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Bobby Bolin |
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United States of America |
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| Joined: 7/28/2003 |
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B-Day: 5/5/1988 (35) |
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Posts: 1,427 |
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| Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2020 at
3:43:07 PM |
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This course was just submitted and should be available for download very soon.
Here is the document as a Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p8TYm7YZ6_ibDTMz0LJ6zbRBE3ZTJiIEXzXPZVZn-kM/edit?usp=sharing
Here are some photos from early in the design process: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ftR60JA4raA2OO4DZIBQ3MH8O0sNJUlC?usp=sharing
A&S Golf Links- Aberdeen
Located in Aberdeen, Maryland, the American and Scottish Golf Links is a major championship venue that combines American and Scottish golf together in one course. The front nine has more of an American flair while the back nine plays as a traditional links style golf course. My grandfather came up with the idea for this course and helped with some of the design elements. Designed in 2020.
Notes:
-The four sets of tees are designed to each be played once for a four round tournament
-Each hole is named after indigenous Maryland birds and I did my best to put each bird’s call on the correct hole. Hopefully the birds are not too annoying!
-While the idea of a half American, half links course is novel to my grandfather, who came up with it, Bullpupp has already released a course with this philosophy. I am not here to take credit for the idea.
-People from Maryland are more proud of their state flag than people from any other state I’ve been to, so the Maryland state flag adorns each hole on this course out of respect to its residents
-This course was tested on intermediate. I think it will be okay on expert, very dry but there may be a little roll back.
-Thanks to Gunpower for the graphics as always!
-Thanks to Quietly for helping with the CLS
-Thanks to all the texture/library makers, whose work I am stealing yet again
Hole 1- Morning Dove
This is a pretty straightforward par 4 with a split fairway. The normal tees should make it pretty simple to reach the second fairway with driver. If the tees are back, you’ll want to take a fairway wood off the tee. The approach shot is fairly simple with a little trouble on the left.
Hole 2- Woodpecker
The green is definitely reachable in two on this moderate par 5. If you use driver, you will need to navigate through some bunkers. Laying up off the tee turns this into a three shot hole. There is a creek guarding the approach shot into the green but should not really come into play. Club up one on the second shot as it can be a little deceiving. Enjoy your trip over the first of several covered bridges before tackling this two-tiered green.
Hole 3- Tufted Titmouse
The third hole is your traditional US Open style par 4. It’s long and the green is difficult to navigate. Driver is necessary off the tee but there are some bunkers that need to be avoided. Missing the green left will give a much easier par save than missing right. Look for some tucked pin locations on a green with a spine running right down the center.
Hole 4- Nuthatch
The strategy of the 4th hole depends deeply on what tee box you are hitting from. The forward tees make this a driveable hole. The middle tees may actually make the hole easier than the forward. The back tees turn this into a long dogleg right hole. If you are hitting from the back, a fairway wood off the tee will do plenty to give you a good approach to this green. The green is sectioned off and there are some nasty pins to deal with.
Hole 5- Hummingbird
Take a moment to look around from this tee box. The owner’s house is located on top of the hill overseeing a beautiful waterfall and the 5th green. The hole itself is the easiest par 3 on the course. There is a backboard to catch shots and direct them back toward the pin, which also takes the water out of play. The green slopes from back to front.
Hole 6- Raven
This is a long par 5 from whatever tees you are playing from. The fairway is broken into three sections. The third section offers a layup area with a short approach to the green. This hole is not too difficult if played smartly, but can be a monster on missed shots.
Hole 7- Bobolink
Hole 7 brings some more water into play and is a moderately distanced par 4. The tee shot can be played with a fairway wood unless the tees are pushed back. There is also a front tee that makes the green driveable but act with caution as this requires a full carry of the pond in front of the green. The back tees make the angle to the green more manageable. Beware of a back right pin position that really brings the water into play.
Hole 8- Chickadee
The stadium atmosphere makes this a fun par 3 to play. A wood needs to be played from the back with some fairway in front of the green to help out. The front tees make you carry the ball over two bunkers. There’s some good scenery to get a look at before moving on to the ninth hole.
Hole 9- Osprey
The 9th hole is a long distance par 4 that is going to give you a challenging second shot to a well guarded green. There are two pot bunkers that will give you a taste of what is to come on the back nine guarding the front of the green. You will also get a good side view of the clubhouse as you come to a green that is broken into four quarters. Long putts on this green will be very difficult to manage.
Hole 10- Bald Eagle
Hole 10 is a long, straight par 5. Even with the wind, it is nearly impossible to carry the reverse redan fairway. The second section of fairway is definitely an option off any tee. It starts to the right then straightens out toward the green. You will notice a lot more open space starting on this hole and lasting through the entire back nine. The green is big and open with some subtle movement. The gazebo behind the green gives you a place to take a quick break after traversing this challenging starting hole to the back nine.
