National Treasure - The Journey Begins

[jayraygun]

Mar 22, 2021 22:27:40 GMT -5 coursedesignHQ said:

Jayraygun looking dangerous...

Ha, if only my paper art skills could translate seamlessly to in game I might have a chance.

8.7.1

[richnufc99]

If I don’t see a DeLorean in the parking lot of this course I’ll be moderately disappointed 😉

[jayraygun]

Hey guys,

I haven't posted all of my drawings for the holes I've completed so far (I will be, just haven't yet) but I did want to share a link to a video I uploaded where I take you through the design and drawing process I use to come up with these holes. Thought maybe a few of you design masochists might be interested.

8.7.3

[hallzballz6908]

Cool video bud! I love watching people sketch golf holes while discussing their decision making process (weird I know but 🤷🏻‍♂️). I tend to be a bit more organic in my design process but really enjoyed this. Sorry to see that had to drop out of NT but happy for you regarding your new job. Hopefully you’ll be able to keep working on this one as it looks like it has potential from what I’ve seen so far 👍🏻. I would also love to see some more vids if you’re willing to do them!

[jayraygun]

A bit of an update as I have completed sketches for the first 7 of my National Treasure course holes. 




Hole #2 - Howley, 585 yd Par 5

This dogleg right par five second plays alongside one of the two large lakes central to the front nine. The green sits 25 feet above the tee box and the drive gives the player choices and a chance to reach it in two for a shot at eagle. From the championship tees, the ideal landing area is a good 300 yards away but the prevailing wind at your back should help carry the ball. The best drive puts you on the right side of the fairway that is perched a good 10 feet above the left side. A player than can hold this side of the fairway while avoiding the lake to the right will be gifted with the clearest line to the green. From here, the player can attempt to force the ball directly to the green or for a front pin position, land their ball between the green and the frontside fairway bunker and try to roll a shot on. 

Any players missing the right fairway long or left may see their ball roll down into a small valley where they will have a blind shot into the elevated green. From the valley a player call still chance a shot at the green or player a safer shot to the layup area front-left of the green. 

Finally, the more conservative player can play a short drive to the right or left and have a fairly unobstructed view to the landing area in front of the green. From there they will have a short wedge approach into a green protected by a single bunker on the front right and a a deep swale of the back left. The green slopes down towards the player in the front, rises to a wide ridge, and the falls away again to the back so any shots that don't take the wind into account may leave themselves with a very long putt to a front pin position or a troublesome pitch from the bottom of the swale. Eagles should be few, birdies rare, but pars in abundance for the tactical player.

8.7.3

[jayraygun]

Hole 3 - "Titirangi", 205 yd Par 3

No time to catch your breath after the long par 5 second as you approach the tee-box to this 205 yard par 3. More than likely, the wind will be slightly in your face on the tee which will make this already lengthy hole play a bit farther. The stream to your left running between the mountains and the fairway should be out of play for all but the most egregiously mishit shots, however, the long, thin green is protected by five bunkers demanding accuracy off the tee with both length and direction. 

The green is broken into four tiers which all slope towards the player. For a most pin positions, it's better to be short than long, especially for a front pin positions where a short shot still has a chance to run onto the green while a shot that drifts long will bring the rear bunkers into play and set up a very dangerous downhill putt. Playing out of any of the five bunkers will be a challenge but especially if you short side yourself and leave very little green to work with out of the sand. 

8.7.3

[jayraygun]

Hole 4 - "Blairgowrie", 490 yd Par 4

The 490 yard par 4 fourth is a daunting, but beautiful hole nestled between the foothills of the Andes mountains to your left and the northern lake to your right. The right side of the fairway falls steeply away to the lakeshore hidden by trees so most players will attempt to hug the left-hand side. However, for the thrill seekers, there is a drive slightly over the water, cresting the tops of the trees and attempting to land on the far of the lake. Depending on the wind direction, this play will either be greatly rewarded or the player may be walking back to their bag for another ball. However, should they make it, their shortened approach shot into the green is clear of hazards to most pin positions.

With the wind in your face or in a less favorable direction, a slightly less risky but still aggressive drive will attempt to hug the right side of the fairway while clearing the first of two fairway bunkers which from the tees, appear as one large mound of sand. While the approach may be shortened, depending on the pin position, your second shot may have to play over the large bunker protecting the front of the green.

Safer landing areas are afforded to the shorter hitters or those not willing to chance the water or the fairway bunkers. However, even these players must be careful as the fairway slopes right to left and a mishit may still trickle towards the steep slope down to the water's edge. A drive with a slight draw may help to hold the high ground to give you a clear, but well protected look into the green.

The green is 36 yards deep and square in shape, sloping left to right in the front half, then falling away from the player in the back half. Like most greens on the course, it's better to be short than long. 

Note: Out of Bounds is marked along the right side of the fairway as the land slopes away towards the lake below. 

8.7.3

[jayraygun]

I've already posted a video and in-depth explanation for hole 5, "Crowborough" but here is the finished look:

8.7.3

[jayraygun]

Hole 6 - "Hornsea", 498 yd Par 4

Playing back up the hill we came down on #5, this slight dogleg left can play much farther then the already extreme yardage. However, if a player can climb the hill 23' up and avoid the bunkers on the right side of the fairway, they will sit just about level with the green. Some longer hitter may try and shave even more yardage off by hugging the left side of the fairway but any mishit balls or balls affected by the wind could push the player into the trees on the left where making it to the green in regulation would be an almost impossible task. The ideal drive is straight down the middle avoiding the front-left fairway bunker and the twin fairway bunkers on the right. Though it is a longer approach, and slightly uphill, the dangers off the tee are mostly avoided.

The green is a generous 40 yards deep and tiered like many of the greens on the course, running left to right and back towards the player. However, the slopes on this particular green are gentle and a ball that carries long may not have such a grueling putt back downhill if you approach can avoid the greenside bunkers. 

8.7.3

[jayraygun]

Hole 7 - "Moortown", 159 yd Par 3

Though short in length, this par three packs plenty of teeth ready to bite the player wishing to just "grip it and rip it". The prevailing winds off the coast will more often than not be at the player's backs forcing the player to think about club selection as they try and make it onto the surface of the green.

The green runs parallel to the tees some 30 yards and sits almost level with the tee boxes but the lowered bunkers in front and the raised bunkers in the rear make it appear as more of an uphill shot which can cause some confusion to the naked eye and the first-time player. In this case, it's not always better to be short as the false front of the green slopes severely downhill to a swale between the two front bunkers. A fairly wide and flat plateau runs along the middle of the green and features most pin placements. However, the green does fall slightly away from the player in the back left so you'll want to land your shot on the plateau and try to roll it downhill to a back pin position to avoid scampering away off the green. 

8.7.3

[cd06]

I can see some holes named after the great courses of my homeland (except Titirangi). Love to see it. Sketches look great man!

[jayraygun]

Here's a time-lapse video of me drawing the latest: hole #10, a slightly downhill 345 yard Par 4 that might just be reachable in the right conditions. First hole playing along the oceanside as we come down from the mountains and meet the Pacific. 

8.7.3

[coggin66]

Apr 17, 2021 20:39:49 GMT -5 jayraygun said:

Here's a time-lapse video of me drawing the latest: hole #10, a slightly downhill 345 yard Par 4 that might just be reachable in the right conditions. First hole playing along the oceanside as we come down from the mountains and meet the Pacific. 

8.7.3

The drawings are beautiful ... but are we ever going to see any of this in-game before the deadline?!  

[hallzballz6908]

Love the sketches dude keep ‘em coming!