Aesthetic - Hole one is absolutely gorgeous, the peninsula and water, one of my favorite holes since Florida. The rest of the course is good, nice wooded park setting, little hilly, some openness in the grass. Most of the other water holes on this course have either a little creek or gathered swamp area/wetlands, unfortunately nowhere near as beautiful as that first hole. But the nice park setting, wooded, or even open areas, still very nice and peaceful.

Challenge - Wow, this is a challenging course. I've been to a few courses and it's easy to tell if a course is designed to force certain types of throws, or some courses of course are just wide open, but others the designer maybe just threw a bunch of trees down and said, Ha, try and get past that. This course has a few really really challenging holes, where you can see they sculpted a few different lines, super tight S for 400', or narrow slight RHFH for 350, or throwing an S and having a perfect curve to match the pattern of the course and getting the right break on your disc. Compared to Black Lotus, Holly Woods, Cass-Benton, Hudson Mills, this course is way harder but planned out that way. I hope someday to land each drive within 30 to 50 feet of the basket on my drive (those holes less than 400feet). Because if so, I'll know my technique is good. Now I say harder because it is planned out, those other course, stray branches, overgrowth, muddy terrain make it hard to get great marks, this is not like that. This is like, pristine, if you hit this or this or this with this throw and that disc or that throw and this disc and this kind of power, I should either ace or land within 20' feet. Those others, you're seeing lanes but hoping for no accidental hazards.

TeePads/Baskets - Never saw teepads like these, kinda phallic, but all concrete, super long, flat, not pitted, all perfect. Baskets for the most part were easy to locate for first-timers. My only complaint, and you can throw this right back at me, nobody ever measured, wrote up, documented what the other set of tee's were, which holes, and map.... For such a great course, this has to be done, travesty it isn't already, and if I go back, I will have to, there aren't 2 teepads at each hole, but many of them.

Signage - Not the best I've ever seen, but I have no major concerns, there are great signs to show next hole, because sometimes it is a little bit of a walk, like 23 to 24. But signs have hole, distance, and basic map of hole. I assume the map is outdated on the post, as most show straight, or perhaps slight dogleg-right, and basket will be slightly dogleg-right or serious dogleg-left respectively. But maps are decent representation.

Variety - Of all the courses I've been to so far (FYI, not a world traveler), this is tops for variety and keeping things interesting. I can never say enough about signature hole 1, peninsula with water. You've got some major downhills; up and down; slight down; over rivers; swamps as the rough; wooded; open; dead-nuts straight, hard dogleg-right, slight dogleg, FH/BH, tunnel shots, and even for those looking for it a nice S shot. Shy of having a 700'+ hole or something on a mountain or waterfall, this has just about everything.

Congestion - I went in May, weekday, we didn't wait for anyone, and they didn't wait for us. We saw people leaving, and coming as we did. This course is so good, I would have to guess it gets busy unless 2 things - bugs are deadly or nobody wants to drive all the way out here. But in May, during the week, easy.

Maintained/Bugs - I am leaving this as a good because I can't say otherwise, but I'm betting someone will send me a picture of them with 350 mosquito bites from the first 5 holes. But I came in May, grass was cut where they wanted it cut, trees trimmed where they wanted to trim them, the only bugs that bothered my cigar smoking self were a couple of nats, but with some standing wetland water, I would have expected worse. Honestly, it was amazing how the throwing lanes were still so well sculpted, you can go ahead and make fun of me now, "if they were so well sculpted, why didn't you hit it?" I know... it's hard man, can't make them all, especially first day (that's my best excuse, hopefully you bought it).

Fun - This topic I always have a quick easy answer, pro or con is easy. But not here. Because of how far out this is, I can see some people already being put off just getting here. During the summer, when bugs are out, that could put them over the edge especially since this is a 24 hole long course. So I am going to say, I had fun, but please keep reading much later and I think you'll get a better understanding if you'll think this will be fun for you, and because I can't see it is fun for all, I'll say this is a con.