Hole 11- Barn Owl
The name of this hole is a bit of a misnomer, because the owls that are frequently spotted here are actually not barn owls. They are just called that because there is a large barn behind the green. Wail away with the driver as long as you don’t miss the fairway to the left, where three nasty bunkers eagerly await. Then go through a couple covered bridges to look at your approach shot. You will be hitting off a sloped lie, uphill, to a heavily guarded green, making this one of the most difficult approach shots on the course. The green has a lot of movement and a couple tough pins to get at.
Hole 12- Sandpiper
The 12th hole gives a little bit of relief after a tough start to the back nine. Unless the tees are pushed way back, this hole is driveable. The green is heavily guarded and the water behind is reachable, so be careful, and lay up if you have second thoughts. This green slopes from front to back and the toughest pins are in the front part of the green
Hole 13- Goldfinch
13 is probably the most difficult of the par 3s on the course, especially played from this side of the pond. You will probably need a wood, maybe even driver to get to the green. The green itself isn’t protected in the front or the back, but it is the most narrow green on the course with no options to miss on either side. It also has multiple tiers and some really difficult spots to put pins. As you approach the green, there is another covered bridge to walk over.
Hole 14- Blue Heron
One of only a couple dogleg holes on the course awaits you here. Hitting driver off the tee would most likely result in your ball ending up in a bunker or the pond that runs along the entire left side of the fairway. A 3 wood off the tee should be plenty to give yourself a good approach shot to the green. If the tees are up, then you can carefully bomb away at an open part of the fairway. This is an intimidating approach shot, especially with a left pin, because missing this green left will result in a stroke penalty. The green has some nasty spots but also some flat areas.
Hole 15- Scarlet Tanager
There is a minefield of bunkers off this tee if you want a short approach shot into what could be the most difficult hole on the back nine. In front of the bunkers is the largest open fairway on the course. It will make for a difficult decision. Similar to 11, the approach shot is uphill with no room to miss short. There are pot bunkers lined up waiting to swallow shots that don’t carry all the way to the green. The windmill in the background might make the hole visually pleasing, but this one will take a mental toll. The green is not extremely difficult, so two good shots into the hole could easily result in birdie.
Hole 16- Black Skimmer
Driver is probably the best play here, although missing the fairway does not give you a lot of room for error. There is high grass on both sides of this downhill drive and a pot bunker that needs to be avoided at all costs. A good drive may give you the opportunity to go for the green in two. The layup area is vast with one bunker that is easily seen right in the middle. If you are going for the green, this bunker should not come into play. Mounds on the left and bunkers on the right make proximity important to the approach shot. The green may appear to be difficult, but it is not too bad once you are putting.
Hole 17- Kingfisher
17 is a long par three from almost every set of tees with water on the right and behind. The green is very long with a dip in the back, a spot where a troubling pin could be placed. There is one bunker in front of the green that comes into play but the ball can definitely be bounced to a front pin location. The green has some slope to it but birdie is not out of the question here.
Hole 18- Baltimore Oriole
The state bird of Maryland can be heard chirping in the background as you get the best view of the town hall style clubhouse with the American and Scottish flags adorning its entrance. The drive on this hole needs to be done with strategy. With a pin on the left, a drive to the right half of the fairway takes a lot of trouble out of the approach shot. It’s a more difficult drive with weeds to the right and bunkers to the left but is worth the trouble to avoid a lot of pot bunkers later on. The left side of the fairway is the easier to drive but you will not have as good of a look at the green and it gives a bad angle to left pins. The green is similar to most other greens on the course, where putts are difficult but makeable. The amphitheater around the green allows a lot of people to watch the action finish up.
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Quietly |
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Canada |
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| Joined: 8/28/2004 |
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B-Day: 12/12/1800 (223) |
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Posts: 291 |
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| Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2020 at
8:18:09 PM |
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This is really interesting info. Helpful for the thinking golfer.
Had you considered putting this in the course notes inside the game. If you did, players could review this info while actually playing the game. |
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Bobby Bolin |
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General Member |
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United States of America |
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| Joined: 7/28/2003 |
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B-Day: 5/5/1988 (35) |
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Posts: 1,427 |
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| Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2020 at
8:30:53 PM |
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| I actually forgot that existed. |
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Quietly |
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General Member |
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Canada |
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| Joined: 8/28/2004 |
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B-Day: 12/12/1800 (223) |
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Posts: 291 |
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| Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2020 at
8:39:55 PM |
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Your post is what reminded me about it so I just checked into it.
I think you just have to type in the info in each hole and save it and then make avaiable a copy of the course notes tcn file from the my documents\tw08\course notes directory
I suppose it's a bit of work and I'm not sure if players would use it or not. It was just a thought because your notes are literally course notes... |
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Bobby Bolin |
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General Member |
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United States of America |
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| Joined: 7/28/2003 |
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B-Day: 5/5/1988 (35) |
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Posts: 1,427 |
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| Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2020 at
9:41:15 PM |
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| I may do that! |
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