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Links 2003 Courses
Profiles of the courses
designed or updated by Microsoft specifically
for Links 2003 and containing the excellent
new textures and blending. Here are my
favourite choices. The overall rank is based
on feelings for a course compared to others.
The overall rating represents a mix of its
visuals, realism, technical merit and
gameplay at elite level using the classic
click swing.
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| Oakmont |
| Microsoft |
| 7018
yards. Par 71. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
Autumn
Woodland
|
Overall
Rank 1st
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Oakmont was designed in
1903 by Henry C. Fownes and William C. Fownes Jr,
and has undergone revisions by numerous
architects, the most recent by Arthur Hills in
1988. Host to 7 US Open Championships, and 3
USPGA's it is ranked at number 5 in Golf Digests
all time greatest American courses, being again
selected for the 2007 US Open championship.
Previous winners here include Ben Hogan, Jack
Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Larry Nelson and Ernie
Els. The course is quite beautiful and visually
most unlike other courses, featuring a tree
foilage of autumnal browns, reds and oranges that
is very vivid indeed, and uses a colourful
woodland treetop panorama to great effect. This
design has a crisp, clean and smooth look which
works really well. The course plays superbly well
too and contains some lovely distinguishing
objects and buildings, not least the lovely
clubhouse and the famous church-pew bunkers.
There are some 180 bunkers on this course, and
these together with some fairly narrow fairways
at times, the snaky par 5 4th hole in particular,
make this into a good but overall fair golfing
challenge. The course itself looks superb, the
rough is largely unplanted at ground level, and
although there are some wild areas with a yellowy
grass and dirt brown ground textures that makes a
nice contrast to the silky green texture, it is
an area that could be improved with bit more
planting. The clubhouse at the back of the 9th
and 18th holes is one of the best clubhouse
buildings. The new texture for the grass works
superbly well, and given the number of bunkers on
the course, the blending really shines though
here, giving a silky smooth finish. Overall this
is a real favourite, an extremely high quality
design and a Major's venue, it definately has all
the right attributes to be one of the classic USA
courses you can play. In real life the greens are
renouned for their toughness which isnt really
reflected on this version, although the 1.06 mod
can now address this. It was Microsoft's finest
hour in course design. |
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| Cabo
del Sol |
| Microsoft |
| 7103
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Coastal
Desert |
Overall
Rank 2nd
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The Ocean Course at Cabo
del Sol is another new course for Links 2003 and
is a Jack Nicklaus design, the signature course
for the resort. Combining two great course styles
this course has 1.5 miles of oceanfront mixed
with a desert setting. Golf Magazine names Cabo
del Sol on its list of the Top 100 Courses In The
World, and it is often known by Pro's as the
Mexican Pebble Beach. The course is full of
interesting hole design lay outs and beautiful
sea views. The fourth hole is the longest on the
front nine playing 555 yards from the
championship tees. Holes six and seven are a rare
surprise with back-to-back par threes that play
190 and 207 yards respectively. At the par three
seventeenth, the golfer is faced with a 178 yard
shot over a sandy beach and rock outcroppings, to
a small green framed by bunkers on one side and a
drop to the ocean on the other. The finishing
hole, guarded by desert and cactus on the right
and rock cliffs leading to the sea on the left,
is modeled after the eighteenth at Pebble Beach.
The game beautifully brings all these challenges
to life. Visually the course is amazing, the sea
is nicely rendered with foamy crests to the
edges. The mexican style buildings frame the
inland hillsides, and the soft grass texture
provides a great contrast to the white sand and
mottled desert effects. It contains a wonderful
combination of natural beauty and brilliant
architecture. Jack Nicklaus says Cabo del
Sol has three of the best ocean finishing holes
in the world, and who are we to argue with him. |
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| Gleneagles |
| Microsoft |
| 7067
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Hard |
Scottish
Links
|
Overall
Rank 3rd
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Gleneagles is a new
release from Microsoft for 2003, and was a
wonderful choice of course. This design is the
Centenary course of the famous Scottish venue.
