56 reviews, but not much recently so I think an update will be helpful


+ This is a 20 year old well-worn course that plays 100% in the woods. The woods are skinny trees - everywhere - and there isn't a hole that you don't have to think about the line you're going to try to hit to get you to the basket. The benefit of it being wooded and well-worn is that it's easy to navigate and there isn't a lot of ground cover to have to search for discs in


+ There's only a bit of elevation here and there. There's a small creek that winds through the course, but it has more impact on elevation than really being a water hazard. The only really noticeable change from flat is going up on Hole #13 and coming back down on #15


+ The layout includes several legitimate par 4's; there are three sets of tees. I played the middle set, and noticed that the front tees were genuinely short and really suitable for families with kids playing. DISCatcher baskets are in good shape, and poured concrete tees

~ Signage is very good, with a drawing of the hole. It's newer signage than timg's pictures here, and it's done in a perspective I've never seen before. Instead of being overhead, it's from a viewpoint high above the ground behind the tee - so the trees are pictured from their roots up to their branches. It worked OK, but it took some getting used to...


~ I didn't see any of the garbage on the course others mentioned in reviews. The course spotless on the Memorial Day weekend I played


~ Speaking of other reviews, I want to say a few words in support of Hole #17. It's a tight shot over the creek with a blind dogleg right, to a basket protected by trees on a sidehill. While the ground around the creek is very overgrown, we just sent someone ahead to spot our throws. The hole itself is really pretty great: you have to bend to the right with the water in your head, and your upshot/long putt has a real risk of rollaway. I think it's a much better hole than other reviews suggest


~ There are no big, long and open holes like you find at nearby Parma. Nonetheless, I found myself midway through my round at Basil asking "When do I get to an easy hole???"

- Good amenities. Tons of parking. Bathrooms. Other activities on site.
- Nice concrete tee pads (longs).
- Ample signage and quality tee signs (1 is missing sadly).
- Benches throughout.
- 3 sets of tees (short & mid marked with short wood posts are relatively easy to find).
- Even though this is heavily wooded there is almost no underbrush. This means that you have little chance of a lost disc (although they do like to hide under leaves) and also when you do hit that first tree you should have a reasonable recovery shot available to save the par or bogie. This makes it great for all skill levels. Beginners love the forgiving rough and shorter holes. Better players are challenged by the lines required.
- A few shorter ace runs thrown in help just when you've had your fill of hitting trees.
- Hole 15. Love this one. 304' from an elevated tee on a pretty tight hyzer line. Takes some good accuracy & control to get it to ride that line without flipping (since its downhill). Very rewarding to hit this one for a bird.

- Garbage. Everywhere. This is by far the worst course in Rochester for folks feeling that its ok to drop your empties on pad. Or your food wrappers. Or whatever other random crap you don't want to bother carrying. A few kind folks have even put bags at some of the tees to mitigate it but the idiots can't be bothered to put their empties in the bags....they just toss em on the ground under the 1/2 full garbage bag.
- Currently no bridge on the back 9. Not sure what happened to the old one but the club does have a plan for a permanent fix.

I was recently describing this course to someone who hadn't been and I summed it up like this: Take some woods with no underbrush and cut a path 15-20' wide on some sort of golf line and put a basket at the end. Go do that another 17 times...and you have Basil.

This is a course that will make you a better player. You have a great variety of forced lines (R>L, L>R, S curves, etc.) with little room for error. You can play for pars consistently with reasonably on line drives (even if not all the way) and accurate upshots. To hit consistent birdies though - you will need excellent line shaping and control.

This is a shorter course than many other 18s, but I don't list it as a con as I never seem to notice it as the challenge is in the line not the distance.

Just a warning on plastic. You WILL hit trees. Many. And early. I've yet to see anyone (including those much better than I am) make it through a round without a few hard tree hits. DX plastic is going to get beaten quickly.

**note on my rating - I really wish there were a 3.25 for this one. I'd much rather play this than my 3.0 courses....but not as much as my 3.5s. I decided to go with 3.5 as it is fun for all skill levels and great for your game.

