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Western Hills C.C.
by Tom Krekeler
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 524 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2001-08-16 |
36,834,722 bytes |
71 |
6502 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
REAL |
PARKLAND |
Western Hills.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 4c22c613d298414db6f74b82c66fbc03 |
4f65bced5360ba309ddc763e2a07ea43 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Mick Lenton
Thoughts from the 1st: This is Tom's first course to be put up to us. His short note describes this as a real course in Cincinnati, which he used to caddy at as a youngster. He informs us that he cannot vouch that it is perfectly correct, as it has been done from memory. So anyway, correct or not, here I am standing on the colourful 1st tee, looking down a fairly generous fairway, flanked by trees, in the wooded parkland.
The Course: For a first course this is not too badly done. A little basic maybe, but this can be a good thing. Tom has not really tried anything that is beyond him and because of that nothing really stands out as looking bad. The course sits in sparsely wooded parkland, with the majority of the off fairway texture being rough. Mostly stock textures are used and there are a lot of objects used around the course, such as quite a few houses dotted about and some colourful planting. The tees sit straight in the rough and all 5 positions are available. The stock fairway texture does not have a 1st cut. I feel this does always tend to make the course look a little less polished. The planting, other than some of the colourful stuff, is done in the rough and there is little or no underplanting. The greens have a normal fringe and are quite well done, although there are only 3 positions on each. At least 9 on each IMO Tom, preferably more. The white sand bunkers, although not too bad, are the things that do need some work on. Tom has tried a single extrusion technique. Sometimes this has worked, sometimes not. All I can advise her Tom, is go inside some courses and see how the bunkers have been constructed. There are very many ways, but remember, try to stick to one throughout your course unless you do require more than one distinct style of bunker. Decide on a style and then stick to it, don't experiment while building the course. Remember that bunkers can make of break your course. The planting has been done quite nicely and there are in fact, not too many construction mistakes. Keep reading Tom. I will try and give you a few tips as we go.
Playability: Away we go from the 1st, the clubhouse behind us and flowers and bushes alongside. The hole is a straightaway, mid length par 4. Fairly generous fairway compared to some, but go offline and you will probably end up behind one of the trees that line the fairway. There is also a bunker at drive distance on the left. The fairways do undulate a bit, so you can end up with a sloping lie. The mid sized oval green has bunkers either side and a few trees protecting it. The green has various gentle borrows, nicely done. Of the 3 greenside bunkers, the 2nd one on the right is the best one.
The 2nd is a shorter par 4. A little narrower, but still fairly generous. Just the trees on the fairway but more bunkers around the green. And they are getting better. A much smoother finish. This green is a bit more undulating, with a ridge or two. Tom, IMO if you are going to run fairway around the green, don't just do a narrow strip, make it a bit more interesting and shape it.
The 3rd is the first par 3, around 200 yards, across a dip. The reasonably sized green has bunkers to the front and side and a flowerbed behind. Bit of a sharp edge at the front of the green caused by the fringe being dropped away from the green sharply. Never a good idea, the fringe acts as you protection ring. The green has a fair slope up, left to right. Watch out for flying trees Tom. There's one in front of the house.
The 4th is another fairly short par 4, with a bunker shortish, right and few round the green with some trees at the back. They are looking much better now with only a very small extrusion. The shot to the green can be made difficult by the overhanging trees. The green itself is round and domed.
On to the 5th which is the next par 3. The tee on this one, being narrow shows up the sharpness more than the last hole. The tee is raised slightly but there is no protection ring. VERY important Tom. Bit longer than the first one and the green is much smaller and slightly raised, making a much more difficult hole. There are bunkers left and right and an overhanging tree. The green has a valley running across the middle.
The 6th is the first par 5, straightaway, with a bunker to catch the pushed drive. The green is easily reached in 2 and is of a fair size. But is by far the steepest so far as it rises steeply in the center, falling away at the sides. Bunkers again front left and right.
