Post by DoubtfulObelisk on Aug 2, 2019 13:51:25 GMT -5
Doubtful Hills Golf Club is now accepting tee times! In a distinct change from how I normally design courses, this one actually has trees. However, the course plays like most of my others -- firm and fast with heavily contoured greens, about half of which have a runoff area.
For this one, I took some inspiration from two courses: Cypress Dunes by gamesdecent and Los Angeles CC's North course, which was recreated in this game by PithyDoctorG . I liked the openness of Cypress Dunes, especially when it allowed you to see other holes from the one you were playing. Some of my other courses have been too expansive, so I made the routing more compact here. I put my own spin on a couple hole ideas from LACC. In addition, I loved its duo of long par 3s and its bold green shapes. There aren't as many interesting green shapes on DHGC as I had originally planned, but I'll likely keep them in my back pocket for next time.
The default conditions are maxed out, except for the green speed, which is 179. I designed the course at 187, though, so the course should still play well if you bump them up to that speed. There are two sets of tees: white (7,002 yards) and black (7,385 yards). Here is the course scorecard:
Here is another low-budget course map. (Picture taken before trees were added):
Here's the view off the first tee:
Finally, hole descriptions:
Hole 1 - Par 4 - 433/424 - Gentle Handshake
The opening hole features a wide fairway, but the aggressive player can take on the centerline bunker for an easier approach to the green. Hugging the left side off the tee will give an excellent angle for the second shot. The two-tiered green isn't too difficult. A decent birdie opportunity to start your round.
Hole 2 - Par 4 - 451/422 - Double Plateau
Again, anyone who plays toward the sand on the left will have an ideal shot into a green that is benched into a steep hillside. Bailing out right off the tee is the safe shot, but the second shot will be longer and may be blocked out by trees. The left and right portions of the green are higher than the middle.
Hole 3 - Par 5 - 601/589 - Long
This longest hole on the course plays into an extremely wide corridor shared with the 4th hole. The ideal line off the tee is toward the E-shaped bunker on the left. Anything too far right brings a large tree into play. Approaching the green from the right is very dangerous, since the green slopes hard to the left. Despite its length, the hole is reachable if there isn’t a headwind.
Hole 4 - Par 4 - 459/436 - Mind the Gap
The fairway bunker visible from the tee is almost never in play, but it serves as an aiming guide on this semi-blind tee shot through a gap between two of the “tree islands” that dot the course. For pins 2 and 3 on the right side of the green, you’ll want to go down the left side of the fairway, near the hidden bunker that lurks behind the hill.
Hole 5 - Par 4 - 464/440 - Round the Bend
The only par 4 or 5 without a fairway bunker, the 5th hole is a dogleg left that plays to a green that somewhat resembles a Redan, although the contours are different. A straight drive off the tee will leave a short- or mid-iron approach shot up the hill. A spine runs through the green, but it primarily slopes to the front left.
Hole 6 - Par 3 - 277/246 - Dunes
People who remember Doubtful Dunes might groan at seeing another ultra-long par-3 6th hole, but this one is more or less a mirrored 11th at Los Angeles CC North. The tee shot is down the hill to a green that slopes right-to-left. Par is a good score here. Also, the hole can play about 135 yards from an alternate tee near the bathroom to the left. Though I’m not sure if you’ll ever play from it in this game, unfortunately. EDIT: I used it in the Doubtful Adventure Mania version of the course!
Hole 7 - Par 5 - 534/501 - Storm the Castle
The landing zone on this short par 5 is surrounded by five bunkers, which you must avoid to hit the green in two. The putting surface is perched high on a hill and is probably the most heavily guarded green on the course. The contouring is severe, as well. This is a tougher birdie than it may seem on the scorecard.
Hole 8 - Par 3 - 183/154 - Into the Woods
This downhill par 3 is the only bunkerless hole on the course. Pins 1 and 4 on the front half of the green are fairly tame, but the back pins on the lower tier can pose a challenge. The back half of the green runs away, so the tee shot must be judged well to leave a good look at birdie.
Hole 9 - Par 4 - 470/453 - Carolina Cherry
The uphill tee shot on this hole poses a question: left or right of the bunker? The left half is wider but leaves a longer second shot with a worse angle. A player bold enough to go down the right will be rewarded with an excellent chance to attack the pin. The green complex resembles that of 9 at ******* National, hence the hole’s name.
Hole 10 - Par 4 - 391/382 - What Goes Down…
The drive on 10 plays downhill about 60 feet to a landing area flanked by three bunkers, one small and two large. The ideal play is to hit it as close as possible to the small bunker on the left, leaving a wedge up the hill to a green sloping to the back left. Trying to hit a 70- or 80-yard pitch to this green will almost surely end in disaster.
Hole 11 - Par 4 - 376/358 - Must Come Up?
11 heads back up the hill that 10 played down. The approach shot gets easier the further right you play off the tee, though there is plenty of room left to bail out. The green has a large mound at the back, so you can feed shots back to the center of the green. This is one of the harder greens to putt on the course.
