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Post by catcherman22 on Apr 17, 2021 20:56:36 GMT -5
Welcome to week 31 at Roaring Hippo GC by TeeeJ9798Oceanic Airlines is celebrating their expansion into Africa by hosting a tournament there this week. The Tournament staff decided to give you two rounds on one set of tees, and the last two on the other. Both rounds in each pair should play pretty similarly. Good Luck!
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Post by TeeeJ9798 on Apr 17, 2021 21:19:15 GMT -5
This course sucks
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Post by torroman80 on Apr 18, 2021 0:12:58 GMT -5
Excellent job tanman! I love this course, and the choices you have to make. It really made me go slow and figure out what on earth I want to do. It's a beast. I'd much rather have these types of courses where people aren't firing 56 all over the place.
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Post by JosiaDB on Apr 18, 2021 15:08:37 GMT -5
Very pretty course.
I could not figure out the greens at all. My ball was going where I meant for it to, but the breaks and speeds were not reading the way I expected them to read. Missed a bunch of putts I should've made due to that. Its like I'd hit what I thought was a perfect putt, exactly where I wanted, then as I watch, its like 'wait, why is it not breaking, theres a break there!' Wind was doing the same thing to me. So not a good score, but it wasn't the courses fault, it was just me not interpreting the breaks and wind correctly I guess. weird one. My guess is the greens were faster or firmer or whatever that word is, than I thought. But again, course is beautiful!
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Post by wseitz26 on Apr 18, 2021 16:15:11 GMT -5
I really love playing this course and have been looking forward to this event since the venue was announced, even though it plays to my weaknesses. Very much a middle-of-the-greens course for me. If you go at an edge and just barely miss, you're looking at a 30-40 yard recovery shot. And the very fast greens in round one are really knee rattling. I usually try and take a "birdie the par 5s and play everything else even" approach (I'm in CC-J), but these par 5s are really tough. And the bunkers seem to attract anything I hit near them. It may just be my TV settings, but in round 1 conditions (afternoon, clear), I felt like I needed night golf equipment on the 12-14 stretch. The par 3 13th, especially the green, was like playing in the dark.
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Post by TeeeJ9798 on Apr 18, 2021 16:55:20 GMT -5
I really love playing this course and have been looking forward to this event since the venue was announced, even though it plays to my weaknesses. Very much a middle-of-the-greens course for me. If you go at an edge and just barely miss, you're looking at a 30-40 yard recovery shot. And the very fast greens in round one are really knee rattling. I usually try and take a "birdie the par 5s and play everything else even" approach (I'm in CC-J), but these par 5s are really tough. And the bunkers seem to attract anything I hit near them. It may just be my TV settings, but in round 1 conditions (afternoon, clear), I felt like I needed night golf equipment on the 12-14 stretch. The par 3 13th, especially the green, was like playing in the dark. The brightness on those holes was problem with getting the light over the mountains so the mountains don’t shadow the holes, but it makes the bunkers blinding and ugly looking
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Post by williamwes626 on Apr 18, 2021 21:41:26 GMT -5
I took some last minute notes only playing one round here. It's the type of course that I probably need another practice round or two on since it's pretty different than last week's courses. Anyway, take these with a grain of salt - I like Roaring Hippo a lot and it's fun but I didn't have as much time as normal this week to practice.
ROARING HIPPO
Par 70, 6900 yards
We're off on the safari heading to Roaring Hippo, a golf club that’s different in looks and strategy than most we’ve played. The course ties in well with the surrounding terrain since much of the course weaves wide fairways and runoff areas around lots of bushy heather. Lots of options, lots of bunkers, lots of undulation and elevation change to handle, Roaring Hippo may need a trial run to get accustomed to its style. Surprisingly there’s only a 66 handicap but I don’t think the course will play as easy as that. It is a short track without trees interfering but the way the holes sit, awkward shots can be created leaving tough recoveries. The greens can be tiny targets and the bunkers can be deep if they’re greenside.
1, 4-475. Though it’s a long length opening par-4, there’s plenty of room to crank a long drive and have a mid-iron in to a smallish, V-shaped green that sits on a mound.
2, 3-197. A really tough hole since a long iron or hybrid tee ball will have to be lofted high enough to hang on to the green upon landing. Any miss will drop off the green and roll 10 feet below the green on all sides.
3, 4-468. A second long par-4, it doglegs left with a row of bunkers splitting the fairway into a high side and low side. The high side is wider and safer but once a 300 yard drive reaches it, the approach is over 200 yards to a narrow green tucked between bunkers and a severe dropoff. As long as the approach is held straight, the length of the shot doesn’t have to be perfect.
4, 3-177. By the 4th hole, it’s obvious these greens will be similar to Pinehurst in that any miss will drop off and roll down the fairway surroundings leaving recovery shots that are both longer and dealing with extra elevation.
5, 4-470. A wishbone-shaped fairway that has 2 sides split that come together at the 260-yard mark similar to a couple at St. Andrews, it’s plenty wide to hit but staying right gives the best angle of approach. The 2nd shot shoots for a larger green with a marsh hugging the back. There’s water under that brown grass.
6, 3-198. A redan-like par-3 with 4 bunkers in place of where one deep bunker usually is left of the putting surface, this hole is conquerable with a low draw but perhaps a higher loft is needed for front pin locations due to the lightly 2-tiered green.
7, 5-551. The brown clusters of grass really tighten up and choke the fairway at the 300 yard mark on this relatively wide par-5. Because it’s downhill it’s possible to just clear the bunkers and leave a good chance for birdie. To cap off the hole, a 3-tiered narrow green can be a headache so what seems like an easier hole could get complicated.
