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Feature interview with Brian Silvernail (Golf Digest AA winner)


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#1 Mike Jones

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 04:47 PM

Brian, you are well known in the virtual golf community for being one the pioneers of virtual golf course architecture for golf simulator games such as Golden Bear challenge, PGA championship golf and now Jack Nicklaus' PerfectGolf. What are your thoughts on how your process has changed over the years given the advancements in the tools available?

 

It is amazing to think back to how much golf course architect programs have change since the release of Accolade’s Mean 18 in the mid 1980’s. In those days, all you could really do was add in course features like fairways, tees and greens and place some 2D trees on your course. Today, the software is so advanced that you can import aerial photographs of existing courses to draw in hole features, as well as import elevation data that is extremely accurate to the real locations. Things like that, which were only available to professionals a decade or so ago, are now freely available on the internet to hobbyists.

When you decided to enter the Golf Digest armchair architect competition, why did you choose to submit an entry with graphics created with CourseForge?

 

The CourseForge allowed me to easily draw up multiple concepts for my hole design and explore what would work out best for the property. Being able to basically “paint” the elevations and terrain textures using Unity’s tools is a great way to create golf course designs. It allows for a lot of creativity and is a natural way of designing.

In what way do you think CourseForge enabled you to get your ideas across to the panel of expert judges in a better way than other mediums?

 

The ability to import LIDAR elevation data into the CourseForge was a huge help with a design project like this. You basically get to tackle the project like a real course architect, working from the land in a digital sense. After my hole was created, it allowed me to render very realistic views of the hole from multiple angles. Since I was working from real elevations from the site, those renderings gave the judges a very good idea of what the my proposed hole would actually look like when completed.

What were the thoughts behind the hole you created and why do you think the judges loved your design ideas?

 

My goal with the hole design was to create multiple risk/reward options from the tee. The easier shot to the left side of the fairway provides a tougher approach shot to the green over a natural sandy depression. If you decide to challenge the bunkers splitting the fairway by hitting your drive to the right side, you are left with an open shot to the green. I also did my best to do a minimal amount of elevation changes to the site, so the design compliments the existing terrain well. I think these features appealed to the judges.

What influence has Jack Nicklaus had on your ability to transform your ideas on golf architecture into virtual reality so that players can play your creations on golf computer games past and present. (just a thought but maybe something about the software you started with way back when and and how JN now uses CourseForge as a tool when creating their real world designs)

 

Jack Nicklaus was always my favorite golfer growing up. His early golf games, Jack Nicklaus Unlimited Golf & Course Design and the Signature Edition both included a very comprehensive manual that also discussed a lot about his course design philosophies. I found that to be a wonderful learning tool. To think that course design software has come so far in all these years that his company is now using the CourseForge as a development tool for real course designs is quite amazing.

What's next for you in the realm of both real world and virtual golf design?

 

When it comes to real world golf design, I consider this a once in a lifetime opportunity. I still keep busy with virtual golf designs, though my work schedule and family activities don’t allow me as much free time to create as I’ve had in the past. I have an original design and a couple course recreation in various stages of completion for Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf, along with some golf simulator projects I’m working on for the World Golf Challenge engine.

 

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#2 DPRoberts

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 05:12 PM

Congratulations to Brian and you as well Mike. The future is bright for CF and JNPG!

#3 Charles

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 05:27 PM

Brian Silvernail! :) Now that's a name I have not heard for a while. It takes me back to my first rounds on the Golden Bear Challenge / Jack Nicklaus 6 game by Hypnos/Activision. Brian's beautiful courses were a real treat. This would be around 1999-2000. Brian even was so kind to put some courses on a cd specially for me and send it by good ol' post (I live in Europe). This was at the time that downloading was still in it's infancy and dl-speed was a crawl. So he was a real gent in doing that for me. -_-  Always enjoyed playing Brian's great courses. 

And now I read he's got something cooking for JNPG! :wub: That would be a great addition for the game. Can't wait to see that.

Many congratulations from a big fan to Brian for winning this award!

Brian's great designs:

http://www.silvernai...gn.com/golf.htm


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#4 M Rose

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 08:27 PM

I've said it elsewhere, but Brian's original screenshots of Rolling Evergreen for JN5 back in 1998-99 were so compelling to me that I literally went out and bought the software the next day, started PC designing that day and never stopped , all the way through GBC, PGA 99, Links, and now here.

