Madeline Island GC (V2) (RCR)
Sept 18, 2020 15:19:32 GMT -5
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Post by sroel908 on Sept 18, 2020 15:19:32 GMT -5
I have just published a real-course recreation of Madeline Island Golf Club. It is, as the name implies, located on Madeline Island, which is one of the Apostle Islands in the northern part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The island sits in Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes.
It is a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design, which opened back in 1966. It was opened with much fanfare, even going so far as to be proclaimed "The St. Andrews of the North". The grand opening celebration included "an orchestra flown in from New York, bagpipers to lend a Scottish feel, fresh lobster brought in from Maine and even a 57-foot yacht" to house some of the guests of course financier, developer, and Madeline Island lover Ted Gary.
Needless to say, the course didn't become the destination that was envisioned by the planners. It's a long way from most large population centers in the region - it takes almost 7 hours of driving to reach it from Wisconsin's largest city, Milwaukee. It also requires a ferry ride to access the island, which can cost more than the greens fees at MIGC.
But upon reaching the island and the golf course on it, you're presented with a unique layout that isn't found many places. It is often described as a “double nine” layout, with seven large greens that feature two pins each, red flags for the front nine and white flags for the back. Only Holes 7 and 16 do not share a tee box, fairway, or green with another hole. The "signature hole" is really two - Nos. 6 and 15, which share a fairway, then head off in doglegs in opposite directions. Here's what the layout looks like (note, holes 1 and 10 have been flipped since this diagram was made):
I had the chance to play this course recently, and it was a treat to play. Unique from anything else in the state of Wisconsin, in terms of layout and location. Seven holes also have nice views of Lake Superior. Here is a picture I took of the No. 9/18 green, as well as the marina, lake, and mainland in the background:
Anyway, it's a very short course, measuring in just over 6300 yards from the tips - the limited real estate prevents any length. The Par 5s are quite reachable, especially in the video game version. Greens are medium-firm, but massive - in real life, some measure over 50 yards in width in order to accommodate the duo of pins they house.
But I had a lot of fun playing the real course, and wanted to make it available in PGA 2K21. So if you fancy a causal round at a quirky, real-life course designed by a prominent name in course architecture history, here's your chance!
It is a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design, which opened back in 1966. It was opened with much fanfare, even going so far as to be proclaimed "The St. Andrews of the North". The grand opening celebration included "an orchestra flown in from New York, bagpipers to lend a Scottish feel, fresh lobster brought in from Maine and even a 57-foot yacht" to house some of the guests of course financier, developer, and Madeline Island lover Ted Gary.
Needless to say, the course didn't become the destination that was envisioned by the planners. It's a long way from most large population centers in the region - it takes almost 7 hours of driving to reach it from Wisconsin's largest city, Milwaukee. It also requires a ferry ride to access the island, which can cost more than the greens fees at MIGC.
But upon reaching the island and the golf course on it, you're presented with a unique layout that isn't found many places. It is often described as a “double nine” layout, with seven large greens that feature two pins each, red flags for the front nine and white flags for the back. Only Holes 7 and 16 do not share a tee box, fairway, or green with another hole. The "signature hole" is really two - Nos. 6 and 15, which share a fairway, then head off in doglegs in opposite directions. Here's what the layout looks like (note, holes 1 and 10 have been flipped since this diagram was made):
I had the chance to play this course recently, and it was a treat to play. Unique from anything else in the state of Wisconsin, in terms of layout and location. Seven holes also have nice views of Lake Superior. Here is a picture I took of the No. 9/18 green, as well as the marina, lake, and mainland in the background:
Anyway, it's a very short course, measuring in just over 6300 yards from the tips - the limited real estate prevents any length. The Par 5s are quite reachable, especially in the video game version. Greens are medium-firm, but massive - in real life, some measure over 50 yards in width in order to accommodate the duo of pins they house.
But I had a lot of fun playing the real course, and wanted to make it available in PGA 2K21. So if you fancy a causal round at a quirky, real-life course designed by a prominent name in course architecture history, here's your chance!