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Old Cypress G.C. (East Course)
by Jon Weinrieb
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 1681 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2018-08-20 |
83,320,832 bytes |
72 |
7102 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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FICTIONAL |
PARKLAND |
Old Cypress (East)_locked.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
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LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewer - Michael Hubbard
INTRODUCTION
Following rave reviews of his other two 2K3 course designs Quidnet & Ballylecum Castle, Jon Weinrieb has turned his attention to the creation of his first of two courses set on the Monterey Peninsula.
Extract from the Readme
'Old Cypress Golf Club's East Course, a fictional inland course crafted, in theory, along the Monterey Peninsula, outside of Carmel, California.'
'I needed a lot of custom objects in the form of massive Monterey cypress and pine trees. The result is that you will notice a large number of trees you have never before seen. Many were taken directly from Cypress Point and certain of the surrounding courses.'
'Many of the greens feature ridges or tiers, making club selection from the fairways crucial to providing oneself with a reasonable number of birdie chances'
COURSE
Old Cypress, East Course is quite simply a work of art in both design and ingenuity. Its unique use of imported Cypress trees along with excellent planting and a flawless panorama of an unending horizon of trees are truly breathtaking - Screenshots 1, 3, 4 & 11. The sand texture, dry earthen lips and contouring make the bunkers hard to surpass for both beauty and realism - Screenshots 2, 6, 8 & 10.
The fairways simply flow around the trees like liquid mercury, interspersed with rusty brown under planting which reflects well against the age of many a mature cypress tree such as the now supported dead trunk at the 10th hole - Screenshots 6 & 9. The elevations used make a vista with almost every shot as the fairways fall away from the tees for the most part - Screenshots 1, 3, 6 & 9. Such contouring is delightfully accomplished and would be quite magnificent, were it to be found in real life!
The course incorporates blind shots on some of the par 5 approaches as well as an obscured view down to the reachable par four 13th green which is a masterpiece of design containing one of a number of stepped greens around the track. Overall the greens are predominantly large in size but containing relatively few flat areas - Screenshots 2, 8 & 10. Thus they make for a goodly challenge for mod play but one that is both fair and enjoyable. Visually the greens look very cultured with a roll and tilt to them that are most refined. These engender feelings of depth and opulence that is usually reserved for the most exclusive of clubs. The shrubs and grasses planted at Old Cypress also deliver on the undying theme of culture here, proving entirely natural in there placement and setting.
There are some beautiful red drenched splash screens, various delightful wooden steps along with a select few 3D houses most grand in nature and not out of keeping I feel with the obvious prestige of this club. The hole previews are very stylish too making use of the red splash screen technique in addition to an inset of the principal slopes of the greens. Worn pathways, realistic divot patches on the par 3 tees along with some great stone markers directing the golfer to the next hole. There are no tournament objects to be found, but a small gallery to accompany your journey along the way.
One aspect that I do not generally enjoy is the inclusion of truck sized boulders appearing on a course. Whilst it is true to say that there are a number of holes that exhibit such, they have been blended in remarkably well and even add to the creativity of the landscape and maturity that this venue engenders - Screenshots 7, 8 & 10.
PLAYABILITY
The East Course playas a short 7102 yards in length with 3 reachable par 5's and 3 par four holes measuring upwards of 450 yards. In addition, as mentioned above, there is one reachable par 4 hole, though not without difficulty as any such hole should be! Along the way are a sprinkling of gorgeous par three holes that are quite sublime. None of them are great in length, but all outstanding in splendour - Screenshots 2, 4, 5, 7 & 8.
One reason the course plays short is the fact that almost all holes play downhill from tee to green with just a couple of exceptions on the back nine. As such this does create a level of repetitiveness to the course much of which is dispelled I might reiterate by the stunning views that this creates. None the less, if one were to be hyper critical then this is one of the only flaws I see here. This does mean that Tee shots all too often run long and require restraint if one is to remain in the short grass. Some of the long grasses in the heavy rough can snag your approaches following a careless tee shot, however with so many downhill holes to play, there is a greater emphasis on positioning than power.
I found the greens provided the greatest challenge around the layout. Along with the number of stepped greens, there are some very pleasant rolls that ensure that very few putts of 10 feet or less are a formality especially on the faster mod settings.
DESIGNER INTERVIEW - JON WEINRIEB
1. How easy was it to incorporate the cypress tree's into the course?
It was easy from a design standpoint once I nailed down the coloration issue. As many will recall, some early screens really stunk as a bunch of trees were blue and yellow and just not realistic at all. Thanks to some of my testers, notably MikeD and Rick Weathers, we got that sorted shortly after the alpha testing was complete.
