Sierra Country Club by David Caygle [New Course]

[BrianZ111]

Course: Sierra Country Club (28.4 MB)
Type: Fictional, Parkland
Designer: David Caygle
Date: 9/21/2013
Images: Sp, #7, #9, #12, #14
Libraries Used: arrowheadver2, baltursol, beartooth, beaverhead, cactusmirage, cougar, northamerican, parkland, pinevalley, woodfordpark

[bryce]

The pics looks wonderful DC!! I'll give this one a try tonight when I get home. Very Robert Wageresque.

[Kelciejammer]

David, I played this course with the guys and I have to say you out did yourself on the designs on this course. The course looks and plays fantastic. I was totaly amazed with the rock formations you had on this course. They look so real. You made this course with alot of challenge to it. The greens are very playable and not real easy. The fairways are hard to hit on some of the holes. It makes us have to stratagize our shot and not just hit the tee and grip and rip. I would love to know how you put all of the rock designs together like you did. I have only made 1 course so far and proud of what I was able to do. But I have alot to learn how to put one together like this one. Congrats on a great course man. We grade the courses from 1 to 10. 10 being the best but this one has a 10+. Great job man hope you don't give up putting another one out. Kelcie

[tincup]

This course I put on my "Desert Island" list. What is that?... you ask. Well, if I was stranded on a desert island with a computer (solar powered of course) and I could have only 30 or so courses to play, this would be one of them. Outstanding job. Right up there with the masters of PGA2000 design.
Dar

[sandwedge]

Yeah I have got to agree with the guys here. Best course of the year so far in my opinion and certainly a standout amongst designs. The sounds loop a little too much if you stand in one spot for awhile. Reason I know this is because I had to stop my rounds here and just examine the rock formations - wow, David simply amazing! Thanks very much - excellent design!

[stillgolfing]

This is an interesting course and great to look at. I really liked the way the course rock formation matched the colour of the rock formations in the panorama.
The choice and detail of the plantings was also impressive. I've been averaging the 4 scores of myself and my 3 ani-buddies to get course difficulty ratings. This comes in at tougher than average, mainly because I struggled somewhat and let the test team down due to poor chipping and putting. Definitely a keeper.
Thanks for all your hard work David.
Cheers, Dave

[DC#1]

Thanks guys for the very kind words. It puts a smile on my face to know after all the hours that goes into building a course, people enjoyed it.

[bryce]

I noticed from the pics on the download page that there was a lot of rock on the course, and going through the course it shows that David spent a ton of time to make them look so good! I struggled on the front 9, just admiring the beauty of the course and made 2 triple bogeys . This is obviously a course that needs to be thought out from the tee shot on every hole, as already mentioned. Some of the approach shots are really intimidating, like the one into the 5th green:

sierra5.jpg

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As I reached the 10th tee, I was determined to give myself a chance at even par for the round after a 40 (+5) on the front. I birdied the long par three 10th, then had a string of 3 straight pars. When I got to the 14th tee, I found my favorite hole on the course! It's a very nice looking driveable par 4:

sierra14.jpg

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I actually cleared the water and got a bad bounce into the water right of the green. Then proceeded to chip in for an unlikely birdie. That got me started on a great finish!. I once again chipped in for birdie on 16, then nearly made a double eagle on the par five 17th (20 inch tap in). I made a 30 footer on 18 to finish five under on the last five holes and get all the way back to -1 (70) for my round!

The Good

The rocks, of course, are amazing. Very similar to what Robert D. Wagers would produce. The planting was perfect for the atmosphere of the course. I play a lot of real golf in the mountains of North Carolina, and the little pine trees are exactly what you will see on those courses. I love the giant mountains from the pano, with open looks all the way around. Also very realistic. The textures look wonderful together and matched everything on the course. The greens were tricky, but fair. I randomly drew l,vd,c and coincidently, I prefer to play on very dry greens. The bunkers were good and the fencing was fantastic!

Doron's suggestions for improvement

I decided to rename this section because I do not want to imply that someone did something bad to their course, just my own opinion to what I like.

The only one small thing that I could possibly have to say about the course is the rock formations around the water. They do not look as natural as the rest of the rock formations throughout the course. The rock around the water really seems unnecessary, however, it gives you a realistic chance for a lucky bounce if you were to hit them. Nothing really to take any points away from the course though.

Overall

If you have not played Sierra Country Club yet, and you are reading these reviews.....what are you waiting for? Download it and enjoy it! I saw "course of the year" mentioned earlier, and I have to agree. I personally have to put this course in my top 15 or so all time favorites! I used the info from the first round I played in my review. I played that round Tuesday and wrote it down as I played. I have played it at least 10-12 times since! This course is pretty much perfect and deserves an A+.

Great job DC! Absolutely love it!

Doron

[DC#1]

Thanks for the feedback Bryce. To even be mentioned in the same sentence as Robert Wagers is an honor. That says it all, since he was THE MASTER.