Since the 1980s, Gleneagles has been the venue
for world class tournaments such as the Dunhill
Trophy, Bells Scottish Open, the PGA Cup and
McDonald's WPGA Championship of Europe. Adam
Scott was the latest winner of the Diageo
Scottish PGA Championship in 2002 on The European
Tour. The Gleneagles PGA Centenary course was
designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1993, and
has been selected as the host venue for the 40th
Ryder Cup match in 2014. From the back tees this
is the longest inland course in Scotland, playing
southeast towards the famed glen of the eagles
sweeping up the Ochil Hills to the summit of the
pass below Ben Shee which joins it to Glendevon.
A feature of the Centenary Course is the feast of
views of the spectacular countryside in which
Gleneagles is set. The Perthshire straths
panorama is outstanding, one of the best in the
Links game series, and really sets up the golf
course visually. The rugged Grampians will also
come into view a few holes into the round. The
course design is beautiful, this links course has
enough toughness to worry you and calls for loads
of strategic thought on how to play each hole.
Fairways seem relatively narrow off the tee, and
are surrounded by deep grass rough which looks
great, with loads of long grass plantings. There
are a number of different ground textures used on
this design, and they work together really well,
producing a very good vista. Bunkers and lakes
provide hazards, and overall the planting is
lovely and trees are very much in keeping with
the setting. The isolated buildings just add to
the atmosphere. A beautiful course visually with
amazing views, a links style challenge, and one
of the very best European designs available in
the game to date. |
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| Chateau
Whistler |
| Microsoft |
| 6635
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Mountain
Forest |
Overall
Rank 4th
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A course designed by
Robert Trent Jones JR set in the Canadian
mountains in British Colombia with pretty scenic
holes and some dramatic elevation changes of over
300 feet across the course. The remarkable
mountainside course is overlooked by the
Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains, and was the
winner of Golf Digest's Best New Canadian Course
Award in 1993. It is designed with a nice mix of
fairways from the generous early holes to some
much tighter tee shots later on. It also makes
elevation changes a feature of your round. The
douglas fir trees surround the fairways and
provide a beautiful setting for the course, with
forests lining the distant mountain peaks,
littered with granite rocks and ponds. A nice
butterfly used to be seen at the 1st tee although
ive not seen it in 2003. River creeks cut across
a few of the fairways at the 2nd, 3rd and 17th,
with a number of other holes providing doglegs.
Shots often have to be shaped to find the safest
routes. The front 9 starts high in the mountains,
with the back 9 dropping downhill into the valley
with some very nice views, especially at the
short par 3 10th, a superb looking hole, where
there is a big drop from the tee to a green
surrounded by bunkers. The 9th hole holds the
most scenic tee shot on the course, and the 17th
tees looks off towards Whistler Village and a
sign of civilisation as you return from the
mountian slopes. Down the back nine in particular
there are opportunities to cut the doglegs off
the tee and attack the greens. The new textures
again work much better than the old ones, and
shadows also play their part now down the edges
of the fairways. A wonderful looking course, one
of the most visually impressive in the game,
which has plenty of opportunities to catch you
out, but also provides plenty of holes on which
to attack. |
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| Canyons
At Bighorn |
| Microsoft |
| 7083
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Mountain
Desert |
Overall
Rank 5th
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The Canyons Course at
Bighorn is a relatively new course, located at
Palm Desert, and design by Tom Fazio in 1998. It
is a course carved from the Arizona desert and
set among rocky canyons, copper foothills,
meandering streams, and containing beautiful
waterfalls with colorful desert vegetation. The
course is already famous for the annual Battle at
Bighorn events, recently contested between Tiger
Woods and Sergio Garcia. This is a different
course and far superior to the old Mountains
course which can still be converted into the
Links game. The panorama from Microsoft here is
really very good, adding immensely to the overall
impact of the course. A mountainous backdrop
which sets the scene for this desert course. The
planting all over the course is excellent, with
amazing use of different plant varieties, some
nice ground flower colours, and containing many
desert palms more usually associated with
tropical island courses. This is a lovely course,
with loads of little details like the piled up
stones lining the paths, and the rivers and lakes
on the back nine just adding to the visual
delights. The front nine offers fairly generous
fairways, undulating hills and great panoramic
views, with the back nine being located more in
the upper regions of the mountains. Water hazards
look better than ever in 2003, making for some
beautiful visual set pieces. The key to the
course is keeping the ball off the desert
wasteland which is out of bounds, but this wont
always be easy with some dramatic elevations to
overcome, and with many rolling fairways making
ball lies tricky. It is another great design,
visually different to the more rocky Troon North
and Stone Canyon courses, and the new smooth 2003
grass textures fit much better now and have given
this course a big boost too, placing it among the
very best available. |
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| Kauri
Cliffs |
| Microsoft |
| 7121
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Coastal |
Overall
Rank 6th
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The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs
is located at Matauri Bay, New Zealand, and is
named after the Kauri trees, native to the
country. It was designed and built by David
Harman and features no less than 15 holes viewing
the Pacific Ocean. This cliffside course
overlooks the Matauri Tokou Bays and Cavalli
Islands, and the views are often breathtaking
across the coastline. A testing round of golf
awaits, with many unplayable areas to avoid if
you stray into the deep rough, and with rolling
fairways undulating from tee to green. The par 3
7th hole called Cavalli in particular is
precariously perched across the cliff edges. This
is yet another detailed and realistic design from
Microsoft, with loads of great ground level
planting, and also a decent panorama in there
too. It is a very exciting course to play though,
high up on the cliffs you get some superb sea
views, and the finishing stretch in particular is
awesome asking for drives over the wasteground
into angled fairways and greens perched close to
the cliff edges, you really need to learn your
best line and pick your driving points. It is a
course that keeps drawing me back for another
round, which is a always a really good sign.