Locatability - Not to mislead you, the park is easy to find, the course is easy to find, one hole after another easy easy easy. But like everyone says, it's all about location. And this is way in the northern most part of Oakland county, and I live in the northern part of Oakland County, and it's still a bit of a hike and dirt roads to get there. The location is that bad, it is so far in the middle of nothing, and takes forever to get there. As you read my write-up, it sounds like I love this course, and I sure did. But the location is so bad, and don't forget I'm only 2/3 cities away, it's so bad that at best it will be once a year or less that I come back here. I wish they could pick this park up and move it.

Whats holding it back from higher rating - I can only give out a 5 for a perfect course for me. Has to be absolutely gorgeous throughout, well designed, challenging, fun, variety, maintained. Not to say the rest of the course was ugly, but if the charm of the first 3 holes was maintained, or more looks at the lake at least and less of the swamp, that would help. But the other one thing, location. I don't drive a horse and buggy to throw wooden discs... for real dirt roads to get here? So far away... I know, nothing can be done about it, but location is a killer. One more thing as you'll see, if they could make a path so people could exit early, from say 9 holes, or 12, or 18, or anything other than 24, I would raise this by .5 Because then I think kids would be good here, and maybe less active too. If it was easier to get to course I would give it another .5

Kid Friendly - I know my brother-in-law brings kids here. But from what I see, I would say, not so much. It's 24 holes, and unless you know the course really well, you kinda have to go thru all 24 to get out due to rivers and wetlands. And with as challenging as it is, and long, even though the park has other things to offer, after you're done here, I think they'll be cashed and crabby. I'd say go elsewhere, maybe Seymour Lake.

Older/Less Active Player Friendly - No, same reasons as kid friendly, your basically signing up for all 24 holes, and for those less active folks, this is a long hike, and some hills, not horrible but some.

Rookie Friendly - Some rookies will like this, some rookies will need a whole new set of discs after losing them in the drink or cracking them in half on the trees. The lines are tough, but well sculpted if you can hit it. The rough isn't unbearable, unless you are on a wetland hole and a swamp is there. Some rook's may get really discouraged especially if they can see what they are doing wrong and can't correct.

Average Player Friendly - I think they average player will really like this course if they have the time for 24 holes. Beauty, water, variety, challenge, lots to work on, you better stuff that bag with everything you got, there will be wind in the face, uphill, downhill, forehand, backhand, water... What a challenge. And sometimes, if the challenge is too much, you get bailed out with a second pad.

Pro Player Friendly - Yes, I think the pro-played will like this course, assuming they don't mind the drive, which I bet they won't care. Whether by yourself or with a group, there is so much for you to enjoy here, there are a few ace runs with technical shots, and like I mentioned above, bring those discs, you'll need them, or bring the back-ups in case you have one errand throw and it goes in the drink or crushes a tree.

+ 24 diverse holes with an overall balanced layout
+ Very challenging off the tees and at the pins
+ Very well taken care of - nearly perfect condition
+ Fairly easy navigation, use the signs and the map for best results
+ Fairways are well-defined and thoroughly cleared
+ Swamps/water in play on several holes
+ Long, consistently good quality concrete tees
+ Great facilities at the start of the course
+ CLEAN, with good trash cans
+ Some aesthetic and serene parts of the course
+ Benches on a few holes (it's a long walk)
+ Hole #1 worth playing again!
+ Easy parking
+ Practice basket

- Signage was incorrect or not descriptive enough about half the time
- Surprisingly thick rough off the fairway in several spots, but in predictable spots
- A few holes play next to a walking path and through a park
- Hole topper signs not utilized or maybe vandalized
- #20 is a great example of a filler hole
- Course par is all par 3's

Three intermediate level throwers, played the longs on our first visit to this awesome pay-to-play course in early September. Conditions were perfect. No bugs, about ~10:30am to 1pm (yes, our round almost took 3 hours), 65-68 degrees.

