That Lasting Effect

[ADC]

Ok, here's a question.

Of all the courses we have, which 3 have been the most influential to you, as either a player or a desinger and why? Which are the ones you find yourself going back to time after time?

I'll go first. These are not in any particular order

Oakmont, by Dale Summerfelt. This is a terrific layout of what is arguably the hardest course in golf. But it's the color and texture pallete that keep me coming back. This is who I've always though Oakmont looks on a brutal day at the U.S. Open. I love it.

Bulls Eye Country Club, by Brian Zager. Bulls' Eye is one of the most well proportioned courses in this game, at least to my eye. It's usually about hole 3 that I totally forget I am not playing for real. The blending is also suberb, and I find myself studying the bunkers every time I play.

Glen Haven, by Adam Brandt. Adam nailed this course. I was just about to give up on this game when I played it for the first time. It is a stellar use of texture blending and contour shaping. The 9th, in particular, is probably my favorite par-4 in the game. It loses the feeling of "simulation," and is so well done, that especially at 9, I forget I am not playing seaside golf in California.

I was just curious about this. List more than three, less than three, all up to you. See you guys around,

Alex

[sandwedge]

Only 3???

Wow - I'll try.

1. Carolindi Forest - my kids love it and they always want to play it and so I have learned the layout and found the shots that work. It is the place I beat my girls for the first time in this game. It also is a course produced by one of our most helpful members of the community.

2. Coos Bay - at one time it raised the bar very high for the kind of course that designers put out for download. The textures left us all in awe and there was the feeling I think at the time that it couldn't get any better than this. So this one is for old time's sake and for how far the game has come since that first time we tried it in 1998.

3. Arrowhead - totally blew me away the first time I teed up there and it still leaves me with something after many times out on it. It is symbolic of my getting back in the community as I stumbled on it here at GSC.

There are a lot more courses that I love but those are the ones that have influenced us. Only course that we play more than the above 3 is a design of our own; Roo Park - not cause it is spectacular to look at but because we did it together and it makes us giggle when we play there It is kind of a cross between Martjin, Opfer and Smak if you want a mental picture - yeah that's a picture alright Don't worry it won't be ready for release for a few more decades at least

[spencerturner]

My favorite courses are would be: Seasons by Robert@ and TPC Sawgrass by Chris Anderson and Gordansville by PingKing.

[Terry Grayson]

Wow great question!

Man where to start....

I guess first off, it would have to be for me Ken McHales Augusta: Dated since, but I chose this because Ken introduced how to build a real course and have it as
far as distances and look very close to the real thing! He set the bar back in those days on designing, especially real courses... I seem to remember well over 10,000 downloads of this when they were tracked..

Secondly: Woodford Park by Dano,Yannick and (Wow his name left me) Probably the most realistic course to come out of the game at that time. A lot of build up to the release and it didnt disappoint! It also put out one of the best libraries for this game

My personal favorite: The Trenche at Monticello: I still say this is the best course in the history of this game, Wagers to me is the best designer for this game.. This course has proper scale, unreal plantings and an unbelievable imaginative design.... Hole 13 I think it is, is still my favorite view ever for this game....


Would like to point out some of my fav designers as well: Dano, Yannick, Wagers,Robert@, Southernrepub (best green builder I think ever) Polslad, Spencer, Indy, BrianZ, Bryce,and a newcomer that is one of the better already is Adam Brandt..... I know Ive probably left off a few here and there, sorry, Ill remember some names shortly and put them on here ha ha.....I like the fact that some of the newer members are putting out some great courses as well... All those in the recent contest all I really enjoyed very much..All very talented.....

And all the great players,ive played with over the years, and learned a lot from ...Boy we have had some great times, wished I had more time to come play now, but between a 6 y ear old, and 3 year old, wife, work and singing group, I have "a tad from time to time" lol......

Greatest game in history!!!! I say!

[Polslad]

I posted a little while and said the same, for me, The Trenche at Monticello is the finest course ever released for this game.
I still can't believe that the tools we all use and stuggle with to create our efforts, have been mastered to such a degree to produce work of this standard.
Some of Dales real course renditions are also awesome.
I believe that we have all gotten used to these peoples skills that excellent peices of work are regarded as 'normal' now.
We are indeed spoiled.

[LinksLegend]

If we're talking the full package i.e. game changers in terms of design, strategy, library creation, and introducing something unseen in the community before - then my 3 (and it's very hard to pick 3 from the huge volume of greats) would be:

3) wood ford park - had the same impact as coos but with a parkland library. Brilliant course, strategically sound and an awesome layout. Only slight distraction for me was the colour I'd the bunker sand, but it can't always be white

2) coos bay one of the most complete releases for this game ever I think. The library was so good it's still widely used. The design was so strategic that depending on wind conditions you could play each hole differently every time. It is simply an incredible piece of work

1) Trenche at Monticello - still the defacto bar-setter for design in this game. A culmination of design learning, and skills with the architect from a prodigiously talented designer - Wage. He's designed many beauties and Greenbrier comes close but is a little extreme in terms of playability for the lesser player, but the Trenche was a masterpiece.

[bryce]

I have 2 different lists for this....you will see why.

As far as courses that had the strongest influence on me as a designer, they are all old ones:

3) The Platform by Babybull Conner -- This course gave me ideas on how to put a layout together, use rocks/rock formations, and that a course doesn't always have to be completely realistic if it plays well and looks good.

2) Black Widow by Robert@ -- Making a course tough is a problem I have always had as a designer, but going back to this one helps me with ideas on how to "toughen it up."

1) Woodford Park -- As many others have and will say, possibly the best library for the game. Everything matches perfectly together: the trees are perfect with the textures, grass, water, pano...... everything.

As far as courses I keep going back to just to play:

3) Sugarbrook -- Jeff Helton
2) The Trenche at Monticello -- Robert Wagers
1) Whitsunday Island GC -- Stefan Lawinski

Go play any of those and you won't be able to play just 1round.