Ionia, MI

Bertha Brock County Park

3.625(based on 13 reviews)
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2 0
RyanF
Experience: 14 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Bertha Brock 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 21, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

FUN! Planted right in the middle of a forest, through some of the most exciting terrain you can ask for in disc golf.

BIG signs, well marked tees. The signs show both the elevations you'll be shooting as well as the path and distance.

I've only played this course once so its nuances are probably lost on me, but I loved it, the trees are tall enough, and the holes manicured enough that you can throw high or low for most of them.

Lots of shots up, and down hill, left and right, loop de loop. It's a small exciting course!

Cons:

Planted right in the middle of a forest, don't expect to go all out on many shots and have a good time. You will hit a lot of trees if you're not careful, and I wouldn't play many darker discs unless you're really confident, being in the woods with these elevation changes can make for unpredictable disc behavior, running discs are a big problem here.

Tees, are uneven and cloth.

After 4 on certain days the gun club takes over half the course, making the front 9 not just a DANGER, if you're not good at reading signs its outright LETHAL.

The course can be tiring and there are zero benches after the 1st hole. The only trash bins are co-opted bins of various forms size and shape.

Other Thoughts:

$2 entrance fee, well worth it. The park rangers said there are a lot of updates on the way. And they were both out cleaning and raking the course even though it was so early in the year.

I expect great things from this course in the future, I will definitely be going back.
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10 0
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 14 years 350 played 299 reviews
3.00 star(s)

you're going to hear brutal and punishing a lot in this review... 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 5, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Aesthetic--even in the late fall bareness and cold this place is nice. The park is HUGE and multipurpose but the disc golf area is shared with some hiking trails. As has been said before, wednesdays after 4pm, the course is pretty much unplayable due to people shooting guns nearby

Baskets--ChainStars...w00t! I think they could be made slightly more visible in this thick wood

Navigation--easy with the next tee signs and the next tee tines in EVERY basket!

Challenge/variety-- I will put these two together because the challenge is in the variety. The lines are SUPER tight (near impossible in places) the leaves and deadfall make it even more heart-racking. I found myself throwing 150-200 ft shots just to keep track of my discs!! However, the repetition of the woods and tightness are a bit overwhelming at times.

Signage--Beautiful. I love the elevation maps they are completely necessary on this course as half the baskets are NOT visible from the teepads.

Risk v Reward--yeah, the risk here is a punishing rough and fighting out of it (which may take two shot to get back to the fairway).

Elevation--it's a positive and a negative here. the elevation is used very very well but it is repetitive at times throwing over a hill or up a hill or over a hill and over a second hill and up a hill.

Cons:

Teepads--or the lack there of. they were muddy and slick on the back 9 today. the carpet pads are nicer but not a permanent solution by any means.

Trees-yep, trees. I don't mind tight wooded courses but this is extreme. The rough is SUPER Rough and the fairways and lines are hard to see most of the time. I had 3 3's on the day and it's easy to see why. I believe thoroughly that this course (unless trimmed nicely) won't see a negative overall score for a long time. I belive this course will remind some of the longs at Leviathan where you have to pick your line and plan your shots 2-3 throws ahead of time...

Other Thoughts:

Some of the other reviews say that you will have to use forehand. I didn't have to use it, with a decent enough turnover or flex shot anything is possible.

I think the possibilities are endless at this park and that it will only improve with time. I will update my review when improvements are made!
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6 1
Hfactor
Experience: 17.8 years 38 played 11 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 3, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hilly and wooded. No open bomber shots, pretty much all technical but def some distance too. Many holes have interesting pin placements that make you shoot for par and not want to go for birdie. Has an even amount of left and right holes. The course has promise to be great in the future.

The signage was probably the best ive seen. Seeing the elevation change on the sign was really cool.

I never felt lost, the tee signs showed where the next tee was and the baskets usually had some blue tape pointing to where the next one was.

The baskets are great and just sucked my discs right in, no spit outs from these chains.

The course was cheap at $2 to park. It's relatively close to Lansing too, about an hour west.

There is a practice basket.

Hole 10 is right by the parking lot so you could start on 1 or 10. Layouts like this always please me.
There are other good courses near this one which could make for an excellent day trip,
Fallasberg and Hastings.

Even though the course is rough I had a great time playing this course! Thanks for making this sport grow with another great course!

Cons:

The temp tee pads all have a barrier at the end that wont allow you to follow through on your drives. Ontop of being uneven and about 5 feet too short. They were about 2 steps long which is 1 step and a follow through too short.

Since the course is so new there are dead hanging branches everywhere. Some of the holes are so thick with trees it feels like there is no line, just throw it down the "fairway" and hope it doesnt hit a tree or some dead branches.

I noticed some of the signs seemed a bit misleading as to what the hole actually did, I think it was only 1 or 2 of the holes that were off. Hole 18 being one of them.

Other Thoughts:

We left and there were 9 cars in the parking lot including mine. So this place is getting some publicity already.

In a few years when its edges get cleaned up and cement pads that allow a full three steps and follow through then this course will be at least a 4.0 in my book and I will definitely edit my rating and review at that time.

Some of the hills are extremely slippery right now because the ground is just cluttered with leaves.

Hole 18 Really reminds me of either 12 or 14 at The new burchfield course rivers edge. It goes straight, then 90º left for about 60 feet, then 90º back to the right for another 135-175 feet. I actually liked this one better than burchfields hole.

Even when this course gets cleaned up the only holes I see being aceable are hole 9 and the hole that goes down hill for 230 feet (14?). So that means this course is tough and will probably stay tough even when it gets cleaned up. Thats a plus in my book, it gives the course replay value.

There was a sign that said there is a Gun Range close by and they practice on Wednesday after 4pm. This causes half the course to be unplayable on Wednesday nights, which means I just wouldnt even go there on Wednesday.

If you like seeing raw challenging courses go play this course before it changes!
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