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Coleman Memorial Park reviews
16
0
Excellent New Course
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Feb 1, 2024
Played the course:once
Pros:
.
*** The two previous reviews are pretty comprehensive. You should read them. I'l try to stick to points that aren't covered as much. ***
+ Big warm-up area with a practice basket. Large course map on announcement board; park bathrooms available seasonally.
+ Flush concrete tees, two sets of DisCatchers (Yellows short, Reds long), excellent signage. Adequate navigation for most transitions, directional arrows fixed to the base of cages.
+ The difference between the layouts for most holes is just length, but it's substantial: it adds 3000 feet, although that's offset some by adding 12 strokes to par. Intermediate players with sub-300' length can tread water on most Red holes, except for a few of the longer par 3's. Consider playing one of the mixed layouts for more variety.
+ OB rope lines along the ground around a lot of the greens and landing areas (especially Red), creating extra challenge.
In Summary: many excellent holes - and no bad ones. No really short ones (several Yellows under 300' in the middle of the layout). A few very memorable ones:
+ Five is a par four that starts with a steep and narrow downhill to an old forest roadway creating a left dogleg. You have to be able to throw something that won't fade for the first several hundred feet until it reaches the bottom, and if you do, you'll be rewarded with a significantly shorter approach. The yellow basket is tucked to the left behind a tree, and the red basket is farther out but it's off to the right. So you really are playing different types of holes with your second shot here.
+ 15 is the signature hole, with the baskets picturesquely set up on the ruins of the old Lebanon Furnace. They must have had to tear out a ton of heavy trees to make this hole.
+ 16 is another really pretty hole. You're throwing off a high tee into a fairly clear fairway below. There are some trees guarding the approach and the baskets: 323 Par 3 and 530 Par Four.
.
*** The two previous reviews are pretty comprehensive. You should read them. I'l try to stick to points that aren't covered as much. ***
+ Big warm-up area with a practice basket. Large course map on announcement board; park bathrooms available seasonally.
+ Flush concrete tees, two sets of DisCatchers (Yellows short, Reds long), excellent signage. Adequate navigation for most transitions, directional arrows fixed to the base of cages.
+ The difference between the layouts for most holes is just length, but it's substantial: it adds 3000 feet, although that's offset some by adding 12 strokes to par. Intermediate players with sub-300' length can tread water on most Red holes, except for a few of the longer par 3's. Consider playing one of the mixed layouts for more variety.
+ OB rope lines along the ground around a lot of the greens and landing areas (especially Red), creating extra challenge.
In Summary: many excellent holes - and no bad ones. No really short ones (several Yellows under 300' in the middle of the layout). A few very memorable ones:
+ Five is a par four that starts with a steep and narrow downhill to an old forest roadway creating a left dogleg. You have to be able to throw something that won't fade for the first several hundred feet until it reaches the bottom, and if you do, you'll be rewarded with a significantly shorter approach. The yellow basket is tucked to the left behind a tree, and the red basket is farther out but it's off to the right. So you really are playing different types of holes with your second shot here.
+ 15 is the signature hole, with the baskets picturesquely set up on the ruins of the old Lebanon Furnace. They must have had to tear out a ton of heavy trees to make this hole.
+ 16 is another really pretty hole. You're throwing off a high tee into a fairly clear fairway below. There are some trees guarding the approach and the baskets: 323 Par 3 and 530 Par Four.
.
Cons:
`
- My cons are pretty minor, except for one important safety hazard. As great as the basket placements are on #15 (up on the old foundry ruins), the walk back down is treacherous - even dangerous. There are a number of spots with exposed rebar sticking up out of the cement, and some of the sidehill path is already eroding. Staircases, walkways, maybe even boardwalks are necessary to reduce the possibility of injuries
- This is a new course, and I suspect this will be addressed, but a few transitions could use some additional navigational signage. 6-7, 9-10, 14-15, and 17-18 are a little difficult to figure out the first time through. A couple of well-placed signs on trees would help.
- This course has been cut out of thick woods, and the only relatively open park-style holes are 1, 13, 14 and 18. Designers tried to dress up 13 and 14 a bit with hanging baskets. All four holes are decent, incorpating scattered mature holes and elevation changes (reminded me of much of Klines Run). They're duller than the rest, but they provide a little relief as they move you to another deeply wooded area of the course.
- Wide fairways with tight gaps 175' - 250' up the fairway got to feel a little monotonous by midway through the round.
`
- My cons are pretty minor, except for one important safety hazard. As great as the basket placements are on #15 (up on the old foundry ruins), the walk back down is treacherous - even dangerous. There are a number of spots with exposed rebar sticking up out of the cement, and some of the sidehill path is already eroding. Staircases, walkways, maybe even boardwalks are necessary to reduce the possibility of injuries
- This is a new course, and I suspect this will be addressed, but a few transitions could use some additional navigational signage. 6-7, 9-10, 14-15, and 17-18 are a little difficult to figure out the first time through. A couple of well-placed signs on trees would help.
- This course has been cut out of thick woods, and the only relatively open park-style holes are 1, 13, 14 and 18. Designers tried to dress up 13 and 14 a bit with hanging baskets. All four holes are decent, incorpating scattered mature holes and elevation changes (reminded me of much of Klines Run). They're duller than the rest, but they provide a little relief as they move you to another deeply wooded area of the course.
- Wide fairways with tight gaps 175' - 250' up the fairway got to feel a little monotonous by midway through the round.
`
Other Thoughts:
`
~ A lot of the holes just add length between the two baskets, but three of them stand out as presenting varied challenges between Yellow and Red. The par four 5 places the baskets on opposite sides of the fairway, creating very different second shot shapes. Holes 8 and 9 add significant gauntlets of trees you have to navigate in order to reach the Red baskets
~ Local sponsors advertising on the tee signs and on the basket bands. Always a good indication of an active club.
