A Question
A Question
I noticed that Dar has an "A-List" of courses. I was just wondering what the elements of an A-List course are?
"It is all good and well to punish a bad shot, but the right to eternal punishment should be reserved for a higher tribunal than a Green Committee." Bernard Darwin on Pine Valley Golf Club.
Re: A Question
I have always said that my selection of A-List courses is just my opinion. Judging courses is very subjective.
I consider such things as beauty of the course, technical construction, imagination in hole design, playability, realism of textures and plantings, bunker construction and placement, smoothness of the greens, etc.. Sometimes, you just know the minute you open the course... but usually, you have to play the course several times before you know for sure. A faulty green can ruin an otherwise beautiful course.
I also try to validate my opinions with other players, some of whom are designers themselves. Sometimes, we even argue about whether a course should be on the A-list. Some people like links courses... some don't. Some like desert courses... some don't.
I provide the list only because a lot of people have asked me for such a list over the years. With 1,600 courses, it is very hard to know which ones to focus on. This is especially important if you don't have a strong broadband line for downloading and you need to be selective.
I think most of the courses on that list are really good courses. You may wonder why some course you really like is not on that list. Or, you might wonder why one you think is a dog track is even on there. It all boils down to opinion.
Dar
I consider such things as beauty of the course, technical construction, imagination in hole design, playability, realism of textures and plantings, bunker construction and placement, smoothness of the greens, etc.. Sometimes, you just know the minute you open the course... but usually, you have to play the course several times before you know for sure. A faulty green can ruin an otherwise beautiful course.
I also try to validate my opinions with other players, some of whom are designers themselves. Sometimes, we even argue about whether a course should be on the A-list. Some people like links courses... some don't. Some like desert courses... some don't.
I provide the list only because a lot of people have asked me for such a list over the years. With 1,600 courses, it is very hard to know which ones to focus on. This is especially important if you don't have a strong broadband line for downloading and you need to be selective.
I think most of the courses on that list are really good courses. You may wonder why some course you really like is not on that list. Or, you might wonder why one you think is a dog track is even on there. It all boils down to opinion.
Dar