The interesting part was that I never imagined people would need to get used to them -- i.e., that there would be a period of adjustment. I personally think the Monterey Cypress is the coolest looking tree in the world -- particularly given that they grow in such a small area of the west coast -- not only because of how scraggly and curvy and wind-blown they appear but that they represent that particular area of the country (at least to me). So I assumed, incorrectly, that everyone felt that way. I mean, who doesn't love the Lone Cypress? -- which is out there by the way -- you see it? But I think people came around on them pretty well. They'll be all over the West Course, too, so I hope everyone isn't too sick of them. Hehe.
2. What did you intend the main playing challenge to be?
Well, everything really. When I design a golf course, I don't usually try and focus on one or two aspects of the game to try and either challenge the player or interest him. I like the whole package to be challenging and the whole experience to be memorable and unique. That said, I did place a good bit of the East Course's emphasis on putting the tee ball in the right spot to attack the greens. If you take a close look, all of the non-par-3 holes have a good side and a bad side or a good distance and a bad distance, as the short par-4 13th would have. Hit too far off the tee and you're on a terribly steep downslope and the first couple times you're there you're probably gonna knock one over the green. Not that the bad side or the bad spot means your dead. Not by any means. But it makes for a smaller target into the green, an awkward stance or a potential block-out by a tree or stand of trees. So I suppose the answer is that I want the player to think before he hits. It is not a grip it and rip it course, despite the length of some holes. I intended it to operate as a thinking player's course and one that can be beaten if you think properly.
3. Was there a reason behind so many holes playing downhill?
Just how to worked out. I don't draw my courses on paper as some do and then lay it out in APCD. I take a random DEM and find a golf course out there. It just so happened that I found more great downhill holes than uphill holes on this course. I do also tend to raise my tees a lot (perhaps too much sometimes) to give the "Close-Up" players (who seem to now dominate the game) the best view possible.
Not that it had much to do with things in this case but I also, IRL, prefer downhill shots to uphill shots. I think they're more exciting, you can see the ball land, it adds to the exhileration of a good hole and a good shot. Makes me swing very freely.
4. What have you got planned for the West course?
Without giving too much away and not wanting to at all appear dramatic, I intend for Old Cypress's West Course to kind of be my ultimate dream course. It will be similar in appearance to the East Course insofar as I am planning to use the same fairways, tees, rough and green textures. But I am going to be including large sandy scrub waste areas. 5-6 holes will also play hard against the sea, which I am very excited about. Although I did a custom coastline for Ballylecum, I was never all that thrilled with it. But my technique has improved (at least i think it has) and I have created a very rocky, heavily mapped coastline that I think will nicely complement the west coast-style course I am working up. In general, think the water holes at Cypress Point, holes 2-5 at Spyglass with some Pacific Dunes thrown in -- at least that's my plan.
CONCLUSION
Majestic views, striking trees, luxurious greens, sumptuous traps and an attention to detail that never fails to impress, makes Old Cypress East Course one of the finest releases we have ever had. It has unique trees throughout and an unending flow to the round that simply captivates you from the first tee right through to the 19th hole. Not the hardest of courses to be found by any means, but perhaps one of the most outstanding.
If the East course is anything to go by, then Old Cypress West may become one of the most eagerly awaited courses in links history!
IN A WORD
Opulent Splendour |
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Fictional, marshland course |
Location
TBA |
Conditions
TBA |
Concept 10/10
A stunning creation of a down-at-heel and almost fantastical wastelandlike
environment, Old Cypress lacks nothing in terms of ingenuity. Holes
are artfully protected by the trademark Cypress trees, as well as swampy
water features and carefully used bunkers. Everything from the hole
previews to the customised course features radiates sheer class. Quite
simply one of the most memorable courses around. |
Appearance 10/10
Everything is here, from perfect textures to the little grassy knots that litter the course. So much has been customised in both 2D and
3D and even when you're lost in the undergrowth the surroundings leave you lost for words. So many of the little hallmarks and bugs of
the APCD have quite simply been erased in a remarkable achievement of creation. |
Playability 10/10
There's so much to do at Old Cypress and every hole in its own way is distinctive and memorable. In some ways, it's preferable to get
yourself into trouble in order to get the most out of the course. It's not target golf, and it's not heathland golf, but it's somewhere in
between. And, needless to say, it works perfectly. |
Challenge 6/10
Old Cypress is a short course. Sometimes, short doesn't necessarily equate to easy. Sadly, here, that is not really the case.
Particularly around the turn, it's pretty easy to pick up strokes and the Par 5s are all reasonably reachable. Perhaps some more acute
hazarding on the target holes would help just to push the scores up to a satisfactory level. |
Technical 10/10
To have the patience and APCD skills required to create a masterpiece such as this takes something very special. Flawless and
impeccable at the same time. |
| Overall |
If only the challenge had been pitched correctly, this could have been a worldbeater.
Still easily in the all-time top ten, though. A fantastic, unique and off-beat
course with immense repeatability |
46/50 |
Please remember that Clipnote reviews are the opinion of one person and do not constitute an 'Official' Links Corner review of the course. |
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