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Post by rjwils30 on Oct 26, 2018 3:40:35 GMT -5
Just Published :
Elysian Downs Golf ClubThe Preston Club was originally formed as an exclusive club for the elite steel and manufacturing tycoons that lived in the neighbouring town of Preston. In 1915 the members enlisted venerable golf course architect S.B. MacRaynor to lay out a course for the windy and exposed site that would test the best in the world. The design that MacRaynor produced wasn’t so much a stern test like Muirfield or Carnoustie but a sporting members course that emulated many of the great and fun design features found in the British isles. The course opened and soon became a destination for many of the worlds greatest golfers who took part in many exhibition matches in the following years. Following the Great Depression the industry that once supported the wealthy town of Preston dried up and in 1935, with much of membership gone to the east coast, the club went into foreclosure. The clubhouse was shut down and the course turned over to public lands. With the onset of World War 2 the course was taken over by the US army and used as a training grounds. Bunkers were used as trenches and several wood structures were built on site to emulate barriers and buildings on the battle field. The prosperous years following the war saw the small town grow and a middle class population move into the surrounding neighborhood, but there was little interest in restoring the course and over the course of the next 60 years the course grew over and lay dormant becoming a habitat for animals and birds and a park for the residents. Beneath the overgrowth, the course remained. The design features strong enough to the withstand the erosion and foot traffic over time. In the late 90s factories outside Preston closed and many residents were forced to leave. With a dwindling population and no source of industry the town floundered, stores and restaurants were shuttered and houses boarded up. In the mid 2000’s with the golf business booming a local millionaire and golf architecture enthusiast aware of the courses existence approached the town and offered to donate a substantial sum to restore the course back to its original glory and open it back up as a low maintenance throwback public course that would draw golf tourists from around the globe. With few options the town agreed on the stipulation that the course remain as a public park and like many courses in the British isles allow the public(at there own risk) to stroll the grounds and dedicate 1 day a week where the course would be open to the residents at a reduced rate. To complete the restoration the town enlisted a little known but passionate golf architect James McBean. McBean moved his family to the town and spent the next 3 years on site in what amounted to an archaeological dig, trimming back and unearthing the course that lay beneath. Upon completion the course was renamed Elysian Downs Golf Club. The term Elysian comes from Greek mythology as the final resting place for the heroic and virtuous. The name pays tribute to the service members who trained there and fought in the War, with the remnants of that history still in place as a reminder for future generations. Since it’s completion, the course has brought new life and pride to the town of Preston. What was once an exclusive club for the rich and training ground for soldiers, is now an integral part of the town fabric. Enjoy. Hole 1: Out Hole 2: Redan Hole 3: Alps Hole 4: Bluff Hole 5: Cape Hole 6: Short Hole 7: Hogsback/Double Plateau Hole 8: Rise Hole 9: Long Hole 10: Bottle Hole 11: Cant Hole 12: Biarritz Hole 13: Leven Hole 14: Tower Hole 15: Eden Hole 16: Wall Hole 17: Road Hole 18: Punchbowl
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Post by bogeyman on Oct 26, 2018 7:16:14 GMT -5
Yeah another great course from RJ Wilson. Loved the wide open spaces and the natural look and feel of the course. And I enjoyed the Mc Raynor raised greens and shapes. All in all a joy to play. Great job!
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Post by rjwils30 on Oct 26, 2018 11:32:48 GMT -5
Thanks for Playing Bogeyman!. You always seem to be the first guy to play my courses. I've posted a back story above to give some context for the course.
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Post by SkinniePost on Oct 26, 2018 11:40:32 GMT -5
Absolutely loved it, felt so natural with the templates integrated into the landscape... 13 & 14 were visually spectacular.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 15:17:34 GMT -5
I want to quit my job so i can go play this. You know what? Screw it!! Fight the power!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 16:06:56 GMT -5
To be blatantly honest, and this isn't meant as an offense to any of the qualified designers that have put out template courses before, but I've been getting weary of the template designs because they get repetitive and boring after a while. So, the biggest complement I can give you is that this course was neither repetitive, nor boring, and that likely comes from the fact that you are a master of creating environments. When people make mention of Arctic Fury as the best designer of atmosphere, and rightfully so, they should be throwing your name in that sentence as well. This is a course that would play very differently from all four pin positions, so I look forward to trying them all out. Today I shot 36-30 for a -6, which I was quite pleased with actually.
BTW, the contours on the green of hole 6 were something very unique, and scared the crap out of me in pin position 1 (but I made a par).
