| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1677 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2006-06-08 |
89,939,968 bytes |
70 |
7099 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
REAL |
PARKLAND |
ohillssouth06.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| |
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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
Oakland Hills South by Steve Avery fits in well alongside the North course and shows the progression made since his first release some 4 years ago of Twin Rivers Golf Club.
Extract from the Readme - by Steve Avery
'The South Course has hosted ten major championships, Most recently the 2004 Ryder Cup was held on the South Course'
'pins 0-5 - Ryder Cup placements'
COURSE
Oakland Hills South has a championship feel to it right from the first tee with the heavily planted crowds and tournament options embellishing the scene - Screenshot 1. With authentic flags, a number of 3 D houses along with an impressive Clubhouse dominating the course, there is much to admire - Screenshots 5, 6 & 9. The hole previews are artistically painted with a green inset. The panorama is rather unconvincing however, being a low distant line of deciduous trees although in truth it rarely comes into view. Along the way too there are the occasional water features such as those pictured here at the 5th, 7th & 16th - Screenshots 3, 4 & 8.
There is good variety too in the hole distribution, with holes turning both left and right with appropriate rise and fall of elevation. The bunkers present very well indeed with raked championship sand and earthen lips - screenshots 6 & 9. One or two are a little scooped but overall pretty good. The ambient sounds are effective too and create atmosphere.
The greens are moderate to large overall and heavily sloped for the most part. Colouring is very well blended from rough to fairways to greens and trees. The par three holes are all very pleasing to the eye. - Screenshots 2, 5 & 7.
The trees are perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the course. There are good number of cloned trees in the fern variety. From two to the left of the 1st tee right throughout the venue on a course that is very modestly wooded, thereby ensuring that they should standout, concluding with two either side of the tee box at 18. In addition many of the ferns seem buried far too low into the terrain which looks most unnatural. Added in is a most unimpressive blurry hedge at the 5th tee that may have been better if omitted.
Note too that there is a complete absence of under planting around the course. None by the water features and none under the trees. Such may not appear too inconsistent with the make up of many top US Championship courses. However, there are times when the course looks a little open, a little flat and a little bland. Indeed with tournament objects off the course becomes far less inspiring.
PLAYABILITY
At 7099 yards Oakland Hills South is a persistent test for a par 70 with 2 reachable par 5's and 5 par fours in excess of 450 yards. The fairways allow a good deal of forgiveness coupled with the fact that the light rough is generous if one runs off the short grass. In addition the trees are set well back off the fairways allowing a reasonable recovery from the heavy rough. With this factored in, driving here is not too trial-some. Perhaps some sterner rough may have lifted this into more of a USGA type venue.
The greens however provide a much sterner test especially in the 3 faster conditions of the mod. Steep sweeping contours can easily take ones ball away from the hole if one is not accurate in hitting to the correct part of the greens. On the par 3, 13th for example - Screenshot 7 - the green slopes towards the player. However if one fails to get the all the way to a back pin then he may well find himself [as I did] with a 55ft putt up a 46inch slope. What is tested therefore is ones chipping if failure to hit the green leaves one with a down hill shot, beware! Such torturous shots may lead to bogey or worse.
The length of holes provides a good variety in approach distances. The greens thus become the examiner of form around this track along with the very large preponderance of sand traps, many of which are situated around the greens. Consequentially many greens are difficult to hold with woods or long Irons. In many cases however, the bunkers provide an easier out shot than does chipping from the fringe or rough given the slopes encountered - screenshot 6.
DESIGNER INTERVIEW - STEVE AVERY
1. What pleases you most about the final design?
'My main goal was to make the course look and play as close to the original as possible. (I was lucky to have plenty of photos, video, and flyovers to use) I was happy with the way the course and the greens play and the 3D clubhouse makes it feel more authentic
Its not possible to get the exact look using the trees from the APCD but I tried to get the right feel of the course. I did make some custom trees from photos of the course, the big trees by the 9th and 10th greens are copies of the real trees from that location on the real course I thought that was cool but don't know if anyone else noticed'
2. Was there any reason for omitting any under planting?
'This is the type of country club course that doesn't have much undergrowth; it is a very well manicured course even around the trees'
3. What part of the design process do you find most challenging?
'For me the planting is a slow painful process, trying to make it look natural never seems to look right to me'
4. How did you go about producing such an outstanding clubhouse?
'This was my first 3D attempt so I started with all the tutorials I could find. Put a plan on paper first then before I started to extrude put in the verts needed for the windows, doors, ect. then used shapes in the APCD to keep everything square and inline. The clubhouse is rectangular and boxy so that made it easier. I just made it one section at a time then lined them up next to each other.'
CONCLUSION
Oakland Hills South is dominated by a most impressive clubhouse that is visible from many areas of the course - Screenshots 5, 6 & 9. As such it provides beauty, continuity and a championship feel that is heightened by huge crowds and tournament objects. It looks good, plays well and immerses you readily in the reality of a full on tournament venue. As such it has an authentic look and feel along with a challenging game play that makes it a pleasure to play. I don't know what beta testing was undertaken here, but if the many cloned trees had been removed, fern trees raised along with some selective planting around the course then this may well have ranked up alongside some of the premier tournament venues.
IN A WORD
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