| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 712 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2001-12-28 |
30,430,235 bytes |
71 |
7061 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
IMAGINARY |
UNCLASSIFIED |
Taunus GC.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| b1642aa351204e7a82402630f05e1cff |
6b3bc5af7ca7ace54e2c6caf39269985 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
Chuck Clark
February 2002
Additional Review by Ross Ingall
Background: This is the first course done by Mr. Todt. He has since released another called Desert Valley. In the read-me he says: 'the course you will play on, is my first attempt with the APCD. It`s not a stunning course (like "Munich North Eichenried" for example), but I hope you will enjoy it. Not everything is perfect now and maybe there still will be some mistakes on it - forgive me, I just started....' Well, I can sympathize with that feeling for sure. He also includes a read-me in German, which leads me to the assumption that Mr. Todt is from Deutschland. It is good to see people from all around the world getting into Links.
Overall Impression: Well, I am going to be a bit lazy here. While doing research for this course, I came across a great write-up by Ross Ingall in the Review Center. Since I agree completely with everything he said, I have included his review here. I would just be rewriting what he said anyway. Thanks Ross!
Ross Ingall's review: 'First let me say that anybody putting out a first effort these days is taking some risk. We've become pretty spoiled by many good designs. That being said however, I'd like to throw a few remarks out about this course.
It is obviously a learning course & the designer admits as much in the read me file. Usually these days when I first T it up on a course & there are bad/stretched verts etc, it goes immediately to the recycle bin. That didn't happen with this one because quite frankly, it was like being a gawker at a train wreck. I just couldn't stop going from hole to hole to see what was next.
Rather than give you a hole by hole account of this one (which would take pages) here are some general observations. The holes start off ridiculously long and with punishing narrow fairways. But don't worry, it doesn't last more than two or three because then they seem to widen quite a bit. There is the oddest mish-mash of planting that I have ever seen. There are very odd little signs strewn about the course the significance of which is beyond me. Some of the bunkers are quite acceptably finished with a thin lip while others have large sod lips. Some of the lakes/ponds are nicely finished; others look like a spill on the kitchen counter. There are some holes that you might expect to find on a golf course somewhere while others could have been imagined by Aldous Huxley. What puzzled me throughout a practice round is that the designer seems to have some skill but just couldn't decide from one hole to the next what kind of course he wanted to design. Further, he appears to have taken his time with some objects/ponds/bunkers but not others. Ok, it IS a fantasy course but one that stretches the boundaries of even my vivid imagination. Several holes of the par 4 variety forced a shortish lay up (not a driver anyway) with a ludicrously long second shot to the green. All the fairways have a prison stripe straight across cut. Best of all, it uses our all time favourite Whistler pano & 'nuff said about that.
I guess it sounds like I'm bashing the designer here & I'm not. I actually had a fun time getting around this one despite the many flaws if only because as a whole unit it was just so odd. So I ask that if you're on cable and of a mind to, could someone check it out if only to tell me if I'm out of my mind? As for a serious d/l, especially for 56k'ers, forget it, unless you'd like to trip out on a round reminiscent of that acid you did in 1977 at the high school dance'.
Summary: Well, like I said above, I agree with everything Ross said about this course. It is fascinating to play in a quirky kind of way. There is so much unusual stuff to see here that it keeps you wanting to go on from hole to hole. I am actually tempted to recommend downloading it to guys with quick connections (at least for one quick round), but there are a few too many errors to really do that. The errors include some bad mesh work here and there, some sharp edges, stock shapes used for greens, bizarre and inconsistent planting and other small things. I also didn't like the width and length of some of the holes, particularly the two 500-yard (plus) par 4's. There were also some small lakes that were very strange to say the least. They didn't look like hazards on a golf course, they looked like flooded out low spots on the course. I kept thinking I should be getting a free drop from this 'casual water'. In summary, I really think Mr. Todt has a great bit of potential with the APCD, he just needs to spend more time learning the program and making things look more realistic.
I am both a player and a designer. I review courses primarily from the standpoint of fun and playability. I appreciate courses that are beautiful to look at, but first and foremost I want a fun experience. I have spent many hours designing courses myself, so I understand the blood, sweat and tears that go into the design process. Any critical comments made here are meant to be constructive and helpful.
Included/Not Included:
Cameo: Yes
Splash Screen: Yes
Hole Previews: Yes
Tee Signs: Signs yes, but not real course signs
Custom Tee Markers: No
Custom Flags: Yes
Handicaps: No
Custom or Added Sounds: No? |
This course is available as a FREE download.
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