Raymond, CA

Cody Minter Memorial DGC

2.25(based on 5 reviews)
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Cody Minter Memorial DGC reviews

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Lonhart
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 30.1 years 422 played 38 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Gem in the rough 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 6, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Solitude - it is highly likely you will have the entire course to yourself.
-Baskets (9 DGAs) are in good shape.
-Large oak trees come into play on some of the fairways, but usually allow multiple approaches and routes to the basket. This is a great example of oak chaparral habitat, and there is a seasonal creeklet along the western edge of the property.
-There is moderate elevation at this site (20-40 ft changes), but generally consists of gentle rises and falls. Great terrain.
-Scenic terrain, with occasional rocky outcrops, some of which serving as a valuable landmark.
-Most baskets are visible from the tee, but there are a few that are hidden and the first time through you will need to walk along the fairway to see the basket.
-There is a course map, which was made by the course designer. It is actually quite accurate even though it is a digital drawing, and quite helpful. You must have the map to navigate the course.

Cons:

-There are no tee signs or other indicators to show you where the tee pad is located. Nor is there information about where to through.
-The baskets are not labeled. Writing the hole # on the poles would be very helpful.
-Tee pads are outlined with brown pressure-treated 4x4s buried in the ground. The wood is still there and intact, but the dirt in the tee is full of weeds (no real use is keeping them bare), and weeds are, in general, everywhere and obscuring the tee pads. Tee pads do point in the direction of the basket.
-There are multiple tee pads per hole. It would be great to label each pad with a number. Since the map has red and white tees, the #s could be in red and white paint to correspond with the map.
-There are no 'use trails' that show where to go next. This is clearly an area that has little traffic, other than wildlife.
-There are no benches, trash cans or other amenities, but given this is a 9 hole course at an elementary school, that seems fair.

Other Thoughts:

I played on March 6, 2020. As you drive into the tiny town of Raymond from the south (coming from Hwy 99), the Raymond-Knowles Elementary School is just about the first thing you see. I checked into the Admin Office, which is to the right of the parking lot (about 10 car spaces). The staff was very pleasant, excited to host a disc golfer, but had very little information to offer. Since no children were present that day, I literally had the whole place to myself.

From the parking lot (which also serves as the drive-thru pick up area), walk to the southern end of the school and you will see the fence begin. The gate is downslope of two large dumpsters, the only gate in the fence, and in front of a large power pole on the other side of the fence. The gate was unlocked but had a mechanism to keep it closed. I've added photos for you to see the conditions during my visit.

With the exception of hole #4, I was able to find the tee boxes. They are heavily overgrown with weeds. Even minimal use would make them much more obvious. Or a little maintenance.

There are, in theory, at least two tee pads per hole. With the exception of hole 9, I only ever found one tee, but I am sure they are there, under the weeds. I can only describe the holes as I played them from the tees I found.

Hole by hole description from 6 MAR 2020 for RHBH
#1. Slight downhill, with barbed-wire fence on right running parallel to fairway. Basket is visible from tee, straight shot at it. Oak trees on both sides, and basket is sheltered under an oak tree. After playing #1, head west (in same direction you came for previous hole) and up the slope near the fence of the schoolyard, behind two large oak trees.
#2. Slight uphill then slightly down fairway, with basket obscured from tee. Tee shot goes between two large oak trees. Longer drive for this course, heads south. On grassy knoll in wide open. Next tee is south and down slope under an oak tree. Southern fencing of property will be on your left as you tee for #3.
#3. I did not find this tee and ended up finding the short tee for hole 9 and shooting at basket 8. I did not know my error at the time, and only figured it out as I wrote this narrative. After you play basket 2, tee 3 should be just down the slope a bit. I could see basket 3 but never found the tee, which I am sure is there, but was buried in weeds. I looked for about 5 min and them made my own tee on the maintenance road and shot up to the basket. Basket 3 is just past a large oak, with the corner of the schoolyard fence behind it in the field of view (but not really a hazard). Next tee is up and to left (west) of basket 3.
#4. Tee pad is visible and adjacent to (west or left of) dirt maintenance road. Basket is visible on a slight hill, with a different arm of the maintenance road in the middle. Some trees can come into play. Basket has logs forming a border on all sides but north.
#5. Tee pad is back (south) of basket 4 and up the slope, closer to the schoolyard fence and under a cluster of 4 oaks. Basket barely visible, protected by a pair of oaks. Fenced property to right, looks like school maintenance yard.
#6. Tee pad for the 'short' position was just upslope (east) of a short wall of rocks. There is a fence on your left, and the shot is downhill and heads into several rock formations and some thick trees and bushes. This is the northwest corner of the property (the fence on your right as you tee runs east-west). Basket 6 was in the seasonal creeklet's ravine, and had lots of weeds in it (see photo). Next tee pad was near the fence (now running north-south) and easy to find.
#7. An uphill drive to a clearly visible basket framed by two large oaks, blue sky in the background. Next tee pad is back down the slope, heading towards the north-south fence.
#8. Long hole with oak trees framing a wide fairway. Initial drive will be out on flat area, and then approach up the hill to the basket on slope next to large oaks. Next tee pad is up the hill and closer to fence (running west-east). Long pad #9 is in open near the crest of the ridge, shorter pad #9 is down the slope (east) under an oak tree.
#9. Another long hole for this course. Basket 9 is visible near where you started. Slight downhill on drive, then lesser uphill on approach, with fallen tree debris just in front of the basket.

I enjoyed this course, particularly for the quiet and solitude. If it was used a little more, or if someone spent 2 hr per month on it to clear out the 'rough', it would be a real gem.

**If you have issues with this review, please message me and provide constructive criticism. I am always seeking to improve the information I provide.**
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