~ Big credit to the designers of this course. They found a huge park with a lot of woods and cut a really nice disc golf course into those woods.
`
~ A lot of the holes just add length between the two baskets, but three of them stand out as presenting varied challenges between Yellow and Red. The par four 5 places the baskets on opposite sides of the fairway, creating very different second shot shapes. Holes 8 and 9 add significant gauntlets of trees you have to navigate in order to reach the Red baskets
~ Local sponsors advertising on the tee signs and on the basket bands. Always a good indication of an active club.
~ Big credit to the designers of this course. They found a huge park with a lot of woods and cut a really nice disc golf course into those woods.
`
14
0
Yet Another Course That Ruins the Grading Curve
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Nov 19, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
Coleman Memorial Park is another in a string of Michael Dunkle & Charlie Greco designed courses. I enjoyed many of their previous area courses and this forested course is no exception.
I would compare it more to Boyertown Park's DG and Lenape in Skippack, than directly to South Hills, though. Definitely lengthier but the same type of vibe and seemingly endless amount of trees. In this time of year, brush was no problem -- although there are hints of it being a much bigger deal in summer.
It has significant elevation throughout but that also isn't a super major focus other than #5's big downhill bomber. Nearly all elevation is directly up or down head on, rather than any playing on left-right slanted hillsides.
Every hole has a single tee with yellow shorter baskets and red longer baskets. I played the shorter ones and there are two consistencies that made this course stick out. There are tight gaps everywhere and nearly every tee-off seemed to have some gap in the intermediate distance to navigate around.
Second, even on the shorter holes, which were plenty lengthy enough for me, there was a variety of viable ways to attack the basket, especially when inevitably scrambling. It's not just a backhand machete march through the jungle, well unless you want it to be, but often wasn't the best option. My rarely used overhands, forehand flicks, a few scoober rollers and evern a tomahawk got a lot more practice here.
#15 is definitely a signature scenic hole, baskets sitting atop the ruins of the remains of the Lebanon North Furnace. The park itself has a lot of other activities, like a pool or a Mini Golf course that sadly closed this year, and historical buildings combined and was one of the more historical places I saw in my DG runarounds.
Overall, this is one of those courses, in a string of recent excellent courses, that make me go back and reevaluate a lotta old scores and lower them. The bar for what a typical course entails has definitely been raised here in SE PA, since I started reviewing around 2017. Back then, just having a few baskets that sat upright and looking like it was mowed at least once the last decade meant an automatic 2 stars. Have times changed!
I would compare it more to Boyertown Park's DG and Lenape in Skippack, than directly to South Hills, though. Definitely lengthier but the same type of vibe and seemingly endless amount of trees. In this time of year, brush was no problem -- although there are hints of it being a much bigger deal in summer.
It has significant elevation throughout but that also isn't a super major focus other than #5's big downhill bomber. Nearly all elevation is directly up or down head on, rather than any playing on left-right slanted hillsides.
Every hole has a single tee with yellow shorter baskets and red longer baskets. I played the shorter ones and there are two consistencies that made this course stick out. There are tight gaps everywhere and nearly every tee-off seemed to have some gap in the intermediate distance to navigate around.
Second, even on the shorter holes, which were plenty lengthy enough for me, there was a variety of viable ways to attack the basket, especially when inevitably scrambling. It's not just a backhand machete march through the jungle, well unless you want it to be, but often wasn't the best option. My rarely used overhands, forehand flicks, a few scoober rollers and evern a tomahawk got a lot more practice here.
#15 is definitely a signature scenic hole, baskets sitting atop the ruins of the remains of the Lebanon North Furnace. The park itself has a lot of other activities, like a pool or a Mini Golf course that sadly closed this year, and historical buildings combined and was one of the more historical places I saw in my DG runarounds.
Overall, this is one of those courses, in a string of recent excellent courses, that make me go back and reevaluate a lotta old scores and lower them. The bar for what a typical course entails has definitely been raised here in SE PA, since I started reviewing around 2017. Back then, just having a few baskets that sat upright and looking like it was mowed at least once the last decade meant an automatic 2 stars. Have times changed!
Cons:
I couldn't see any inherent flaws in the course itself. Outside of #5 and #15, there were really few distinctive holes, one seems to flow to the next -- which can be a plus or minus. I think it added to the vibe but others might want more variety.
Biggest letdown wasn't the course, per se, but the masses of leaves. It's just the most leaves I've seen on a course. There's a good chance to throw a disc and lose it as it slides underneath. Or worse, in the piles on the side of the fairways. Idk if this is just a shortlived fall problem or something that will hang around the entirety of winter. But I partially submerged my disc a lot and lost it completely a few times, that required intensive search and rescue.
Tees in, tee numbers in, no course or hole signs yet. People were working that weekend on a central course sign so expect it to come. Some big jumps between holes, use uDisc or d/l a map.
Biggest letdown wasn't the course, per se, but the masses of leaves. It's just the most leaves I've seen on a course. There's a good chance to throw a disc and lose it as it slides underneath. Or worse, in the piles on the side of the fairways. Idk if this is just a shortlived fall problem or something that will hang around the entirety of winter. But I partially submerged my disc a lot and lost it completely a few times, that required intensive search and rescue.
Tees in, tee numbers in, no course or hole signs yet. People were working that weekend on a central course sign so expect it to come. Some big jumps between holes, use uDisc or d/l a map.
Other Thoughts:
I played only the short yellows. YMMV on the longer reds.
