The Ginn Farm

By : Shelby Sanborn

Type : fictional course

Par : 72

Lenght : 7115 yards

I can clearly remember the very first time I played Greyledge, the first JN6 design by Shelby Sanborn (he has previously released some JN5 courses). I was so impressed by the overall work that I still believe this course is one of the best fictional courses ever made for GBC. It was actually the course that convinced me to try my hand at designing. So each time Shelby releases a new course I’m one of the first to download it, trying to learn as much as I can from this fabulous designer. With The Ginn Farm, his latest release, you can now count Mr.Sanborn in the very exclusive club of the best designers in the moment for JN6 (the club with some guys named Brian Silvernail, Scott Antes, Neil Lindsey, and a few others). Here’s a look at his latest masterpiece, an absolute must-download for everyone, named The Ginn Farm.

Design : 9,5/10 Just one word…..WOW!!!! This course is the prime example of a well-planned and well thought out project. It clearly shows that Shelby put an unbelievable amount of time on this course, working on all the details and fine tuning all the smallest elements, and that’s all for the better. Shelby shows a natural talent for designing golf courses that makes him one of the best cyber-golf designer there is, period.

Strategic value : 8/10 The course is rock solid as a whole. It was designed with realism in mind and it succeed superbly. Overall the layout is pretty classic, even a bit relaxing. Strategic placement of bunkers, some water here and there, classic green contours, and all this looking very natural. But pay attention if you think the course can give a bunch of low scores, it plays much harder than it looks, especially when the wind is up.

Visuals : 9,5/10 Hard to believe but despite all the others qualities of the course this is where this gem really shines. The course is set on the property of an old farm, with gentle valleys and great grassy areas. The grassy areas are particulary well done, thanks to the fabulous objects and great colors used by Shelby. He must have only 9 fingers now after placing so much of this grass everywhere, giving the course a sense of realism never before seen in a JN design imo. You´ll have to play this course to really know how good the visuals are, trust me. If you have the time download the uncompiled version of the course at True North to take a look at all the quality objects that Shelby created specifically for this design; these objects may be some of the best ever made for a golf game.

Greens : 8/10 Everything you should expect from a classic of this kind. No unfair pins placement, just a good variety of slopes and contours as it should be. Putt from the right places and you can score; miss the greens on the wrong side and you’ll have to scramble for par.

Bunkers : 7/10 The bunkers could have been a bit better in term of deepth. Some look flat due to a lot of smoothing. But otherwise the placement of bunkers is very strategic and professional, so I really don´t see anything wrong here.

Water : 8,5/10 Above average water. Some lakes have grass that creates marsh areas and other water hazards have dead trees in the middle of them, enhancing the realism. The amount of details put into the water hazards keep up with the detailed look of the other areas.

Textures : 9/10 A unique set, created by Shelby, and another textures set for the ages. The colors fit the setting perfectly. The textures are soft, detailed and rich. They bring unprecendented depth to an already stellar design. I just love the dirt and bunker texture, as well as the desert rough texture.

Overheads : 8/10 Should have been tough to make overheads that will take care of all the grass areas throughout the course. The overheads are clear and detailed, but no fancy stuff here.

Splash screens : 8/10 Standard splash screens. A picture of a farm for the course info with some useful text and the same designer pic that Shelby used for all his GBC courses.

Others : 8,5/10 Take some time to listen to the sound used. It is quite unique and provide a great hearing experience. I was also impressed not only by the hard work of the designer but also the little touches throughout the product. The panels, the course overhead, the wildlife, it’s all here, and all very well done.

BOTTOM LINE : If you’re looking for a realistic,beautiful, and never before seen course that offers a good challenge from tee to green and tremendous replay value, look no further, this course is perhaps the very best avalaible at the moment.

This course, even with its soft appearance, is a good test of golf. You will have to use all your clubs and try different kind of shots during the round. The layout is classic, especially the bunkering and green contours. So my advice will be to keep the execution simple, but effective. Try to make birdies on par 5 :s and some par 3 :s, because the par 4 :s are challenging and offer few birdie chances. And if the wind is up stay on the fairways at all costs, you surely don’t want to go in that high grass!!!