Albert Lea, MN

Bancroft Bay Park - Course #1

3.135(based on 4 reviews)
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Bancroft Bay Park - Course #1 reviews

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tallpaul
Diamond level trusted reviewer
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Experience: 35.9 years 934 played 137 reviews
2.50 star(s)

intersting shots 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Even more secluded than Bancroft #2. If this course is uncrowded, I would be very happy to come here and spend an entire day playing this one.
Interesting shots; #1 is big anny (rhbh) playing on the top of a wide ridge. You would need to go quite wide in any direction to fall off the edge of the ridge; but it's scares you slightly from the tee, just because it's possible. This is a top notch hole for practicing longer/tougher annys for right handers.
#2 an interesting water shot...footage is short and shot is downhill. If you go for it, you can easily go past bucket, into lake (my playing partner did this and lost one. Water too cold this time of year to retrieve.) If discs are retrievable in the summer, and, I assume they are; this is a very nice hole.
Tees marked and easy to follow (except for missing basket).

Cons:

Natural tees (these were in pretty good shape; probably as a result of the course being closed until official spring opening).
#3 basket missing...looks like a nice hole, though we couldn't find pin placement spot; it appears it would be between lakes on each side; a longer downhill shot. This hole (I believe) requires a walk back up the hill to tee for #4. I wouldn't mind this; as what I think is normal #3 is a quality enough hole, that the return walk would be acceptable; but it is a return walk.
Homemade buckets. These are better baskets than on Bancroft #2; much less of the sharp edges. However, there is no rod around the basket top supports; thus leaving a pointed rod end facing you on top. Chain assembly is also high and loose, compared to production models, and I had one enter one side of chains and out the back side; due to this. Chain gauge at both Bancroft #1 and #2 is lesser than normal production models.
Baskets for first half of course also had the problem of widely spaced bucket support rods; which allows for side exits. This was addressed as the course went along; with a band welded around the outside. All in all, these are good baskets, for early homemade; but, don't expect them to be as quality as major company runs.

Other Thoughts:

We played this course twice; as we enjoyed the layout and the feeling here. I don't know what's with the missing basket; that hole would have been a quality hole. Would also be nice to improve on the tees, making them concrete; but, if this is an attempt to divert players to the 18, and leave this course for the long time players; than I could see this as a positive. As noted in the pros; if this course is empty, and you had it to yourself, or a few other players; it would be great amounts of fun for a full day of play even. If this nine were crowded; I imagine it would be sort of a nightmare; as you would be throwing on others.
All in all, I will probably not be making a trip back to this area; courses are just not that good. However, if I were traveling through; this nine is probably the course I would stop in at for a quick leg stretch and an enjoyable round.
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