We were really surprised, frustrated, and delighted with the difficulty level at various parts of the course. Starting with hole 3, we were like, woah, gnarly. All holes are par 3, but several would be par 4 at most top quality courses in Michigan. It doesn't matter in the long run, obviously, but the challenge of the course is elevated accordingly. Definitely helps with scoring. Anyway, the course is dynamic and transitions from mild to moderately hilly, and from heavily wooded to wide open. Every hole has a distinct fairway with multiple lines and approaches, though. There are quite a few shots off the tee that were intimidating due to the narrow lines you sometimes have to hit. A lot of pins are guarded by trees. Also, a lot of blind holes, some very thick rough spots, some water, and minor elevation changes. It's a long walk, but not really a workout.

There are a few things worth knowing before playing Addison for the first time. Firstly, this is not a course designed for beginners. I believe anyone can enjoy a round of disc golf almost anywhere, but the challenge level mixed with the possibility of losing discs and the length of the course don't add up to what I imagine would be a good time for new throwers (or solo throwers). At least not in season (probably quite a bit easier in the off-season). Other than that, there are several holes that are not accurately illustrated on the minimalist tee signs. For example, #10 looked like it was supposed to curve to the right (on the map and the tee sign), but the basket is actually straight ahead. Be careful not to shoot for the practice basket on #24 as the group behind us did. Even on several holes with accurate tee signs a spotter would be very helpful. Those holes are easy to pick out of the mix. Especially because of the many blind pin placements.

Overall, a major highlight of the fun of Addison Oaks is the diversity of the hole layouts. The variety of shapes, fairways, pin placements, and tree coverage was incredible and memorable. For that reason, our comments to one another like "interesting approach" or "interesting shot choice" were used so often that we started to make fun of ourselves. Also due to the variety of hole layouts and features, I can confidently say that this was one of the most challenging courses I've played. And that's the impression I'd like to leave with you. If you've played the course before, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, then I can't emphasize enough how fun this course was because of the variety it contains, but I also don't want to end without once again emphasizing how challenging it is either.

Thanks for reading!



Okay, fine, I'll tell you. I shot a +22 (the other guys I played with shot +10 and +13). And lost two discs. One on #10 (hit a branch, dropped into the water). The other was to the left on the first open field hole because I wasn't paying enough attention (blue VIP Sword).

Very challenging course in a large, well maintained county park with camping and lots of other activities: fishing, swimming, mountain bike trails, and hiking trails. Despite a lot going on, course is pretty well isolated from other park activities. Outstanding shot variety includes:
• Wonderful terrain keeps you engaged and on your toes the entire round. Fairways run the gamut; flat, gently to significantly rolling, steep down hills. Others present little net elevation change from tee to pin, but play over a rise that hides the pin.
• Well wooded (to say the least), with a pocket of open holes and few moderately wooded holes sprinkled about. Open holes provide a nice break from playing lumberjack, but pose risks of their own. Playing along the edges of an open field with thick brush down the left flank, or behind the pin, they feature well -tucked pin placements. Tee shots must be fairly well placed to card 3's, with deuces conceded only to great accuracy. Add the possibility of wind to ratchet things up a notch.
• Nice mix of distances. Several near or under 200, several mid-upper 200's, plenty in the 300-400 ft range, several 400+ footers, and one over 500 ft (# 24 plays about 300 from the short. It's a good 200 ft between long and short tees, in the same direction to the pin. There's no way the 334' marker at the long tee is remotely correct).
• Great blend of L/R, straight and complex/ interesting fairway shapes. Combined with the above, Addison really tests nearly every aspect of your game.
• Quite a few ace and birdie opportunities, but you really have to earn them- nothing is given to you.
• Tricky pin placements include: sloped greens where you might want to layup rather than risk a nasty rollaway, drop-offs and thick vegetation close (but not too close) to the pin. How you play approaches could make or break a round.
• Bad shots are penalized, sometimes severely. Several holes set up such that a good tee shot makes par fairly straightforward, but a bad tee shot can have you playing from bad lie to bad lie and carding a 5 or 6.
• Now has nicely textured concrete tees on all holes, with new short tees (also concrete) on holes 2, 4, 6, 18, and 24. Rounded at one end to point toward the pin, they're nice, level and ever so slightly elevated to drain well and resist accumulations of sand/mud, yet allow for safe, seamless follow-throughs without fear of turning ankles. Surrounded by crushed gravel to keep immediate area around them from getting muddy and rutted in wet weather. VERY well done.
• Tee posts and Next Tee signs everywhere they're needed. Together with the scorecard/map navigation's pretty good. Well done given how long and arduous the course is, and how it traverses around adjacent sections of the park.
• Genuinely provides very good scoring separation.

