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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 10, 2018 5:21:53 GMT -5
Hole 6 (The Meadows): 483 yardsThe longest par four on the course, the fairway is bisected by 3 bunkers. It does not take a strategic genius to see that going left leaves an easier approach. The green features several dips and swales, putting a premium on a well placed approach.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 11, 2018 21:13:40 GMT -5
Hole 7 (The Falls): 210 yardsThis long par three plays along the river, with the waterfalls to the left inspired by Bow Falls in Banff (not actually visible from that course). The green features a diagonal spine that dictates the strategy for the tee shot. Pins 1 and 3 lie on the right side of the green, and the spine can be used to feed a shot close to the hole (or into it, as I accomplished in playtesting). Pins 2 and 4 are on the left, bringing the river more into play. Bail right and your ball will be fed away from the hole by the spine. At first blush, pin 4 seems almost totally inaccessible at the back of the green and fronted by the spine. However, there is a hack! If you play your tee shot to the patch of fairway well right of the green and roughly pin high, the ball will carom left and climb up the spine and lay dead at the hole. This was a fun hole to design since it seemed like I just kept finding out new ways to play it.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 13, 2018 4:37:27 GMT -5
Didn't get around to posting yesterday and will be gone for the weekend, so you're getting a quadruple-shot of hole descriptions this morning. Hole 8 (Confluence): 454 yardsThis hole lies at the point where two rivers begin to empty into the large lake that dominates the back nine. The tee shot must stay between the water on the right and the array of large bunkers on the left. The second shot is slightly uphill to a wild green that is watched over by both the clubhouse and the imposing resort hotel. If your approach is on the wrong level of the green you'll have a very tricky two putt, unless you are creative like CapEm (see his video earlier in the thread). Hole 9 (Le Lac): 569 yardsThe "back ten" at Lions Gate kicks off with a downhill par 5 along the lake that you'll be seeing a lot of throughout the remainder of your round. The strategy is quite simple--flirt with the lake as much as possible and you'll have the best angle to the green, whether it's your second or third shot. The second can be aimed right at the green and threaded between the lake and two bunkers, or there is ample room to the right of the bunkers for a safer lay-up. However, this leaves a blind pitch to a green sloping away from you (but you probably won't lose a ball). Hole 10 (Lion's Den): 330 yardsThe strategy for this short par 4 is dictated by the angle and contours of the narrow green and the bunker guarding it to the left. Clearing the lake with a driver is usually not a concern with tour clubs unless there's a strong headwind, but making birdie is almost impossible if you miss to the right of the green. Tons of room to bail left, but doing so leaves you with a tricky angle, whether the pin is tucked behind the bunker or perched above the false edge at the front-right of the green. A birdie hole, to be sure, but carelessness will be punished! Hole 11 (Pulpit): 361 yardsThe second straight short par four provides a brief respite from the terror of the lake, playing uphill to a strange green inspired by both the third at Augusta National and the 12th at The Old Course at St. Andrews. Pins 1 and 4 in particular will require exceptional distance control with a wedge, as they are perched on the narrow shelf on the right side of the green. This is best accomplished by leaving yourself a pitch from the right side of the fairway, which requires challenging the right side fairway bunker and hitting a fairway that plays narrower than it looks due to its right to left slope.
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Post by TreeWood on Jul 13, 2018 18:50:47 GMT -5
If I could build a course, this would be my template! Breathtaking scenery, and a good solid test of golf!
Banff, Jasper, and Capilano, all wrapped into one.
Instantly faved!
