St Lucia BETA

[jonolero10]

Hi,

This is going to be my 1st real published course eventually and would love your thoughts on it.  Currently named "Jonjo golf estates - st. lucia beta"

It is a tropical theme with fast fairways and greens.  The course is quite receptive and a real empthasis is put onto the approach shots.  At 6876 yards its not particurally long but dont be deceaved by this.  Its a bit of a false yardage with a couple of tricky risk rewrard par 4's.  I really cant over state the fact that laying up is sometimes the best course of action, particurally if your good from inside 100 yards.  Miss the green looking for the reward and there are some tricky run off areas leaving treacherous chips. 

The real defence to this course is the greens.  Hit a quality shot into the flag, you will birdie it.  Miss the correct part of the green, your looking at a 3 putt.  Miss the green altogether, you have your work cut out for an up and down. 

I would love some feedback on this course. As I say its my 1st real serious effort so be brutal and honest.  I love playing golf in real life and the type of shots this course makes you play are my favorite kind of golf shots.  It has been designed to be a fair test for a decent golfer testing a wide range of shots.  The greens have really been designed for the contours to be used, particurally on the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 12th.  It has not been set up for someone to go and shoot -18.  I bet someone can but every hole can catch you out if you are not carefull.  With no wind ive shot -14.  With wind its a different beast.  A par on some holes is a good score.  I didnt want to create a course where birdies on every hole are the norm.  I wanted a course that makes the player think, and instead of thinking of birdie, just wants to consolidate with a par.  

It's not the nicest looking course and I'll be the 1st to admit that but what I lacks in looks I hope its makes up in substance. 

I have noticed a few minor issues with a few holes since publishing it and being able to play it in wind, but if anyone notices anything please tell me.

Thanks for your time.  I hope you enjoy a round of my course and look forward to the comments.

[bassman70]

Hey jonolero 10...I play the new released courses and provide feedback. I will give this a play later tonight if possible and write up a review for you.

[jonolero10]

That would be great.

[bassman70]

I played your course and here are my thoughts...First off, thank you for giving your time and building a course for the golf community!...For a first course, it's not bad. I played in fairly windy conditions (13-17 mph), played it quickly and was still able to shoot -8. I liked some of your planting, the greens were fair, the fairways were ok, but need better sculpting and flattening in places, the bunkers need to be sculpted better and some are in weird places and would not ever come into play. Remember, you don't need alot of bunkers to design a good course. The main thing I personally look for when playing a course is if the course is playable. I played in windy conditions and it was, which tells me in more calm conditions the course is very very playable. Try and also find some of the designing tutorials. Canuck has some on youtube, they were very helpful to me, and they're done really well. Also, try and find some of the great courses we have and take a look how they're done. It will give you ideas and give you a mental picture of what we should all be aiming for. I hope you keep designing!! This was a first effort, and I bet you don't really understand the design tools yet....none of us did in the beginning...LOL! Also, design for YOU! If you like it that's what matters. It's alot like art! Anyway, hope this was helpful. We are all here to help each other enjoy this great game and there are many designers on here that would be happy to help you. I'm not one of the PRO designers...I'm also just really getting to know the tools. If you'd like you can check out my course, Twin Ponds CC. It's also a great course to practice on. I did not make it difficult. feel free to play it and tell me what you think of it...all feedback is welcome. I consider this my first course, because I finally took the time to look at tutorials and try to learn how to use the tools. My other courses from way back are TOTAL JUNK! Had no idea what I was doing, but nobody ever told me they were junk, so I couldn't get better. I'm really anxious to see your next attempt!

[pablo]

Jonolero, just played your course. I feel mainly two things about your course.

If you start surrounding a playing surface (fairway, green, so on) with 1st cut, Surround it completely, I've seen quite a few of them laying straight in the "virgin" terrain, which generates some kind of brown edges really ugly

The bunkers also need attention, mainly in two aspects. First of all, they all seem not to be finished. They lack some sculpting, and some depth in some points. Also, and this is more my preference, the bunkers should be completeley surrounded by only one texture, rough, heavy rough, whatever, but they should not be placed over the blending of two different textures, they look much better.

Also the greens need some improvement, mainly the runoffs, some of them are imposible to avoid, and in real golf not every hole features a runoff all over its boundaries.

Yes, those are three things, but all can be easily fixed. You should look for the vids by canuck, they are awesom.

Good work!!

[jonolero10]

thanks to both of you for the tips. The bunkers are something ive struggled with to be honest so I'll keep working on them till I get it right and I'll have a look at the vids.

I do play lots of courses and some are just spectacular and ive taken lots of ideas from them and will continue to do so It's not the finished article but I dont think it's a million miles away.

If anyone has any ther comments, good or bad please feel free to add.