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Post by theclv24 on Apr 6, 2017 10:20:38 GMT -5
Just wanted to get this thread started for what will likely be, in conjunction with St. Andrews, my last TGC1 project. I just got back late last night from my first trip to Augusta (Tuesday practice round), and aside from the sheer joy of just spending a quiet late afternoon in Amen Corner as the number of players coming through dwindled, I was happy to see that the months of work poured into Magnolia National paid off. If I might indulge in a brief humble brag, I could not find many faults with my work after touring each hole on the course. I do want to add some more detail (maxed out planting meter permitting) though, and make some slight adjustments to the greens based on my observations and pictures. I took somewhere between 150-200 pictures, and once I get them uploaded I will begin to post a few here that I think came out nicely. The 2017 pins will also be used for all 4 days. Here are today's pins, for a start: Thurs Pins Fri Pins Sat Pins Sun Pins No timetable, other than hopefully done before July. Hopefully the pictures come out nicely so I can share them with you guys. Definitely an experience worth the travel effort if you can win the lottery. Practice rounds certainly don't have the excitement of tournament rounds, per my friend who made his second visit with me, but the atmosphere is super laid back during practice rounds and the ability to take pictures is a very nice perk.
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Post by theclv24 on Apr 6, 2017 21:02:21 GMT -5
I don't have all of the pics uploaded yet, so I'll start at the front of the property. It was unclear if this option is available during tournament rounds, or only during practice rounds, but you have the opportunity to get pics of Founders Circle and Magnolia Lane. Edit: Throwing in the big oak tree on the other side of the clubhouse, next to the first tee. It was as cool as advertised.
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Post by theclv24 on Apr 11, 2017 12:11:29 GMT -5
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reebdoog
TGCT Design Competition Directors
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Post by reebdoog on Apr 11, 2017 16:35:28 GMT -5
Good stuff
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Post by yeltzman on Apr 11, 2017 19:06:40 GMT -5
Love to know if CLV is in the beta,and imported old version into beta to try,So looking forward to play this with improved Firmness in TGC2 (hopefully),one thing making the course Accurate but when you cant play the shots the Pro's do especially on the par 3s is very frustrating.EG saturdays pin at the 4th...what a awesome place to visit,and what a awesome Course and the job you do/did with it.
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Post by Royce on Apr 12, 2017 8:06:50 GMT -5
Those pictures are spectacular Craig! I'm amazed how severely contoured it is from ground level. Can't wait to see the rest of the photos you took. Here's some info I've been working with if it helps you at all. Your updated 1 green looks fantastic.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2017 10:56:53 GMT -5
Craig, thank you so much for posting these and looking forward to seeing as much as you want to post! I have never been to Augusta National, and not going when I was a a Class A PGA pro is one of my biggest regrets as you can show your PGA card at the gate and get in for free. Every person that goes says the think that is so strikingly different is the elevation changes that cannot be seen on TV. A friend who recently went said that #14 was probably the most different from TV, (false front) and the severe sloped fairways, especially the sidehill lie on #13 and the the uphill rise to #18. I can't wait to see your 2017 final version and one hope in TGC2 is that designers will be able to re-create the roll offs that are most closer to real life. Currently, even in fast and firm, balls stop on slopes (yellow and red lines) that they never would and those slopes at Augusta (wow...your 1st green pics really show it) are what make the course so difficult. Great job and know that we so much appreciate your time and efforts!
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Post by mrvinegar206 on Apr 12, 2017 12:17:25 GMT -5
That first green! <3
Even though some features around the course were neutered over time, Jones and Dr. Mackenzie really made something special!
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Post by theclv24 on Apr 20, 2017 16:59:34 GMT -5
2nd Hole I saw the second green while attempting to make my first pass around the "second nine" in the morning, so in the afternoon after the first hole, I made a special trip down (and then back up) the hill to see about the mythical creek on the second hole. I can confirm that it exists. The sun kind of prevented a good shot here, but there it is. I got the impression that it was a man made item for drainage, or maybe even just for looks. Who knows. So my thoughts were mixed on what to do with this in the game. It's pretty much out of play for most real golfers, and certainly all TGC golfers. I think during azalea bloom time there might be some around this area, as indicated by the spectator guide, so I basically created a quick (waterless) creek, then surrounded it with as many bushes and "azaleas" as I could with my near maxed out planting meter. In my haste to get to the 3rd green/4th tee area, and not wanting to climb the entire hill back up, I forgot to see how far down the hill the creek goes. So I had to study Google Earth and make an approximate guess. You'll also see the added cart path, which was not available during the original Magnolia creation. The green on this hole had a surprising effect that I experienced at a few holes. Kind of like the opposite of the first hole, where the movement was extremely pronounced, this green seemed very subtle, and almost hard to believe that it produces the kind of movement that we are used to seeing on putts and approach shots. The only real pronounced feature could be seen from the side, which was the back to front tilt. The view from behind doesn't reveal much. This was a tough green to figure out. TW 13 seems to really emphasize the back to front slope, while Masters illustrations really emphasized the left to right slope. After reviewing the Sunday footage, one area that needed much improvement was the Sunday pin area, which I had made much too severe back to front. It's now a little softer and easier to hold on the green, a little more like the illustration here. Other than that area, all other adjustments were subtle. Here's a comparison to the first green shot above.