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 17, 2018 5:38:14 GMT -5
Hole 12 (Funnel): 473 yardsAfter a par 5 and a couple of short par fours, this long two-shotter heads out onto the peninsula that is home to holes 12-14. Playing close to the bunkers on the left gives the flattest lie and best angle in to a green guarded by a bunker short right and the lake on the left. The trickiest pin on the green is pin 3 (back right), which is essentially impossible to get close to if you go straight at it. However, the closely mown bowl surrounding the right side of the green can be used to funnel the ball close to the hole.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 17, 2018 20:28:50 GMT -5
Hole 13 (L'Enfant Terrible): 139 yardsThis slightly downhill, short par 3 plays out to the tip of the peninsula with the clubhouse and resort providing the backdrop. The narrow, crowned green is perched well above its surrounds (bunker short left, lake long left, bunker long right, shaved bank short right), meaning most misses will be punished quite severely. Do you play for the middle of the green even though you'll have to settle for a tricky birdie putt or do you try and knock it close and risk hitting it into trouble? This hole could wreak havoc in the wind.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 19, 2018 5:51:13 GMT -5
Hole 14 (Rampart): 435 yardsThe tee shot here is partially blind over a rock wall lining the lake. The closer you play to the lake and the wall, the flatter your stance for the approach to a wild green. The water is only a real threat if you miss the fairway.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 19, 2018 21:22:04 GMT -5
Hole 15 (Cape): 477 yardsThe tee shot challenges the golfer to carry as much of the lake as he dares, thereby shortening this long par four and providing a flatter stance. The green is difficult to approach with a side hill lie given its general right to left tilt and the lake coming into play for the final time on the left. If you find yourself out of position off the tee, you may have the chance at a heroic recovery if you can thread your second shot to the right of the fronting greenside bunker and use the slope to feed your ball close to the front or middle pin positions.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 20, 2018 20:13:27 GMT -5
Hole 16 (Pinnacle): 299 YardsThe drivability of this short par four is highly dependent on the wind since the hole plays uphill to a green nestled at the base of a rocky hill. A poorly placed tee shot with a driver could result in an awkward second shot (e.g. long bunker shot, uphill short-sided chip, etc.) and a disappointing par. Think carefully before swinging away!
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 21, 2018 21:57:18 GMT -5
Hole 17 (The Wall): 188 yards This par 3 plays down hill over water to a green at the base of a mountain. Architecture junkies will likely (or hopefully, anyway) recognize this as an homage to the famous "Devil's Cauldron" at Banff (the 4th). The two-tiered green places a premium on controlling the distance on your tee shot. I have found that the "elevation math" on this hole generally caused me to come up short, so consider taking a bit more club than you think is necessary.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Jul 22, 2018 15:16:20 GMT -5
Hole 18 (Fortress): 580 yardsThe home hole is a long uphill par five that doglegs to the right. To have any chance of getting home in two you'll need to challenge the two bunkers on the inside of the dogleg. Otherwise, the reverse camber of the fairway will carry your tee shot well to the left and leave you with a longer second shot. The second shot can be safely played to the lower fairway to the left, leaving a blind uphill wedge shot, or the player can attempt to carry the deep bunkers cut into the hillside onto the upper fairway, leaving an open pitch shot. However, if you bail too far to the right into the upper fairway, the green runs away from you, making your third shot tricky. Nevertheless, this hole provides an excellent chance at a closing birdie. Thus completes our tour of Lions Gate Resort and C.C. Hopefully many of you will be booking rooms at the resort this week as it plays host to the RBC Canadian Open on TST. I played the first round and managed a five-under par 67 with a few bogeys sprinkled in. I noticed that the ghost I played with had two eagles (on 9 and 16) but only managed a two-under 70. Indeed, I've found that most of my rounds here contain many birdies but also several bogeys.
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Sept 13, 2018 19:45:54 GMT -5
I've just ported the course to TGC 2019. I made one major change to the out of play area (hint: look at the screenshot of 18 above and compare) and made a few other minor tweaks. The greens default to 157 speed but they also play quite well on the "fast" setting (i.e. 163).
I suppose I should add that this course placed sixth in a field of 25 or so courses in the TGC2 Survivor competition.
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Post by jeffbdvs on Sept 13, 2018 20:26:02 GMT -5
Love this course, and I thought you deserved higher than 6th in that competition. (No problem with the winner, though. Hickory is a fantastic track.) Thank you for porting it!
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bk
Caddy
Posts: 54
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Post by bk on Sept 14, 2018 6:46:24 GMT -5
Fantastic course. Also, your Potter Lake C.C. is one of the best courses created for the game. Not sure why it doesn't get more recognition!
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Sept 14, 2018 9:40:53 GMT -5
Thanks so much jeffbdvs and bk ! Glad to hear you're enjoying my courses.
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