My review from the
3 Hole Showcase Contest: Series 1 Tour 1. Don't forget to vote for your favourite!
UrsusArctos -
Le golf des vacheries (Holes 5, 7 & 11 )
Forums:
HB GrizzlyGolfFairways: Firm. Greens: Medium & Fast
This set of holes has an intreguing quality in its ability to look pretty simple, but play a lot tougher. Given the warning on the thread that the name practically means "the dirty tricks of golf" I should have expected that I guess. The first is a classic example of this, it's a short length par 4, slightly uphill, there is water short left but that isn't in play, and there are no fairway bunkers. Naturally you tend to the right side of the fairway due to the slight right dogleg... oh damn you Ursus! There is a tree right there blocking the second shot! The smart play is to take a few extra yards on your second but with a clear line down the left. It isn't overdone, but it is an excellent way to reward planning and punish the lock and load golfer. I really like the planting and general look... I think it is a lusher version of Boreal which is a good look. I do however have to point out the fairway short right... where it joins to the path there is a very severe slope which you'd need some special machinery to cut, I'm being critical but I know Ursus can take it (and give it... nail scissors anyone
). Great hole though
The second of the showcase holes is another devil... a long par 5, but not a straightforward one. There is a section of fairway short of the green isolated between the fairway in front by bunkers and the green ahead by a big slope. If you don't reach this safely in two then you will have a very tricky third (regardless of where that is). Even if you do find that fairway in two then you still have a severe uphill shot where you'll find the ball hitting the green at a shallow point in its arc making ball roll difficult to judge. We have been given a little mercy with the fact that the green is only gently sloped. You turn up expecting an easy birdie and walk away thankful for a par if you manage it, like that about it. Looks wise, I felt the planting in front of the tee took away a bit from the view, raising it up would give a more plesant view imo. I did however think the fence and planting beyond the green was a nice touch and the rock wall short of the green was pretty neat.
Of course the third hole is no pushover. Despite it being just 132 yards, the severe downhill to a small sloping green makes it a difficult target to find, especially in high winds. I thought it was a good balance between hazards, sloping and green size for the length hole. I quite like that there appears to be a fairway backstop long of the green... I'd like to have a few goes at hitting that to see if it feeds into the hole, although it possibly suffers from the too steep issue as I pointed out on hole 1.
Another classic looking course from this designer. Ursus certainly has a very unique style, I feel like I'd be able to pick one of his out among a crowd which is a great quality to have. I can only imagine the full course is a tricky but fun affair
