About a year ago, as we were brainstorming on new courses for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10, we came across an absolutely breathtaking photo published in a book titled Planet Golf (by Darius Oliver and David Scaletti). The photo depicted a golf green surrounded by gigantic rocky mountains covered by massive pines. The description read: “Stanley Thompson’s legendary Devil’s Cauldron hole (the 4th) at Banff Springs in the Canadian Rockies”. It was a no-brainer: we had to have the course in our game! We contacted the course immediately and sent two of our team members to Alberta to scan it.
Banff Springs is available as a downloadable course for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, so I thought it would be cool for this blog to interview the two artists who experienced it firsthand.
- Reza Elghazi
RE: Could you guys introduce yourselves and your roles on the Tiger Woods team?
SY: Sure, My name is Shannon Yates, I have been working on the Tiger Woods title for 3 years now as an environment artist and Laser Scan Lead.
RF: My name is Ryan Faraji, I have been working on Tiger Woods for 3 years now as an environment artist, photo reference gather, and assistant scanner.
RE: What was your first impression of the course?
SY: I found it difficult to actually focus my attention on gathering course data after the drive from the Hotel to the course,
The beauty from almost every location on this golf course is remarkable. From the steep, snow capped mountains that seem to rise from the very edge of the fairways, to the crystal clear waters cascading from the nearby waterfall. The golf course at Banff Springs combines challenging play with the feeling of backpacking and sightseeing.
RF: Cold, and beautiful!
RE: What is your favorite hole on the course?
SY: Ok, so I have to say every hole on this course is beautiful, but two holes stand out in my mind.
Hole 4 is a signature Par 3 that starts from an elevated tee box and if you are skilled enough, your ball will land on the heavily guarded green some 45 ft below. Be careful of the water though, you must clear a lake that fills the void between you and the green. My first feeling when walking on to the tee box was that of being inside a volcano.
Then my favorite, Hole 15 offers an incredible view from the Professional tees. You stand almost 100 feet above the river that separates you from the Fairway on this par 4.
From here, you can almost see the entire valley below. Oh, and the view of the mountains ... Wow! ... I can honestly say, one of the most memorable locations so far.
RF: I would say Hole 3, driving down the fairway, and coming up upon this gargantuan mountain.
RE: How was it working at that elevation?
SY: Well, aside from spectacular views, the weather changes quickly with the steep mountains that surrounded us. The Helpful hint guide the staff hands out reminds players that "You are playing a mile above sea level so to expect your ball to travel 10% farther (good news for my limited range). I recall standing on Hole 06, just preparing the first scan when snowflakes began to fall, 20 minutes later, the sun was shining and we were working in 60 degree temperatures.
RF: I brought lots of layers, and drank lots of hot cocoa.
RE: Any stories worth telling?
SY: Well, With Ryan’s permission, there was this Bull Elk. So, I'll start by saying, When we first arrived, Ryan asked the golf director if there were any wild animals we should be concerned about during our stay. You know, like Wolves, Bears, Mountain Lions, etc. He assured us we would be safe, but to always exercise caution. So each day while we were out on the course working, we would hear the calls of the Male Elk that would pass through the course on their way crossing the river. Many times, the Calls seemed quite close but we would rarely actually see the Bull Elk. One morning, as we were waiting for the frost to lift from the course, Ryan decided to hit a bucket of balls at the driving range. I sat with a warm cup of coffee inside the clubhouse that overlooked the Driving range watching Ryan.
I thought this would be a good photo opportunity to make a case that all Ryan does on these course trips is play golf (which of course is not the case) So with camera in hand, I approach the large window to get a better shot when all of the sudden a Huge Bull elk came barreling alongside the Clubhouse towards the very spot Ryan was hitting balls. I had to make a quick decision; Do I alert Ryan of the certain danger approaching him or attach my zoom lens to document this rare occasion?... The fact that I have photos to prove this story indicates the choice I made. Thankfully, the quick actions of two staff members saved my partner by whisking him away on the back of a golf cart.
RE: You were at this course in person, how did it turn out in game?
SY: Oh, this course definitely was well served in its recreation. We gathered incredible data that we were able to transfer to the game. I recall standing in exact locations on certain holes and then playing though that very spot in the game. In my opinion, this is the most incredible course we have offered for download yet! I hope you will all enjoy playing it.
RF: Looks very accurate, I’m glad everyone is going to get a chance to play one of the most beautiful courses in the world.
RE: Shannon, Ryan thank you for sharing your experience at Banff Springs. Everyone else: don’t forget to download and play this unbelievable looking new course. See you all online!