Hole 12 - Par 5 - 562/544 - Angel
The last par 5 on Doubtful Hills is a straightaway hole to a green heavily inspired by 14 at LACC North. If you can successfully navigate the two fairway bunkers, you’ll have a chance to reach in two. The green juts out to the right, so it’s all carry to the hole locations on that side of the green. An up and down from one of the front bunkers is an accomplishment.
Hole 13 - Par 3 - 209/182 - Sweet Relief
The green here features four distinct tiers, so finding the same one as the pin is paramount to have a chance at birdie. The right side plateau is especially tricky to find, but there is a backstop to help you. The short bunkers aren’t too bad, but long can leave an unbelievably ticklish chip or flop.
Hole 14 - Par 4 - 425/412 - Zorro
The left side of the fairway on 14 is inviting, but you’re likely to be blocked out by trees on the approach shot. Playing down the right is a bit tougher, but you’re rewarded with a good angle for your second shot over a large grass-filled depression. The green slopes somewhat resemble a “Z”, inspiring the name of this hole.
Hole 15 - Par 4 - 309/289 - Fang
This drivable par 4 is the last good birdie opportunity on the course, but it can just as easily bite you. A layup off the tee will leave a tough second that must contend with the centerline tree. Going further down the right will leave an easier pitch or flop back up the hill. If you do go for the green, left is death.
Hole 16 - Par 4 - 519/495 - Punchbowl
Once again, there’s a choice off the tee. The wide left side is inviting, but the second shot will be quite long, albeit from a good angle. The narrow right side cuts down on the hole’s length, but the angle is worse, and there’s a chance of tree trouble, especially to the back-right pin 4. The green is, as the name implies, a Punchbowl, though not as steep as most.
Hole 17 - Par 4 - 487/458 - Rode
This hole was originally inspired by the famous Road template, but I thought it was a bit on the nose to have that as my 17th hole, so I completely changed the green complex. Playing tight to the left bunkers is still the ideal play to leave a good angle into the green that slopes left to a collection area over the green. A kickslope short right replaces the Road bunker.
Hole 18 - Par 3 - 232/213 - Home
The final hole is a par 3 up a steep slope to a three-tiered green fronted by two bunkers. Each level has a backstop to help you control your shot, though, which is critical given that the ball will be coming in at a shallow angle. Par is good on this hole, and birdie is an absolute steal — if you manage it, you can make the short walk back to the clubhouse with a smile on your face.
Any feedback and constructive criticism is welcome. If you play, thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy your round!
For this one, I took some inspiration from two courses: Cypress Dunes by gamesdecent and Los Angeles CC's North course, which was recreated in this game by PithyDoctorG . I liked the openness of Cypress Dunes, especially when it allowed you to see other holes from the one you were playing. Some of my other courses have been too expansive, so I made the routing more compact here. I put my own spin on a couple hole ideas from LACC. In addition, I loved its duo of long par 3s and its bold green shapes. There aren't as many interesting green shapes on DHGC as I had originally planned, but I'll likely keep them in my back pocket for next time.
The default conditions are maxed out, except for the green speed, which is 179. I designed the course at 187, though, so the course should still play well if you bump them up to that speed. There are two sets of tees: white (7,002 yards) and black (7,385 yards). Here is the course scorecard:
Here is another low-budget course map. (Picture taken before trees were added):
Here's the view off the first tee:
Finally, hole descriptions:
Hole 1 - Par 4 - 433/424 - Gentle Handshake
The opening hole features a wide fairway, but the aggressive player can take on the centerline bunker for an easier approach to the green. Hugging the left side off the tee will give an excellent angle for the second shot. The two-tiered green isn't too difficult. A decent birdie opportunity to start your round.
Hole 2 - Par 4 - 451/422 - Double Plateau
Again, anyone who plays toward the sand on the left will have an ideal shot into a green that is benched into a steep hillside. Bailing out right off the tee is the safe shot, but the second shot will be longer and may be blocked out by trees. The left and right portions of the green are higher than the middle.
Hole 3 - Par 5 - 601/589 - Long
This longest hole on the course plays into an extremely wide corridor shared with the 4th hole. The ideal line off the tee is toward the E-shaped bunker on the left. Anything too far right brings a large tree into play. Approaching the green from the right is very dangerous, since the green slopes hard to the left. Despite its length, the hole is reachable if there isn’t a headwind.
Hole 4 - Par 4 - 459/436 - Mind the Gap
The fairway bunker visible from the tee is almost never in play, but it serves as an aiming guide on this semi-blind tee shot through a gap between two of the “tree islands” that dot the course. For pins 2 and 3 on the right side of the green, you’ll want to go down the left side of the fairway, near the hidden bunker that lurks behind the hill.
Hole 5 - Par 4 - 464/440 - Round the Bend
The only par 4 or 5 without a fairway bunker, the 5th hole is a dogleg left that plays to a green that somewhat resembles a Redan, although the contours are different. A straight drive off the tee will leave a short- or mid-iron approach shot up the hill. A spine runs through the green, but it primarily slopes to the front left.
