|
Post by settlerofcatan on Sept 9, 2015 15:47:16 GMT -5
Hey everyone -
Got a good reception to starting a thread discussing the next week's course when I posted about Turnberry, so I'm starting a similar thread for this upcoming week at Grangethorpe Downs. I've played several rounds here to get an idea of what the course is like.
Here are the basics of what to know heading into the round!
1) Score Early! The first 6-7 holes are all there for scoring, starting off with a short-ish Par 4 first hole and par 5's that are reachable in the right wind. When playing with some of the top XB1 ghost balls, most everyone was -5 to -7 under by the turn, with most of those strokes gained in the first third of the course. The second nine seemed to play more difficult, with players typically shooting two or three worse than the first nine. I personally like this design - helps get you into a scoring mode before things toughen up.
2) Pay attention to where your drives will land - There are a few holes with thinner fairways that have significant slopes. If you land middle of the fairway, you may trickle into the rough on the other side. Make sure to check your scout cam before teeing off - some holes are not just "grip it and rip it".
3) Greens play easier than last week - This course doesn't have the number of severe undulations that we saw at Turnberry. For players like me, this means that scores should improve if winds don't howl. Putts outside of 15 feet no longer have severe slopes to go down/up/over.
4) Very few flat spots on the fairway - Most fairways, when looked at via Scout Cam, seem to look "bumpy". I like the look - it's unique - but it also means you will have many sidehill lies in the fairway. Most aren't severe, but it's enough that you need to pay attention when hitting your approach, especially if the wind kicks up and joins the lie in helping your ball go off-course
Overall (and I might be biased!) I think this course will score easier than what we saw last week if the winds are similarly calm. It's well designed - a mixture of short and long par 4s - but designed for scoring. Three of the four Par 5's are reachable in calmer winds, and the 4th is potentially reachable in the right wind conditions. The Par 3s are relatively short - nothing that will require more than a 3i in calm winds. Fairways are thin enough (and sloped enough) to keep you honest on a few drives.
Looking forward to playing this track with everyone next week!
Nate
|
|
|
Post by hammo24983 on Sept 9, 2015 16:31:35 GMT -5
Good assessment. This course is easier than turnberry I believe. Not as much slope on greens and not as long. Fast greens make it a little different to what we are used to. I like the course except for the 3 holes (can't remember which ones) that have big stinking trees hanging right over the green! Why would you put them in such ridiculous spots!!??
|
|
|
Post by misternic on Sept 9, 2015 16:35:30 GMT -5
Good assessment. This course is easier than turnberry I believe. Not as much slope on greens and not as long. Fast greens make it a little different to what we are used to. I like the course except for the 3 holes (can't remember which ones) that have big stinking trees hanging right over the green! Why would you put them in such ridiculous spots!!?? Oh, I dont know. Turnberry (for me) was straightforward. Little trouble off the tee. No tree trouble. If you hit it close on the greens, they were straightforward. I have found the back nine here to be fairly tough.
|
|
|
Post by c-flo4344 on Sept 9, 2015 16:37:33 GMT -5
I really enjoyed the one round I played there a few days back -- it had a different feel, and a little more strategy off the tee as you mention.
|
|
|
Post by boomboom on Sept 9, 2015 16:53:24 GMT -5
I like the course except for the 3 holes (can't remember which ones) that have big stinking trees hanging right over the green! Why would you put them in such ridiculous spots!!?? Because it is different, without things like this, all the courses start to like and play just like one another. In RL I play lots of courses where trees can get in the way with no scout cam and crappy drunken eyes, so this is a bonus here.
Same as the bowl shaped narrow fairway, kind of strange and almost to the point of why bother with fairway at all, but we all play the same course in the same conditions, so what the heck, I'll deal with anything that everyone else has to deal with.
Go to other courses by designer, and see just how different this could of been.
I found the course to be playable, so I'll be ready to rock this house on the weekend. Good luck everyone.
|
|
|
Post by settlerofcatan on Sept 9, 2015 17:11:00 GMT -5
Good assessment. This course is easier than turnberry I believe. Not as much slope on greens and not as long. Fast greens make it a little different to what we are used to. I like the course except for the 3 holes (can't remember which ones) that have big stinking trees hanging right over the green! Why would you put them in such ridiculous spots!!?? My local course where I learned how to golf has a 60+ foot pine tree about 60 yards in front of the green blocking the right half of it (or the entire green if you're on the righthand side of the fairway). It makes me feel right at home
|
|
|
Post by hammo24983 on Sept 9, 2015 17:33:44 GMT -5
I like the course except for the 3 holes (can't remember which ones) that have big stinking trees hanging right over the green! Why would you put them in such ridiculous spots!!?? Because it is different, without things like this, all the courses start to like and play just like one another. In RL I play lots of courses where trees can get in the way with no scout cam and crappy drunken eyes, so this is a bonus here.
