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Post by jwfickett on Dec 7, 2018 11:06:49 GMT -5
Finally had a chance to play the course a few days ago and it’s great to see such a cool course come to life in TGC. First off the greens are a blast. Goes to show that a set of great greens is really what makes a course. Love how on one hole the green is your friend, collecting and funnelling balls to pins and the next hole it’s spitting your ball off the sides or front. Endless possibilities for holes when the greens are designed with so much variety. The overall fee of the course was really nice. Could see the resemblance to sweetens, it’s great that you introduced many of those quirky little details like the wood faced bunkers. The bunker work was a really good effort. Although I hope in future iterations of TGC there is potential to make bunkers look even more rugged. Given the tools I think you guys did about as good as you could have. Strategically I think it’s a course that requires multiple plays as the pin location and wind will have a drastic effect on how each hole plays. It requires a bit of unpacking to understand it though. It’s not in your face which I love. It’s like St. Andrews in that sense. I would love to see it on Tour as it would shine best in multiple plays. All in all a shining example of guys who are pushing the envelope and keeping the game fresh and exciting. Hats off. Look forward to the next one! What a kind review. Really hoped you would enjoy this one, and your words capture the philosophy gamesdecent and I tried to impart throughout the process. Thanks for taking the time to play and comment!
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Post by gamesdecent on Dec 7, 2018 12:02:57 GMT -5
Finally had a chance to play the course a few days ago and it’s great to see such a cool course come to life in TGC. First off the greens are a blast. Goes to show that a set of great greens is really what makes a course. Love how on one hole the green is your friend, collecting and funnelling balls to pins and the next hole it’s spitting your ball off the sides or front. Endless possibilities for holes when the greens are designed with so much variety. The overall fee of the course was really nice. Could see the resemblance to sweetens, it’s great that you introduced many of those quirky little details like the wood faced bunkers. The bunker work was a really good effort. Although I hope in future iterations of TGC there is potential to make bunkers look even more rugged. Given the tools I think you guys did about as good as you could have. Strategically I think it’s a course that requires multiple plays as the pin location and wind will have a drastic effect on how each hole plays. It requires a bit of unpacking to understand it though. It’s not in your face which I love. It’s like St. Andrews in that sense. I would love to see it on Tour as it would shine best in multiple plays. All in all a shining example of guys who are pushing the envelope and keeping the game fresh and exciting. Hats off. Look forward to the next one! Really glad to hear this, especially from you Rob. Your courses are some of my favorite across all of the games, and I know we have similar views on the architecture that makes good golf holes. I too would love to see a way to get more rugged/natural looks, and I think it could be as simple as a "grass length" slider for rough and heavy rough, and have it actually render from further out that like 15 feet. That and give it textures more representative of grass than turf. Speaking of, on Sandbelt, how did you get a mulch-looking texture around the bunkers in places? Is that just the natural worn look of the heavy rough when it's elevated a certain amount or was there some creative maneuvering there (sinking trees, etc.)? It looks incredible every time I play it.
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Post by rjwils30 on Dec 7, 2018 19:44:55 GMT -5
That would be a cool idea. Would be amazing if we could do blow out bunkers like Sandhills! I’m always trying to bring as much native quality to the course as I can. With sandbelt I just left the native terrain around the bunkers. The country side theme is great for that inconsistent burnt out look, that’s why I always use it. I’ve always hoped we could control the native terrain a bit better. I’m alaways trying to introduce it. Wish we could just scrape the grass off the native terrain. Finally had a chance to play the course a few days ago and it’s great to see such a cool course come to life in TGC. First off the greens are a blast. Goes to show that a set of great greens is really what makes a course. Love how on one hole the green is your friend, collecting and funnelling balls to pins and the next hole it’s spitting your ball off the sides or front. Endless possibilities for holes when the greens are designed with so much variety. The overall fee of the course was really nice. Could see the resemblance to sweetens, it’s great that you introduced many of those quirky little details like the wood faced bunkers. The bunker work was a really good effort. Although I hope in future iterations of TGC there is potential to make bunkers look even more rugged. Given the tools I think you guys did about as good as you could have. Strategically I think it’s a course that requires multiple plays as the pin location and wind will have a drastic effect on how each hole plays. It requires a bit of unpacking to understand it though. It’s not in your face which I love. It’s like St. Andrews in that sense. I would love to see it on Tour as it would shine best in multiple plays. All in all a shining example of guys who are pushing the envelope and keeping the game fresh and exciting. Hats off. Look forward to the next one! Really glad to hear this, especially from you Rob. Your courses are some of my favorite across all of the games, and I know we have similar views on the architecture that makes good golf holes. I too would love to see a way to get more rugged/natural looks, and I think it could be as simple as a "grass length" slider for rough and heavy rough, and have it actually render from further out that like 15 feet. That and give it textures more representative of grass than turf. Speaking of, on Sandbelt, how did you get a mulch-looking texture around the bunkers in places? Is that just the natural worn look of the heavy rough when it's elevated a certain amount or was there some creative maneuvering there (sinking trees, etc.)? It looks incredible every time I play it.