Coastal courses generally offer some of the best
gameplay, and this is one of the best designs
offering a thoroughly enjoyable game. |
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| Princeville |
| Microsoft |
| 7309
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Hard |
| Tropical
Island |
Overall
Rank 7th
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The Prince course at The
Princeville Resort, is rated as Golf Digest's
number one course in Hawaii. A Robert Trent Jones
Jr masterpiece, this course is a roller coaster
ride over hills and valleys, via undulating
fairways slopes, and overlooking the distant
Pacific Ocean. The panorama here is lovely,
providing an excellent backdrop and some superb
views. This is a very challenging course,
generally without a flat lie in sight, and with a
mix of bunker colours, some white sand, others a
deeper orange. Microsoft have again produced a
superb looking course for the original 2001
release, now upgraded with wonderful grass
texture for 2003. The planting has real depth and
variety, with great use of colours too. The hole
designs are often spectacular with tees that
mostly overlook the dazzling scenery. This course
overall is fairly open, with some wide rough to
catch wayward shots, although the jungle spots
must be avoided as they are out of bounds. The
course looks colourful with yellow flowers a
particularly feature. The par 5 holes here are
especially well designed for risk / reward play.
The 2nd hole features a tricky drive if you want
a shot at the green in two, while the 4th green
holds its risk in the 2nd shot as the green is
protected by a lake. The 10th, is a personal
favourite that bends back on itself to offer a
daring shot at the green in two over deep
undergrowth. The clever par 4 13th has a choice
of a brave 2nd shot over a bunker or a lay up
left of the green. This course is pleasing,
strategic and has rolling fairways which makes
approaches interesting to play, features nice
elevation changes, and overall requires careful
play. |
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| Westfields |
| Microsoft |
| 6987
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Woodland |
Overall
Rank 8th
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Westfields Golf Club was
designed by Fred Couples and is found in Northern
Virginia. The course is carved through natural
wetlands, rolling hills, and majestic beech and
oak trees, and has a setting that is virtually
free from residences, creating a very
naturalistic course. The recreation by Microsoft
was often underrated in Links 2001, but it
contains a real depth of realism in the ground
level planting and a superb enclosed tree canopy
framing the holes. There are a strong selection
of holes here with the par fives taking the
biggest hitters to reach in two. The course
contains plenty of elevation changes, water
hazards, sand traps, and other obstacles to keep
you on your toes. The fairways are tree lined,
tall thin trunks with predominantly green foliage
that are sometimes in play to affect your drives.