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Post by theclv24 on Apr 26, 2017 12:53:47 GMT -5
3rd Hole is pretty straightforward. The green is what you see what you get, with the whole thing sloping from right to left. I made the falloff in front of the green a little steeper, although my only regret at the tournament was not getting a better look at it to see how severe it was to the naked eye. Other than the front of the green, I just made the elevations on the fairway and near the bunkers a little smoother. One of the several tees at Augusta you can get right behind. Unless you are really interested in wedge play, I don't think this would be high on my list of places to camp out for the day. Any break on this green is very hard to pick out from this angle. P.S. I would probably be finishing St. Andrews entirely before finishing the Magnolia update, but my wife keeps threatening to delete the Masters coverage off of the DVR. That, sadly, is why I am going back and forth right now.
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Post by jacobkessler on Apr 26, 2017 13:14:09 GMT -5
but my wife keeps threatening to delete the Masters coverage off of the DVR. That, sadly, is why I am going back and forth right now. Hate it when that happens.... lol
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Post by theclv24 on Jun 29, 2017 15:34:28 GMT -5
Fired this up in the creator last night and played a round with a few Thursday pins on the first few holes, then Sunday pins for the rest of the round. I didn't really find any pins that were unplayable. The greens hold a lot better under firm conditions now, to the point where I think Medium would be unrealistically soft. On the other hand, you really have to do everything you can to stay below the hole, because the downhill putts are killer. I would say that's a fairly accurate depiction of Augusta.
I wanted to hold on to this one and make as many updates as possible, but reality is hitting that my DVR rounds are about to picked off due to lack of space. Furthermore, the final countdown is on for the baby. So after I finish making a few more edits to the buildings on the course and test all pins, I am going to release as a first edition. I'll go back and clean up greens 5-18 and finish the cart path details whenever I get a chance, then release it as the final edition.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2017 15:45:20 GMT -5
@!$# YEAH!
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reebdoog
TGCT Design Competition Directors
Posts: 2,742
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Post by reebdoog on Jun 29, 2017 16:05:48 GMT -5
Fired this up in the creator last night and played a round with a few Thursday pins on the first few holes, then Sunday pins for the rest of the round. I didn't really find any pins that were unplayable. The greens hold a lot better under firm conditions now, to the point where I think Medium would be unrealistically soft. On the other hand, you really have to do everything you can to stay below the hole, because the downhill putts are killer. I would say that's a fairly accurate depiction of Augusta. I wanted to hold on to this one and make as many updates as possible, but reality is hitting that my DVR rounds are about to picked off due to lack of space. Furthermore, the final countdown is on for the baby. So after I finish making a few more edits to the buildings on the course and test all pins, I am going to release as a first edition. I'll go back and clean up greens 5-18 and finish the cart path details whenever I get a chance, then release it as the final edition. the only worry I have had is down hill putts. They are super slick in 2... staying below the hole will be SUPER important.
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Post by theclv24 on Jul 1, 2017 8:21:58 GMT -5
Just published "Magnolia National (1st Ed.)". Pins are from 2017 Masters, and there are 3 tee options which are basically the tips, a slightly more reasonable middle set that shaves 250 yards or so off and makes the Player clubs more attainable, and then the Member tees.
Had to do some work on the 7th and 15th greens to make the Friday pins playable. Overall both of those greens will need major tune-ups for the final edition.
Overall, personally I like the way that it plays, and while I wish I didn't have to make it so cloudy to make the pine straw look better, I'm ok for now with the look of the course. I think the better players will maybe find the course somewhat easier due to softer greens. Other players might struggle, though, because you absolutely have to limit the number of downhill putts that you have. You really need to use some of the lines that the PGA players take, and when facing a downhill putt, take double to triple the amount off of the putt that you normally would.
Lots of work to do on this course still, and hopefully I'll get to it before too long, but otherwise I think this course should do just fine for now.
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