Hole 6 - Par 3 - 277/246 - Dunes
People who remember Doubtful Dunes might groan at seeing another ultra-long par-3 6th hole, but this one is more or less a mirrored 11th at Los Angeles CC North. The tee shot is down the hill to a green that slopes right-to-left. Par is a good score here. Also, the hole can play about 135 yards from an alternate tee near the bathroom to the left. Though I’m not sure if you’ll ever play from it in this game, unfortunately. EDIT: I used it in the Doubtful Adventure Mania version of the course!
Hole 7 - Par 5 - 534/501 - Storm the Castle
The landing zone on this short par 5 is surrounded by five bunkers, which you must avoid to hit the green in two. The putting surface is perched high on a hill and is probably the most heavily guarded green on the course. The contouring is severe, as well. This is a tougher birdie than it may seem on the scorecard.
Hole 8 - Par 3 - 183/154 - Into the Woods
This downhill par 3 is the only bunkerless hole on the course. Pins 1 and 4 on the front half of the green are fairly tame, but the back pins on the lower tier can pose a challenge. The back half of the green runs away, so the tee shot must be judged well to leave a good look at birdie.
Hole 9 - Par 4 - 470/453 - Carolina Cherry
The uphill tee shot on this hole poses a question: left or right of the bunker? The left half is wider but leaves a longer second shot with a worse angle. A player bold enough to go down the right will be rewarded with an excellent chance to attack the pin. The green complex resembles that of 9 at ******* National, hence the hole’s name.
Hole 10 - Par 4 - 391/382 - What Goes Down…
The drive on 10 plays downhill about 60 feet to a landing area flanked by three bunkers, one small and two large. The ideal play is to hit it as close as possible to the small bunker on the left, leaving a wedge up the hill to a green sloping to the back left. Trying to hit a 70- or 80-yard pitch to this green will almost surely end in disaster.
Hole 11 - Par 4 - 376/358 - Must Come Up?
11 heads back up the hill that 10 played down. The approach shot gets easier the further right you play off the tee, though there is plenty of room left to bail out. The green has a large mound at the back, so you can feed shots back to the center of the green. This is one of the harder greens to putt on the course.
Hole 12 - Par 5 - 562/544 - Angel
The last par 5 on Doubtful Hills is a straightaway hole to a green heavily inspired by 14 at LACC North. If you can successfully navigate the two fairway bunkers, you’ll have a chance to reach in two. The green juts out to the right, so it’s all carry to the hole locations on that side of the green. An up and down from one of the front bunkers is an accomplishment.
Hole 13 - Par 3 - 209/182 - Sweet Relief
The green here features four distinct tiers, so finding the same one as the pin is paramount to have a chance at birdie. The right side plateau is especially tricky to find, but there is a backstop to help you. The short bunkers aren’t too bad, but long can leave an unbelievably ticklish chip or flop.
Hole 14 - Par 4 - 425/412 - Zorro
The left side of the fairway on 14 is inviting, but you’re likely to be blocked out by trees on the approach shot. Playing down the right is a bit tougher, but you’re rewarded with a good angle for your second shot over a large grass-filled depression. The green slopes somewhat resemble a “Z”, inspiring the name of this hole.
Hole 15 - Par 4 - 309/289 - Fang
This drivable par 4 is the last good birdie opportunity on the course, but it can just as easily bite you. A layup off the tee will leave a tough second that must contend with the centerline tree. Going further down the right will leave an easier pitch or flop back up the hill. If you do go for the green, left is death.
Hole 16 - Par 4 - 519/495 - Punchbowl
Once again, there’s a choice off the tee. The wide left side is inviting, but the second shot will be quite long, albeit from a good angle. The narrow right side cuts down on the hole’s length, but the angle is worse, and there’s a chance of tree trouble, especially to the back-right pin 4. The green is, as the name implies, a Punchbowl, though not as steep as most.
Hole 17 - Par 4 - 487/458 - Rode
This hole was originally inspired by the famous Road template, but I thought it was a bit on the nose to have that as my 17th hole, so I completely changed the green complex. Playing tight to the left bunkers is still the ideal play to leave a good angle into the green that slopes left to a collection area over the green. A kickslope short right replaces the Road bunker.
Hole 18 - Par 3 - 232/213 - Home
The final hole is a par 3 up a steep slope to a three-tiered green fronted by two bunkers. Each level has a backstop to help you control your shot, though, which is critical given that the ball will be coming in at a shallow angle. Par is good on this hole, and birdie is an absolute steal — if you manage it, you can make the short walk back to the clubhouse with a smile on your face.
Any feedback and constructive criticism is welcome. If you play, thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy your round!
I placed so many grasses all over the property... There’s way more out there than on anything I’ve done before. That’s basically the last thing I expected to hear about this course. (On a more serious note, thanks for the play and feedback. I appreciate it.)