The bunkers are shaped in interesting styles to
catch your approach shots. The signature hole at
the 3rd is a long par 3 surrounded by water and
mounds. The 4th is a long, narrow par 5 which
will only be reached in 2 downwind. The 6th has a
nice choice of a lay up or a longer shot over a
bunker to the green. The 10th holds the best
strategic tee shot which must be hooked round the
trees left of the tee, with bunkers that will
catch you if you dont hook enough. The 13th has
another dangerous tree just right of the tee this
time to avoid, and the 14th is a reachable par 4
off the tee, but has a nastly collection area
front of the green if you fall short. The small
shack at the 15th is a wonderful object just
visible at the edge of the trees. The mixed
colour tree panorama in the main works well, but
can occasionally look a little out of place to
the foreground. However, overall this is a great
looking and nicely styled course with some good
holes to play but not necessarily overly harsh or
punishing. |
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| Barton
Creek |
| Microsoft |
| 6959
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Hard |
| Woodland
Valley |
Overall
Rank 9th
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The Fazio foothills of
Barton Creek are located in Texas. There are 4
courses at Barton Creek, the Fazio course named
after its designer Tom Fazio and features
cliff-lined fairways, along with natural caves,
creeks and waterfalls. This course has received
many awards for its scenic beauty. This is one of
the best course golfing locations to play in the
game, with many extremely precarious hazards to
avoid. Some of the tee shots at Barton Creek will
really scare you at the more difficult play
levels, as you can end up in the most unplayable
spots imaginable. Under Links 2000 this always
was one of my most enjoyable locations, and this
hasn't changed at all the lay out is identical,
but the grass texture is much improved, a new one
developed for Links 2003, and the trees here are
unique to this course. Similar to other updates
of 2000 courses, it is a little sparse on the
ground level, but this is becoming less and less
of an issue for me, the trees are beautiful and
the creeks and steep valley make it an excellent
choice. The par 5's at the 15th and 18th rate
among the very best and will really test you out
if you want to take them on for eagles, the run
alongside a severe creek and if you fall into its
depths it could be best to take a drop.
Throughout the whole course it is one of the best
golfing challenges, and is extremely exciting to
play. There is so much risk versus reward
opportunity that you will not tire of it. The par
5 18th is simply a classic finishing hole with so
many choices, getting to the green in 2 for an
eagle chance is very risky but gives you a real
buzz if you succeed. |
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| Troon
North |
| Microsoft |
| 7014
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Mountain
Desert |
Overall
Rank 10th
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Troon North is located in
Scottsdale Arizona, and this simulation is of the
Monument course, which was designed in 1989 by
Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. It is a course that
over the years has been regularly brought up to
date by Microsoft, and is a long term favourite
among players. The planting is superb, comprising
scrub and cacti, the huge rocks themselves make
for excellent hole defenitions, and many tee
shots are set high to overlook the landscape. A
great panorama backs up the skyline for an
impressive view. The Monument named hole itself
is a superb par 5 offering a risky opportunity to
go for an eagle, as long as you avoid the giant
rock centred in the fairway. The 6th hole is also
a tempter called The Gamble, a 306 yard par 4
which downwind may persuade you to drive the
green. The beautiful 16th signature hole is a
lovely par 3 called Postcard. This course is
dominated by a grey rocky landscape, and what I
like about this course especially is the way rock
formations define the characteristics of many
holes. The Monument monolith springs foremost to
mind at the 3rd, but there are others, a stoney
mound backdropping the 2nd and the 11th for
example. Houses and buildings have also been
built on this imposing landscape, and just add to
the atmosphere and distiction of each hole. This
manages to hold a different feel again to most
other desert courses available, and really does
stand out as a stark, imposing and memorable one.
