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Crooked River DGC reviews
10
0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
20 years
1008 played
579 reviews
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 12, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
Crooked River DGC is a solid course for this area. Good course for beginners and with the dual baskets, and there's enough challenge for intermediate players and up.
The baskets here are really nice. DD Veteran's on every hole. Not just one, but 2 baskets, permanently on every hole. The blue ones are the longs (or back 9). The red ones are the shorts (front 9). These baskets look fantastic and catch good enough. Love the dual basket setup, which is rare around these parts. Nicely done.
The tee pads are concrete and of ample size. One tee per hole, but with the two baskets per hole hole this works great. All pads were in great shape, level and had solid traction to them. Zero complaints from me.
The layout is pretty easy to follow. A map is definitely going to speed things along, but isn't necessary to find your way around here. The only lengthier transitions are from hole hole 2 to 3, which is fairly obvious since you're at a pinch point. Then from 3 to 4 which you have to head over to the other side of the basketball courts and tennis courts.
The course offers a decent challenge to most players. Not overly hard but it forces you to hit specific lines in spots and there's a few low ceiling shots that'll punish you if you sky your shot. The difference between the two pin placements adds to this too.
The tee signs and course map kiosk are fantastic. Bright, bold signs with a nice looking hole map showing any OB or mandos, hole #, pars and distances for the blue or red position (which are listed as it being an 18). Great signs.
The course is permanent and free to play. Likely never too busy.
The baskets here are really nice. DD Veteran's on every hole. Not just one, but 2 baskets, permanently on every hole. The blue ones are the longs (or back 9). The red ones are the shorts (front 9). These baskets look fantastic and catch good enough. Love the dual basket setup, which is rare around these parts. Nicely done.
The tee pads are concrete and of ample size. One tee per hole, but with the two baskets per hole hole this works great. All pads were in great shape, level and had solid traction to them. Zero complaints from me.
The layout is pretty easy to follow. A map is definitely going to speed things along, but isn't necessary to find your way around here. The only lengthier transitions are from hole hole 2 to 3, which is fairly obvious since you're at a pinch point. Then from 3 to 4 which you have to head over to the other side of the basketball courts and tennis courts.
The course offers a decent challenge to most players. Not overly hard but it forces you to hit specific lines in spots and there's a few low ceiling shots that'll punish you if you sky your shot. The difference between the two pin placements adds to this too.
The tee signs and course map kiosk are fantastic. Bright, bold signs with a nice looking hole map showing any OB or mandos, hole #, pars and distances for the blue or red position (which are listed as it being an 18). Great signs.
The course is permanent and free to play. Likely never too busy.
Cons:
Hole 5 is a filler hole if I've ever seen one. It doesn't even aid in the flow of the course either. Rather it does the opposite. Wasn't a fan of this one.
Some of the lines are borderline unfair with the height required to actually pure the line. In ten years or so when these maples actually grow up a bit let's talk. It's essentially flare skip shots with nowhere to flare to, at putter distances. Not ideal.
Lots of pedestrian traffic issues here. Play it safe and you'll be ok. This is just the nature of the game when you play a course in a condensed space such as this.
Some of the lines are borderline unfair with the height required to actually pure the line. In ten years or so when these maples actually grow up a bit let's talk. It's essentially flare skip shots with nowhere to flare to, at putter distances. Not ideal.
Lots of pedestrian traffic issues here. Play it safe and you'll be ok. This is just the nature of the game when you play a course in a condensed space such as this.
Other Thoughts:
The idea is really solid here. The execution is about as good as you can do with the available space. I just have to rate all facets of the course and a 2 is what it is imo. Definitely one of the better nines, if not the best in the immediate area. Not a must play, but well worth your time if do find yourself in this area.
10
0
DeanMoriarty
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
6.9 years
644 played
33 reviews
Not So Crooked River
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 13, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
- As of 11/13/22, teepads were being set and when finished will be cement which is good even if it's a short, small 9er. Tee signs were nicely done and provided good information about each hole. Baskets were Dynamic Veterans that caught pretty great and will stand the test of time.
- Some decent distances and lines which will challenge intermediate and beginners. Designers did their best to not make every hole the same RHBH hyzer shot or the usual 200-250 ft hole with the basket dead straight ahead with no obstacles in your way.
- Big mature oak trees throughout the last 6 holes which at least makes things less boring.
- Two pins per hole which both offer different lines to get to each of the two holes. Reds for short pins and blues for the long pins.
- Some decent distances and lines which will challenge intermediate and beginners. Designers did their best to not make every hole the same RHBH hyzer shot or the usual 200-250 ft hole with the basket dead straight ahead with no obstacles in your way.
- Big mature oak trees throughout the last 6 holes which at least makes things less boring.
- Two pins per hole which both offer different lines to get to each of the two holes. Reds for short pins and blues for the long pins.
Cons:
- Wasn't a fan of holes 2, 3, and 4 playing so closely to the other activities areas of the park although the tunnel shot on hole 3 where you are shooting in between the fence for the basketball court on your right and I believe a tennis court on your left makes for an interesting hole.
- Layout is kind of wonky after hole 4 and took a little bit of wandering to figure out where to go next.
- Another typical flat, boring Illinois park course where the course will become mostly unplayable during the busy times of summer when non-DGers are out and about. I really wish towns would consider not putting DG courses anywhere near things like tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds, etc because it's only a matter of time before someone gets beaned in the head.
- I have a pretty big dislike for when courses will have two sets of teepads or baskets for longs and shorts and they count each teepad or basket as a different hole to make it an "18" hole course. Why??
- Layout is kind of wonky after hole 4 and took a little bit of wandering to figure out where to go next.
- Another typical flat, boring Illinois park course where the course will become mostly unplayable during the busy times of summer when non-DGers are out and about. I really wish towns would consider not putting DG courses anywhere near things like tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds, etc because it's only a matter of time before someone gets beaned in the head.
- I have a pretty big dislike for when courses will have two sets of teepads or baskets for longs and shorts and they count each teepad or basket as a different hole to make it an "18" hole course. Why??
Other Thoughts:
Crooked River DGC is yet another 2022 9er (or it can be played as an 18er) that popped up in the upper middle part of IL and it's another one that isn't horrible but it isn't good either. It's just OK. Like I said earlier, the teepads are not finished yet but will be I'm guessing very soon which would've made for a better round for myself as I had to tee off to the right or left of the covered teepads which ruined a couple of lines. Never the less, this one is worth the spin if you happen to be out here.
