links. Should appeal to wide spectrum of golfers thanks to its potential as a target-golf course. |
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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