Mosswood Acres 

An original JNSE design by Lon Whitehead


October 25, 1992



   Like just about everyone else, I was in awe of the possibilities that 
the new course designer offered upon the release of Jack Nicklaus' Signature
Edition.   Having already seen what the truly talented designers did with the
original JNUG designer, the bounds seemed endless.   
   However, upon the completion of my first ever JNUG course, I realized 
that the time involved in creating even a passable course was tremendous. 
Therefore, despite a handful of creations that I released, most of my time
was - and still is - spent PLAYING the game.   But in order to really 
appreciate the talents of those who design the truly top-notch courses, it
seems mandatory that you must at least try your hand at the designer.  This
course is/was my first SE design effort.
   In creating Mosswood Acres, my goal was to come up with some interesting
holes which would present a challenge without relying on gimmicks or trick
shots.   For the most part, I think I accomplished that.   Yes, there are
some shots that you probably wouldn't face on a real course.   The par 3's
as a whole are very difficult, with three of them 200+ yards.   There have
been rounds during playtesting when I have not managed to hit any of the
par 3's from the tee.   In order to balance that out, there are at least
two par 5's that are reachable in two shots without venturing too far into
the red zone.   
   You will face some difficult putts on this course.   I've tried not to
make the greens bumpy just for the sake of being bumpy, but there are some
spots where you will not want to be putting side-hill if possible.   One of
the great advantages that JNSE offers over JNUG is the ability to use the
#2 key to get a view of the green breaks from anywhere on the hole, thus
making it possible to play below the pin for easier putting.   I'd suggest
that you make use of that option often.   Despite the increased difficulty
in putting with SE, my own average after several month's of play is just a
tad under 1.7 putts per green in regulation.   That is better than the top
putters on the PGA tour.   In other words, even when you think the greens on
a course are too tough, they probably aren't.
   The acknowledgements for objects go to just about everyone but me.  The
background was lifted from Dave Dykeman's "Champion" course, then cut &
pasted to meet my needs.   Many of the trees and brush were objects from
Accolade's two courses provided with the game - sorry to those of you who
don't like those "picture-like" objects, 'cause I do.   Some of the brush
was taken from Scott Chesney's "Links at Spanish Bay", one of the first
truly great SE courses.   At least two of the pine trees were taken from
Scott's updated "Banff Springs", another true classic.   Also, one pine was
from Gene Rodriguez III's "Nahabino".   If you see an object that you think
you can lay claim to, it's entirely possible.   Please forgive the oversight
if I've missed crediting you.
   Finally, I'd like to tip my cap to all the designers who have raised the
level of quality of their designs since the release of SE.  The new standards
make it difficult to keep up with.   Adjacent fairways and terrain are now
the norm, but I have taken a step backward in purposely omitting them on
Mosswood Acres.   The tradeoff is a smaller file to download at the cost of
a prettier picture from the overhead view.   That's acceptable to me.   Also,
I'd like to let it be known how much I appreciate EVERYONE who takes the 
time to design and upload their courses for the rest of us to enjoy.  It is
truly appreciated!