• Numerous stray & twiggy branches are hard to see in the shadowy woods from the tee. Too many tee shots got past the first several trees on a line that had everyone on the card thinking "that's the line you want," only to get deflected into trouble by a stray branch or twig protruding into the fairway. Some selective pruning would go a long way. I'm fine with well wooded holes that require a tight line to get down the fairway, but there's only so much information you can process when placing your tee shot. It's one thing to get punished for a bad shot, but particularly frustrating to execute the shot you want and get screwed. Seemed to leave too much to luck for my liking, but could be easily fixed.
• Hole 20 is an abomination. A blind 167 footer that's not feasible to play as designed. During the tourney, most players take a totally improvised spike hyzer/tommie route. I'm all for holes that offer different lines, but when all these experienced players refuse to play the hole as designed, what does that say about the design of the hole? Everyone I know hates it.
• Missing a big uphill, maybe even one where short drives have an uphill lie for the 2nd shot. With all the wonderful elevation and some great down-hills, you'd think it would have been quite doable, yet it was completely avoided.
• Rough is nasty in many spots. Spotters recommended; solo rounds not so much.
• High risk of disc loss on several holes (this seems to be part of the Championship Caliber Package).
• Not at all for beginners - wasn't intended to be (no ratings ding here, just informational).
• Unless you're a county resident, $10 entry fee for a solo round is pretty steep (but not so bad by the car load).

The most challenging course in southeast Michigan lives up to its nickname: Addin'some Strokes. Five times have I played here... five times have I been beaten like a dog who crapped the carpet for the last time.

This course is long and difficult. Don't come expecting a quick or friendly round - be prepared to spend a few hours and battle for your score (and quite possibly your disc's life). Don't be deceived by her beauty - she's a sinister and cunning mistress, with tricky fairways, punishing rough, and OB in the form of water, swamps, and paths.

• Starts with a beautiful hole that tests both courage and control. Plays about 320' on a moderate downhill grade to the water's edge, with another 150' or so to a pin placed toward the business end of a peninsula green. Green is attractively guarded by willows that enjoy rejecting big armed drives as well as approach shots from the safer (laid-up) tee shots - sometimes into the drink. There are openings to get through safely (but you gotta hit'em), along with a safer route around the trouble (which almost certainly requires another stroke).
• Finishes strong with a satisfying bomber that's not quite totally open to keep you honest. You could land in or under some well-placed evergreens for a particularly nasty lie, or fade into the wall of brushy rough along the left of the fairway, plus the wind can turn you over and send you toward the parking lot or into bushes.
• Hole 4 is another particularly inviting hole - greets you with a beautiful glade that rolls from left to right as you step to the long tee after the walk from 3. Finishes with a pin on an uphill slope, defended by a gauntlet of old growth pines. Gotta keep approaches low to earn a good look.

Having played here when the tees were just dirt and gravel, I couldn't have rated it higher than 3.5, as I was hampered by footing that was less than desirable given how demanding this course is off the tee. Because this course requires power and precision, and the new tees are truly superb, I'd give it a 4.25. Fix #20 and trim the hard to see branches cluttering many airways, and this is a solid 4.5, but until that happens I'm stuck at 4.0 ...but it's the best 4.0 in the area.

