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Desert Canyon
by Jack Hartt
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 769 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2002-02-04 |
35,196,945 bytes |
72 |
7235 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
REAL |
DESERT |
Desert Canyon.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| aee7aa40197e11d688fcb801b389ea58 |
abbedd0571316e012ba318dd8c9d0f2e |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by
James Wood
February 2002
Course History
This is the only desert course located in Central Washington, and desert waste areas come into play on every hole. The greens are large, undulating, and fairly fast. The signature hole is #6, a 679-yard, downhill par 5, featuring a 150-foot drop in elevation and a beautiful view of the Columbia River. "Golf Digest" rated this course as the 5th "Best Public Course," and 35th among the "Top 75 Upscale Courses" for 1996. The same publication rated it the 2nd "Best in State" course for the years 1995 through 1998. In addition, "GOLFWEEK" awarded it 65th among "America's 100 Best Modern Courses" for 1997. This resort also features a par 70 putting course. The putting course has water, sand, rocks, and other hazards coming into play. This is a fun and exciting way to improve your putting stroke.
Course Overview
A nice desert course here in an unexpected location. Located in Washington state, as you have seen in the course history, it is the only desert course in the state and it's rated very well. Jack has also included the par 70 putting course as part of the package adding quite a bit of extra value to your download. The course, with the exception of a couple of holes, is very wide open. The fairways are generous and the hazards shouldn't pose a big problem. Planting here consists mainly of grasses, rocks, and scrub trees. The panorama was made by DLunatic and it deserves special mention. The photos were taken from the actual course and Dave did a great job with this one.
Tips for Playing the Course
This should be a good venue for any type of player. The course is very open.
When playing with difficult pins your score is going to go way up. The pins are tucked into some tough places and that tends to make the greens fairly small. Your chipping skills will defintely get a work out.
Favorite Hole
The 7th hole is one of the few on the course with trees and it's a lovely view from the tee box. This is also a difficult driving hole. You can't reach the green in two so put the driver back in the bag and play it smart.
Overall
A nice real desert course that you should be able to score well on. The putting course that's included has quickly become a fan favorite among Links players. Certainly this one is well worth adding to your collection and it is a definite keeper if you're a fan of this genre. A good job was done by all here and I wish to thank you for the nice course.
This review will be based on playability, aesthetics and originality. Please keep in mind that this is only my opinion following my play-testing of the completed course.
I fully understand the hard work and immense skill that is involved in the designing of these courses and my comments will try to be constructive and without bias. |
|
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson (ousgg) |
Description
Real, desert course. |
Location
TBC |
Conditions
TBC |
Concept 6/10
Rather lush and verdant for a desert course, this pushes the desert areas backwards in the name of good golf. Fairways and rough are fairly spacious and good shots at the greens will be commonplace. Despite the dramatic panorama being taken from the actual course, it's not a good colour fit and hence there is little sense of atmosphere. |
Appearance 5/10
Surely these grass textures are too rich for a desert environment? Certainly there is a contrast between the panorama and the course itself, and it does little to help set the scenes. Add this to some pretty poor extrusive work around the tees and some green fringes, and you've got a course that looks average, at best. |
Playability 8/10
This is a course that lends itself to experimentation. There is massive variety in the pin placings, and the slope of the greens is such that the pin setting is often the difference between birdie and bogey. There's just enough variety in the holes to keep you moving along, with the trademark 650-yard Par 5 being an unexpected treat. Desert Canyon calls on all your shots, and for that it must be congratulated. |
Challenge 5/10
With wide open fairways and greens that will often run an off-course ball close to the pin, Desert Canyon makes a modest challenge, despite its well-placed hazards and constant elevation changes. The lack of planting is unsurprising in a desert environment, but does little to make things harder. Birdies are almost an inevitability on some of the higher-handicapped holes. |
Technical 6/10
I would really be impressed by this course if it could be reworked so the texture colours match the panorama. A pano as impressive as this is wasted on a course which otherwise has flaws. Extrusions, small-scale elevation work, and the bunkers are all in need of attention as the course stands currently. |
| Overall |
Not bad, by desert course standards, but lacking a realistic aura and still requiring some fine-tuning technically. |
30/50 |
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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