The Design Process

[Steve Lang]

   Nick,,, you could save some 3d perspective screen shots of tha base map as jpeg or other format on photobucket or other server.. do to post.. gets around sharing whole file problem

[Bill_McBride]

Jim,

No problem.  I wish there was a sarcasm buttom to hit somewhere.  Its the one place where the internet fails.  I look forward to seeing everyones submissions, when the time comes. 

Nick, this is where artful use of multiple emoticons comes in!

 

[Bill_McBride]

Anyone who's seen me knows I am no stick figure...

Ben, this is a terrific thread. You have drawn more of the thought process out of the archies on board than damn near any other thread. Well done on the thread.

Can't really comment on your design, the lines confuse my primitive mind.

Thanks George.  I tried to honor the opinions of others--some were good friends of mine-- in "desk drawer-ing" it for a few weeks until AAC was closed.  

I also did what Tom asked and didn't even make a glance at it for that time period.  Like any creative endeaver, things change.  I have recently been on a tear studying courses of the Northeast.  (I will be at my best friends wedding in Connecticut in May, and am looking to play some golf while I'm up there.)  Aerially, places like Eastward Ho!, Friars Head, Tamarack, Yale, Kittansett, Newport CC are so carefully draped on the terrain.  Green to tee transfers are minimal, and the bunkering is positioned so well.  I love me some cowboy golf out west on the new American links of Nebraska and Oregon and Colorado.  But the classics in New England and Long Island are really getting my attention right now.

As such, I will tackle a much more walker friendly routing tonight.  I also want to cross more contour lines as opposed to running with them after studying these great courses more.  For some reason, I had Ballyneal in mind while I was routing this land.  Now I see the fallacy of that idea.  I must find a reputation for THIS property.  Not take another course's reputation and force it.


We'll see how it comes out.  And as always, Tom and you guys will be here to frag me if I step too far out of bounds.

I'm excited to get it started again.

Ben, check out Donald Ross's designs at courses like Mid-Pines.  A number of the holes play downhill from a ridge by the previous green, into a valley and uphill to the next green - close to the next tee.   Etc etc etc.  It's a great way to avoid hiking uphill to the next tee, from the days when you couldn't hop into your cart and cruise up a 30' elevation change to the next tee.

[Nick Campanelli]

Ok.  I stole a method from Charlie.  I created a Windows Live account and uploaded the file to their server.  This should be the link to the 3D Model of Charlie's dream site.  If people have problems downloading or viewing, let me know.  This is my first attempt with Windows Live, so things probably won't work as planned.  

As i mentioned above, this is not my design!  It is Charlie's original SketchUp model extruded into a 3-Dimensional form.  Just another way technology can help us to visualize the site....and get inside Charlie's mind     

http://cid-4822f2a0f37d9ec3.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/3D%20AAC%20Model

To view the site without the linework contours, go to View-->Edge Style-->Uncheck Display Edges

You can also exaggerate the vertical scale (if desired) by typing "S," hitting the Tab button, and typing what ever scale you want (1.5, 2, 10, etc), then hit Enter

If anyone has other questions, let me know.  I'll do my best to answer them related to the model.  Enjoy!

[Scott Warren]

Scott,

Why are the green side bunkers so far from the greens?

Some are short of the surfaces to create depth perception dramas, the ones on the second to top hole are there for the guy who drives right, is inconvenienced by the hill and tugs his approach left, or tries to hit a cut in and doesn't shape it.

One of the things I have really appreciated about golf in GB&I is the power of bunkers that impact on the approach shot but don't hug the green surface, so there was a bit of that in my design ideas.

The semi-blind par three is a similar idea, the bunker is sufficiently short-right that it shouldn't come into play, but it's just another subtle thing to catch the golfer's eye and sit in his consciousness.

[Garland Bayley]

Ok, I can understand the depth perception use, but some are so far out of play as to only penalize high handicappers like me.

[Scott Warren]

I disagree. If golf on this continent has taught me anything, the best golf courses rarely look like much on Google Maps. The magic is in the land.

I reckon those holes could be yours for the taking if you used your smarts. If not, you're toast. It's a freshman attempt, so there are obviously going to be rookie errors. Which bunkers epecifically annoy/offend you? (from top right to bottom left the hole #s are 16. 17, 18, 1 , 2).

[Nick Campanelli]

Scott, I agree with you 100%. 

This may sound a little paranoid, but its who i am....

I never like playing a new course blind (as im sure most people dont).  If i dont have access to a scorecard with a layout or a yardage book, I print out an aerial of the layout from Google Earth to study prior to the round, literally.  I find almost every time that i do this, the aerial relates little to the experience im actually having on the course.   

[Garland Bayley]

Scott,

I measured the second from the top hole, and found it to be over 500 yards. Therefore, the bunkers make more sense to me than they would have in a very reachable par 4. However, I would maintain the the bunker on your blind par 3 is so far out of play as to only penalize the high handicapper when he duffs one.

[Scott Warren]

Probably true.

Let's compromise and make it shallow

The hill in front of the green will be fairway-height, incidentally, so the duffer can hit a low shot off the green and run it up...