Fab & The
BadBody at the Links
With Guest
Reviews By Dave
06/11/01
Death
Valley By D.B. Lewis and D.L. Bunch
Fab: Call
me a typical tourist, the family wanted to go visit the great west
and of course I had to take my clubs.
While the rest of the family was taking a burro ride, and
panning for gold…..I figured I’d hit the links.
Never mind that it was 135 degrees in the shade, or the fact
that the sun was strong enough to fry eggs on the ground, its time
to play 18.
Death
Valley is a fictional course located as the name says at Death
Valley. But this
doesn’t look like your typical fictional course.
The “D” brothers did a great job of research and texture
development to bring us this wonderful rendition of what a course
would look like in the area. Now
one thing I must warn everyone about this is not a course in the
caverns itself so don’t expect 300’ elevated tee boxes, the
elevation changes are modest but with a beautiful backdrop.
Death
Valley is a challenging course especially if wind and dry conditions
are added. Do not
expect to go here and birdie every hole.
A good round is possible however if you stay in the fairways
and out of the desert sands.
As
I have said before no course is perfect, and this one is no
exception. If this course had been built by your average designers it
would have received two thumbs up, however DB Lewis & DL Bunch
are not your average designers, so we hold them to a higher standard
“At The Links”.
So
grab your suntan lotion, your snakebite kits, a lot of bottled
water, and a pair of polarized sunglasses, head on over to the
download page and download this fine course. As soon as the BadBody
gets his third IV of D5W, he’ll follow up with his review…lol
 
Nice Course Worthy of Keeping
BadBody:
Water, I need water. Just what I needed, a course that’s nothing
but sand…lol. Death Valley is an excellent rendition of a desert
course. DB and DL seemed to find a nice blend of textures and
scenery.
Play
on this one big sand trap of a course was tough if you strayed off
the tee. If you managed to find the fairway off the tee you still
had to contend with desert sand on your 2nd shot. I found
the greens to be tough yet fair.
Sorry
for this short review, Death Valley deserved better. I totally
enjoyed my round in the desert. If you like desert courses with a
challenge, grab this one quick. I think after the 15th
hole I was starting to get a heat stroke. I’m sure glad that there
is a 19th hole clubhouse. Oh geez…just my
luck….turned out to be a mirage
 
Excellent – A Definite Keeper
Coldtream
Country Club By
Dr.
Jeffrey Krueger
Fab:
I believe Coldstream
Country Club is Dr. Krueger’s first attempt at designing a course
for PGA golf, and as such I will try to keep that in mind during
this review.
Coldstream
CC is a mostly flat course with a few rolling hills, however the
fairways have no texture to them but instead just follow the
contours of the surrounding area.
The fairways are either (mostly) overly wide or extremely
narrow. Hitting the
fairway from the tee even in wind will not be a problem here.
And if you should stray from the fairway the rough used for
this course imposes almost a zero penalty.
The
greens are also for the most part excessively large, and as such are
the only obstacle from being able to birdie every hole.
I can normally putt pretty well but it helps if I can see the
cup….lol. The
contours of the green are pretty simple and if you don’t leave
yourself 90’ away then getting down in 1 and at worst 2 putts is
pretty easy.
The
main problem with this course is simply that it lacks any sort of
challenge whatsoever. It’s
a simple Grip & Rip course.
The sand traps do not really come into play and neither does
the vegetation.
Coldstream
is a rather boring course, however for a first attempt at course
design it is not bad.

Don’t waste your time downloading
BadBody:
Coldstream Country Club offered no
challenge at all to me. This is your classic “grip and rip”
course. On very few occasions did I have to adjust my shot.
I also found the contrast of the course very bland but
that’s just personal preference.
The
fairways were rather easy to hit without much adjustment off the
tee. If you did wander off the fairway, don’t worry, the rough was
very easy to get a nice shot. The bunkers really never came into
play on my round. When they did, it was very easy to get “nice
outs”. The greens were a different story. I found them to be a
little tricky and I think some of them were a bit overdone with some
high slopes.
Overall
for a 1st course design, it was a nice attempt. It was really
lacking a lot of detail. I think visually the course would have
looked much nicer with mowed grass. Some of the greens could have
used a bit more smoothing. I just found my round not that enjoyable
because of the easy play and dullness this course presented. I would
like to see more courses from the Doc in the future. Everyone has
room for improvement.

