A while back when discussing a new course I commented on here that the shaping just didn't look natural. I was asked by one of our more prominent architects what I meant by that. I failed to respond. The reason I failed to respond was that I couldn't really articulate why I thought it looked unnatural. I've been thinking of it of late I think what I think I meant by it was that for all the nice looking ripples in the fairways (ever noticed how the ripples all seem to go in the direction of play ?) basically what had been created was a series of level platforms.
I look at a lot of new courses as they appear on here and I think, yes nice aesthetics but where's the interest in the fairways ? You never seem to see any real gradients going across the fairway in a lot of these modern designs. When did you look at a modern hole and make an allowance for a tilt in the fairway ? It seems to me that you could play these courses and not encounter anything other than a level lie.
Bunkers are another point. Even with the retro look ragged edge bunkers that have become conventional the actual top of the bunker as opposed to the edge with the sand, is level, particularly if its a green side bunker.
I appreciate I'm judging a lot of this purely on photo's here and there and that modern day architects have to contend with modern conditions but still, in a lot of instances more imagination is needed in my opinion. Anyone else agree ?
Niall