-Every hole is heavily wooded. You will have to think and use a variety of shots/discs.
-This course will force you to learn one of two things: (1) accuracy or (2) recovery shots
-Plenty of parking.
-Benches everywhere.
-Excellent signage. Each hole has a metal sign with tee/basket/par/next hole on it.
-Practice basket

-Litter!!! C'mon people!!! Carry in/carry out...it's not that hard!
-Lack of a bridge on 17. Bring a stick with you on 16 to help cross the stones in the creek (it has been low lately, but I have seen it higher)

-Beautiful, heavily wooded course with a lot a variety on each hole. Elevation changes, right and left turns, and water.
-DX discs will take a beating with all the trees. Keep a happy mind...you WILL hit trees...lots of them...laugh, cry, whatever, but keep playing!
1-The hole is prety much in front of you. Trees everywhere!
2-A great leftie hole. The hole curves perfectly to the right. Short par 3
3-A tough throw through the woods to an elevated basket. In the winter, the basket is further and more to the right of the elevated pin.
4-Another great leftie hole but looks like it would be ok for a rightie too. The basket is behind the trees in front of you.
5-Long curve to the right. Lots of trees!
6-Trees everywhere! Are you sick of trees yet?!? Best option is a tomahawk through this mess.
7-A righties hole. Tight fairway. Lots of trees. Curves left.
8-Looong par 4 through a lot of trees. Lots of thick scrub on the right.
9-Another good righty hole. Beware of the thick scrub.Basket is in the clearing to the left.
10-Straight on. Trees everywhere. Thick scrub on the right.
11-Straight ahead, slightly to the left. Trees everywhere...YAY!
12-Elevated teepad. Creek behind and right of basket. It can get a little deep on the right. Thick scrub on the left.
13-The bridge to the teepad is now gone. Cross about 50' before where the bridge used to be. Uphill shot. Trees on the left, drop off/water on the right.
14-Trees everywhere. Elevation changes.
15-Very narrow fairway. Slight curve to the left. Elevated tee.
16-More trees! By now you have had it with the trees! If the creek is high, bring a good stick with you to the next hole to help cross the rocks
17-Trees! Water! Scrub! O my! Start with a throw across water. Curves to the right. Elevated basket on the mulch covered hill.
18-Long and tight. Trees everywhere.
19-Across the volleyball courts to the practice basket. Beware of walkers!

Easy to navigate, Hole markers show where the next tee is, short holes make up for the thick trees, Open all year

Lots of trees to screw up your throws if you don't get a good toss

The trees keep the wind off of you in the winter and that makes it a nice course to play in the off season

The course plays through a mostly flat wooded park with a couple minor elevation changes. The limited hills are used well to add some fun and interesting shots, and the creek running through part of the course adds some risk/reward on a couple holes as well. The course is pretty tight overall, you'll need to hit your lines or risk nasty kicks off into the dense trees. There is not really any underbrush here so you won't lose discs, but there are enough trees to have some punishment for errant shots.

The layout has a nice mix of hole lengths and shapes to keep things interesting. You'll need a balance of left and right turning shots (more right than left for a change), and a couple holes call for s-curves to have a shot at the pin. There are some ace runs and some longer holes that really test your control through the woods. The new signs are basic but informative enough with hole layout and distance. The concrete pads are fine, and the baskets are in pretty good shape.

There are a few holes that are a bit heavy on the luck factor, a little selective clearing would go a long way toward making those holes good competitive challenges. There are a couple awkward walks between holes where some next tee signs or info on the hole signs would go a long way, there is a map online that is accurate and helpful.

The course is a bit one dimensional. I love wooded courses so I had fun here, if that's not your thing or you need some open holes to enjoy a course this won't be at the top of your list.

This course will test your line shaping skills and your control through the woods. Beginners will find some of the holes pretty long and challenging, and the tight lines could be frustrating though the lack of nasty underbrush makes it less punishing. More experienced players will find some nice tests here, accuracy is at a premium and distance won't help a whole lot.

