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Post by claybagel on Mar 3, 2016 16:28:22 GMT -5
I absolutely love Muirfield.
On the topic of links courses, I really wish there were pot bunkers for use in the GNCD.
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Post by pyates on Mar 3, 2016 16:51:46 GMT -5
I'm probably one of the harshest critics for links courses. I enjoy a links style course both IRL and virtually with the pinnacle being a proper British links course. For the longest time I felt like we didn't really have any proper British links courses... The old links theme just wasn't up to it and the lack of sod wall bunkers I find distracting. We also really need thick thick long grass all over... You can do a decent job up close in a small area and designers have done a great job disguising the inability to put this everywhere, but it is still lacking. The first proper British links for me was Royal Balwearie, which is fantastic, shortly followed by the brilliant Royal Ballylough. They helped me see past the bunker situation . Yeltman's recreations are brilliant but until I played the 2016 version of Birkdale recently I felt that something wasn't quite there. That course is definitely my favourite links, I think it was the texture swapping that filled that missing element. In fact it is probably my favourite course played so far. Not sure if I've played his other 2016 versions but assuming they have all had the same treatment any one of those might be able to pip Birkdale. I look forward to the 2017 versions with sod wall bunkers :-D. I have to say that the breakers is my top 'never seen another course like it' links. One of the most important elements of a links course for me is the seamless transition between nature and golf... IRL that means hardly touching the natural elements, fitting the course in between what nature gives you. But in the GNCD you have to craft it all yourself, none that I've seen has been better done than the breakers. I do also really like an American links course like Chambers Bay. University Links was my homage to that. I think links elements fit into all my courses naturally just from my experiences. Tye Dunes (thanks for the shout Ola) was never really intended as a links... It's some sort of fictional hybrid at best, but several have referred to it as one which I take as a compliment. My next course hopefully will be a fictional British links, but it is an intimidating thing trying to produce the best possible British links course... I'm yet to get very far, it means too much Respect to those courses mentioned above! TLDR: Birkdale 2016 for me
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Post by pyates on Mar 3, 2016 16:53:25 GMT -5
I absolutely love Muirfield. On the topic of links courses, I really wish there were pot bunkers for use in the GNCD. +1, please HB... If not in TGC TGC2 day 1 please . That and an epic amount of long grass
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Post by DoubtfulObelisk on Mar 3, 2016 16:54:07 GMT -5
In terms of real courses, it's extremely hard to top Yeltzman's excellent Open rota RCRs, in my opinion.
Of the fictional courses I've played, Ballylough stands above the rest, with Balwearie just a notch behind, but I also enjoy Swindon Downs (The Open) and Killarney (and Tye Dunes, which somehow slipped my mind). Shougleith and Remembrance look nice, but I haven't played those yet.
It's not at the level of the courses listed above, but I think my own course, Doubtful Moor Golf Links, is a reasonably good one, as well. It lacks the visual punch of most of the others, but it is a solid test of golf nonetheless (IMHO).
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Post by Artfull_dodger__ on Mar 3, 2016 17:15:54 GMT -5
Gonna be very biased here and name my latest course.Pop's devils island Has plenty of rocky costal holes and with a bit of wind is very tough.Big fast greens,medium to firm and pot bunkers.Abit like my local course which is a real pig.
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Post by blueorfe on Mar 3, 2016 17:23:52 GMT -5
Real - Royal Lytham & St Annes, Birkdale, Muirfield, Chambers
Fictional - The Legacy at Cape Point, Balwearie, Remembrance 2016 Sunday, Hidden Links, Royal Ballylough, The Links at Lions' Bay
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Post by yeltzman on Mar 4, 2016 9:43:59 GMT -5
Yep pot bunkers really needed for links real shame they can't be done properly.tks for the kind words like I have always said only made them for myself to play and its a real bonus others enjoy them as well.only birkdale updated with new textures and I liked how it came out.doing muirfield for the pro tee guys in new textures at moment.hopefully in time all be looking like summer links how I like them just a shame no time at the moment to work on them.
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Post by mav78 on Mar 4, 2016 15:15:29 GMT -5
May I recommend Dornoch Firth, the name is real life but notsure the course is! If it isn't then it's better than any non fictional courses i have played yet
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Post by edi_vedder on Mar 4, 2016 20:38:00 GMT -5
A lot of great courses have already been mentioned. Hard to name just a single one... but for me, it may be Muirfield too.
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Post by mav78 on Mar 5, 2016 5:38:19 GMT -5
Yes Muirfield is hard to beat usually top links course of world rankings although royal county down is widely regarded as the best nowadays, be nice if someone did that. Mick your pops devs course is great, so far.. I'm playing so bad I couldn't finish my round they fear of smashed pad, yet to play tye dunes but tye dunes iI is superb as well
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