Overall this is wonderful course, and is formally
rated as one of the best desert courses in the
world by leading course reviewiers. |
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| Stone
Canyon |
| Microsoft |
| 7230
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Mountain
Desert |
Overall
Rank 11th
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The Stone Canyon Club is
fairly new course designed by Jay Morrish, his
50th course which was opened in January 2000. Set
in the desert location of the Oro Valley,
Arizona, the fairways wind between the most
amazing scenery comprised of huge mounds of rocks
and stones piled high which completely cover the
surrounding hillsides. Stray onto these at your
peril, you’ll need to be very lucky to get a
shot back into play. In terms of the course's
overall look and style, whilst it retains many of
the usual aspects found in desert styles, its
random planting of cacti and small bushes and
plants across the landscape, in other respects it
is quite a unique look, and should be very
popular as a result. There are a number of
elevated tee shots overlooking the course, which
work very nicely with an good panorama kicking in
at the 1st and 10th holes in particular. The
mounds of rocks provide a great contrast to the
lusher green fairways, which are fairly generous
in width, but the desert is always a severe
hazard if you stray. Additionally there are many
great looking orange sand bunkers to watch out
for in key places. The 10th hole, a par 5 has
become a real favourite hole of mine in the whole
Links game, with a beautiful tee view and an
approach shot that looks absolutely stunning from
the fairway overlooking the large lake to the
distant green. The visually stimulating 15th, is
a monster 617 yards from the back tees and is
called Tortolita Pass, and zigzags through the
desert. The Links 2003 game upgrade doesnt have
quite as much impact on this design, although
bunkers do look great, the grass textures are not
overly dramatic in comparison. However in Links
2001 it was one of the very best courses, and it
remains so. It is an excellent course design,
pretty unique in its visual style, and wonderful
to play. Finally, when you think you are done,
Morrish placed a 19th hole, a 107 yard, par 3,
named Double or Nothing, on the way to the
clubhouse, just perfect for one last wager with
your playing partners. |
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| Thanksgiving
Point |
| Microsoft |
| 7728 yards. Par
72. |
| Difficulty Medium |
| Canyon |
Overall
Rank 12th
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A course designed by Johnny
Miller, Thanksgiving Point Golf Course is part of
a 550-acre attraction. The golf course is nicely
laid out with an open vista to capture the views
and small pine trees planted in bark ground
cover. A host of sand bunkers, and many beautiful
flowers add to the beauty of this location. It is
a long course which plays at 7728 yards from the
championship tees, and therefore will require the
use of the driver and some accurate long iron
approaches in order to score well. The course has
some spectacular views of the area’s Wasatch
Mountains in the distant background, the panorama
working really well, and you can almost feel the
heat haze at the 12th hole. Visually the opening
few holes can seem on the whole a little
ordinary, although I still quite like the style
of the design, however once you are settled in
this soon changes, and by the 6th hole the course
improves dramatically. A beautiful set of wild
grass and flower planting, and the Jordan river
and lake complex frequently making life seem a
little more tricky especially off the tee. There
is an abundance of new textures on show here to
represent the rock structures and wild rough
areas. Overall this design is really very good
and the scenery is excellent. It is best played I
feel with a clear sky to get the best effect from
the dry panorama landscape. |
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| Tribute
at Otsego Club |
| Microsoft |
| 7347
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Woodland |
Overall
Rank 13th
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The Otsego club in
Michigan was formed back in 1939, and contains a
number of excellent golf venues including The
Tribute course. The Tribute is a PGA course,
that is relatively new, opened in 2001,
and designed Rick Robbins and Gary Koch. Winding
through 1,100 acres of pristine hardwoods,
dramatic elevations changes and the headwaters of
the Sturgeon River, this course is
beautifully presented. A new course to Links
2003, it plays superbly well, with
some lovely views, great hole lay outs, with
fairways rolling up and down the hilly landscape.
The trees in particular here are excellent,
nicely planted and encompasing the holes.
Bridges look great crossing the deep
valley and overgrown areas, and the par
4 downhill 3rd hole is perhaps one of the most
dramatic and memorable. Wild grass prevails in
the rough to add that extra tough of
realism. A great addition to the game. |
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| Cambrian
Ridge |
| Microsoft |
| 7405
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Woodland
& Lakeside |
Overall
Rank 14th
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Cambridge Ridge is
located in Greenville, Alabama and is a Robert
Trent Jones design forming part of the 'Golf
Trail'. Cambrian Ridge offers three challenging
9-hole courses which can be played in three
18-hole combinations: The Loblolly, The Canyon,
and The Sherling. All three courses feature
treelined, bermuda fairways, bermuda greens,
strategic waterhazards, and numerous sand
bunkers. The Links 2003 game features the Canyon
and Sherling sections. The Canyon is the most
demanding of the three Cambrian Ridge courses
with the hilly terrain requiring many uphill and
downhill shots. The Sherling with it's rolling
terrain on Sherling Lake is the most scenic of
the three courses, and Robert Trent Jones Trail
touts this section as possibly being the best
nine on the entire trail. The Sherlings 9th hole
is an uphill terrain hole, playing past a deep
ravine to a green shared with the Canyons 9th.
One of the most interesting features of this
design is the use of a light mottled yellow/green
texture to repesent the bermuda grass. For many
this unique look to the texture will be enjoyed,
it looks smooth, and really enhances the rolling
hilly terrain. Bunkers look great. The tree
planting around the fairways is first rate,
looking natural and realistic. The view around
the course from the 18th green is stunning.