- description: heavily wooded course, with every hole playing within the woods
- variety: excellent use of topography. the course is mostly flat but makes good use of hills on back 9. short, long, left, right, uphill, downhill holes. most are tight, but some open up a bit more.
- favorite holes: 4, 11, 12, and 17. hole 4 is 222 ft long with trees grouped down the middle of the hole, opening up fairways on the left and the right. hole 11 is 447 ft with a wide fairway straight, then curving left, dipping down a small hill and climbing up another, with the basket positioned on the top edge of that hill. hole 12 is a 180 foot tight shot downhill to a basket near the edge of a stream. hole 17 is a nice sidearm shot out over a stream, curving right with the basket placed in the middle of a very steep hill.
- tees and signs: excellent concrete tees and great new signs.
- difficulty: high. tight fairways can be punishing. if you get a bad kick off a tree and are in the rough, very little chance of threading a recovery shot anywhere near the basket. definitely a course to practice your control and line shaping on. time to disc down.
- flow of course: very good. hole 9 and 18 end near parking lot. only issue is hole 17. after teeing off over the creek, you can either cross over on rocks if there hasn't been much rain or have to back track along the stream to the bridge that led to hole 13.
- not too busy.
- although heavily wooded, underbrush is not bad at all. very hard to lose a disc here
- practice basket is near hole 1
- bathrooms: are usually unlocked

- a few fairways: some are very tight. precision is definitely needed, but can sometimes feel like poke and hope. what are you going to do though? stay on the fairway as best you can

- bridge: to hole 13 is much better than it's been. headed in the right direction
One of my favorite woods courses.

This is a shining example of Woods Golf. If you enjoy playing heavily wooded courses where the emphasis is accuracy over distance then this is the place to be.

The course itself is located in a nice park with a ton of amenities. Bathrooms, athletic courts and fields, a skate park, and beach volleyball.

Basil is a mature course that winds through some heavy woods that are blessed with very little under growth. Most of the woods are fairly skinny new growth trees with just a smattering of larger old growth hardwoods. The thickness of the woods make this course a pleasure to play on those hot sunny days and provide good protection when it's windy.

The design of the course is two 9 hole loops that both meet at the parking lot. The whole course has a very nice balance between right turning, left turning and straight away. This balance makes it necessary to be able to throw all types of shots to score well. In my opinion there are some significant differences between the 9's that make the course interesting, with an arguable build up in quality as you progress through the holes. The front 9 plays pretty flat and with the exception of hole number 8 the holes are all very dueceable (that is unless you smack into one of the 6 million trees!). The back 9 has a longer feel to it (it's not really) and brings some elevation changes into play on most of the holes. The back nine also has some much more treacherous pin positions that make for some fast greens and bring water into play.

This course really emphasizes your midrange and putter accuracy. All but maybe 2-3 holes have very defined, if small, fairways as well as reasonable gaps that need to be hit to get a birdie. This is a great course for practicing your line shaping and hitting your gaps.

When I played this course is was absolutely spotless. It looked like the fairways had been vacuumed and there were 10 meter circles around each pin. The concrete tees were in perfect condition and all of the baskets were in good shape. The tee signs were in great shape. They show an accurate overview of the hole as well as the distance. At the beginning of the course there is a nice practice basket and a bathroom that is easily accessible from the parking lot, hole one and the walk from 9 to 10.

With the exception of one spot (after hole 3) navigation is not an issue. The course has a good flow to it and each tee is an appropriate distance from the previous pin.

This course has a very high fun factor. Maybe it is because I love woods golf but I think this course is a blast to play but if you are one of those people that has a freakout every time you hit a tree then it is probably not conducive to your good health to play here.

Although Navigation was not too difficult a few next tee signs would be helpful. This is most important after hole number 3. What appears to be the logical next tee is actually #6 whereas the correct next tee is off to the left. A couple other spots for concern are the transitions between 11 to 12 and 17 to 18.

Too wooded! This is not a con for me personally but I realize there are 4 or 5 people out there that do not share my joy of all things wooded. There are a few holes that I feel do not have a true fairway. People who don't like woods golf would probably say there are more than a few but Holes #6 and #18 are much more poke and hope than any of the others. #5 may be included in this as well. People who are not used to this style of golf could easily be discouraged by the small gaps and the occasional wall of trees.

