Re: Point Reyes National by Steve Horn [Contest Course]
Posted: January 21st, 2011, 9:57 am
So were we Steve.
I consider putting to be probably the strongest part of my game. Jack is also a good putter. We realized pretty quickly that the texture was "fast normal" (I'm using a similar texture, Ocean Side, on a course design now.) I use a technique for clickers that I learned from Terry Greyson (set your line, add 3 clicks right, miss left on the 3rd click.) Jack is a tru-swinger. We were both missing 3 and 4 click (ie 6-8 breaklines) to the right putts regularly. Jack made several 3-putts on what should have for him birdies. I did pretty well on the front nine, but on the back nine I pretty much gave up on getting birdies and just tried to get close for a par putt.
Poor Poppy almost always struggles with putting and had a horrible time. Jack was over par the whole round, and that just doesn't happen with him; I don't think he had a single birdie on the b9. I'm not putting all that on the greens! But there was a couple of time that on a 2-3 click right to left breaker (especially) the ball would either go perfectly straight or might even move to the right. That's why I added in my review that I didn't blame the designer; sometimes these greens seem to have a mind of their own. Had it been just me or just Jack, I would have dismissed the problem but with both of us having the exact same problem, we had to draw the conclusion that it wasn't just us.
I don't know what to tell you Steve. Other than the greens we all loved everything about your course (I honestly wasn't thrilled with the pano at first, but other than over the ocean I came to like it and in some places it was pretty stunning.) I especially liked your elevation work on those two holes where one runs above the other (13 and 15?) and the holes running along the seawall. Very unique and well done. I also really like that several of your greens were tucked in behind trees or other obstacles. I'm not sure what the building object was behind #6(?) but it was pretty cool and the parking lot was a great job. Some of your other little garden plantings were really pretty and added to the "real" value of the course also.
I consider putting to be probably the strongest part of my game. Jack is also a good putter. We realized pretty quickly that the texture was "fast normal" (I'm using a similar texture, Ocean Side, on a course design now.) I use a technique for clickers that I learned from Terry Greyson (set your line, add 3 clicks right, miss left on the 3rd click.) Jack is a tru-swinger. We were both missing 3 and 4 click (ie 6-8 breaklines) to the right putts regularly. Jack made several 3-putts on what should have for him birdies. I did pretty well on the front nine, but on the back nine I pretty much gave up on getting birdies and just tried to get close for a par putt.
Poor Poppy almost always struggles with putting and had a horrible time. Jack was over par the whole round, and that just doesn't happen with him; I don't think he had a single birdie on the b9. I'm not putting all that on the greens! But there was a couple of time that on a 2-3 click right to left breaker (especially) the ball would either go perfectly straight or might even move to the right. That's why I added in my review that I didn't blame the designer; sometimes these greens seem to have a mind of their own. Had it been just me or just Jack, I would have dismissed the problem but with both of us having the exact same problem, we had to draw the conclusion that it wasn't just us.
I don't know what to tell you Steve. Other than the greens we all loved everything about your course (I honestly wasn't thrilled with the pano at first, but other than over the ocean I came to like it and in some places it was pretty stunning.) I especially liked your elevation work on those two holes where one runs above the other (13 and 15?) and the holes running along the seawall. Very unique and well done. I also really like that several of your greens were tucked in behind trees or other obstacles. I'm not sure what the building object was behind #6(?) but it was pretty cool and the parking lot was a great job. Some of your other little garden plantings were really pretty and added to the "real" value of the course also.