Whirlpool Golf Course 2020
by Kevin Fraser/Adelade
COURSE NOTES
Kevin Fraser kindly gave me permission to update this course of his from 2001, he agreed with the main changes I proposed, and also said I could do whatever I think works. Most of the credit for this new version goes to him, my contribution is minor compared to the work he put into making the original. Thank you for letting me do this, I've enjoyed working with it :) My goal has primarily been to make the greens playable with "challenging" conditions, but also to give the course a bit of a visual facelift and add some features that weren't around back then. I like the original work, so despite having freedom, I wanted to change as little as possible while still achieving my goals. A full list of changes can be found in the Readme.
I know this course might not be everyone's cup of tea, it's not a particularly challenging layout and I'm sure many people will score a lot of eagles on the five gentle par 5s, but some tricky greens and tough par 3s still keep the scores from getting too low. Honestly somehow I find myself rarely scoring that well after all, so I like the layout in the end. I think Kevin Fraser said it really well in the original Readme: "I can stand on the tee, look at the hole and figure "no problem" - but somehow, a problem always seems to happen."
Please do check the README at least for the acknowledgements. But also a statement about sharing of APCD assets, full list of changes compared to the 2001 version, and contact info.
LINKS CORNER REVIEW of the Original
Reviewed by Joe Turner `Loner'
June 2001
Combined with the "read me", is a beautifully done color wordpad (5mb). It's patterned after a real course.
Plush greens and medium fairways are a constant throughout this one. This is one of the most beautifully crafted courses I have ever seen. Excellent planting done throughout the entire course.
The elevations seem perfect.
For hole 2 move your ball to left and use setup to click trajectory up at least one notch and you're home free. Nice treatments around water, and putting is more toward easy than moderate.
The course is well trapped in all the right places but because of the generous fairways will only catch the most errant of shots.
The par 5's are for the most part reachable in 2, and for the two that are not, they turn out to be very birdieable holes.
The 9th, don't hit short.
A straight shot and putt course with only two slight doglegs 13 and 16. Nice elevated greens near the end. I had to wait until the 18th to see the Niagara River at which the course is located.
The course overall is beautifully made and will be a very interesting course under only the most severe condition.
Would I keep it on my hardrive? Probably, because it is the classic golf course. Not the most challenging... I liked it.
CLIPNOTES
Description
Real, parkland course
Concept 6/10
A very acceptable course without anything very offensive, Whirlpool is set in the Niagara Parks, but in reality could be pretty much anywhere, given the easy-rolling landscape and tree-lined surround. Indeed, it wouldn't take a great flight of the imagination to put yourself in the British countryside. The Links conversion feels reassuringly authentic and coherent, and a course that doesn't have to resort to showiness is always appreciated.
Appearance 7/10
Very few obvious problems here - the green textures are convincing and well-coloured. The planting is dense with a minimum of duplicates, and the elevations have been dealt with well. The scale of the whole layout is best: Whirlpool seems to have hit that ideal middle-ground where a course feels natural.
Playability 8/10
or no great reason, a round a Whirlpool is swift, repeatable and fun. There's no great shakes in the layout or the golf skills required, but the course gels well, isn't too hard, and can accommodate any number of golfers, playing any number of styles and Modes of Play. Whirlpool really is Mr Versatile, without being Mr Threatening.
Challenge 4/10
Massive, wide-open fairways and fully escapable rough. Reachable Par 5s and some puttable greens. This is all a pleasant surprise after the beasts of Championship courses, but there is the inevitable downside that birdies are rather easy to come by. Rather too easy, I would say.
Technical 7/10
You'd have to go looking in order to pick holes in this one. And part of the beauty of Whirlpool is that very few will actually need to go looking, because they'll be having a fair time playing it. Certainly the designer's visions are spot on, but it may be argued that the bunkers could use some good lips and the planting more consistency by today's standards.
Overall
Very normal, but reassuringly normal for all that. A great leveller of a course with playability value in a variety of situations.
CLIPNOTES by Ben Bateson
10 окт 2024