~Nice mix of technical holes, wooded approached, open fairways, and a disc eating hazard.
~Many people complain about the 5 straight open fairway holes, but I honestly love the placement, where one can easily skip all 5 by walking a few yards
~All cement tees with a curved end pointing you towards the pin
~For one of the best courses in the area, it typically stays less crowded than Stoney or Firefighters

~Nothing Really but if I had to be picky...
~Bugs during the fall and hot summer months
~Can get crowded on weekends/nice days

~Honestly my favorite course in the area, everyone I've ever encountered playing here has been nothing but friendly
~Love hole 10, definite do or die
~Have probably thrown a dozen discs into some very thick woods on some holes, and all have been pretty easily found (hole 10 being the exception) while most of the course is thick woods, it lacks the disc eating knee high grass, until very late in the year if their slacking on the trimming.
~Well worth the $5 parking fee

Very nice park, lots of variety in shots, and it wasn't crowded. Plenty of technical wooded shots, many water shots, and even a fair amount of open field shots as well.

Poor tee pads. Roughly half are cement and half are dirt. $10 to get in the park. Very easy to lose discs if you are not careful.

- Mix of landscape and holes. Features a creek, lake, peninsula basket, ponds, hills, pine forest, thick rough, tall grass, tunnel shots and more.
- Very well manicured with mowed fairways
- Cement on 2/3 holes now, tee signs, practice basket
- Tough, well though out design with challenging par 4's and some easy 2's
- Signature holes such as the 490? ft downhill 1st hole over a finger of water with water behind to the left and a row of willows blocking the attempted big-deuce, makes you play for score not show

-Park entry rules: apparently in the off season which is still going on though it's mid-April, you have to obtain a permit at the Valero 2 miles away (5/10$). There is only ONE, small, sign there I noticed that says anything about the need for a pass and how to get one, and it's on the same post as other, larger signs. Plus it doesn't even face the driver and isn't where you'd naturally look for information. There is no sign again warning you at the 1st tee, as there really should be.
- Doesn't flow well/or tough to navigate

- Hopefully they will adopt a pay-station to pay for your pass at the park in a drop-box like EVERY OTHER park in the friggin' world figured out already
- Detroit area MUST-play

Makes you use a variety of shots, well laid out. Woods, fields, trees, lakes make it play tough if you like that kind of stuff! Wasn't busy at all there!

Got my first ACE on 10/17/11 on hole 13!!

Tees are all concrete now and it makes the course that much better!

Not really much Con action here now that the teepads are concrete!

I guess the only cons I could see are that you are in the woods forever then come out to some bombers in a field. It doesn't really bother me, but some people might find that annoying for some reason

Great course! Wish I lived closer!

Tons of different shots and terrain
open shots, tight wooded shots, hills, and water hazards

good possibility of losing a disc in the heavly wooded areas

I really enjoy this course but have not yet gone out there this season
nice and clean

Great mix of long and short holes. Bring your "A" game. Water hazard on the first hole gives a clue of the tough 23 holes remaining.

It is a haul to get there. Tall grass is a problem.

Improved flow from the original 18 hole design. Hosted the 1992 Worlds.

--Addison Oaks is owned and maintained by Oakland County Parks, the course gets taken care of very well. Alot of holes have trash cans and picnic tables. Also there's maps/scorecards and pencils at hole #1. The map itself really isn't even needed though, the course flows really well. After every hole there is a "next tee" sign pointing you in the right direction.

--There's a really good variety of holes here, nice mix of technical and bombers. Good use of woods and a HUGE field. Decent elevation on some holes too.

--A couple cons, first of all the tees are gravel/rock, theres a couple holes where you really wish they were concrete. Also no visual signs, only poles with hole number and distance, and a few holes are missing the info on the poles.

-Update-(4/14/11)-
About half the tees are concrete now. Once the other half are in, I will take this out of the "cons" section.

--There's some disc eating hazards at this course that add to the challenge. Water can be a big factor on some holes, especially in spring. There's one signature hole over a big swamp that you'll never forget, it's only 265 ft. down hill, but you can lose your disc if you hit one of the trees growing out of it. Also during the summer time the rough can be thick in the woods, and along the far sides of the rough in the big field.

--Even though it's is about 30 minutes away from my house, this is still my most played course. Overall Addison Oaks is a very solid course. The addition of concrete tees have changed my rating from a 3.5 to a 4 rating. Better hole signage on top of that could make it a 4.5.

--This is the premier course that held the 1992 Pro Worlds.

--High Task Force