Don’t waste your time downloading
Wild
Beast Woodlands By Robear Labranche
Fab:
Robear is back to form on
Wild Beast Woodlands. This
is a much-improved course over Voodoo swamp.
More of what I have come to expect from Robear.
If you
like elevated tees and some dramatic drops this is a course for you.
The scenery is great and the play is a blast.
Now
considering that this is truly a fantasy course I won’t mention
that there is no way to climb up those 160 foot tee boxes, but I
would like to ask Robear to install a first aid station as I had
numerous nose bleeds climbing up those tee boxes.
And BB, heck he could have used an ambulance, should have
seen him climbing those same tee boxes with a walker…..lol.
I would have felt sorry for him but it was just too funny….lol.
I think
Robear is making steps in the right direction and has a chance of
becoming one of the better course designers for PGA, but he still
has some work to do. His
bunkers are much improved, but there is still room for improvement,
and I feel his fairways could be a little more contoured especially
on a course with this many elevation changes.
I think its time for Robear to go for a little more realism
and add grass cuts to his next design.
Grass cuts add a lot to the overall appeal of a course.
It’s like a Christmas gift, although the same thing is in
the box, the one with the bows just has that final touch of someone
who cares enough to go the extra distance.
Nice course, one worth the
trouble to download. Some
may view as a keeper and some may not.

Nice Course Worthy of Keeping
BadBody:
Seems Robear has taken it to the next
level. This is my kind of course. The elevation changes were a big
surprise. On a couple tee boxes my knees were shaking from the high
heights..lol.
I
found the Beast very interesting to play. This course has a lot to
offer in terms of challenges. I found myself thinking a lot on those
high tee boxes on how I should play the hole. I think I hit the
majority of fairways but honestly I don’t remember cause I keep
saying OMG at the heights. The bunkers were laid out nicely and in
critical places…damn you Robear..lol. The greens were a bit tough
but in my opinion fair. Overall, I enjoyed my round.
Since
reviewing courses, it’s nice to see designers improve. IMHO, this
is a much better course then the Swamp but I guess it’s just
personal preference. I like courses with elevation changes and a
challenge. The old saying goes something like this….you win some
and you lose some. This course is a winner in my book. Nice job
Robear.
 
Excellent – A Definite Keeper

Before
I get started on this review I’d like to welcome aboard a dear
friend of mine, so here goes Welcome Dave.
Normally you will hear me refer to Dave as my bro.
Dave is a pretty fair golfer, and a better friend.
He will be filling in for the Bad Body who is still
recuperating from surgery.
He should do a pretty fair job since he to likes the sand…lol.
Grizzly
Summit By Damma & Dammpa Heider
Fab:
Reviewing a
Dammpa course is really a waste of time IMHO.
Not that his courses are not great but who’s going to pay
any attention to what we have to say.
We could rag this course out and 99% of you would still
download it because it is a Dammpa course….lol.
This
time though there is a little twist, the woman behind the man gets
top billing on this course design with her fantastic artwork and
dedication to the PGA community.
I think we all knew that she was the brains of this outfit,
and in today’s society finally gets the credit she deserves…..lol.
No
surprises are to be found in this course, its typical Dammpa.
The views and artwork as always are top notch, and there is
no exception here. Grizzly
Summit as you can imagine is a course located in a mountainous area
full of Grizzly Bear. Now
usually when I play a Dammpa nature course I take some weapons with
me, because the wildlife is always “Up Close & Personal.”
However on this course I suggest you all take a M16 with you
as the bear are everywhere…lol.
This
course is also typical for Dammpa in the fact that it is not
extremely challenging. The
fairways are plenty wide, landing areas are generous and the greens
although no where’s near flat are fair
and yield birdies with enough frequency.
Great
job Damma & Dammpa, keep up the good work, looking forward to
the next one. Hoping it
will be an African Safari course, I think you two could pull that
off nicely.

