Call for Play Testers - Sleeping Bear Downs

[JReel]

I would like to get 2-3 play testers for Sleeping Bear Downs as it is now ready (after years of work).

Please let me know if you are interested and please provide an email address where I can send you the Dropbox download link for the beta version of the course. Thanks!!

Some fun times await!

[tarheel]

Count me in!

Pm me for my email address!

[BradTheDad]

Hi Jeff,

I will playtest for you.

bflanag@bigpond.net.au

Cheers

Brad

[tarheel]

I sent you my email in PM

[JReel]

Just sent you guys the download link. Thanks for the help!!

[tarheel]

I played my first test run on Mild, Hard, Pin 1.

Visually, the course is absolutely stunning and compliments the other sleeping bear course nicely. I adore everything about the clean appearance of the pallet used and the backgrounds. This is a very difficult links course. I didnt have a lot of trouble hitting fairways and in fact, when missing them it was not very punitive due to the nature of the golf course, but the greens were incredibly difficult (if you can land them). I had trouble keeping the ball from rolling off greens often on this pin, and frequently found myself when sticking it on greens hitting up really big slopes. Once, I put a divot on the green by pulling out the chipper to get it up the slope. I did not find a single green to give me a chance to catch my breath. So depends upon what you goal is. If goal is a championship course with a huge challenge, you nailed it.

I look forward to seeing how other pins feel.

I will play next with medium winds on pin 5 with normal greens.

here is my first go

Sleeping Bear Downs - Tarheel - mild - hard - pin 1.round

(27.12 KiB) Downloaded 71 times

[JReel]

Thanks Tarheel. I'll look forward to your additional tests and comments. @Brad, let me know if you're having any difficulty getting the download.

I've attached a couple of rounds I recently played which might help to show the intended optimal route for a number of the holes (that is if I actually executed the shot, which I don't pull off all the time). The 8-12 round is on mild, hard, pin 5. The 8-13 round is on mild, hard, pin 1.

Thanks again guys.

[BradTheDad]

Hi Jeff,

I got the download fine and have started having a look at the course. Had our grandson's birthday on Saturday and our eldest son's birthday today, so been a little preoccupied. I will get you some comments soon.

Cheers

Brad

[tarheel]

My second go-round. I played Medium, Normal, Pin 5.

This time around I tried to STOP aiming at the pins and use slopes much more aggressively. I was not always successful however I did feel a bit more under control. Putting is still insanely difficult.

The course looks great no matter where I found myself hitting from.

The green variety is really cool. I will certainly say that they are for experienced JN6 players for sure. Less proficient players will want to use a close tee box so they have shorter approach shots into the green. Its really hard to stay on the greens, and from the black, longer irons are often the case which means difficult approaches.

Multiple plays on the course would seem necessary to discover how to score low, and if I had more than medium winds, I would probably be choosing something other than black tee box

Sleeping Bear Downs - Tarheel - medium - normal - pin 5.round

(27.12 KiB) Downloaded 67 times

[BradTheDad]

Hi Jeff,

Firstly, I agree with everything Brad has said.

I have played the course on Pins 1, 2 and 3 so far. Aesthetically, I love the look of the course, especially that fantastic backdrop to Hole 18.

However, I think you will find that the average player will find the challenge, particularly on the greens, too great and won't play the course, as it stands, very many times. My thoughts so far are as follows:

All the tees are perfectly flat, with the exception of the black/blue tees on Hole 1 (very minor) and the black/blue tees on Hole 14 (more noticeable).
Hole 2: The right-hand front of the green is virtually impossible to hold.
Hole 3: Pin 1 is on top of a crest (one of my pet hates) and if you don't get the distance up the slope exactly right, you disappear over the other side at a rate of knots.
Hole 4: There is a large groove in the fairway at the bottom of the hill that needs smoothing.
Hole 6: The green is almost impossible to hold from a distance.
Hole 7: The Biarritz green is too severe. This could be smoothed a few times without diminishing the challenge. Pin 2 could be moved a few feet towards the back of the green to provide a flatter hole area, but still make it hard to get to.
Hole 10: The left side of the green is almost impossible to hold.
Hole 11: The left back of the green is almost impossible to hold.
Hole 12: Pin 3 is very close to a steep drop-off and could be moved a few feet further away.
Hole 14: The overall slope on the green is very severe.
Hole 15 Pin 1 is on top of a crest and has the same issue as Pin 1 on Hole 3.
Hole18: The front half of the green is almost impossible to hold.

I love the challenge of putting, even in real life, but I found putting on some of the greens to be just plain scary.

I think the course has unbelievable potential, but the greens just need to be softened up to give the average player a reasonable chance at a reasonable score.

Cheers

Brad