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Course Review: Eagle Eye at Hawk Hollow
Design by: JMWall24
Course Type: Real Life
Course Stats: Par 72 - 7,318 yards (from back tees)
Score: 8 Tees. (out of ten)

Eagle Eye at Hawk Hollow is located in East Lansing Michigan. The real life course was designed by Chris Lutzke and Pete Dye. It has received many real life accolades and I’m here to add a few for the TW rendition.

The first thing that hits you in the face is the openness of the course and the lack of trees. Trees yes, but off in the distance most of the time. It is very much a combination of Links styling put together with water hazards and very unique design. Risk/Reward challenges are plentiful! The textures are very well done with a few exceptions (I’ll explain later). Sculptured fairways are skirted with high mounds of grass, but if you get in them, you can pitch out.. Deep round bunkers with grass side-walls designed to intimidate you. “Unique” is the key word here.

The 351 yard 3rd hole is a nifty little Par 4 that causes some decision making, but any way you play it, it is difficult. The Par 5 – 4th hole and the Par 3 -5th hole are both waterside greens and well set-up. The Par 5 – 9th hole is beautiful. The 10th hole is a Par 4 that has a water-side green with a fall-off ledge next to the lake. This is employed on a few holes and makes for a challenge. Alas, you find trees on 11 and 12. There are a lot of water holes, especially on the back 9. The Par 4 – 16th hole has a reverse Pebble Beach feel. You’ll know what I mean when you see it. If you’re a person that doesn’t like links courses or courses with abundant water, I think you’ll still like it because it offers fairly wide fairways and choices. The 17th hole is a Sawgrass Redux, looks and feels like it, but it is easier, and shorter. The 18th hole is a 589 yard treat! It is a beautifully unique finisher with water down one side and a ledge that splits off the fairway toward the green. Still, it’s a very eagle-able hole! I loved playing this course.

I really think the designer of the course has great talent. He made a realistic rendition of a real course, and that is always a huge challenge. I noted he said he used google.earth which I find very cool. Even the sounds are very well done. I do have one small criticism. The designer took such great pains to make the course realistic but did not use extrusions in the bunkers so they go from sand to grass with no edge. Also, the water texture looks like a stock EA texture and I’m not quite sure why he used it because it looks a bit odd to me. I think he wanted to project a windy water look. A reflective smooth texture may have been better suited though, as far as the look. These design critiques do NOT effect play however and I say, ADD this course to your library!

By the way, the designer recommends breezy to gusty winds. He says, “For the true affect of the course.” He also recommends fast greens. Any way you play it, it is fun!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! I give it 8 Tees (out of 10) ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Review by: Rand (RandoFL)

This will be one of my favorites... I really like the dark green color of the course and the layout, no probs with lag of any sort, played smooth and yardages were excellent...played it on breezy and enjoyed my round... Very nice!

jm, excellant job. I dont know any newbies that can do bunker work like that, very nice bunker work.. Played smooth, with not a bit of lagg. Nice flat water.. Very fun to play... Your hard work has paid off.. Thank you for this one...

PEACE

I am honored to be one of the beta testers, all I can report is WOW!! This course is very very fun! Breezy/Gusty is a blast, The greens hold very dry exceptionally well.

John has used a new texture color and I really like the darker greens, they are super easy to read in expert level. My execution is still poor but now I know it is me not the greens :)

This is a lush links style course with risk/reward shots on every hole in conjunction with many well placed bunkers and water hazards. John has done a great job in recreating this lovely course.

The set of par 3s are the most difficult set I have ever seen. The par 3 12th with the pin in the back left is just a wicked hole!

The use of objects is very very well done by John.

Download and ENJOY!!