Cambrian Ridge has a unique look and feel to it,
and may not be everyones favourite choice. The
hole designs are generally good, being fair to
play, and interesting too, although on the slight
downside is a long par 3 requiring a driver hit
across water, which is a little too penal.
However, always having a liking for courses that
look a little different, it seemed a great
addition to the game. |
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| Covered
Bridge |
| Microsoft |
| 6843
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Parkland |
Overall
Rank 15th
|
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Covered Bridge is a Fuzzy
Zoeller & Clyde Johnston designed course
which opened in 1994, and is nestled on a gently
rolling plain at the foot of Southern Indiana's
famous Floyds Knobs. The course circuit features
five lakes, a meandering creek and is pleasantly
forested, with water coming into play on nine of
the holes. Fairways are not overly tight here,
and whilst most holes are treelined, these are
not too close and allow an area of recovery for
wayward shots. Greens are gently contoured and
trap placements are challenging but not too
punishing. The trees are nicely planted, often
intersperced with patches of wild grass and the
many buildings especially are very well
represented, featured all over the course. The
course design itself is not a particularly hard
one to play, and there is often an open parkland
feel to it. The most famous holes are the par
5's, with the fifth featuring a tricky drive
requiring the second shot to contend with a lake.
Similarly the ninth and eighteenth are difficult
to reach in 2 shots and share a large green and a
run either side of a lake which separates the
holes. Good variety is seen in the hazard
placements and overall this is a very nice course
to play. The course was originally released for
Links 2000, and has been overhauled for the new
game. The textures make this course looks smooth
but rolling, and it looks great. Good scores can
definately be achieved here when you are playing
well, but it does contain enough of a challenge
to catch you if you dont respect the hazards. A
lovely design with the covered bridge itself
being a good centrepiece. |
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| Banff
Springs |
| Microsoft |
| 6612
yards. Par 71. |
| Difficulty
Medium/Easy |
| Mountain
Forest |
Overall
Rank 16th
|
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Banff Springs is set in
the Canadian Rockies and is renowned for its
panoramic beauty. Designed by Stanley Thompson in
1928, the natural landscape was used as the
course meanders around majestic evergreen fir
trees in the shadow of the mountains and along
the banks of two rivers. The Cameo and start up
screens are among the best ever seen and really
set the pulse racing. In addition the Links 2000
version was one of the very best courses
available, offering a somewhat unique background
look at the time. The later 2001 version just
didnt quite live up to expectations, it was
still a great course in a superb setting, but it
felt more along the lines of an update than
a complete remake. For 2003 another makeover came
and the trees are now much better, but still
little attention to detail has been added at
ground level, and although shadows do make a
world of difference, there are still far too many
floating trees around. There are elements of
greatness in the course, the mountain backdrop,
the douglas fir trees, the chateaux on the back
9, and the superb 4th hole which is a downhill
par 3 signature hole over the lake which often
catches you out. The fairways are relatively
generous and tee areas contain wooden board signs
detailing the hole. You will also see some stags
and deer around the course, which overall does
not play too hard and good scoring is quite
possible here, although the pin settings are
crucial, and the back 9 is much trickier than the
opening holes. A lovely course then, full of
atmosphere and great to play too, but you just
have to overlook its shortcomings. |
| |
|
|
| Royal
Melbourne |
| Microsoft |
| 7794
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Australian
Scrub |
Overall
Rank 17th
|
|
|
One of the great courses
of Australia and the world, this new version of
the course to the game is formed of the
composite Championship layout which was used for
the 1998 Presidents Cup, and consists of mostly
the West course, which was designed by the great
Dr. Alister Mackenzie, with part of the East
Course designed by Mackenzie's partner, Alex
Russell (hole's 5,6,7,8,9 and 18). As it exists
in this version the front nine can play a
little too easy and perhaps doesn't do justice to
what is a really difficult test in real
life. The course does remain interesting to play
and the back nine plays considerably more
difficult finishing with 7 straight par 4's, with
the last 6 being very long and difficult. The
wild character of this magnificent course is
exemplified by Mackenzie's artful bunkering, in
and around which grasses are allowed to grow
giving the land a natural and wild look. It also
makes finding the sand the penalty it
was intended to be. This scrubland design is well
presented, with a wild look albeit the tee
objects are a little annoying as they cant be
turned off. But this great course and another
rare world venue for the Links game from
Microsoft. |
| |
|
|
| Kapalua
Plantation |
| Microsoft |
| 7272 yards. Par
73. |
| Difficulty Medium |
| Tropical Island |
Overall
Rank 18th
|
|
|
The 3 courses at Kapalua have been
available in the Links game since the Links LS 98
version. As this version was my first purchase of
the game they received heavy play back in the
days before I discovered course add-on packs. The
colourful Bay course remains convertible as a
2001 course, but the Plantation and Village
courses received an upgrade for Links 2003.
