The World of Computer Software/World_Of_Computer_Software-02-386-Vol-2of3.iso/b/beg_se.zip/BEGGARS.TXT

Text File | 1993-01-24 | 8KB | 163 lines

Notes on Beggars' Island  /  January 21, 1993


Course Name   : Beggars' Island
Location      : Set somewhere in the Central Pacific (Fantasy)
Length / Par  : 3,308/35 - 2,975/35 - 6,283/70
Designer      : Bill Permenter (Original design)
Difficulty    : Moderate to Easy

Inspiration   : I did a course for World Class Leaderboard Golf
                for Macintosh which was also called "Beggars'
                Island".  Also, I wanted to do a complete course
                in what I call "rHr" (reverse HOLE routing), and
                see how it would work out.


About "rHr" layout design
=========================

Last summer while designing "Deane Hill Chip, Putt, and Sand" I discovered
the concept of "rHr" which allows one to not only see but actually play
"adjacent fairways".  Later, I saw it used on a course called "Muni", and
I'm sure others know about it too.

This method of design has some advantages over the conventional method,
but it also has some major disadvantages.  "Wind" is the most obvious
problem (when you go backwards in the hole window the wind is "reverse"
from how the gauge reads).  However, I believe that the biggest drawback
is that quite often you are working at the "hole window's edge", this
causes out-of-bounds to come into play quite often, plus you are not able
to show other holes on the side of the edge of the hole window, or OB.
Therefore, one is forced to design courses in the fashion that Beggars'is
in (another good example would be St Andrews), so your choices are limited.

Finally, even though not as many "hole windows" need to be drawn (Beggars'
took 7) extensive work must be done in each window, and course design is
not shorten that much, if any!  Again, "Wind" is the most obvious problem
with "rHr", but it can be solved fairly easily -- all you have to do is
flip the wind sock over in your mind and go.  This comes easy with practice.
This method works well with holes that run backwards in the hole window,
however, holes that criss cross (such as the 10th and the 17th at Beggars')
the hole window are a different story.  You figure it out!  One good thing
is that Beggars' is located in the "doldrum belt" near the equator, there-
fore the winds are often very calm.

Finally, what is the advantage?   Why did I use it?  The best thing
about "rHr" is that it makes one feel like he's really on a golf course
-- like "LINKS" does (at least it does for me).  One can not only see, but
play "adjacent fairways".  I did it because quite often when I see others'
courses they, in my opinion, "half-way do the adjacent fairways" -- greens
are not the same size, the same trees are not shown as there are when you
get to the hole, the "elevations" are different, and so on (however, not
all are like this).

In summation, I would like to say that I'm very pleased with Beggars'. I
think it is a good layout, and I accomplished what I set out to do -- that
is; design a "beach" course that was unique, and fairly easy.  I will have
more to say about that shortly, but for now I would like to ask that the
first time you play the layout please turn the "wind" off if there is any.
This will allow you to judge the holes and the course for what it is, and
not be confused at first by the "wind problem".


History of Beggars' Island
==========================

In the late 1700s a group of convicts from an English debtor prison were
being shipped to Australia when their ship encountered a typhoon off the
coast of New Guinea.  The ship was lost and so were most of the hands and
convicts, but one group of 5 convicts managed to escape in a lifeboat.
With little marine ability, and no oars they were at the mercy of the ocean
currents.  After several weeks and hundreds and hundreds of miles they
landed in the northern Polynesian Islands near the equator in an area known
as the "Line Islands" on a small island known as "Lolo" to the native
Polynesians (Lolo means no wind).

Because there are only a few islands in this part of "Polynesia" (Christmas
Island is one of them), and it is located in the "zone of the doldrums",
with only a few ships passing now and then, it was seven years before these
"beggars" were rescued by Polynesians (3 were left).

It was not until the 1940s that there were anymore settlements on the
island.  Because of its remoteness the US Military began using the island
for certain "top secret" projects.  Fifty years later the US is still
there, and little is known of the "classified" activities that still take
place there.

While flying back home from New Zealand last year (I had been putting the
finishing touches on my course -- Deane Hill Golf Club) I was asked by
the US Navy to stop off at Beggars' and take a look at their crude nine-hole
course that had been constructed there.  When I got there I was surprised
to see that they had not done too badly, and that if the Navy would allow
it I thought I could increase the course to a full eighteen.  The original
nine ran from the 1st tee along the ocean to the sinkhole near the 13th
green.  When the Admiral relented and allowed me to use the property
east of the driving range (where the 7th, 12th, 8th, 9th, and the 11th holes
run) I knew I had a good canvas to work on -- although short, I felt it
could be a good course.  So Beggars' was born!


Note of Thanks
==============

I would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this
course - Mark Willett, Bob Polin, Gene Rodriguez III, Scott Chesney, and,
of course, Ned Martin.  I really appreciate their artistic talents!


Permenter Designs
=================

Beggars' Island is my third course for JNSE.  I plan on doing "10" SE
courses total (like I did with JNUG).  I desire a good mix, both in
locale and in difficulty.  I plan on the following:

    A) 2 Mountain courses
    B) 2 Beach courses
    c) 2 Desert courses
    d) 3 Parkland courses
    e) 1 Links course

So far I done the following:

    Name               Version    Type     Difficulty      Length      Par

A) Dead Horse Lake    2.0       Mtn         Hard     7,100 yds    72
B) Deane Hill GC      1.1       Park      Moderate       6,775 yds    72
C) Beggars' Island    1.1       Beach       Easy         6,300 yds    70

In the future I may do some more work on DHL (3.0).  Like Pete Dye and
his Crooked Stick, I desire to make it the best that it can be.  I feel
that I improved it (made it shorter, and a little easier) with 2.0, but
I have some other fresh ideas that I believe will make it even better!
If I do a 3.0 (it still up in the air) I then will re-upload it to BBSs.

My next new project will be a course off the "southwestern tip of
Australia" about two hundred miles south of Perth near a town called --

          AUGUSTA !!!

It will be called "Augusta by the Sea".  Absolutely no holes will be
lifted from its American namesake.  In no way is this course associated
with the "Augusta National Golf Club"!!  It just so happens that the
course will be located next to a town called "Augusta" -- if you don't
believe me check your atlas!

However, the client has asked that I attempt to build a course for
Australia that will have the same sort of impact as Augusta National
has had on United States golf.  This is, of course, a tall order.  But
the client is providing me with an almost unlimited budget with no time
constraints -- so maybe I can pull it off.  The course will feature
"huge sloping greens" ala Charles Blair MacDonald, "large runway tees"
like Robert Trent Jones, "ultimate penal designs" such as George Crump,
"mammoth bunkering" in the Tillinghast vein, and "golf course esthetics"
that would make Mackenzie proud.  If I can do all this -- like Ross and
his Pinehurst #2 -- I will have my "masterpiece"!

Hope you enjoy Beggars'.  Thanks!

Bill Permenter
Prodigy # GSTM14E