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Post by ed68bogus on Sept 15, 2015 12:37:53 GMT -5
71-70-73-69 -5 for the tournie... Thank f#$k that's over...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2015 12:41:48 GMT -5
I had a go at this too. Hit evens first round after a couple of sloppy short game shots costing me an under par round. Round 2 I had a nightmare hitting +5 but that was due to not knowing the settings. I thought it was soft second round because of the rain but nope it wasn't. Wish HB would sort it out so we can view course conditions. By the time I realised the error of my ways it was too late but I did finish with 3 birdies. Great course in my view.
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Post by ed68bogus on Sept 15, 2015 12:48:12 GMT -5
Boom Boom, I agree with most of what you say however this course does not meet that criteria. Having so many greens that are impossible to hold unless you strategically fluke it through the rough is not enjoyable. Seeing all four of the balls meander up, down, round, in, out and end up in the rough is beyond entertaining. One thing that is true is that this course has produced more kick back than any I can remember over the course of the season. Yes we all have to play it and yes some people will come out on top but had it not been such an important tournament I'd have quite happily sat it out as I believe would the majority.
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Post by mcbogga on Sept 15, 2015 13:02:42 GMT -5
Yeah - I'm with you 100% in principle BoomBoom - we need harder courses and par should be par. And - I would much rather play this than Loch Lorne so I don't think it's that terrible. But it's not a good set up from a golfing point of view.
And the keep bogey off your card tournament has already been done much much better that this - look up the John Deere classic and Harbour Pointe. There is a course that protects par but does it in an absolutely fair way which gives achievable pars to smart play - rewards great shots and punishes bad shots or bad strategy. Probably best course in the game.
I thought that conservatory club was a great tournament as well.
This Balwearie set up is not in the same league. I am not criticizing the course here, just the set up. The course is great.
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Post by chimptastic4000 on Sept 15, 2015 13:29:00 GMT -5
NR from me. This course is bullshit.
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Post by ed68bogus on Sept 15, 2015 13:57:58 GMT -5
Be interesting to get some Fedexers putting in some genuine scores and opinions on this, Jules if you're reading this and haven't already. CC and Web as well ?
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Post by boomboom on Sept 15, 2015 14:37:45 GMT -5
Yeah - I'm with you 100% in principle BoomBoom - we need harder courses and par should be par. And - I would much rather play this than Loch Lorne so I don't think it's that terrible. But it's not a good set up from a golfing point of view. And the keep bogey off your card tournament has already been done much much better that this - look up the John Deere classic and Harbour Pointe. There is a course that protects par but does it in an absolutely fair way which gives achievable pars to smart play - rewards great shots and punishes bad shots or bad strategy. Probably best course in the game. I thought that conservatory club was a great tournament as well. This Balwearie set up is not in the same league. I am not criticizing the course here, just the set up. The course is great. Harbour protects birdie, not par. That's the key difference in my view. Balwearie had you fighting to make par, at least it had me fighting to make par and the slightest mistake it was heck of fight to make par, a fight I lost plenty.
Not sure I would like to see this type course every week, but season end, major absolutely, a course like this should be the watermark for the big tourneys.
That short par 4, with the OB, was the designer saying F-you take that fool. I know I bit, and laughed watching it roll under the fence. 8 iron 8 iron birdie and walk away with a 10. Nice job Biggins.
I guess I just loved watching this course chew people to bits. Makes me giggle like a school girl.
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Post by biggins on Sept 15, 2015 14:38:32 GMT -5
Okay, just thought I'd pop in to defend my course.
First of all, this was the setup for The Open. It was designed to be very challenging and to make players think. If you hit a good shot, then you won't be 50 feet away. You may have hit the ball well, but you didn't play the course correctly.
A lot of holes are asking for you to run the ball up to the green - the setup accomodates this. All pins are attackable if you hit the right shot - but often attacking the pin is not the right play. Some players are clearly understanding this better than others, judging by the scores.
Are the greens unrealistic? Nope. Links greens often have huge undulations and sometimes putting an inch out of line on a long putt can put you in a position a dozen feet away from where you aimed - I'm a decent links player in rl and I've putt the ball into positions you wouldn't even believe when playing St Andrews. None of my greens are as 'unrealistic' as the 17th at North Berwick for example.
To be honest, some of the criticisms here remind me of the baffled expressions on some rookie US players when they fail to adapt to the conditions they're playing in when they tackle Open setups.
Yes, it's hard. But I playtested a lot and in different conditions - I'm a poor player yet I played decent shots into all the holes - you just need to know what shot that is. It may not be worth driving the 12th in most conditions. If you don't work that out, don't blame the course - blame your shot selection.
Hit and hope? I've heard that said about many a course while the member quietly punches the ball into the right spot and watches his ball roll round to the pin.
Meanwhile, I'm delighted my efforts have been appreciated: "NR from me. This course is bullshit."
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Post by boomboom on Sept 15, 2015 14:44:45 GMT -5
Next up McKee Black Widow by tastegw, played it yesterday in almost no wind and course record -2 on PC. Another course that does a fantastic job protecting par without being 8000 yards long and having pencil thin heavy rough bordered fairways.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2015 14:53:52 GMT -5
Black Widows a bit of a joke Boomer haha. Some of those pins are in insane places. Each to their own though haha.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2015 18:11:18 GMT -5
Probably should have renamed it Royal Marmite.....You either love it or you hate it. I preferred Rods Ballylough as a test, but that's just me.
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Post by williamhotel on Sept 15, 2015 19:59:19 GMT -5
Hey, I made six birdies out there in R1. ...But I also made 5 bogies but I'm a very average golfer. Course is ok. Very hard but you have to avoid hazards (like the very long water channel in the first few holes. I actually hit the water on a fly and did not hit any of the two side retaining walls. That should be extra points). Anyway Biggins, you make great courses and I look forward to any new ones down the road.
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Post by Knock25Out on Sept 16, 2015 0:10:28 GMT -5
Shot a 71. In the practice round. Followed that with 2 81's in tournament. Granted I essentially gave up after 9, it was just a frustrating course and I simply didnt care cuz I was gonna need something magical to get to Dubai and after 5 holes, I realized I was magically bad and was getting no lucky breaks.
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Post by biggins on Sept 16, 2015 0:43:55 GMT -5
Just to add, I very much 'do' know how to setup a course. I imagine I'm one of few who has genuine experience in that area. Also I do not accept that this is 'tricked up'. You have options on the tee. Some of them are pretty straightforward if you want your par. There are 'right' sides of fairways, and there are times when a shorter shot would benefit. And, yes, there are some killer pin positions. If you feel agitated that you've managed to overcook a putt and you've rolled off the back of the green then you'll appreciate how it feels for the pros when they do them same thing.
I'd be interested to see what the GIR stats are for those that are complaining that the greens aren't holding and compare that to some of The Opens over the years.
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Post by drlowdon on Sept 16, 2015 1:43:27 GMT -5
The issue I have is that course management on this course often means aiming to miss the green and leave a chip or flop rather than going for the green and risk the ball ending up rolling miles away and leaving a very, very difficult 2 putt. I shot -2 in round 2 after a +3 in round 1 because I hit less greens and could flop the ball near the pin rather than having to putt.
I also agree with the post about course conditions. It should show you the firmness etc for each round of the tour as at the moment you have to play a few holes for each round in 'play a round' to know what the course will be like each of the 4 days.
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