Evolution

[bryce]

Alex,
Glad to see you are still around too! The Ultimate 18 is actually being done by Polslad. I am too working on a course, but it is purely fictional.

As for your questions......

1. I have always drawn my shapes before doing any major elevation work. Maybe a hill or slope here and there to justify what I want the hole to play like, but I lay them all out first. The courses that I have up for download are all relatively small in file size, so I don't know that if affects the detail in any way. Occasionally I will run into the "broken glass" look, but I usually get it right the second time with what I try to accomplish.

2. Blending is something I try not to mess too much with. The more shapes you have, the more shapes and points you will have, as well as having more optimizing to do. You are right though, it does work for Glen Haven. Glenmarnock is one of my favorites, with about as many blends, and it works great too. As I mentioned earlier, I am working on a course now, and I am attempting some sharp edged bunkers. I also have a lot of water that I had to break up into separate shapes because once you put so many points into a shape, it starts to become jagged and straight edged instead of the nice curves that we want.

I have always dropped my shapes first, but that's just my preference and how I can see the course before I shape it. I use a notebook with detail on each hole as I draw a shape, sometimes even drawing what I want on paper first. That doesn't mean that my way is the best way. I have used pre-made plots before with elevations and water shapes already in place, but still laid my shapes down before doing anything to it.

Someone like Brian would be better to give input on this than me, since he is the wizard with geocomm and ghostit.

Doron

[ADC]

I believe the online slang is...derp.

I knew that. I'm looking forward to both courses. It's amazing the typos can that can creep in.

Thanks, Bryce. At the least, you've confirmed that doodling on paper isn't a waste of time, which is what I've done a lot lately. I'll post a pic tomorrow. Letting you know, it's not Pebble Beach, it's on a plot for the Long Island concept. I had to go to very, very tip of Long Island to find it, but it's actually American links land on Montauk point, and I'll see what I can do.

Alex.

[bryce]

Alex, I also have ADHD. Doodling on paper first is about the only way I can do it.

[ADC]

Here are some pictures. This is the first hole. I'm a huge CB MacDonald fan, and I like his concept of creating original holes without reinventing the wheel. So, this one is a par 5, 532 up the hill, loosely based on "Long," the 14th at St. Andrew's.

This is all a work in progress. I've got the base terrain set to fairway, as that allows me test it out shot by shot without messing with belnds yet. The main focus here was creating strategy with bunkers, each of which will play a different role depending on the wind.

I had my whole course routed, but not a shape placed until last night. I recreated my plot because the original was massive, almost 5 mg's, just for the terrain. I know the lay of the land, so I trimmed it down, laid out the first four, and the 18th, and got busy building something.

There on 9 bunkers on my version of Long, including the Hell Bunker, which in this case lies about 80 yards short of the green. The green itself slopes back to front, and is perched on top of the hill. Eventually, NY Route 27 will run the length of the right side, but won't be an obstacle.

In the case of this photo, despite it's moderate length for the longest hole on the course, with the wind howling into your face, it's every inch a three shot golf hole. In fact, it almost plays easier into the wind because the face of the Hell Bunker is very long two shots from the back tees. It's far easier to lay up, though as the third picture shows, the pitch up the hill is anything but simple.

I know the bunkers are a little rough around the edges. This is partly due to how far the textures are stretched at the moment, over my entire plot. I'm also trying to replicate the flash faced bunkers common on courses of the '20's.

I like oceans where you can't see the pano, so there will be a large amount of undeveloped land. But since I'm cutting down a sizable chunk from Montauk Point State Park, I figure it's OK. The DNR simple wouldn't give me the zoning permits, I guess .

[SteveHorn]

Alex! Looks like a tough par 5. Keep it going.

[ADC]

SteveHorn, thanks. Sorry that it's so unfinished. I'll post more as I keep going.

[ADC]

So, this is still pretty bare, but this is my attempt at a Redan hole.