Lighthouse Isle

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jwgriffingca
Posts: 36
Joined: August 28th, 2019, 12:53 am
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana USA

Lighthouse Isle

Post by jwgriffingca »

Wanted to say thanks to Sage for this course, I think it is very well done.

I don't play much Links anymore, maybe a handful of rounds a year. But I still check out Links Corner regularly and download new courses that look interesting. Sometimes I play a round right away, sometimes not. The two screenshots of Lighthouse Isle really appealed to me, so I downloaded it and took it for a spin yesterday.

The course offers such an enjoyable round. It has such a "sense of place" - everything about it perfectly reinforces the seaside environment without overdoing it. It is wonderfully understated. And that's the charm - it is low-profile, with just a few hints of a bit higher elevation here and there to add some variety. The greens are a perfect complement, with mostly subtle contours to match the rest of the terrain. The textures and plantings are perfect, especially the transitions from the turf areas into the sandy areas. The bulkheaded bunkers are unique but are totally believable and fit right in. And the holes themselves are well-designed, requiring just the right degree of thought and execution without being overly taxing. Such a fun and relaxing round. Maybe it was the fact that there is 8 inches of snow on the ground outside my window, but it offered a great escape to a warm and sunny place for a while!

Anyway, thanks Sage, for this course. It is definitely one of my favorites! :thumbup: :clapping:

John
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sagevanni
Posts: 1133
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 6:21 am
Location: Somewhere on flat earth

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by sagevanni »

Thanks John........
Very much appreciated.....!!!

Sage..... :smile: :cheers1: :smile: :cheers1:
If there is one thing ................ummmmmmmm.......I can't remember.
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Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by Adelade »

Played this course for the first time 2 days ago - wasnt able to play Links at the time when it first came out.

After I'd played it, I thought it was so good that it seemed a little strange to me that I couldnt remember ever seeing any discussion about it. I tried the search engine and found a couple comments about it from people, including this thread. Im positive I must have read this back then, but I didnt remember it.

Anyhow, just wanted to say that I felt almost eerily similar about the course as John wrote above, especially the "wonderfully understated" phrase - thats exactly how I felt about it too when I played. The textures all harmonize with eachother in a pleasant way without them making a fuss of anything. The soundscript felt to me like it hit that delicate perfect balance between being sufficiently in the background and still being highly atmospheric. And above all, the planting is just... a really impressive masterpiece if you ask me. So much achieved with such few tools, in such a wonderful and artful way, to me it is absolutely perfect.

The layout is one of rather flat topography, but as long as one doesnt mind that too much, this is definitely a course that needs to at least be experienced once. It does feel like the course would be destroyed by the first moderate storm passing by, but thats no reason for it to not exist for Links! :thumbup:

P.S. Does anyone have any ideas on where one might place this fictional course in the world? I was thinking it could probably fit in a lot of places in Europe, and my prime candidates feel like England, Scotland or Denmark. We already have a lot of courses for England and Scotland, so I wrote it down as Denmark in my own list for the time being, but I'd love to hear what others think.
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
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sagevanni
Posts: 1133
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 6:21 am
Location: Somewhere on flat earth

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by sagevanni »

Hi ya Adelade,

I take that as high praise from someone I totally respect as a designer. Thank you..........

Sage..... :cheers1:
If there is one thing ................ummmmmmmm.......I can't remember.
morvio100
Posts: 329
Joined: April 6th, 2022, 11:02 am

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by morvio100 »

re: Lighthouse Isle...."The layout is one of rather flat topography"..(You hit the nail on the head Adelade)...Sage has created a great SUPER relaxing atmosphere on that course (the sea .wav is superb)..definitely one on his better...small nitpick here so no offence Sage, some of Sages's courses look terrific(talking fictional specifically).. but there not changeling enough to play...eg Lighthouse Isle would/could be a great course if Sage had throw in some wicked beastly par 5's on such a course, and more changeling undulations, and maybe unforgiving custom rough/grass textures...play something like that in Windy OR Gusty....an ya youve got a fantastic round of golf...once again Sage no offence meant...just my 2 cents...and thanks for all the great courses...+1 :clapping:
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sagevanni
Posts: 1133
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 6:21 am
Location: Somewhere on flat earth

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by sagevanni »

Thanks morvio100................

Sage............. :cheers1:
If there is one thing ................ummmmmmmm.......I can't remember.
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Weeler
Posts: 241
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 3:52 pm
Location: Watertown, WI

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by Weeler »

Hey folks.......if you enjoy this type of seaside, flatter course, check out Sage's "The Links Course at Stonegate" ! This course is definitely somewhere in Scotland or Ireland. The rustic lighthouse, and ancient "stonegate" are beautifully done. Play with , Carnoustie sky, or another overcast look. It's
absolutely great. Lighthouse Isle is really nice as well.
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Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: Lighthouse Isle

Post by Adelade »

I, too, would love to see some courses from Sage with a bit more gameplay challenge, especially in terms of fairway undulations and hazards or undulations closely surrounding the greens of easier holes, but that is of course a highly subjective thing.
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
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