Kapalua Plantation is the home of the annual PGA
Tour Mercedes Championships in January featuring
winning tour players from the previous year. It
is a dramatic venue where distance means little
as the elevations and slopes make their mark on
your gameplay. There are many sea views from this
dramatic course, where the fairways are generous,
but stray and you will find yourself in deep
grassland and wasteground that can often be
unplayable. The panorama here is not quite up to
scratch given its importance to the course, and
the planting also could have been improved, but
overall this is still a decent upgrade for 2003.
Its strength really lies in its playability and
its real life television coverage, with the 17th
and 18th holes ranking alongside the best in the
game. Hitting the right side of the 17th fairway
will yield extra distance down the steep slope,
as the approach to this cliffside green is a
demanding one. The 18th allows you to try and
belt the ball home in 2 on this often downwind
and downsloping par 5. Kapalua Plantation is a
really good course. The Village course was a
strange choice for an upgrade, as I find it
comparatively a fairly uneventful and easy venue,
and personally I would have much preferred the
Bay venue to be chosen. As it stands, the upgrade
to the Village course only seems little more than
a texture change to the 2003 style, which whilst
welcome seems like a missed opportunity. For
ranking purposes I have benchmarked these courses
against the others using the Plantation course,
which is by far the better of the two and is the
one I think you will most likely choose to play. |
| |
|
|
| Hapuna |
| Microsoft |
| 6734
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Tropical
Island |
Overall
Rank 19th
|
|
|
An Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay
design opened in 1992, Hapuna is a wild looking
island course, with a bleak grey rocky scene
surrounding the lush green fairways and backed by
the Pacific Ocean. It is considered the sister
course to the longer and more well known Mauna
Kea course located nearby in Hawaaii. Hapuna was
I feel largely overlooked in Links 2000, but
under the 2001 conversion it really came into its
own, and now with a 2003 update is perhaps
outliving some other more popular course venues.
The wild grasses edging the fairways looks superb
alongside the dry shrublike trees, and with cart
paths winding alongside the grey rock it all
looks very realistic. In the background the
panorama fits well, and the ocean provides some
great views, although there are not too many of
them on this course. The 16th in particular
offers the best sea view. The most interesting
hole is probably the 14th, with a split fairway
and a clever choice between taking a longer and
more risky tee shot, or the safer one leaving you
with a longer and more dangerous approach.
However you do need to find the fairway off the
tee. This course never really received any
acclaim from Links players in the past, but it
now offers a much nicer package and visually I
think beats the older Mauna Kea venue. This is
not a particularly long course, but the wind does
usually blow here off the coast, and it may be
best to replicate this when you play. |
| |
|
|
| The
Judge & Links Courses |
| Microsoft |
| 7794
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Hard |
| Woodland
/ Lakeside |
Overall
Rank 20th
|
|
|
The Judge Course at
Capitol Hill is another Golf Trail course design
by Robert Trent Jones set in Prattville, Alabama.