Nice Course Worthy of Keeping
Dave:
Hello everyone and thank
you Bro for the opportunity to help out in BB’s absence.
Bob, hurry back buddy! I am sure everyone will be waiting for your
next review and to see me out of here..lol. As for the sand bro,
well I DON’T like it but I have some big shoes to fill, so I will
play in it.
Grizzly
Summit, hmmm what can I say? Knowing it was a Dammpa course I
expected to be entertained. Did he let me down there? NO! As usual
Dammpa opens the game with a good laugh from the homespun music
welcoming you to the course complete with bears growling in the
background as he talks to you about what your getting into.
This
course is just what one would expect from a designer that has been
putting out fun, good looking courses for some time. Once again
Dammpa this course is yet another feast for the eye with many things
to be on the look out for as you play. From bears in the bushes to
one standing in the way of your tee shot. ( I tried to hit a couple
figuring if I did, they would come after Fab, not me. lol) And I do
mean they are everywhere.. there are even some bringing up their
dinner. ( a nice salmon in the mouth of a couple of them) and I
loved the bear crossing sign!
Ok,
now for the course itself. I always enjoy mountain courses with
plenty of variations in tee to green differences and that’s what
you get here. The turf is, as usual, very well done with great cuts
and fair fairways. Its not probably the hardest course I have ever
played by far but, it IS a fun course, and after all that’s why we
play is it not? To have fun. And in this course Dammpa provides that
with plenty left over for subsequent visits.
Just
watch out and be careful. I think those bears are moving around a
bit and I am sure I saw more than one eyeing Fab and I a bit. And I
didn’t like the look in their eyes! Looking forward to further
installments from the Dammpa/Damma team! Keep ‘em coming, another
great job!
 
Excellent – A Definite Keeper

Tobacco
Road By Aaron (Rattlesnake Designs)
Fab:
Tobacco Road is part desert, part
wooded area. Although
the playing surfaces are all grass surrounded by sand. I wouldn’t call it a true desert course but for those of
you who like desert courses you should enjoy Tobacco Road.
Aaron
has done a very nice job of texturing the fairways on this course,
you have to look at them carefully before making your drive if you
are playing for position on your approach shot.
I think the fairways are the strongest point of this course.
The layout and overall course design is good.
There
are some areas that I think could have used a little more work
however. Most of the
trees were all the same height, and like my main pet peeve water
that is not flat, trees that all grow the same height is not
natural, even on tree farms…..lol.
The
transitions from sand to grass also could have stood a little more
work as the shapes were squared off too much and were in need of
some extra smoothing. For
the most part the greens were fair although there were a few holes
that would be next to impossible in dry to very dry conditions as
the elevation changes were a little drastic.
Overall
it’s a nice course with a few minor problems.
If you like desert courses then download and take a look at
this course. For some
this may be a keeper, however not being a big fan of desert courses,
I won’t be keeping it.
 
Nice try - With a
little more work could be a keeper
Dave:
Tobacco Road, from the name
I expected to see a course with a taste of southern plantation
flavor to it, however after starting the round I found myself ,and
Fab, in what seemed to be a desert course surrounded by areas of
pine trees and scrub brush.
Now
I am not a big fan of desert courses, however, the course seemed to
have some very good ideas for some of the holes. There are shots
that, if one is not careful , you will find yourself out in the
LARGE sandy areas, looking for a match to burn off the brush and try
to find a way out. As well as some teeoff’s that bare a closer
look before one strikes the ball to keep it from hitting a tree. All
in all some very good attempts at trying to make the golfer think.
While
the over all concept for the course does have some merit to it, I
found that some of the grass cuts could have been more distinct.
There are many areas where the turf runs into the sand that could
use a bit more smoothing (some areas seem to have very squared off
corners on them as they round a curve), and whole areas of trees
that are all the same height.
While
those are minor problems and easily ignored while enjoying the game,
the one I could not get over were the greens. On the 3rd
hole I found myself with a 30yd putt. (others were longer!).
Needless to say some of the greens could stand some downsizing, and
smoothing. More than one has a huge hill with the pin sitting on the
ridge of the green making it almost impossible to stop the ball at
the top before it rolls off the other side of the hill and into the
fringe.
On
the other hand the areas of sand/scruff had, in my opinion, a very
nice look and feel to it and I did like the paths running through
them from one hole to the next, (this course even has a highway
running through it!). It just seems that with a bit more time and
attention to detail could have made this course into a Excellent
desert like course.
A
nice attempt, but needs a little more work, Aaron If you’re
a fan of desert courses, get it and try it. As for me? I have seen
enough for now.
 
Nice try - With a
little more work could be a keeper


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