Google Maps

[Matt_Cohn]

Google Maps are fun because you can look at a fairly close-up satellite picture of basically anywhere.

The question is, what golf courses are most interesting/worthwhile/revealing to look at on Google Maps?

Cypress Point is really interesting. The opposite would be something like Quaker Ridge where you can tell it's a nice course, but just from the satellite alone you might not be able to pick out what makes it really special.

So, the question is out there. What do you think?

[Voytek Wilczak]

the coolest thing about Google maps that hardly anybody uses is the ability to tilt it and get oblique angles instead of the directly-overhead view we're all so used to.

I thought you can tilt Google Earth.

Can you tilt Google maps (which are maps.google.com)?

Also, both Google Earth and maps are great to look at courses which have been around for a few years. At least in NJ, the satellite photos are about 3 years old.

So following the construction of the newer courses is difficult.

But, all in all, great and fun tools.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Lots of fun trying to see how some courses were carved out of the forrests.

try SL5 9LE. an English Classic, but look how close the 36 holes on the right of the page are and then 36 more just off to the right.

A Pink Gin for anyone who can name all 5.  

[Chris Pike]

I've used Google Earth, but my preferred satellite viewer is Windows Live Local.  The coolest thing about WLL is that there are Bird's Eye views of selected areas.  

[Bill_McBride]

Chris, how do you get to that site?  That's fantastic detail, almost 3-D in appearance.  Wow!

[Chris Pike]

http://local.live.com/

[Ed Tilley]

Tony,

Swinley Forest. The 36 holes immediately to the left are the Berkshire. The 36 holes immediately to the right are at Sunningdale. Wentworth is further along to the right. These great courses really are close together aren't they?

Is there anywhere else in the world where there are 7 'classic' courses within about 2 miles of each other?

Ed

[Kirk Gill]

Be sure to try Windows Live Local as well. In some areas you get something called a "Birds Eye View," which is even closer and more detailed than the satellite imagery on Google Maps.

Courses you can see in some detail include Sahalee, Baltusrol, and Castle Pines. I'm sure that there are more, but those are two that I have viewed personally, and the detail is phenominal, if not a bit scary.

The url is http://local.live.com

If the Bird's Eye View is not available, the site provides satellite imagery similar to that on Google Maps, if you click the "aerial" button.

Oops, just saw others jump on this as well. Sorry for the reiteration.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Some areas are covered better than others. I tried to get to high detail on the gulf coast and some other areas and it was limiting.

[Tom Huckaby]

Matt - you're killing me - Google Maps sucks, Google Earth is the very cool aerial pic producer.  Correct that title.  Our Maps feature gets killed perception-wise too much as it is.

Thanks.

Tom Huckaby,
Yahoo! Inc.
 

[Jason Topp]

Matt - you're killing me - Google Maps sucks, Google Earth is the very cool aerial pic producer.  Correct that title.  Our Maps feature gets killed perception-wise too much as it is.

Thanks.

Tom Huckaby,
Yahoo! Inc.
 

Tom - I think you can in good faith claim you are working.

[Tom Huckaby]

Jason - the funny thing is, stuff like what I just posted is indeed a part of my job.  Thankfully it's a small part, but it does exist.

And even I dig Google Earth.  

 

[Raphael_Larson]

Just pulled up Bandon on Local.Live.com.  The aerial for Bandon is clearly taken mid-construction of Pacific Dunes.  You can make out holes 1-2, 16-17, and 5-9.  18 appears to be mid-construction, as do the northern holes 3-4, 12-15.  Pretty cool ... only drawback is that the photo is black-and-white.  

I'd post the aerial but I don't know how.  To find it I put in zip code 97411, scrolled up until I saw Bandon Dunes, and then zoomed in.  

[Scott_Burroughs]

Matt,

There are a few Google Maps views from above (of different courses) to be found in this link.  To find the Google Maps-specific views, look for ones preceded by "updated".  Obviously, there is no drag-and-scan capability (a great feature of G.M.!) in these.  The rest are not from Google.

[Matt_Cohn]

Google Earth has just come out with a beta for Macs, which I am downloading even as I write. Even a couple of months ago there was no Google Earth for Mac. I'm looking forward to this...!

[Ryan Farrow]

Check out tobacco road. Half the course is sand

[Scott_Burroughs]

Check out tobacco road. Half the course is sand

Both the aerial and the course are faves of mine.

Google Aerial

[Ryan Crago]

another often under-used feature in Google Earth is that you can actually drape JPEGs into it, and THEN tilt, fly through etc...

a great way to show conceptual design on air photo.  if the resolution supports it that is.

[Joe Perches]

a great way to show conceptual design on air photo.

Isn't that what Autodesk Autocad/Map3D, 3DSMax, and Visual Nature Studio are for?

For instance:

http://www.3dnature.com/golfarc.html
http://www.3dnworld.com/users/69/images/Golf_Course_Demo1.jpg

[Ryan Crago]

joe,

you're right.  google earth though is quicker, and (much)dirtier.  and free.

EDIT:  Joe, i just looked at those links, and those are much more detailed than what i meant.  i was referring more to visualizing routings, rather than design details.  3DSMax and the like are in a different class, thats for sure.