Screenshot of the course:
- WaiScr1jpg.jpg (653.3 KiB) Viewed 3676 times
The 2007 version came with a readme (which can be viewed here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6a3mnj16oi46h ... e.pdf?dl=0 ) In this readme, Tim Hagen notes 3 things to still be finished: "Final adjustments to the greens", "Planting", and "Finish 3d objects", I have considered if I should try to finish those things, but I dont really feel like I know well enough exactly what to do on those areas to do it, other than planting tees and pins. The beta only has Back tees (all other tees play the same as Back) and only the 4 pins per green. I decided to add the other tees and pins (they are optional additions rather than changes after all) and upload my edit instead, which is currently half-completed. I will still label it as a beta, add 2021 to the name to indicate the upload and version date (though I want to point out that it will still be a version of how the course played back in 2007). Naturally all credit will go to Tim Hagen. Since my edits are so minimal, I will list him as the only designer and instead note very clearly on the course download page and in an attached readme that I was the one uploading it, that I didnt make the course, and include a full list of my minor edits. I will also clearly describe the full story and reasoning behind the decision, plus the original readme.
Why dont I think Tim Hagen would mind? All his courses were released publicly, I checked with gator (who has an extensive record of those types of things) and apart from this beta version of Waialae, only one version of Tim Hagen's courses was ever released exclusively, the other being a APCD/OWGC exclusive version of Quail Hollow, which was released 3 days later on LC as well, with a later savedate. None of his courses were ever P2P. He writes in the Waialae readme "I feel the course plays very well in Links and hopefully everyone will appreciate this great classic golf course by Seth Raynor.", so he clearly wanted to share this. He was experienced and would have locked it if he wanted it untouched with certainty, he had already released some locked versions of other courses prior to this but didnt lock this one. No I dont think that means he was inviting edits, but that - given the circumstances of the course never having been finished - he wouldnt mind the tiny edits I have in mind. I think the reason he only released it on APCD-courses was because he didnt want to make a too-public release of an unfinished product. He intended to finish it at the time, and I feel strongly that he intended to share it to everyone, like all his other courses, once it was finished. Especially considering his quote in the readme. You could argue that it is still is somewhat unfinished yes, but I think, after all these years, that he would rather that people enjoy his beta than not ever experience it. Especially since this course product is a very good one, and in most senses that I think matter to most players, relatively speaking very "finished" indeed for being a beta. Aside from the tees and pins that Im adding, it is exceptionally clean in terms of gameplay and appearance of areas that come into play, some rare distant views can perhaps hint of some unfinished 3d (it hasnt been something I ever thought about until I actively looked for it) but I would still describe course surroundings as really beautiful. Perhaps part of the reason I like this course so much is because I am so into the idea of golfing at Hawaii, but I still think most people would agree that it is an excellent course, one that really deserves being seen by everyone.
The timing is not a coincidence, as the PGA is visiting the course in a little less than two weeks (and the beta release is having its 14th birthday on Jan 7th).
I would like to thoroughly thank gator for all the help he has provided me with in this endeavor, enlightening me about Tim Hagen being its designer, showing me the readme file and helping me with trying to contact him.
