Links Corner Forum

Nice to see a good number of votes and varying opinions

Would like to think I will get time to do more courses in the future (work and life commitments permitting).

As I would prefer to do courses suited to the European Tour I run at LSPN, it's not always possible to get totally accurate information. Plus many of them are set on estates with lots of housing, or with huge clubhouse complexes, so they would only be interpretations as I struggle with 3D.

May do this one, as there are very few desert courses https://www.dohagolfclub.com/championship
Or I may do a Imaginary one suited to one of the European countries that aren't represented based on something like this one http://www.caryagolf.com/en/course-floodlight/

If you would only play real courses, you would miss out on a lot of great fictional designs. As long as the course is not " tricked up", it's fine. Many times I don't even know which I am playing, and don't particularly care.

Stephen Sullivan wrote: ↑September 27th, 2020, 10:49 amMay do this one, as there are very few desert courses https://www.dohagolfclub.com/championship
Or I may do a Imaginary one suited to one of the European countries that aren't represented based on something like this one http://www.caryagolf.com/en/course-floodlight/

I love those choices! That said, if youd rather make a fictional, do what you want

Didnt vote since Im somewhere in between yes and no.

I really prefer to play real courses as opposed to "fictional" Links courses, however, I do have some fictional courses in my course library and will play them occasionally.

Stephen Sullivan wrote: ↑September 26th, 2020, 12:49 pm I ask, as once I finish the current real course I am working on, I want to carry on designing, but find doing real courses difficult and constraining.

I like both, but as others note, sometimes a fictional course is tricked up in some way, and what's most annoying, the particular trick used tends to run through the entire course. For example, a tiny landing area off the tee is appropriate on a few holes, but not on every single non-par3. That just becomes tiresome, both to play and to look at, hole after hole. On the other hand, a fictional course has more freedom to do things that would be either impossible or simply too costly to do on a real course. If you consider some of the muni's you've played, the ones with no bunkers or water whatsoever, and tiny greens, to cut construction and operating costs, a fictional course can go to the other extreme and can be very good if it's done properly. An example would be Crouching Beast. No real golf course is going to have all those bunkers, a large percentage of which are not even in play for most golfers. But they look good, and don't affect playability. It all comes down to how well-designed it is. And let's be honest, some real courses are quite boring visually, and you're not likely to see them replicated here. (I've never been a huge fan of links courses for that reason. I like to see trees, ponds/lakes, and I like to see clearly demarcated fairways.)

AJ Allen wrote: ↑September 26th, 2020, 9:44 pm It can be a bit annoying that the lovely bunkers you create and which would be a hazard to a bogie golfer on a real course, will just be something you look at as you clear them by 50 meters in Links2003!

Good point. The Banff Springs course is pretty to look at, but most fairways are far too wide to be a challenge, and over-all too easy a course.

FOOOOORE! wrote: ↑September 28th, 2020, 1:23 am

AJ Allen wrote: ↑September 26th, 2020, 9:44 pm It can be a bit annoying that the lovely bunkers you create and which would be a hazard to a bogie golfer on a real course, will just be something you look at as you clear them by 50 meters in Links2003!

Good point. The Banff Springs course is pretty to look at, but most fairways are far too wide to be a challenge, and over-all too easy a course.

Hi Doug-your mention of Banf brings up the issue that many real courses-unless they're "Tour" courses tend to be on the easier side. Banff for example is designed for visitors at the beautiful Banff Springs Hotel across the street.
For me-as long as the clubhouse is beautiful...

I wish I could have played that course. I was an army cadet at the Banff National Army Cadet Camp when I was 16, and was at the top of Mount Norquay the same day of the moon landing. I had quite a bit of caddying experience (at the Royal Montreal), so I knew a good-looking course when I saw one. But I never had a chance to play it, and now I'm living permanently in the Philippines. The only hole that gives one any trouble is that par-3 where you're hitting to a green well below the tee, across water. It's always somewhere between a 6 and a 7 iron, depending on the wind, and always difficult to hit it close. But as a 16 yo, the images of those mountains will always be in my mind. Throwing snowballs in July? Priceless!

Stephen Sullivan wrote: ↑September 27th, 2020, 10:49 am
Or I may do a Imaginary one suited to one of the European countries that aren't represented based on something like this one http://www.caryagolf.com/en/course-floodlight/

well, there is already a course with floodlights like that, check out Midnight, it's rather cool :)

I usually prefer real courses, but since I will never get to visit them in real life anyway it really doesn't matter,
I would never be able to tell the difference in most courses anyway....
but I sure do like an estimated location for fictional courses, it helps my career seasons :)