U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 Links LS Add-On Course Review
Posted by admin on Thursday Jan 22, 2009 Under Sports
The U.S. Open is one of the most prestigious tournaments in Golf, one of the “major” championships each year. It is played at a different course each year, each one a challenging venue for some of Golf’s best players. In 1999 the U.S. Open was played at the Pinehurst Country Club in North Carolina on the famous No. 2 course designed by Donald Ross. Just in time for the tournament, Access Software and new parent company Microsoft, have released a add-on package for Links LS so that virtual golfers can get a taste of what playing in the U.S. Open is like.
The Courses
The package includes two full courses, the aforementioned No. 2 course, and Pinehurst No. 8. The new No. 8 course was opened to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary and was designed by Tom Fazio. Both courses offer an interesting, and different, set of challenges.
Pinehurst No. 2 is a difficult course to shoot under par, befitting a U.S. Open venue. The often narrow fairways are flanked by Carolina Pine, and an errant drive can find you in deep trouble. The greens are quite small and often anything but flat, with challenging pin placements to make life even tougher.
Overall I found playing on the No. 2 course a pleasure and the recreation was incredibly accurate. Having just watched the final rounds of the U.S. Open on TV I was amazed that the PC course was so true to life. Sure, that is what Access strives for in all of it’s courses, but being able to compare views almost side by side really brings it home!
As an added benefit, the package includes tournament objects for the U.S. Open. You get camera boxes, U.S. Open signage and other touches that help you feel as if you are really playing in front of the galleries and a live television audience. The only thing missing was whispered commentary in the background. In three attempts on playing a four round tournament on the Above Average difficulty setting I managed to make the cut only once, and the winning score was around three under par. You can see that this is a difficult course with the computer golfers having that much trouble and it thus one that I think has a lot of replay value. You can’t help but be drawn back to see if you can shave a stroke off of your best round.
There were a few minor things that I found annoying about the simulation. On two holes the default aiming point for the AI golfers, and for you, will invariably hit a tree. This was disappointing because the AI would always hit said trees since it uses the default aim point for all of its initial driving. I also found the galleries a bit unrealistic, often standing on the green or in other locations that did not make sense. I also wished for some “virtual pros” to golf against… Tiger Woods, Payne Stewart and so on. Like Links LS as a whole the only pro is Arnold Palmer. Your virtual tournaments will thus be filled with made up names. Sure, you can create your own computer pros using the features of Links LS 1999, but it would have been nice to see a handful included by default.
The No. 8 course is very different from it’s far older sibling. With larger greens, water hazards on a few holes, and a generally more forgiving layout it is easier to score well on. Even so, it has a few holes which are quite a challenge and the scenery is more open and varied. Though the No. 8 course is not nearly as famous nor as compelling a challenge, having it included means that you get more variety and the overall package is a much better value.
The Verdict
If you are a serious fan of computer Golf and own any of the Links LS games, U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 is a great addition to your course collection. Not only do you get two complete, world class courses, but you can play with U.S. Open Tournament objects and challenge the world online to see who the best players is. I’m betting it won’t be Payne Stewart!
Game Rating
( 85 out of 100 maximum )
Pros
- Includes two well designed and challenging courses
- You can recreate the 1999 U.S. Open
- Special U.S. Open signage and scenery included
Cons
- Some very awkward default aiming points
- No “virtual pros” to play against other than Arnold Palmer
 Links LS trademark realism comes shining through. The tiny, tricky greens and often narrow fairways lead to sometimes appalling scores on the Pinehurst No. 2 course. |
 The expansion includes two courses, the brand new Pinehurst No. 8 is the second one. |
 You can set up your own virtual U.S. Open. After the first round I am a surprising second! |
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