Same as the bowl shaped narrow fairway, kind of strange and almost to the point of why bother with fairway at all, but we all play the same course in the same conditions, so what the heck, I'll deal with anything that everyone else has to deal with.
Go to other courses by designer, and see just how different this could of been.
I found the course to be playable, so I'll be ready to rock this house on the weekend. Good luck everyone.
I've played many courses including my home course too which has trees over hanging greens. In real life you can play a wide range of shots to combat that including a low punch or chip and run. It's not an option on this course as you have no option of a low shot on the 3 holes where the trees over hang. The one hole on the front 9 where you have a water carry is a good example. It comes down to complete luck weather it hits the tree and stays in the green or not. I have no issue with over hanging trees as long as the player is given other options to get the ball near the hole. I don't feel you get that option here.
|
|
|
Post by boomboom on Sept 9, 2015 17:55:20 GMT -5
Because it is different, without things like this, all the courses start to like and play just like one another. In RL I play lots of courses where trees can get in the way with no scout cam and crappy drunken eyes, so this is a bonus here.
Same as the bowl shaped narrow fairway, kind of strange and almost to the point of why bother with fairway at all, but we all play the same course in the same conditions, so what the heck, I'll deal with anything that everyone else has to deal with.
Go to other courses by designer, and see just how different this could of been.
I found the course to be playable, so I'll be ready to rock this house on the weekend. Good luck everyone.
I've played many courses including my home course too which has trees over hanging greens. In real life you can play a wide range of shots to combat that including a low punch or chip and run. It's not an option on this course as you have no option of a low shot on the 3 holes where the trees over hang. The one hole on the front 9 where you have a water carry is a good example. It comes down to complete luck weather it hits the tree and stays in the green or not. I have no issue with over hanging trees as long as the player is given other options to get the ball near the hole. I don't feel you get that option here. Could be worse, it could be in a cave. This designer is beyond creative.
|
|
|
Post by SAM on Sept 9, 2015 22:55:33 GMT -5
Hey! all & especially Nate (settlerofcatan) for starting this thread.....
Primarily, I created Grangethorpe Downs to hopefully have it host an event on the Challenge Circuit tour & was surprised when it was chosen as the venue for The Chiquita Classic here on the Web.com finals..... most of you guys will rip it to shreds, especially if the winds are favorable!! Having said that, there are some tricky spots on the trail that require a little strategy & as Hammo has already pointed out there are a couple of trees partly overhanging the greens on holes 6 & 16.....
Both holes need a little forward planning & the angle of approach to the second shot should be uppermost in your tactics.
Here's #6 where a 3 wood off the tee to the right side of the fairway leaves a "branch free" angle for a wedge into the target & a putt for birdie >>>>
I'm looking forward to seeing how everybody gets on & would love to watch anybody who is maybe thinking of streaming their rounds on Twitch?
Best of luck for all the finals,
Sam.
|
|
|
Post by misternic on Sept 10, 2015 8:32:36 GMT -5
Good assessment. This course is easier than turnberry I believe. Not as much slope on greens and not as long. Fast greens make it a little different to what we are used to. I like the course except for the 3 holes (can't remember which ones) that have big stinking trees hanging right over the green! Why would you put them in such ridiculous spots!!?? My local course where I learned how to golf has a 60+ foot pine tree about 60 yards in front of the green blocking the right half of it (or the entire green if you're on the righthand side of the fairway). It makes me feel right at home This is a par 3 at a course near me - Keller Golf Course. Before you condemn this course, know it has hosted 2 PGA championships (1932, and 1954, and the Western Open). View from the tee. Trees are a part of golf in most of the world.
|
|
|
Post by ollierad on Sept 10, 2015 11:36:27 GMT -5
That tree probably wasn't that big though 61 years ago lol.
|
|
|
Post by misternic on Sept 10, 2015 11:41:58 GMT -5
possibly it wasnt small though. I played this course many times in the 70's and can tell you it was plenty big then.
|
|
|
Post by lessangster on Sept 10, 2015 12:57:42 GMT -5
Does anyone have any ideas when we will find out if we're in the field, I normally like to start my tournament on a Saturday evening.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2015 13:00:34 GMT -5
Does anyone have any ideas when we will find out if we're in the field, I normally like to start my tournament on a Saturday evening. I believe the field is the same for all 4 Web.com Finals tournaments. If your name was in week 36, then it will be there in week 37 @ Grangethorpe. Someone may correct me if I am wrong, but I am fairly certain.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2015 13:06:58 GMT -5
The Chiquita Classic!
If anyone hasn't gathered by my name, I am a big Aerosmith fan. I have seen them live over 30 times. When I saw them often as my younger self, I would stop at a grocery and put Chiquita banana stickers on my hand for the show. Why? They had a song called Chiquita back in 1979. This cheesy video is proof:
|
|