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Foothills
by Don Gooch
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 715 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2001-12-31 |
29,121,529 bytes |
72 |
7142 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
MOUNTAIN |
foothills.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| e096d39103804fd1b4cd1a3b10bb2c31 |
de41d5f9668f6a5cc457043ee28d6277 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
Mike Nifong
February 2002
Course type: Foothills is a mountain course featuring dramatic elevation changes and spectacular views. It is described by its designer as 'fictional/fantasy', but it seems to me to fit more comfortably into the fictional category, since it offers a completely convincing playing experience.
Historical perspective: Foothills is Don Gooch's fourth course (following Eagles Bluff, Cedar Springs, and Elmer Creek), and it was released to the Links Corner on the last day of 2001, more than eight months after the joint release of Cedar Springs and Elmer Creek. Both of those courses received good scores from the official reviewers at this site, but neither created much enthusiasm among the players: at one star (50-59%), Elmer Creek is the highest rated of those previous efforts, and the only one of Don's courses I have played previously. It would seem that those eight months have been well spent, however, as this course has already been reviewed by more players than rated all three of his previous courses in total, garnering a very respectable three stars (70-79%) in the process.
What is included: This 26.2MB package, about average in size, contains a brief read-me file, the customary cameo and splash screen (the latter being rather impressive), and hole previews that, although not as elaborate or informative as some recent designs, enable you to play without the top camera if you are so inclined.
First impressions: With a mountain rising in the background (no, not that mountain) and a lake below you to the right, the view from the first tee will give you a very representative picture of what you can expect from this course. The hole plays pretty much straight ahead, and although the mound behind the large bunker on the backside of the first segment of the divided fairway will obscure your view of the green, you can see the top of the pin.
With the near ubiquity of the Whistler pano in the early APCD courses, I must confess that mountain courses quickly became less than favored in my list of preferences. But this pano is different - not so familiar, and so much better integrated than is the case in most mountain courses - giving the feeling this course may have something more than the usual to offer. I am happy to tell you that what follows will only confirm that feeling. You are in for a treat!
What comes next: Let me put it this way. The hardest thing about reviewing this course was deciding which screen shots to include. It seemed like I was saving a picture (or a few pictures) of almost every hole - the scenery is just that. well, spectacular! (Okay, I promise not to use that word again.)
The overall design of the course is extremely coherent. The layout, the colors, the textures all seem to work well together, so that you really feel that you are playing a course rather than a collection of eighteen holes. The planting is very natural. Ground level planting in particular is exceptional - nothing seems out of place, never too much or not enough. The level of finish is also quite high. I never saw any bad edges, even in the dynamic cam, which bespeaks meticulous attention to detail. One very minor complaint involves the benches at the tees on #2 and #5: they seemed scaled slightly too large. The course does employ some fairly heavy extrusions of the boundaries between the fairway and rough textures, and between the fringe and rough textures, a decision that will not meet with universal acclaim. And in fact those extrusions can cause some unusual bounces. I personally like the look, and I can live with the bounces, but be forewarned if you are otherwise inclined.
The bunkers are very consistent, with very well finished edges and roughly 6' sod walls, complicating recovery if your lie is too close to the edge. Most of the greens are protected by several large and deep bunkers, and the surrounding terrain is often sloped in such a way as to attract balls hit too short or long, a situation you must take into account in deciding whether to risk going for some pin placements. The only quibble I have is with the decision to extend the mowed fairway texture right up to the lip - a collar of rough or semi-rough would look more realistic, although there is no denying the beauty of the design we are given. Water is rarely in play, but on those holes where the green is fronted by a pond rather than a bunker, as is the case with #3 and #10, you should take care not to hit short because the ball will not stick on the slopes.
Most of the holes play pretty much straight ahead - not much in the way of doglegs here. One device that is employed on several holes is the divided fairway; this is not overdone, but when it is used you will be forced to lay up from any of the tees, because the second fairway segment will be out of reach. You will be happy to know that this never results in your being forced into an unfair or unrealistic second shot. The fairways are also generally bordered by a fairly wide swath of semi-rough texture, which means that the slightly missed snap is not punished too harshly. What you will have to pay special attention to is the elevation changes, which can sometimes be dramatic. The best two examples are the 632-yard par-5 #9, which has a 156-yard drop off the tee, and the 425-yard par-4 #18, which has a 125-yard drop. On #9, you will find yourself hitting drives of more than 425 yards, so you have to pay careful attention to where your ball will end up; not only is the green easily reachable in two, but your biggest problem will be keeping your second shot from going too far. On #18, the problem is that while the green is not reachable, the bunker in front of it may be - something that you would never suspect from the distance. Prudence is advised. This is all the more the case because the caddy is the least reliable I have yet encountered in Links: with the exception of a handful of tee shots, the club I ended up using was invariably one or two clubs different (in either direction) than what was handed to me.
Three of the four par-5's are reachable in two. The exception is #10, which is actually the second shortest, but does not afford any elevation advantages and plays to an island green. It is certainly possible to get a good score on this course, but I did not get any unreasonably low totals. What I found was that the course was extremely well balanced between challenge and opportunity, never contrived, and completely fair.
The bottom line: I feel like Goldilocks - not too hard, not too soft, it's just right. And quite possibly the best looking mountain course to boot. Yet its release seems to have barely caused a ripple, with the result that you might not know anything about it. So let me not mince words here. This is by far Don's best effort, and it is an excellent course by any standard. That three-star user rating doesn't do it justice. A definite keeper, and highly recommended.
Course Statistics :
Par 72; 5 sets of tees; 7142 yards from back tees; holes are handicapped |
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