 

Cool to see it come full circle.


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#5 jcolton31

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 09:56 PM

I have a picture of the actual hole in progress somewhere. I'll try to post it tonight

#6 jt83

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 11:37 PM

What's next for you in the realm of both real world and virtual golf design?

 

When it comes to real world golf design, I consider this a once in a lifetime opportunity. I still keep busy with virtual golf designs, though my work schedule and family activities don’t allow me as much free time to create as I’ve had in the past. I have an original design and a couple course recreation in various stages of completion for Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf, along with some golf simulator projects I’m working on for the World Golf Challenge engine.

 

Ohhh yes.


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#7 M Rose

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Posted 18 October 2016 - 03:39 AM

Brian did a lot of the stock courses for GBC if I remember right. Shoal Creek and TPC Avenel were two of them.


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#8 drillerman

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Posted 18 October 2016 - 09:42 PM

I have great memories of designing courses using PGA2000 and talking with Brian on the forums about course design. OMG! That must have been 18 years ago!



#9 jcolton31

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Posted 20 October 2016 - 02:17 PM

I posted this pic in the other thread but it's probably more useful here to see them side-by-side.


 

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#10 RBarley

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Posted 20 October 2016 - 07:32 PM

I've been in contact with him via phone call and a few e-mails with him this year. He's truly a great source of information and guidance when you need to get past a design challenge. I asked him for some trees the other month for a fellow designer in GBC and he still had them and he provided them. Hopefully he has some time to participate in some discussions here in the future and so we all can benefit from his knowledge.



#11 magginoodles

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Posted 21 October 2016 - 02:22 AM

Brian is a very kind and generous person; I also remember chatting with him via email back in the day when I played JNGB about course design and ideas.  Rolling Evergreen to this day is one of my fav courses, I just loved the layout and elevation variations.

Glad to see he's still involved in course design and all the very best to him; if he could produce a Rolling Evergreen for PP that would be just fantastic!


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#12 M Rose

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Posted 31 January 2017 - 05:06 AM

Here's a Golf Club Atlas thread about the course with some construction photos. There is a small picture of the Course Forge version of Hole #14; I have provided a link to this thread and gave the game and Course Forge a little plug :)

 

http://www.golfcluba...ic,64124.0.html


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#13 dblewis

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Posted 12 February 2017 - 12:46 AM

Congratulations to Brian.  I've just begun some work with Course Forge and have also begun exploring the forums.  It's so great to find an old friend doing his thing and, as always, doing it superbly.  Hope to be able to add some work to the development of the Course Forge and Perfect Golf now that I have everything installed and going.  Love the winning par-4...David Lewis



#14 big9324

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Posted 28 July 2017 - 05:08 PM

I've been in contact with him via phone call and a few e-mails with him this year. He's truly a great source of information and guidance when you need to get past a design challenge. I asked him for some trees the other month for a fellow designer in GBC and he still had them and he provided them. Hopefully he has some time to participate in some discussions here in the future and so we all can benefit from his knowledge.


One of my fondest memories of designing courses was a project that Brian was involved in as well as many other "pioneers" of the virtual designer world.

It was very evident that I had no business being in this group amazing guys but even so Brian took the time to chat with me. He gave me tips on textures and a few other things but mostly he made me feel like one of the guys. He never acted like my questions were simple or aggravating and as goofy as this sounds, it ended several months of aggravation of dealing with that designer on a much better note for me.

He and Jud Markle did things with textures that I I couldn't come close to replicating after hours and hours of trying.

Well done here Brian! You may not remember the help you gave me but I won't forget it!!

#15 big9324

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Posted 28 July 2017 - 05:09 PM

dang double post!! 1st day here and I'm already screwing things up...

#16 axe360

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Posted 28 July 2017 - 05:26 PM

dang double post!! 1st day here and I'm already screwing things up...

 

LOL, Awesome to see you here my friend. :)


Done with designing.

Released Courses: Real

The Golf Club @ Dove Mnt. AZ

Aronimink PA

Amana Colonies Iowa

Fictional:

The Grinder Anytown U.S.A.

 

 

                   


#17 Babybull

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Posted 12 August 2017 - 08:02 PM

***Update***

Brian let me know that this article has been updated with more detail of his time on the course. Check out the link below.

Armchair Architect 2016 - Brian Silvernail






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