Got to wondering again

[SteveHorn]

Sandwedge! Your real name is'nt Jean Vandivelde is it? (probably spelled his name wrong)

[stillgolfing]

Gentlemen;
Thanks for bringing Coo's Bay to my attention. I really liked the layout and the accompanying ocean sounds added to the experience, I shot -4 @ Standard so it didn't beat me up. Haven't played it @ Advanced yet. I wouldn't call it a great course, however I do realise (@ yr 2002) it was one of the earlier custom courses. Still , I found the modular, 3 texture, bunker treatment unrealistic, Also, there are several in your face cloned trees throughout the course, and on a number of holes the ocean showed up as layers of blue (see attachment). I'm working on a rating system and have decided that the "great" courses I mentioned earlier would get Five Stars *****; so despite the noted deficiencies, I would knock this down a star and give it 4 stars. Still a pretty decent course and a definite "Keeper".

Cheers, Dave

[bryce]

Dave,
I hate to promote myself (yeah right!), but I have made several courses that I felt were too easy. Try your luck with Red Dragon Mountain, Olde Pinecrest, or Gunpowder Bay. I feel that Red Dragon is one of the easiest courses for PGA2000, but has 2 fairly tough finishing holes. Olde Pinecrest has a very tough last hole, but alot of birdie opportunities otherwise. Gunpowder was my contest course, and despite forgetting to double check to see if my tee boxes were flat, it is a fun course with a tough last hole.

I'm only mentioning mine because I am currently working on 2 new courses and I'm looking at my past work for things I need to improve on.

Doron

[sandwedge]

Steve,
Yeah, kinda feel like him but there is one difference - he only collapsed at the British Open, completely understandable, even came back well the next year I believe. I do this type of thing on a regular basis

Dave,
Appreciate the comments - I would agree. Coos Bay raised the bar for what we have in design though - it certainly is not perfect but it got all of us shooting for a little bit more in our finished product. I think it has held up well. You might find Dan O's designs outdated but the strategy of the layouts are always well thought out. I would reccommend trying a few of his solo efforts.

I guess from the responses, difficulty is a subjective thing based on the skill and playing style of the golfer. I know that some of the recent designs that have been put forth as difficult, I score well on but then I struggle with some of the easier classics too. I am a short hitter off the tee and a little wild in the fairway but an excellent putter. I play on the advanced level, although I have just recently been doing that - for years I was stuck on standard. A 40 foot putt is usually makeable for me unless my girls have got me giggling

[stillgolfing]

Thanks bryce and sandwedge for suggesting other courses to play and designers to check out.
Cheers, Dave

[ADC]

Know something? I remember another course that always gives me trouble at the end. Brian Z's Bulls-Eye Country Club. I never fail to bogey the last three holes there.

[Indy Anna Jones]

Still, have you played Ullna yet? It's a real course in Sweden and is pretty flat. Water is the big thing there, plus fast textures but if you play on wet-moist it's not too difficult.

Agree with everyone's comments about Coos Bay. I've never really rated courses (other than #1 Trenche at Monticello) but it would have to be in my top 10.