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Post by ErixonStone on Dec 7, 2018 20:26:58 GMT -5
I’ve always hoped we could control the native terrain a bit better. I’m alaways trying to introduce it. Wish we could just scrape the grass off the native terrain. Bury those oak trees!
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Post by pingzing on Dec 8, 2018 5:10:09 GMT -5
This one caught my interest,especially being an RCR! and the back story with the designer...
The Bunkers have character and attitude and so do the Greens,which are tough but there real and alive. It reminds me of ( Tobacco Road) wish this one was available for tgc2019, Rob the designer was inspired by Mike Strantz, now this guy was something…..
I did an RCR of Tobacco Road with real Lidar height maps for the other game, and got a skillful 3d modeller to create real objects as well in Blender , shame hb won`t make this available to designers here. Also wish hb could give the designer ability to make proper bunker lips too! that are adjustable, that would make them pop and much more realistic.
Anyway back to the course, its fantastic,organic,shapeley,sexy and strategic at the same time You guys did a good job on the back nine to keep in sync as well.
Totally agree with Rjwils comments,these quality courses come along from time to time and are a real treat! for the eyes! and brain!
Thank you very much you two for the Tasty! Sweetens Cove Course and Presentation
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Post by gregfordyce on Dec 8, 2018 11:37:44 GMT -5
One of the Great Ones. I see this on many tournaments in the future. Signature Hole imo: 14. Bunkering is amazing, and the overall aesthetics are just mind-blowing. What a beauty. So many different ways to play this course. I'm looking forward to trying it multiple times with varying settings.
i'd call this one a Masterwork. Well done!
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Post by gregfordyce on Dec 8, 2018 11:45:15 GMT -5
Kent and I will be featuring this on today's TGC Course Review show, at 4:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. CST)!
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Post by gamesdecent on Dec 8, 2018 12:10:15 GMT -5
Kent and I will be featuring this on today's TGC Course Review show, at 4:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. CST)! Nice! I'll make sure to tune in.
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Post by XJ_Jagman on Dec 10, 2018 16:19:43 GMT -5
I just wanted to say this course is spectacular. The complete experience and environment you two laid to bare on this South Pittsburgh property is amazing. Now if you could just convince the owners to complete your back nine 😃 Five stars plus.
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Post by jriggs1019 on Dec 10, 2018 22:34:55 GMT -5
Little late to the party but this course is damn good. The bunkering, layout, and greens are just fantastic and so much fun. Never had to think so much off the tee in this game while playing this course. the transition into the back 9 was seamless. Hole number 16 is a master class of what great golf architecture is all about. Will be playing this course time and time again
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Post by joegolferg on Dec 11, 2018 4:33:41 GMT -5
Big fan! Played four rounds here in total so far and I'm still finding little quirks and angles to different pins. Anyway, I'm going to record a couple of rounds here and post them up via a new YouTube channel I'm setting up that is dedicated to good architecture and architects in the TGC community. I'll leave my full thoughts with the video playthrough.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2018 20:26:01 GMT -5
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Post by gamesdecent on Dec 13, 2018 21:11:18 GMT -5
Best hole in America? IDK... Best hole I've ever played? Absolutely.
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Post by ErixonStone on Dec 14, 2018 9:28:05 GMT -5
The video doesn't explain why playing farther left is considered riskier than playing to the right. We're supposed to take the narrator's word for it. What's over there?
How does this translate to a video game where the ease of a shot is inversely proportional to the distance of a shot and no other factors are involved?
I feel like this type of hole works much better in reality than it does in a video game.
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Post by gamesdecent on Dec 14, 2018 9:42:19 GMT -5
The video doesn't explain why playing farther left is considered riskier than playing to the right. We're supposed to take the narrator's word for it. What's over there? How does this translate to a video game where the ease of a shot is inversely proportional to the distance of a shot and no other factors are involved? I feel like this type of hole works much better in reality than it does in a video game. You have to navigate around a tree and hook your drive towards a lake in order to get close to the green on the left side. The forward tees make it easier to pull off. It's about 300 yds to the bunker that the green wraps around.
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