The course meanders alongside the Alabama River,
where twelve holes border on the waters offering
a tough golfing challenge. This course is long at
7794 yards, and the water hazards continually
keep you slightly on edge, as a mistake can be
costly. Microsoft have done an excellent job of
bringing this course to life. The opening tee
shot will almost make you gasp, as you gaze down
a 40 yard drop to the fairway below. This vantage
point overlooks the whole course in superb
fashion. This is a very natural course, devoid of
many buildings, although the red bridge at the
16th is quite unique. The ground level planting
here is very good, with grasses, of many
differing varieties and in patchwork of greens
and browns, producing a very realistic look and
feel. In addition, the lake edges are wonderful,
and in places the overgrown waters make you feel
like you could walk across. The look of the
course from a realism aspect is superb, and the
2003 textures only improve the rough grass
visually. However there is a downside to this
course in the lay out design which i feel is far
too forced with hazards dictating how you play,
and featuring many long carries over lakes. Water
plays a huge part, and most of the par 3's will
require a wood hit out across an expanse of
water. This would be a nightmare in real life,
and remains a real challenge in the game,
however, it can make an intruiging matchplay
venue. The Links Course is once again
planted exquisitely, very varied both at
ground level and in the trees, and producing a
wild and realistic effect. Slightly less water
seemed to be in play on this design, and it seems
a far more satisfying course to play. They make a
nice set together, the links course is preferred
of the two designs. |
| |
|
|
| Entrada
at Snow Canyon |
| Microsoft |
| 7241
yards. Par 72. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Mountain
Desert |
Overall
Rank 21st
|
|
|
Entrada
is a striking course set in the Lava Mountains of
Snow Canyon although there’s little actual
snow to be seen in this version. The course looks
vivid and majestic and inspires awe as you look
out over the stark pink rocky mountain landscape
in the distance. Fairways sit overlooked by the
mountain range, and are set into black
crystalline lava rock formations over the closing
holes from the 15th. The course is pretty tough
to play, especially if the wind has picked up,
with every tee shot a potential out of bounds if
you stray onto the desert. Strategic small lakes
also make an appearance to form extra hazards.
Par 3's are long and hazardous and only brave
take on the par 5's in 2 shots. The choice hole
of the round is at the 2nd where you tee up and
shoot left of a tree down a drop over a lake and
river to a fairly tight fairway. The second shot
is no easier as you then hit back over the river
again to a small slopey green partly surrounded
by the water. This course will really test your
skills, with patience and strategic play being
essential. What i like most about this design is
its unique look with pink mountains, orange
desert, soft green fairways and black lava rock.
The tee views at the 8th and 10th holes are
awesome. However on the downside it is a half
hearted update to 2003 with poor lake reflections
and the planting needs a real make-over now. The
blind shots down the closing holes make it a
course you need to learn well. |
| |
|
|
| Pelican
Hill |
| Microsoft |
| 6634
yards. Par 70. |
| Difficulty
Medium |
| Coastal |
Overall
Rank 22nd
|
|
|
Pelican
Hill was designed by Tom Fazio and is located as
a series of holes built along the coast. In real
life this golf course has unparalleled views of
both the Pacific Ocean and spectacular coastal
canyons from which it was formed. It features
gently rolling terrain, with dramatic views, and
a makes good use of elevation. It is also is
shorter than many tournament courses at a par of
70, and has more par 3's than normal. The course
is another from the Links 2000 days, and this
again appears more as a minor 2003 update than a
complete remodel. It is however better than the
converted version. There are a variety of
textures used here, with rocks also featuring
from time to time. The views are the best
attribute of this course with the panorama
working well. At ground level, there are some
bushes and grasses, but it is not added in a very
detailed way and looks perhaps a little rushed. A
course then that has some good features but is
not one of the better releases. |
| |
|
|
| Mesa
Roja |
| Microsoft |
| 7704 yards. Par
72 |
| Difficulty Medium |
| Canyon |
Overall
Rank 23rd
|
|
|
This
fantasy course is set in the USA, around the Four
Corners area of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New
Mexico. It is certainly distinctive, set within a
canyon, the course winds around the Kayenta Lake.
The walls of the canyon are vivid with steep,
bright, orange/brown rock faces, desert areas
surround parts of the fairway and the large lake
provides some tricky moments. The fairways are
initially wide but narrow in the middle part of
your round, but in themselves should not cause
too much difficulty. However, approach shots are
often much harder with water protecting some of
the greens, especially at the 2nd and the 17th
holes where the island greens are hard to hit.
The lake looks fantastic, and at the 4th the
reflections are visible off the water's surface.
Some fairways are split, by water at the 9th and
11th but by a rock face at the interesting 13th
where the 2nd shot is hit over the rocks and into
a deep basin green. The 18th hole is a very long
par 4 and features the famous arch, which you
will tee off towards. Your 2nd shot will be hit
under it to a very well water protected green,
and due to the length of the hole a par will be a
good achievement. Overall this course makes for a
nice change in style but does certainly earn its
'fantasy' label. |
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