The 7th is a bit longer par 4. A really long drive may run out of fairway, but I guess the pond is out of reach. Your second shot is over a stone lined pond to the fair sized green with a bunker left and some trees close to the front on the left. The green is again, very undulating, but the biggest problem with this hole is that it is VERY close to the edge of the course. This is never a good idea, unless the edge is HEAVILY planted.
Number 8 is the first hole with any form of dogleg to it. Quite a short par 4, it is unlikely to be driveable as tall trees do protect the corner. Bunkers also protect the front of the green so I guess a fairway wood over the corner of the trees, or a bit of a hook to leave a wedge to the slightly raised, well protected green. Bunkers are to the front and right and quite a few undulations on this fairly large green.
Halfway round and the 9th is a bit longer par 4 with a bunker to catch the pulled shot. You second to the smaller green should not be a problem. There are bunkers both sides of the green and the green, if a little gentler, still had quite a few breaks.
A quickie in the club and away we go to the 10th which is a shortish par 4 with a gentle curve left. There are bunkers both sides that will catch a short shot and the fairway has quite a few slopes on it. The shot to the green is slightly uphill with some trees close, as usual and a lot of sand surrounding the domed, rather than undulating green.
The 11th is another sub 400 yard, just, par 4. This one seems much narrower than the most and the fairway is much more difficult to hit and if missed you can be blocked from the green by the trees lining the fairway. The green has a bunker either sided and is a lot gentler than most of these greens.
The 12th is a short par 4 that can be driven with a perfect drive. The penalties if you miss are not too serious, so it is well worth a go. Again a fairly gentle green with a couple of bunkers around the front.
On to the 13th, a par 4 with a gentle bend to the right. There is a large bunker down the right side to catch the push. The green is protected by trees to the left and steep drops at the right and back, but is a very gentle green.
The 14th is a par 3, bit shorter, with a fair sized, bunker surrounded green. A couple of the bunkers here have a very bad edges IN them. These are caused by edges inside the shape with a sharpness of 4. You should always check this by going into display and asking it to wire sharp edges. You can easily see then sharp edges where they shouldn't be. This was another of those greens with a valley in the middle. Also this was the first green I noticed which had a really difficult side hill pin placement. Something to watch out for as I was on normal pins.
15 is a par 4 gently bending left, a little tighter than most and quite a sloping fairway. You are left with an uphill shot to the generous green, guarded by a couple of bunkers and some very overhanging trees. This green is very flat.
The 16th has a nice wide fairway, narrowed only slightly by the bunker on the right. A good drive should leave nothing more than a wedge to the quite large, undulating green. Trees and bunkers protecting it once again.
The 17th is unusual on this course in being a blind tee shot over a ridge. A good drive should just get you past the trees left and bunker right, leaving you a downhill shot to the fairly large green. Again here the pin was on quite a steep slope.
The 18th gave us another easily reachable par 5. Bunkers either side of the fairway at drive distance. The green is comparatively small with quite a slope. It has a bunker immediately in front and is well past the end of the fairway.
Good Points: For a first course, and a real one at that, not a bad attempt and as a short course it does play quite well.
Bad Points: With the courses that are up and coming these days this one does not stand out. There is no real individuality, finesse or real quality of design and construction.
Favourite Hole: Nothing really stood out. I suppose the 8th, above, made you think more than the others.
Least Favourite Hole: Again, nothing stood out as being bad.
Final thoughts: The major problem with this course was that nothing stood out. There was nothing that would stick in your mind. Not knowing what Tom had to work with, as this is a real course, it is very difficult to criticize constructively. Tom obviously has some learning to do. Bunker construction and particularly protection rings being in the fore. However for a first course Tom has to be congratulated as he has done a fair job of work here. Maybe useful for the PS fraternity, as most of the fairways are fairly generous. The only problem there being that if you were offline you would probably be behind a tree.
Course Info :
Cameo Screen? Yes
Splash Screen? Yes
Text file? Yes
Hole Previews? No
30mb
Reviewed October 2001 |
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