A little short. Holes 8 and possibly 18 are the only shots were you get to air it out a little and you still have to avoid a lot of those pesky trees.

As I mentioned earlier I think this is a really fun course to play. Hit your lines or pay the price!

I played Basil during AM Worlds (before, during and after!) and the Rochester Disc Golf Club had it in spectacular condition. Not a loose stick or branch to be seen. I also got to meet a bunch of the locals that play this course and all of them were super cool and enthusiastic about disc golf.

This might not be the best course for competitive rounds since I will admit there is a significant luck factor in play but for casual play it is fantastic. Watching your buddy walk up to the tee and throw his Buzzz as hard as possible then walk 10 feet and throw it again has great entertainment value (then it happens to you so he thinks it's great too!). Really this course does a great job of teaching you to disc down to something you can control, Makes you work on placing your shot from the tee and hitting your putts with obstacles in the way. This is one of those places where you will likely need to do some straddle putting around trees.

If I am ever back in the Rochester area this will be the first course I stop and play.

- Cement tee pads.
- Signs in good condition with fairway, distance from cement tee pads, par and directions to next hole.
- Bathrooms located near parking lot which is accessible before you start, between holes 9 and 10, and when you finish. I am not sure if they are open all year long.
- Alternate tees are marked by colored wooden stumps in the ground which are easy to find (at least for blue tee). Basil has better markings for alternate tees than most of the other courses in the Rochester area.
- Faint orange spray paint marks greens on most holes. (33 feet from basket in all directions)
- Decent bridge for crossing stream that runs through course. An extra brige on hole 17 could save a little walk back to the bridge.
- Good course flow. The course atarts and ends at the parking lot and most holes follow each other pretty easily. There are some confusing tansitions I will discuss in the cons.
- Great course for working on control of throws. You do not need to throw far to do well on this course.
- Course requires a good mix of hyzer and anyzer drives as well as some straight, uphill and downhill throws.
- Very fun and interesting hole designs. One hole requires you to drive over a stream and then throw to a basket that is on a hill to the right. Other holes have baskets that are right at the edge of the stream so if you throw to far it is in the water. You wont lose the disc though. The basket for one hole is on a tall pile of rocks making for an interesting putt.

- Signs do not have distances for alternate tees.
- There are not many if any opportunities for those who like to launch discs.
- Some of the holes do not have clearly defined fairways and it feels as if you are just throwing and hoping for the best.
- Finally some of the transitions are confusing, particularly from gole 3 to hole 4. The tee for hole 4 and the tee for hole 6 are right by the basket. The tee for hole 6 looks like the logical place to go. Make sure to pay attention to the signs to make sure you are going to the right tee. The transition from hole 17 to hole 18 can be confusing. When you get to the top of the hill after hole 17 go to the right on the path to get to the tee for hole 18. Finally, on hole 5 the basket for hole 5 and hole 8 can be confused. The actual basket for hole 5 is quite a distance away and to the right.The basket for hole 8 is closer and to the left.

I really enjoy this course because I get satisfaction when I can control my throws and make them go where I want them too and there are plenty of opportunities to succeed or fail at this. I think with better directional signs and the distances of the alternate tees combined with beteer marking of the greens Basil Marell would be at a 4 or 4.5 rating.

This is a nicely done, heavily wooded course. The tee signs are quality new signs showing hole diagrams and distances. The longest tee pads are concrete pads of ample size. The baskets are quality multi-chain DISCatchers and the yellow bands make them easy to see through the trees. While the lines through the trees are tight, they are all fair (with the exception of #6). There isn't much underbrush on most of the holes, so getting a kick off a tree will usually leave you with a chance at making a shot "out". The short holes are all birdie-able when you hit your line. The longer holes require you to hit a line and place an upshot. The course flows well (with the exception of #3 to #4) and conveniently loops back near the parking lot between holes #9/10. Good sized parking lot and restrooms on site.

Hole #6 needs a few trees removed to get a realistic line to the basket; right now that hole is just a "throw and pray", "too much luck" hole. The trees here are brutal, they seem to kick discs harder than other trees, it's not uncommon to get sideways kicks of 100'+. There's virtually no grass on this course so I imagine it's a mud pit after some decent rains. The short tees are marked with stubby (~6") 4x4 posts in the ground that are pretty hard to find. There are a ton of tripping hazards on this course with rocks and exposed roots, so watch your footing.

