Morocco

[fargo]

Think I'm going to try a Moroccan themed course next. I'm an alternate in the World Cup of Design comp, and I suppose this may end up as my provisional entry. Maybe not though... As I'm an alternate I'm going to have some fun with this and try some stuff I've never really done before.

Been looking at a few photos from Moroccan courses and there's some really nice landscapes to try to replicate. One course in particular Noria has some really cool geometric water hazards which were designed to mirror the traditional local architecture. But there's also heaps of organic lines and long views over desert / dune land. And some fairly heavily vegetated areas, water holes, fig trees etc. So I suppose the challenge is blending the geometric with the natural - my last course had zero straight lines and I was very conscious about hiding any sharp transitions, so it's quite different.

I've never done any geometric design so I want to figure out how to do that well. I want to use lots of extended green fringes and encourage ground game. Course will be a little longer and I want a few more mid and long irons in. I've never built a single bunker using brushes so I'll try to figure out how that works. Also some flat bottomed bunkers. And also some large exaggerated bulbous bunkering and sculpting in places. Should be quite a flat course so there will probably be a fair amount of off-course stuff. 

Here's some inspiration pics, plus one screenshot which is all I've done so far.

[bernieb]

Very much looking forward to this.

[b101]

I had a lot of fun with scouting Morocco when I drew it in National Treasure way back when - so many cool environments. Looking forward to seeing what you produce and best of luck getting into the field

[fargo]

Mar 25, 2023 1:57:47 GMT -5 b101 said:

I had a lot of fun with scouting Morocco when I drew it in National Treasure way back when - so many cool environments. Looking forward to seeing what you produce and best of luck getting into the field

Thanks. I didn't actually realise you'd done a Moroccan themed course, I'll have to load up 2k21 again and check it out. Absolutely striking environments as you say.

Whether a spot opens up in the comp or not is not really a concern, I'm just going to have fun trying to make an interesting course either way.

[blueblood1995]

www.tgctours.com/Course/Details/25053

[fargo]

It took me a while to get going on this one, it took some time finding a look that I'm happy with. Plenty of experimentation with lighting, surfaces and scaling. Trying to figure out how to deal with course boundaries. Cart path? Etc. This is the third plot I've started for this project but I think I've got traction on this one finally.

It'll be low lighting again, I enjoyed using light and shadows on my previous course and I think I did it well. This landscape could look really good with rocky outcrops casting long shadows. It also helps with the colours, getting a reddish tinge through the heavy rough and the bare ground.

I've got a formal area flattish area in front of the clubhouse which will have the 9th and 18th greens and 1st and 10th fairways. Then I'll go up into some higher rocky dune land. Down on the other side to some lusher area behind, maybe an oasis or two. Some formal canals between the water holes as hazards. Long views down over the back into the hazy sandy distance. That's the idea anyway, but anything could happen.

Below are pictures of hole 1/10 and 2/11 (haven't decided if this side will be front or back nine). Trying to go very minimal on the planting, and be precise with the sculpting to fill space with natural and interesting looking landforms. There will definately be more planting, and what's there now will certainly change.

1 is a mid length par 4 with the option of cutting the course boundary corner (ob). 2 is a reachable par 5 with a blind tee shot over a hill to a generous fairway and a horizon green in the distance. 

[blueblood1995]

fargo, whatever happend to this? It was looking good.

[fargo]

Nov 29, 2023 20:04:40 GMT -5 blueblood1995 said:

fargo, whatever happend to this? It was looking good.

Got sidetracked with a couple other projects / general life etc ... I'm sure I'll finish it some day though, might return to it early next year after I've finished two courses I'm currently working on. It takes me about 3 months to create a course so it's a slow process...