Moab Downs (Rookie Design Contest Entry)

[trailducker]

Welcome to Moab Downs located in Arches National Park in the Moab Desert of Utah. A unique experience playing an exciting round of golf through a natural wonder of the world. This is both my Rookie Design Contest entry and well as my “Redeem Team” course (the course I already had in mind to build if I were to be drafted in Dream Team, but I wasn’t)







The course is a Par 71 at 7034 total yards. There are two sets of manipulated tees with a front set (Red & White) and back set (Black & Gold) manipulated for different angles during different rounds. The greens are slower than most of you are used to at 134 but you will see that is for a reason. They were designed play well at 144. They are playable at 163 (no illegal pins) for those wanting a serious challenge as well as bumping the green firmness up. You can try 187 but I never tested at that speed and can't guarentee all the pins are kosher.


For judging purposes please use the Gold Tees.



The concept is pretty obvious but wasn’t an easy task to pull off. I recreated a fictional version of the Arches National Park and routed a golf course through it.


The course itself is one of navigating extreme undulations of the existing site. I tried to increase options on each hole and not always have a “preferred route” but usually a few options that each have pros and cons to weigh in. Each drive usually pins playing away from the hole for a flatter lie and a better approach to the green against cutting off distance for a sloped lie and/or one that cuts across green contours rather than being able to use them as a helping feature. This is definitely a second shot course, blasting away with the driver every hole can lead to a frustrating round. The greens also are oversized and at their slower speed to account for the dramatic land movement of the site. Large waste bunkers were carved out of deep crevices in the land, some may require a club up (or two) to get out of; so be warned.







I do want to personally thank everyone who played my various betas and offered advice through the life of this project. It all was very helpful including the brutally honest ones. Thank you again!



Please offer thoughts below as you play and I hope everyone enjoys their round(s)





Moab Adventure:
For VctryLnSprts VLS Series "Adventure Addict" competition I present Moab Adventure. A wild Par 72 adventure routing through the course. Routing diagram below.

[trailducker]

[trailducker]

[lostsoulsforeva]

Great job tyson mate,quite a few testing shots to think about combined with great views i especially liked the 11th good luck in the comp mate

[sandgroper]

What a hoot playing in decent winds, aiming off cliffs, into water, all over the place.
Cracking environment i.imgur.com/ClxDteb.jpg with the scars of years of weathering.
The weathered pathway to the entrance i.imgur.com/DtFKMQa.jpg and up to the clubhouse i.imgur.com/6nAaDZk.jpg
Yea, I wasn't sure about crossing those bridges i.imgur.com/IItneIH.jpg it's a long way down!
Huge fan of the rockwork i.imgur.com/HTEuw9q.jpg and i.imgur.com/jsMK2hy.jpg
On the 10th tee I got the drone out and flew through all of the wonderful openings.

Great elevation changes and the chance to use the ground game as backstops and move the ball around. I ended up with some massive putts.
Also the washed out bunkering looked great.
Loved the course.

[scootmcgoot]

Well my 10-15 mph winds certainly added some fun to this. Loved the environment, really well done…very natural feel to it. Golf was solid and definitely made you think in places. Appreciate the slowness of the greens…still plenty of movement and excitement to them even at 134. Great job here TD

[Heisenberg]

Congrats Tyson. I'm glad you listened to the 223 people that played your beta and you dialled everything back by x100. Was much better for it. These greens were the best I've seen of yours and there was actually green on the greens. Maybe you're not colorblind after all?

My only gripe -

Just as well you're not an architect cos those Dr Suess bridges were dodgy as hell

Anyway, congrats again and best of luck.

P.s. Your clubhouse looked great but wasn't OB (WhatAboutAmeobi)

[cg444]

Had a couple of rounds out here - great fun and I love a ton of undulation and elevation so really enjoyed that as the strategy - greens made me think and I even had a go on 187's which really highlighted that whilst the greens look tricky - there is always a helping slope to get to the pin.

Good luck in the contest!

N.B. my pixel golfer is still recovering having crossed that bridge..

[sandgroper]

Jan 31, 2022 5:47:15 GMT -5 Heisenberg said:

I'm glad you listened to the 223 people that played your beta and you dialled everything back by x100.

Now I really want to play the crazy beta!

oh and I looove those hand drawn holes. 

[irishgolf]

I gave this play a last night. Great course and I think you nailed the environment you were going for. I particularly liked the stretch from 14 thru 16. I thought these three were some of the best holes on the course. Can't imagine playing these greens on 187s! Great job and good luck in the contest.

[trailducker]

lostsoulsforeva Jay, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Cheers

sandgroper Thank You as always for all you do on the COmpleted Thread. Youa re truly a machine! haha Real glad you enjoyed your round. You would find the helping slopes on your playthrough especially on Hole 18. I see you tried the bank shot on 12 haha If you want to see the wild first beta it's under "rdc_TD_Beta" The bunkers on the course I originally started as a Whistling Straits in the desert and it was just way too much going on. Also I knew the undulations were over the top and needed softening but was trying to guage the edge as the site itself is super severly sloped. 

scootmcgoot Thanks for the play. Glad you enjoyed it. Is Pixel giving another crack but on 187 with firm greens? haha also are you publishing for the contest?!


Heisenberg Thanks fso much for the brutually honest takes on my betas. I know you felt a little bad but this course wouldn't be where it is without those. For the greens I had my girlfriend sit down with me and look at each pin   Yeah I saw on another course (Bandit's Run) someone playing over a canyon like this made a trussed bridge. I thought of building it here but got lazy at the end. These are fiiiiiiine, everything is fiiiiiine. haha

cg444 Thanks man for the play. You are a wild one trying them at 187. I haven't myself. There might be some legal pin sets on 187 if this were to end up on Plat (paging Q) but I did play them on high winds on 163 and it's mean as sh%$ but still legal, haha. Glad you enjoyed it. You're course is going to be a tough one to beat so had to give it my best shot! haha

irishgolf Appriciate it man and gald you enjoyed! Yeah I really feel I hit my stride 14 to the end. Love how those holes turned out. I am defintely going to try and get Wayne to play a few holes on 187 with firm greens today on stream haha

[cd06]

Congrats, Tyson! Really good work here. I could tell that this course has changed massively since the early betas, a lot of the bunkers I was complaining about were gone (or sculpted better ) which was probably a change for the better. The greens were a tad overcooked for my liking but at least they weren't as insane as some of your other greens, I could definitely see some dodgy pins out there if the greens were ramped up. Super unique environment and I think this might be your best planting yet.

Well done buddy, that said I agree with Heisenberg, those bridges are a safety red flag waiting to happen

[Figz]

Environment was great here and the greens were very fun as always. Another great course released! 

[InThisStyle]

Nice track Tyson—environment was great, can really appreciate all that rock work! Good luck in the comp. 🍸

[mrheibai]

great looking course! Can't wait to give this one a play