Ok, finally got round to this now I have published the CC course. In summary, before you get the detailed notes below, I think you potentially have a tour worthy course here, but there are a few major issues. The biggest is the sightlines off the tee and the number of blind shots due to sculpting that aren't necessarily meant to be blind. Totally worth watching this for an idea, as Reeb was really good at explaining this stuff last night:
The good:
- green contours
- playability (it plays REALLY well)
- hole variety
Worth tweaking:
- sightlines and framing
- planting/lighting (it's solid, but lacks a wow factor). Play around with it.
- some bunker heights
Thoughts as I go (black tees, pin 1, all default settings):
1 - really nicely planned hole and looks great from the flyover (I'd maybe want something planted short left on the banks?), but you can't see it all from the tee, particularly the shorter fw bunkers to the right. I'd also want some hint the right hand fairway is there - you don't need to see all of it, but enough to know you can hit over those bushes. Also, I'd sort the bunker left of the green (the face shouldn't go that high up the cliff). Either sculpt the land so the elevation change is more gradual, or drop the face lower by deleting some of the brush. Great pin position. FYI, I really like the slope on the right hand fairway into that pin position.
2 - main critique is that there's no need for the fairway to be that wide or that short. As a rule of thumb, I start mine around 180yds from the tee. Great looking hole otherwise and really like the bunkering.
3 - plant something right of the fairway to give some framing. I'd go with a rocky cliff face and a couple of trees on either side of the fairway (Andre style - check out his planting on Gale Harbor or his new one Pacific Spirit for the look I'd lean on) Otherwise, another awesome looking hole and plays nicely.
4 - same thing as with the bunker on 1. I'd also look to flatten some of the green fringes so they don't slope dramatically (hard to mow)
5 - Definitely put some heavy/light rough around tee boxes to get rid of those ugly, very dark brown patches. Kill that one brown bush that blocks the view of the bunkering. I'd also look at the sculpting of the fairway in front of the green so that you can see the green properly on the approach (there's a big rise that blocks it). Another really solid hole.
6 - good sightline here, although can't see the left fw bunker. Good change of pace hole and pin position.
7 - stunning hole that you can't really see from the tee
. I think the issue is that you aren't sinking your bushes into the ground - this will make thew worl9d of difference to your ability to view the fairways. Another trick is to move the tees right to the front of the tee box, as that is also killing your view. I'd also chuck in a white speckly grass as well with your other grass to add a bit of colour, but probably personal taste.
8 - I think this is the first hole I have a real issue with in that you have no clue about the landing area from the tee. I'd make the cliff less severe or move the tee further right, but as moving the tee doesn't seem to be an option... The design is good, but the tee shot kills it for me. Also, I think the fairway is too pinched at the driver mark. Maybe allow a bail out one side that gives an uneven lie or worse angle in? Or allow the heroic carry but make it difficult - it just doesn't look on at all here (perhaps I had the wrong wind?). Still, it's short and 2 iron, 2 wood gets me all the way back with the green, so maybe I'm ok with it. Just not liking the look off the tee considering how good the hole is (common theme here)
9 - Good, solid hole. Maybe chuck a bit more undulation in the fairway? Clubhouse view from the green looks a bit empty.
10 - GREAT look off the tee - do more of this! Planting on the approach shot is missing something, but can't put my finger on it. Nice green complex again.
11 - Sightline from tee, bunker steepness by green (particularly that furthest left bunker). The sidehill lie from the fairway to that pin 1 works really nicely, putting fear in with the water. Great job here.
12 - Sightline. IMO, you've overdone the bunkers a bit - nice driveable par four though and gave me an eagle
. No other comments here - it's a good hole.
13 - I think the green needs some planting to frame it. Check out Andre's timelapse for some ideas.
14 - Nice pin position! Great hole and I'm glad you threw in a tough, long par 4 here after the scoreable holes.
15 - Again, I'm not crazy about the sightline off the tee and a huge mound blocks off the approach's view of the green. Not sure the fairway surrounding the green back right is totally logical - why is it there if it's only about a yard in width? Grass in the bunker long left of green.
16 - sightline (bushes/sculpting block bunkers). Can you hold the fairway short of the green with a driver? Looks very bumpy. Otherwise, a really cool hole.
17 - Not a huge fan of the green shape - can you always putt to a flag without having to chip? The mound in front of the black tee needs to be lowered. The green sits on a really good spot, so open up the view much more so that you can see lots of the course from the tee.
18 - The planting kind of vanishes on this fairway. I actually played up the other green on the left to see what would happen as I thought the angle was better (went into a bunker, pitched on, two putt). This hole is a bit underwhelming at the moment as an 18th - needs more planting or something.
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Finished up -9 (birdies on 3, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15 and eagles on 8 and 12 with a bogey on the first when I wasn't really paying attention). It's a damn good first course and I really enjoyed my round. Let me know what you tweak and I'd love to play again.