Basil isn't really my cup of tea when it comes to courses. But I do wish I had a course like that close to me because I think playing there makes you a better golfer. Lucky shots will sometimes sneak through, but more often then not they're punished. You have to learn to hit your lines to master this course. Look at the DGCR pictures and you'll get a good idea of what your in for playing here.

Basil is the type of course that players can easily debate whether or not it's a "good" course. But golfers who appreciate watching discs fly where they're intended will appreciate this course. Your average recreational players will hate it.

Makes you think... which is a good thing in disc golf. If you dont look at the entire shot, you will not be happy. Strength in the trees disappears and takes a back seat to finesse and precision.

Mud. Unless it has been 90 degrees for a month, there is no getting around the mud. I had a pair of Basil socks... white with brown spots... and some holes from snags.

Overall a great course. The last time I was there a group of local school kids were there for a Phys Ed field trip. Made for an interesting round, but great to see the kids out playing.

This is the course I learned disc golf on and it is the course I keep coming back to. This course FORCES you to throw a variety of shots, all of which must be very accurate. If you think this course is a throw and pray course then you are mistaken... it may have taken me a hundred rounds but every hole has a line to follow (with varying difficulty). This course will test your aim and your patience. Basil also takes excellent advantage if elevation change and the creek that runs through the park.

Those who are accustomed to open courses may struggle on this course. However, if you struggle on this course then this is the course you should play (if you want to improve). Also, in the spring and after a heavy rain this course can be pretty muddy; just be prepared.

Over the course of the last year the GRDGC club has put in concrete tee pads and cleared tree for more defined fairways. This course is now primed to be one of, if not the best, course for 2011 AM Worlds.

-Concrete tee pads at every hole.
-A thinker's course. Every lie will leave you with a few lines to choose from.
-Very well controlled undergrowth. Makes it easier for your discs to go home with you.
-Mostly very tight wooded lines, but a few chances to use a driver.
-All accuracy based. The trees will make sure all arm strengths have a chance.
-Many benches give you a chance to take a load off.
-Navigation is pretty easy, with the exception of two holes (See cons).
-The go-to course for windy/lousy weather as the trees provide shelter.
-Never repetitive. The nature of this course guarantees that you will be throwing different lines every time you play.
-Easy to find, and ample parking.

-Can get a pretty muddy on a few of the holes.
-Needs another bridge over the stream at 17. After teeing off, follow the stream to the left and use the same bridge you crossed earlier. This means taking your eyes off of your disc, often resulting in someone searching.
-Another navigation trick: After finishing 17, climb the hill and follow the footpath to the right. Turn left at the pullup bar and follow the path to 18.
-There are restrooms, but they are rarely open.
-Not all signs are accurate, as the course has changed a few times.

-A great accuracy based course. Load your bag with mid-ranges, as they will be the order of the day.
-Awesome in the winter as it protects you from our rotten Rochester weather.
-Pair this course with Widener or Parma for a great combination. Basil will warm you up, and the others will let you rip 'em.
-All in all a beautiful, but heavily wooded course. As you approach your disc you'll be thinking there's no way through, but every lie will leave you a window or three. Great course design, IMO.

Heavily Wooded is an understatement! very tight "fairways" if you want to call them fair. lots of tricky lines that if you miss the slightest,you have a good chance of being "in Jail" this course is full of risk/reward type shots. concrete tees, signs. Nice and secluded little patch of wooded land next to a really nice park with a skate park in it as well.

could use a nice cleanup effort, maybe a little bit of a grooming would crisp it up a bit. You should bring a map if not familiar, although there are hole signs at the tees, it was sometimes difficult to find the next hole. a few directional arrows would help greatly.

Lots of potential, seems under cared for.

Very technical, excellent course to learn on because it teaches new players that precision is the way to low scores. If you can get through this course at par or under then a wide open course should be cake. Also it's right down the street from me so I play there the most. Oh, and the new bridge from 12 to 13 is fantastic!

