[Biggins]

I've been working on this for......forever.  A real labour of love.

No screenshots to show yet but I wanted to start this thread anyway.  The course is going to be tough but I'm desperately trying to balance a real-life like look of the course while maintaining the difficulty.

I'm hugely proud of what I've designed so far and I'm looking forward to getting some screenshots out.

I'm designing this in the Countryside theme as I think it gives a better look than the old Links theme.  However, it's missing a few things which would really bring the course to life.  I'm hoping that HB will release the new links theme soonish so I can flip it over but I'm not going to hold my breath.  To do some seems pointless and will probably make me go light-headed; and that will affect my ability to get the design finished.

UPDATE:

Flipped into new theme and started planting.  Screenshots to follow.

[MAJORHIGH]

I understand your pain. Royal Blackburn has been a nightmare.

[Biggins]

Definitely the hardest course I've designed to get right.

[Oswinner]

Why don't you publish it in both links and countryside (in-land links I guess you could say) It's not proper links if you don't have that sea breeze :-p

[bigtee]

I think there's a chance there could be a new links theme around mid july. Remains to be seen whether it will be better than countryside though. I think the new links theme should be packed with rough on gndc to the extent it's barely playable, so that the rough is left to delete at the designers discretion. I think this would be better than using multi plant, or taking donkeys to add rough.

[Biggins]

The problem with publishing in two different themes is that the planting goes completely to pot.

And yes, the wind is a real issue.  Wind is so important to links golf.

[DoGgzbollox]

The problem with publishing in two different themes is that the planting goes completely to pot.

And yes, the wind is a real issue.  Wind is so important to links golf.

agree that the wind is important with the links theme, i created san monique so that it would be playable with high winds and not put players off, i think i achieved that even though it was a rush job and could have been technically better, i was mainly experimenting with the playability factor, i think it worked anyway.

[jeremyholme@btinternet.com]

I've been working on this for......forever.  A real labour of love.

No screenshots to show yet but I wanted to start this thread anyway.  The course is going to be tough but I'm desperately trying to balance a real-life like look of the course while maintaining the difficulty.

I'm hugely proud of what I've designed so far and I'm looking forward to getting some screenshots out.

I'm designing this in the Countryside theme as I think it gives a better look than the old Links theme.  However, it's missing a few things which would really bring the course to life.  I'm hoping that HB will release the new links theme soonish so I can flip it over but I'm not going to hold my breath.  To do some seems pointless and will probably make me go light-headed; and that will affect my ability to get the design finished.

Can't wait to see what you end up with and I agree the countryside theme looks more links like than the links theme. Problem is the sea and the horizon, my current effort I'm designing in the links theme and keep flipping to others but not working for me yet. Quite pleased with how Rye Bay Harbour Evening turned out visually and it plays like a links course but it has it's compromises. Be honoured if you'd have a look and see what you think.
Anyway, best of luck mate and keep going!

[MERACE]

The problem with publishing in two different themes is that the planting goes completely to pot.

Could you save your course layout prior to planting (naming it with the extension "pre-planting") and then use it as a template for various themed course creations?


-MERACE

[Reebdoog]

The problem with publishing in two different themes is that the planting goes completely to pot.

Could you save your course layout prior to planting (naming it with the extension "pre-planting") and then use it as a template for various themed course creations?


-MERACE

yeah, Just move the course file out and put the "pre_panting" at the beginning of the file name. You can always take that out and toss it back into the courses folder.

[Biggins]

Not a bad idea.  I reckon I'll do that.  Or at least keep it to minimum planting.

And I'll definitely give Rye Bay a blast.

[Biggins]

Course is really taking shape nicely now.  Hopefully have a couple of screenshot by the weekend.

Some issues that are a struggle to get right though:

The fairways don't run out enough.  A lot of the difficulty for links courses is how far the ball will run.  You could hit a niceish shot yet find you've run out into the light rough or even worse.  This just doesn't happen enough on TGC.  As long as the drive is hit reasonably well then you can pretty much be sure where you're going to end up.  In real golf, this feature of links courses has two major impacts.  Firstly, it can greatly shorten a course.  Hit a drive with the wind and you can absolutely monster it.  The other impact, and one which fairly evens it up, is that running off the fairway can be extremely dangerous.  Especially if there is just a couple of paces of light rough before hitting the deep stuff - or if there are a couple of deep pot bunkers in the fairway.  As we can't accurately recreate this on TGC, a traditional links layout would be far too easy - No trees, very little need for shot shaping, unprotected fronts of greens, forgiving deep rough, none if any water.  Thus getting the balance between having the course look right yet play tough is very difficult.

Also, the light rough doesn't look right.  It's too pristine. 

[Biggins]

Started planting my course now and I'm loving the look of it.  Here's a look at a WIP 5th hole.

[bigtee]

Started planting my course now and I'm loving the look of it.  Here's a look at a WIP 5th hole.

Crazy !!

[Dr. Yeti]

Now that you have a special slider for green firmness, you could crank UP the fairway firmness to get the rollout on drives that you would like, but soften up the greens to allow for shots to be held.

That pic looks great!   Cool colors!