Well, I have played both courses, Apache Creek twice.
BOMBER, this same course that I shot +17 on the first 3 holes the first time I tackled it and curses the living daylights out of it, has quietly become my favorite course.
Today, I was unfortunate enough to have to tackle it in brutal winds and thus got off to a terrible +3 start after just 2 holes. This had disaster written all over it.
Then something very odd happened.
I shot par on holes 3 though 12.
I then went on to birdie 13, 14 and 15 to pull to even par.
After a bogie on 16, I made par on 17 and then on 18, on a 170 yard approach shot, I not only landed an eagle but unlocked the Comeback Kid achievement shooting 1 under for the round.
A month ago if you'd told me I'd break par on this course I would have told you that you were crazy and should have your head examined.
Very interesting differences between these two courses. While I find your way to the green to be infinitely harder, Apache Creek's greens give me fits as far as putting goes. I can't tell you how many putts I missed between 3 and 6 inches. I shot par my first round and 3 or 4 over my 2nd round. I just could not figure out those greens.
While Apache Creek is more realistic, and I love some of the views and the work that was done on it, Pelikila is more exciting, for lack of a better word. Some of the holes I almost dread teeing off on having to look at what I'm up against. But if you conquer those tee shots and approach shots and get it to the green in regulation, I find you have an excellent chance at birdie. Most of my par holes came because I couldn't make it to the green in regulation. But I scrambled like a champ and somehow pulled out a 1 under.
Both courses are excellent and both will be added to my favorites, especially since I'm determined to conquer Apache's greens. But ultimately, I had to give my vote to Pelikila, the course that I cursed like the devil when this thing first started.
Who duh thunk it?