Mosquitoes, drunks, weirdos who just walk around aimlessly, other than that it's all good.

Sharp shooters dream! very challenging, exclusively wooded course.

Holes are well marked, concrete pads are nice and big for lefties and righties alike.

Very scenic, fair amount of elevation change.

Maintenance much better recently.

Power player's nightmare! this is a short course with lots and lots of trees! shank drive is a guaranteed bogey on some holes.

course can be crowded, riff raff can get frustrating for players big on etiquette.

crossing the creek on the back 9 is a hassle right now. theres isn't a bridge, just a series of stepping stones. you have to cross the creek twice, expect wet feet, bridge to come soon though.

smooth is the name of the game here! you'll get to use every shot you can think of here!

Its totally worth hitting trees to have those shots that find their way perfectly down the fairways here! those are the ones you remember.

Quick and easy to find from RTE. 390. Lots of parking and friendly locals. Lots of shade in the summer time as this course has all 18 holes in the woods.

Teaches you how to be accurate with all types of shots. Also forces you to be creative at times. The undergrowth is pretty low unless you go way off the beaten path so finding discs isn't too bad. Unless creek is flooded and muddy you will get your disc back.

New concrete tees as of summer '08 make this course much more playable when wet.

Bugs. This course tends to hold water for a while and we all know how much it rains in Rochester so the mosquitoes can get quite nasty.

Vandals have torn this course up over the years. Signs are missing/graffiti and benches/bridges get ruined. Lots of trash on the course, wish the town would provide some garbage cans.

On a day when you're not hitting the gaps all the trees can be frustrating.

I love this course. Its what got me started on Disc Golf since I live down the road from the park.
You gotta give it a try and see what you think for yourself. Intimidating at first but play it often and you learn to embrace the trees.

Concrete tee pads, good mix of shots required. Helpful locals, plenty of parking. Not too much brush for the most part makes finding errant shots easy. Good mix of distances on a totally wooded course. Fun place for a round in the summer. Short walks between holes makes for a pretty quick round.

Pretty muddy in spots, some holes have no apparent lane for playing the first time.

I would probably place this course as 4th best in Roch. area, behind Parma, Baker Farm, and Ellison. Close to Parma so you can get try and play both in an evening.

This is a very Challenging cousre and if you rush it you can get it done in about a hour and fifteen

LOTS OF TREES. A little lick needs to be on your side with this couse the amount of trees in there makes for very small fairways that even the most skillfull shooter can have his shot swatted down.(sometimes i think the trees move to hit your disc on purpose)

There is a bridige on the back nine that vandels almost always have broken

Super challenging wooded course. There are lanes in the woods but if you have an errant shot you will pay. The new concrete tees really help. #1, 9, 10, and 18 are all close to parking area so it's easy to just do 9 when that's all the time you have.

Limited signage or broken ones make it difficult for first timers to figure some holes. There can be lots of garbage at times.

I wish some idiots didn't trash courses but I try to help out here and always pick up some of the trash while playing.

Fun and challenging wooded course with a well thought out design on most holes. I found it easy to navigate. Forces you to play under control and be accurate. Playing cautious is to your advantage here as opposed to some courses where you can go all out on every throw and never pay for it. You need a variety of different throws to do well here. Many risk vs. reward shots. Good signs. Concrete tees. Beginner friendly since there is little chance of losing a disc or spending time searching for your disc. A few signature holes that I want to play again and again. Hole 15 is an awesome hole.

Not an even mix of wooded vs. open holes. Drainage can be an issue after a good rain. The front 9 can be a little frustrating with how tight some of the lines are.

One of the funnest courses i've ever played. Great course to compete against your friends because anything can happen. You can be leading by 4 shots on one hole and trailing the next hole. I like the back 9 alot better so if you are rushed for time you can start there right from the parking lot as 10 begins nearby. I think the designers did a great job. They used what elevation and water they had nicely. An elevated basket and one on the side of a hill really help to mix things up. Not the best course in Rochester but that doesn't do Basil justice since there are so many great ones around. A very good course overall and a great wooded course if thats your thing. If you've never played here... you should check it out, its worth the time.