Crystal
Pines was released midway through 2004, a
course that winds around a series of icy
cold lakes, and is set beneath distant
snowcapped mountains. The most likely
real life location for this course is in
Canada, with Banff Springs an apparent
inspiration for the design. Crystal Pines
really does capture the feeling of
playing with an altitude chill in the
air, and with a mountainous location it
is no surprise that elevation plays an
important role, as the course rolls up
and down the hillside slopes from tee to
green. Towards the end of the back nine
you even can see right down over the
whole course. Most of the holes here are
spectacular, with superb lakes, smooth
bunkers, and with touches of colour in
the deep grasses and some lovely lighter
green texturing. Fir trees sourround the
fairways blending well with the panorama.
This was the hardest of all Mike's
designs to select just 4 holes to
preview, as pretty much every one of them
is both visually and strategically
excellent.
Four
Favourite Holes
Hole 2
- An early run through the lakes begins
at the 160 yard par 3. This left side of
this green is bordered by chilling water
with a neat rocky edge. This is an early
test given it is early in the round, but
there is a fairway lay up should you wish
to be conservative. Bunkers will catch
you if you pay too safe to the right or
go long, and you wont relish playing back
towards the water if you find either of
these. This is a beautiful hole to look
at and is one of my favourite par 3's
anywhere.
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Crystal
Pines (2nd hole)
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Hole 3
- The lakes follow each other in quick
succession as the 4th wraps around the
water from tee to green at 430 yards. The
key to this hole is the tee shot, with
the hole doglegging to the left you can
safely play to the right hand fairway
with an iron and avoid too much risk, but
this leaves a monsterous approach. The
bolder shot takes off over the lake, but
edging your shot left will probably be
waterbound. This hole features a
wonderful sand bunker edging the lake
itself, and looks simply stunning.
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Crystal
Pines (3rd hole)
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Hole 7
- This par 5 is relatively short at 530
yards but offers a host of choices. An
uphill tee shot will leave you with a
view down a horseshoe style fairway with
a choice of routes extending either side
of the lake. If your tee shot was long
enough there is a chance to reach the
green in two, but the lay up if safer.
The left side fairway is wider but leaves
an approach over the lakeside bunker,
while the right is narrower but offers a
better approach line into the flag. This
is another lovely hole to look at and is
very clever too.
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Crystal
Pines (7th hole)
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Hole 9
- This is short par 4 at 370 yards which
sounds relatively simple to play. The
fairway is split so you have to lay up
short of a series of bunkers. The longer
you drive, the more bunkers will come
into play. The fairway is uphill so your
approach will be more testing in terms of
judging the distance, and the right hand
green bunker is often waiting to trip you
up. Anything too short could well roll
back if the greens are set fast. A lovely
hole littered with smooth bunkers and
backdropped by the mountains.
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Crystal
Pines (9th hole)
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Crystal Pines is
quite probably the most beautiful course
of all time. It is a flowing design, with
all the texturing, lake edges and bunkers
designed to look smooth and inviting
giving this an air of scenic grace. This
visually stunning design is one of the
Mike's greatest achievements, and is
arguably even better than Burn's Old
Links given it is so much nicer visually.
Strategically it is packed full of
interestering choices, and taking on the
lakes and bunkers will always be key
moments in your round. The backdrop of
the mountains just cap this design off as
a real treat, and one you will never
forget once you have played it.
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