| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 2064 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2012-03-10 |
0 bytes |
72 |
7593 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
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REAL |
OCEAN |
.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
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| COURSE NOTES |
Rugged and windswept terrain defines the walking-only, links-style Straits Course sculpted along two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. A masterpiece in the world of golf created by Pete Dye, Straits course at Whistling Straits was ranked # 3 in Golf Digest's ranking of America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses for 2011/2012.
Probably the most intense course ever designed for Links 2003,...with 500,000 verts, 5,000 mappings and over 1000 bunkers. |
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CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Real, dunes course |
Location
Wisconsin |
Conditions
Advisable on F*/F* |
Concept 10/10
If Whistling Straits was a fictional course it would be met with a fair few raised eyebrows. The crazy proliferation of bunkers - some
apparently lying in wait for the least conceivable of golf shots - and the incredible lakeside Par 3 holes are just scratching the surface
of this course which stands comfortably alongside Pebble Beach and Cypress Point in terms of golfing spectacle. There's only one
designer with the capability to bring it to the APCD, in an effort as batty and insane as the course itself. |
Appearance 9/10
The amazing variety of grass planting isn't initially obvious, but catch things at the right angle and you'll be blown away by the attention
to detail. Every single one of the hundreds of bunkers is painstakingly re-created, including the 3D planking, which is an unparalleled
labour of love. Sadly, it seems a little bit of attention has been overlooked on the short stuff, and the fairways suffer from a few hard
edges and colours that really don't match the awesome dry-grass dunes. |
Playability 10/10
It's impossible not to be dumbfounded when presented with all the Whistling Straits has to offer. Possibly one of the finest designs in
the entire world, the use of the natural contours, the lakesides and the many, many bunkers make for incredible variety and a genuine
opportunity to use the whole golfer's repertoire. Overbunkering is tedious on many other courses, but not here, where it is almost as
much a natural part of the landscape as Lake Michigan. |
Challenge 9/10
As one of the longest courses to host the US Open, Whistling Straits certainly presents a stiff challenge, and like all the top tier of US
courses, Par is still a great number to break on Links, especially when the wind is on full blast and the greens turned up to a properly
slippery setting. Your sand game will play a large part, of course, and the greens are difficult reading. Remarkably, it doesn't feel too
penal, thanks to fine-tuning of the rough and the ability to land a few spectacular escapes from the millimetrically-designed landscape. |
Technical 10/10
Whatever the problems with the visuals, they are not due to Rob Miller's technical ability, and the groundbreaking work in the bunkers,
beaches and lake is more than sufficient evidence of that. It's unlikely that Whistling Straits will be surpassed in terms of pure graft and
innate genius. |
| Overall |
A rightly-heralded classic and another addition to a catalogue of North America's
finest courses. |
48/50 |
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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