Crystal City Underground DGC - North reviews
15
1
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 27, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
Nice to have a change of pace and to get out of the hot sun. We didnt buy lights for our discs but had flashlights. It was exciting to see how long it would take to hear it hit a wall (if ever). It gets a high rating based on the experience.
Cons:
Very poor lighting. Some lights were burnt out and you cant see the wires that can get in the way. Had trouble finding the place because there wasnt much for signage off the main road. Had trouble finding a couple of holes, we once shot at the wrong basket.
Other Thoughts:
-Dont use your nice discs. We used junkers and they were battle worn by the end.
-We used flashlights instead of lights on our discs and never had problem finding the disks.
-Its all sand. I wore flip flops and did most drives barefoot, but there are some rocks to beware of.
-If you get cold easy, bring sleeves.
-It was worth the $5 just for the first time experience, will be curious what it'll be like in a few years.
-We used flashlights instead of lights on our discs and never had problem finding the disks.
-Its all sand. I wore flip flops and did most drives barefoot, but there are some rocks to beware of.
-If you get cold easy, bring sleeves.
-It was worth the $5 just for the first time experience, will be curious what it'll be like in a few years.
21
0
Epic experience! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Mar 10, 2012
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Let me get the most important message out first: THIS IS A MUST PLAY COURSE!
The course is so early in its development, that pros and cons aren't particularly helpful right now -- see "other thoughts" for the substantive bits of this review, as well as some insight on the future of the course.
Basic pros:
* It's underground.
* Terrain is unlike anything you've ever played
* Awesome sand volleyball to be played
* Hosts are incredible
* Unbelievable potential
* Easy to find your discs (no underbrush)
* Even without underbrush, there are enough obstacles to force you to shape your lines.
* $5 cover charge is a STEAL for a place like this. If I lived in St. Louis, I would be here every weekend for disc golf, volleyball and watching games.
The course is so early in its development, that pros and cons aren't particularly helpful right now -- see "other thoughts" for the substantive bits of this review, as well as some insight on the future of the course.
Basic pros:
* It's underground.
* Terrain is unlike anything you've ever played
* Awesome sand volleyball to be played
* Hosts are incredible
* Unbelievable potential
* Easy to find your discs (no underbrush)
* Even without underbrush, there are enough obstacles to force you to shape your lines.
* $5 cover charge is a STEAL for a place like this. If I lived in St. Louis, I would be here every weekend for disc golf, volleyball and watching games.
Cons:
Again, see "other thoughts" for details:
* Course experiences some inherent repetition -- all the caves are of similar scale -- approx. 20-25' high and 25-45' wide.
* Limited elevation change (elevation is limited to some raised baskets and a couple of sand mounds)
* Weak signage (course is in progress, so this isn't a surprise)
* Flashlight/disc lights required (for now)
* Course experiences some inherent repetition -- all the caves are of similar scale -- approx. 20-25' high and 25-45' wide.
* Limited elevation change (elevation is limited to some raised baskets and a couple of sand mounds)
* Weak signage (course is in progress, so this isn't a surprise)
* Flashlight/disc lights required (for now)
Other Thoughts:
It's hard to rate this course. The course itself is in beta... when my brother and I were there recently, it was 9 holes, down from 18 for a recent college event. But that doesn't change the total and utter THRILL of the experience. I'm a tough critic on courses, and if this course were above ground and considered finished, it would probably get 2 stars from me in the incarnation we played.
That said, this is NOT above ground, and NOT finished yet. The most amazing thing about this course is its sheer potential, and the enthusiasm and vision of its creator. There are MORE THAN 200 ACRES of caves, and the owner is committed to turning as many of those acres as possible into an underground entertainment complex. This means volleyball (already there), pole vaulting (already there), wall-sized sports (already there), a 5,000-10,000-person concert venue, a 7+ acre scuba diving lake, one or more 18 hole disc golf courses underground and one or more 18 hole disc golf courses above ground, cave-running events, and countless other possibilities.
As someone who spent several years as a diehard sand-volleyball player, seeing these in-cave courts made my heart leap with joy. This is utter beauty.
Just walking/running in these caves is thrilling. It's that sense of being a little kid again, enthralled with possibility. This course would get 10-stars from me for the sheer thrill of being there if I could rate it 10 stars.
That said, this place has so much potential, it is unbelievable. I can't wait to come back, and in the meantime, am encouraging everyone I know to pilgrimage here. It's only going to get better.
One recommendation I would make to the owners is to stock at least one or two mid-range beers... even a Guinness or Sierra Nevada would help, but it would be even better to support one of the local St. Louis craft breweries, like Schlafly (decent) or 4 Hands (excellent!). I'm enough of a beer snob that if Bud Light and its ilk are all that's offered, I'd rather go without.
The other option that would be a possibility is to allow golfers to bring in their own beer, but pay a "cork fee," so they can bring what they want.
Anyway, I'm going to close by reiterating the most important message in this review: THIS IS A MUST PLAY COURSE! Hope to see you there.
That said, this is NOT above ground, and NOT finished yet. The most amazing thing about this course is its sheer potential, and the enthusiasm and vision of its creator. There are MORE THAN 200 ACRES of caves, and the owner is committed to turning as many of those acres as possible into an underground entertainment complex. This means volleyball (already there), pole vaulting (already there), wall-sized sports (already there), a 5,000-10,000-person concert venue, a 7+ acre scuba diving lake, one or more 18 hole disc golf courses underground and one or more 18 hole disc golf courses above ground, cave-running events, and countless other possibilities.
As someone who spent several years as a diehard sand-volleyball player, seeing these in-cave courts made my heart leap with joy. This is utter beauty.
Just walking/running in these caves is thrilling. It's that sense of being a little kid again, enthralled with possibility. This course would get 10-stars from me for the sheer thrill of being there if I could rate it 10 stars.
That said, this place has so much potential, it is unbelievable. I can't wait to come back, and in the meantime, am encouraging everyone I know to pilgrimage here. It's only going to get better.
One recommendation I would make to the owners is to stock at least one or two mid-range beers... even a Guinness or Sierra Nevada would help, but it would be even better to support one of the local St. Louis craft breweries, like Schlafly (decent) or 4 Hands (excellent!). I'm enough of a beer snob that if Bud Light and its ilk are all that's offered, I'd rather go without.
The other option that would be a possibility is to allow golfers to bring in their own beer, but pay a "cork fee," so they can bring what they want.
Anyway, I'm going to close by reiterating the most important message in this review: THIS IS A MUST PLAY COURSE! Hope to see you there.