8, 4-413. 2 bunkers sit at the 300 yard mark but the tee ball may be able to clear them if yanked hard enough. We can go short with a 3-wood as well and still have a reasonable approach to a well-protected green.
9, 5-589. Watch out for more of those bone-shaped bunkers on this wide open par-5 but stay aggressive-this an eagle chance since the hole drops downhill as it curves right.
10, 5-625. Hopefully an eagle was retrieved on 9 cause 10 won’t be giving many out. Another hole that has a forced carry over various plants and tall grass, this hole uses a shared fairway to give more options off the tee. The approach can also be helped by another hole’s short grass. One of the oddest and most creative holes, it can be played many different ways.
11. 3-149. 11 has a green so narrow, it presents a challenge even for a wedge or short iron length tee shot.
12, 4-481. A spacious hole gives plenty of space to relax, the length may be long, but 12 is reasonable and recovery will be easier to handle here than on other holes.
13, 3-183. A par -3 with a tee box that sits 60 feet above the green, club selection is the most vital decision.
14, 4-309. A drivable par-4 with a tiny target to hit, the bumpy undulations surrounding the green make it extremely tough to take full advantage and get eagle. 15, 4-505. A wide open fairway invites us to rip a drive before targeting the narrow green that favors a fade approach in.
16, 5-589. A winding par-5 that works like a double-dogleg, there’s about 17 bunkers along the way, this will be a tough par-5 to negotiate since the undulating land can knock balls off their path to success.
17, 3-188. On a plateau planted on the side of a hill, the 17th green is a devilish one to conquer. Missing anywhere but right could result in a double bogey.
18, 4-335. Any problems on 17 can be solved on a forgiving finale. The land dips down and pops back up again with the green sitting 20 yards above the 200-yard mark. If we clear the flowerbeds in front of the hole, we can be on the green in 1 shot but going with driver to the fairway right of the putting surface is safest. Either way, just don’t go far left or flowers bushes and the clubhouse can get in the way of par.
So we may need to have a bit of patience with Roaring Hippo so we can choose the right paths to greatness on each hole. Have fun, hope some of us are happy with our results last week in both events. Good luck this week and have a safe flight!
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Post by twofor22 on Apr 19, 2021 0:19:46 GMT -5
-4 first round here. Didn't score well enough in the promotion event to move up from CCA, and won't be moving anywhere but down if I keep up that kind of scoring.
I have zero confidence in putting at the moment, not so much with the green reading and appropriate speeds, but ever since I got a new controller the swing plane has been a lot more difficult to keep straight, and as a result I miss a lot more putts because they don't start on the intended line. I'll have to figure out what I'm doing when it is straight and try to keep doing that every putt.
Aside from that I did enjoy the course, so hopefully I can play a bit better in round 2 and make the cut.
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Post by axelvonfersen on Apr 19, 2021 1:35:14 GMT -5
At least you're honest about it man Jokes aside, congratulations on getting the course on tour.
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Cy Langers BSG
Amateur Golfer
Posts: 152
TGCT Name: Si Langley
Tour: Challenge Circuit
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Post by Cy Langers BSG on Apr 19, 2021 3:09:40 GMT -5
This being my first ever event in TGC tours having just stepped up to the Mstr settings , i found the course to be a real "Par grind " . My irons were just off and therefore spent most of my 2 rounds pitching back up onto the raised greens . I feel this course should have been on a Pro Tour with small raised greens . As for lowly CC-L status at +7 for two rounds , I am disappointed with my first effort on Tour and may not make the cut , but it was a great experience and the grind will continue !!!! Good Job TeeeJ9798
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Post by Giraffe72 on Apr 19, 2021 5:27:12 GMT -5
First event back in CCA after the promo event. I played well on the front 9 but didn't take full advantage, and then spent most of the back 9 grinding out pars. Birdied three of the par 3s which is unlike me but the monstrous 10th got me. Missed the fairway, hit a fast with my 3rd which rolled down that huge roll off and then hit a slow pitch which ended up back at my feet after a slightly torturous journey. Did ok to make bogey from there and limit the damage. -7 to start, not great not bad.
Interesting course and layout, I think I liked it but 3 more rounds (hopefully) will make my mind up. I did have a bit of stutter caused by all that grass even on my Series X, but nothing that affected my gameplay.
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Post by illinoisgator on Apr 19, 2021 11:39:51 GMT -5
This course is a real grind in those winds...played very consistent and managed to avoid any big blowups. Missed a lot of greens but played well around the greens and managed only 3 bogeys in 4 rounds. Also got my first hole in one since switching over to the new game.
-9, -5, -6, -6 = -26 total
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Post by axelvonfersen on Apr 19, 2021 13:06:24 GMT -5
Good but not great start with -12 after two. Looking to be the first player outside promo marks again.
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Post by timh on Apr 19, 2021 13:19:18 GMT -5
I was on a bus load of rejects booted out of CC-K and unceremoniously dumped off at the CC-L club house. I was given a locker with the "Help me" carved into the locker door. Roaring Hippo! Nice strategic shot making course. Will play my first round tonight...best I could do in practice was even par. Those blasted bogeys do creep up on you to even things out.
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Post by trfoisy on Apr 19, 2021 13:58:29 GMT -5
Great course! I definitely prefer these more difficult courses that require thinking, especially when the difficulty comes from something other than OB or hazards. Shot -18 in CC-D. Pretty happy with that, but as always, will make the cut but finish below promo marks.
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