Holein1
France |
Posted: Monday, April 29, 2024 @ 5:37:24 PM at |
IP Logged |
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Well, this fantasy course will definitely test you, that’s for sure ! With plenty of blind shots, steep elevation changes and very challenging greens, often hard to reach... and read (!), this par 72, set among beautiful medieval castles, might turn to... mid-evil for you, with some ghostly sounds heard on a few holes and a very tough finishing stretch. Seeing small tumbstones as tee markers should give you a hint that you might be in for a long day, despite the beautiful panoramic view of the dogleg right par-4 1st hole, with its down-and-up fairway and a big castle (on the left) overlooking an elevated green. On the par-3 2nd hole, you will need to hit another blind and steeply-downhill tee shot over some trees near the green, before heading for the straight (and dreaded) par-4 3rd, uphill all the way with a tee shot flying above a multi-tiered fairway, split across by deep rough, and a blind and very tough approach toward the green. In comparison, the dogleg right par-4 4th hole looks much “easier”, with a blind tee shot above deep rough landing down the slope and offering another great view of a big castle above the downhill green, guarded by a big bunker (in front on the left), unlike the straight par-5 5th, with another multi-tiered fairway and steeply-uphill, where you will have hardly any chance of getting an eagle with a blind second and third shots needed to reach the green. Thankfully, you will get a little bit of relief on the dogleg left par-4 6th hole, more wide open with an elongated and wide bunker in the inner corner of the tree-lined fairway, and the par-3 7th, with a blind tee shot landing down onto a wide and slanted green, set above a wide lake (on the left). But the long dogleg right par-5 8th hole will bring you back to reality, with two blind and steeply-downhill shots along a wide open tree-lined fairway (with a big bunker across and to the right of the green to watch for), just like the straight par-4 9th, quite tough with a blind and steeply-uphill approach over deep rough toward its tricky green. The back 9 starts with the par-4 10th hole, with a downhill tee shot offering another nice panoramic view of the valley and landing near a big castle (on the left), and is followed by the pretty dogleg left par-4 11th, with a big castle, close to the tee box (on the left) where, after a blind and steeply-downhill tee shot, you will need to fire another blind approach uphill to reach the green. You will, then, reach the pinnacle of fantasy with the unreal (scary or funny ?) par-3 12th hole, with a tee shot flying over a castle and landing down in the... inner courtyard onto a wide green, with two round bunkers on both sides guarding it (not to mention ghostly sounds heard all around ,!). Thankfully, two straight par-4 holes (the 13th, with a blind downhill tee shot and an approach over a creek to get to the green, and the 14th, slightly-uphill all the way and with a tee shot flying over deep rough, landing onto a slanted fairway) will calm you down, before heading for the short and pretty par-4 15th hole, with a blind and downhill tee shot offering another scenic panoramic view of the valley (with one more castle on a hilltop overlooking the green, slightly to the left, and with a small pond right behind it). Then, after the straight par-4 16th hole, with a steeply-downhill and blind tee shot and an approach over a small lake across toward the elevated and heavily-sloped green, you will walk over to the pretty dogleg left par-5 17th, with a blind and downhill tee shot landing short of a creek (crossing the fairway diagonally below), followed by two uphill shots to reach the testy green, before finishing with the dogleg right par-4 18th, with a tee shot landing onto a wide fairway and an uphill approach toward the green. With its nice rollercoaster layout, mixing dogleg and straight holes, this castleofnii course is not only pretty to look at, it is also quite tricky, but not to the point described by gova in his comments, as I finished at even par (in novice mode), even after losing 6 shots on the 14th, 16th and 17th holes. But, if I did not figure out why the course's name was switched to "9 Castles of Nii" in the end, I learned my lesson : I will never stand again in a courtyard of a castle, no matter how nice it looks !
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