Great job man, thanks for designing fun courses for us!
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adx321
Weekend Golfer
Posts: 100
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Post by adx321 on Oct 26, 2018 16:42:23 GMT -5
Having played The National this past summer I have to say this course made me think I was back there. To this point, this is the best course in the game imo and I love Furys stuff. But this, playability wise, is second to none. It's a us open course waiting to happen HINT HINT Great work!
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Post by PithyDoctorG on Oct 26, 2018 18:04:55 GMT -5
Absolutely loved it, felt so natural with the templates integrated into the landscape... 13 & 14 were visually spectacular. I was thinking the same thing, which is part of why National is so great. The course also has some original takes on the "classic" templates. For example, the Road hole template is like nothing I've seen and the asymmetric swale in the Biarritz green presented a unique challenge. I also thought the "inverse Short" green (with the "thumbprint" raised instead of lowered) was a bold move that really sets the hole apart. And that double green on 9 and (forget which back nine hole)! And the Alps hole! I could go on and on and on...
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Post by karma4u on Oct 26, 2018 22:18:01 GMT -5
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Post by gamesdecent on Oct 26, 2018 22:44:48 GMT -5
Someone said on a VctryLnSprts stream that my contours reminded them of yours, and I'd never seen one of your courses until I played this one, and now I'm cackling maniacally wondering who I tricked into thinking I was this good at the game. Very well done course, and I'm not even a fan of the geometric style, but this one felt really original and less contrived than I've ever seen before. It still doesn't feel natural when I see it, but this one doesn't feel forced either, and it was a really fun course to play.
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Post by jwfickett on Oct 27, 2018 1:10:07 GMT -5
Not sure what to say other than this course is exceptional, everyone should tee it up here. Gorgeous contouring and really playable holes. #Width and #angles abound.
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Post by jacquesy123 on Oct 27, 2018 1:41:59 GMT -5
I’m not going to lie I have been getting sick and tied of this style course it feels like every course coming out is one of these, but bro what an original way to capture this style real well done
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Post by rjwils30 on Oct 27, 2018 15:02:29 GMT -5
Thanks for playing Eric. I was a little bit sheepish putting out another template course, but it had been on my agenda for quite some time and after designing a wild mountain course it was really refreshing to design something wide open low profile and restrained (by my standards). It forced me out of my comfort zone, even though the end result still has a rugged and natural feel to it. Appreciate the comment s. Now that I’m done designing for a bit I’m looking forward to getting back to playing some courses! To be blatantly honest, and this isn't meant as an offense to any of the qualified designers that have put out template courses before, but I've been getting weary of the template designs because they get repetitive and boring after a while. So, the biggest complement I can give you is that this course was neither repetitive, nor boring, and that likely comes from the fact that you are a master of creating environments. When people make mention of Arctic Fury as the best designer of atmosphere, and rightfully so, they should be throwing your name in that sentence as well. This is a course that would play very differently from all four pin positions, so I look forward to trying them all out. Today I shot 36-30 for a -6, which I was quite pleased with actually. BTW, the contours on the green of hole 6 were something very unique, and scared the crap out of me in pin position 1 (but I made a par). Great job man, thanks for designing fun courses for us!
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Post by rjwils30 on Oct 27, 2018 15:05:17 GMT -5
Appreciate the comments ADX. The national became the course i drew most inspiration from. I am super jealous that you got to play it. It might be tops on my list to play. Having played The National this past summer I have to say this course made me think I was back there. To this point, this is the best course in the game imo and I love Furys stuff. But this, playability wise, is second to none. It's a us open course waiting to happen HINT HINT Great work!
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Post by rjwils30 on Oct 27, 2018 15:12:20 GMT -5
I would say the templates were starting points for me. The road hole for instance has two paths for the drive. And a bank left of the green to access the back left pins behind the bunker. I just wanted to introduce some more variety to the hole to make it bit less penal and a bit more fun. I’m not great at following strict rules, I tend to work more with general ideas that allow for departure. I wouldn’t be good at RCR’s! Absolutely loved it, felt so natural with the templates integrated into the landscape... 13 & 14 were visually spectacular. I was thinking the same thing, which is part of why National is so great. The course also has some original takes on the "classic" templates. For example, the Road hole template is like nothing I've seen and the asymmetric swale in the Biarritz green presented a unique challenge. I also thought the "inverse Short" green (with the "thumbprint" raised instead of lowered) was a bold move that really sets the hole apart. And that double green on 9 and (forget which back nine hole)! And the Alps hole! I could go on and on and on...
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