Fairfield Park - Old Layout reviews
3
0
Rough Around the Edges 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 6, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
- Fun hole design
- Solid elevation changes
- Great variety (open, wooded, long bombs, short technical)
- Well groomed and defined fairways. (except 12)
- Wind becomes a factor on the open holes.
- Swamp and small creeks make for interesting water hazards.
- Solid baskets
- Friendly locals
- Solid elevation changes
- Great variety (open, wooded, long bombs, short technical)
- Well groomed and defined fairways. (except 12)
- Wind becomes a factor on the open holes.
- Swamp and small creeks make for interesting water hazards.
- Solid baskets
- Friendly locals
Cons:
- Very sloppy and muddy after rainfall.
- Tee pads were terrible and many were flooded.
- Few baskets were flooded
- No tee signs.
- Garbage cans were insufficient at signifying teepads.
- Navigation issues (both finding the next hole and the physical trek of getting to it.)
- Tee pads were terrible and many were flooded.
- Few baskets were flooded
- No tee signs.
- Garbage cans were insufficient at signifying teepads.
- Navigation issues (both finding the next hole and the physical trek of getting to it.)
Other Thoughts:
I personally considered this course "roughing" it in the disc golf world. To me, Fairfield has some fairly interesting shots and some really neat disc golf holes, but the course just doesn't seem complete. The tee pads are a disaster, some have eroded into strange lumps of gravel where others were completely flooded. This course needs tee signs to help navigation. My group found tee #7, but we all threw drives in the wrong direction until we saw a pair of locals throw a different way off the tee behind us. (They must have thought we were idiots). We met some other locals later on that helped us through the back half of the course. Besides, not being able to find the next hole physically getting there can be a challenge with all the standing water after a rainfall. Hole 12 is a mess with no direct route across soggy ground and chest high grass without going right through. If you don't want to get dirty, or swampy don't even think about coming here after a rainfall. I really hope tee signs and better teepads can be put in at some point because I believe Fairfield has a lot to offer if standard disc golf equipment is put in and some drainage problems are solved. It might be able to hit a 4/5 discs if some of the amenities I mentioned were added. It is definitely worth a play once if you live within an hour, but be prepared to get messy.
3
0
Open and mostly short 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 31, 2009
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
20 holes
Garbage Cans have hole number on them by almost every tee.
Somewhat wooded
Good Discatcher Pros
Some long holes: 13 (about 600') and 20 (about 850')
Uses what elevation is available in the land: 2: down and then up, 4: slightly up, 5: slightly down, 6: moderately up, 7: 30 foot drop or so through a tight opening, you get the picture...
Variety of shots needed for birdies ON THE WOODED HOLES. Most of the wooded holes are pretty fun.
Large Parking lot
This is a disc golf only park
Wind can add chalenge on the open holes.
A fun course
Some swamp adds to challenge in the middle of the park. Especially hole 12, although open is a good risk reward shot. When there is water in the fairway you either try to throw 400' over the wetland or lay up about 300'. Perhaps hole 10 is a better example. Dogleg right 377' unless you can bust out a superman hyzer over huge trees and the swamp on the right side. It you come up short on the turnover shot you are probably in water. The more safe you play it the less likely you will birdie this hole. There are many other fun holes just not the majority.
Garbage Cans have hole number on them by almost every tee.
Somewhat wooded
Good Discatcher Pros
Some long holes: 13 (about 600') and 20 (about 850')
Uses what elevation is available in the land: 2: down and then up, 4: slightly up, 5: slightly down, 6: moderately up, 7: 30 foot drop or so through a tight opening, you get the picture...
Variety of shots needed for birdies ON THE WOODED HOLES. Most of the wooded holes are pretty fun.
Large Parking lot
This is a disc golf only park
Wind can add chalenge on the open holes.
A fun course
Some swamp adds to challenge in the middle of the park. Especially hole 12, although open is a good risk reward shot. When there is water in the fairway you either try to throw 400' over the wetland or lay up about 300'. Perhaps hole 10 is a better example. Dogleg right 377' unless you can bust out a superman hyzer over huge trees and the swamp on the right side. It you come up short on the turnover shot you are probably in water. The more safe you play it the less likely you will birdie this hole. There are many other fun holes just not the majority.
Cons:
Tee pads are BAD. They are like 30 foot long strips of gravel that get muddy and eroded. There are ruts from water damage on many tees. Bricks try to show you where to throw from but it isn't always fesable to throw from the marks. Many tees are dirt which are sadly better than the gravel.
Whenever you go into the woods, the holes get shorter and whenever you are in the open, the holes are longer. The con is that most of the wooded holes are shorter just because they are more technical.
Most of the course is rather short. There is distance variety but sometimes all similar distances go in a row. For example holes 2-7 are all between 230 and 300', mid range shots for most people. Also 14A-17 are all 200' or under. It gets repitive. It shows the generalization I made above.
This course gets very busy in the summer mostly with chuckers and huge groups golfing together. Sometimes there are even backups at the first tee.
Prairie rough in the open holes is very annoying in the summer. It is infuriating to throw your disc and not be able to find it even though the area is completely open. It is mowed occassionally. It is not like 3 feet tall priairie grass adds any chalenge except for finding your disc.
Course is right next to the road, not secluded.
No signs except for 1 randomly in the middle of the park that says no drinking and that the park closes at sundown.
This course can get very flooded. When it is super flooded is is not much fun to play. Definately go somewhere else if it is raining or after a rain, or in the spring when all the snow melts.
Whenever you go into the woods, the holes get shorter and whenever you are in the open, the holes are longer. The con is that most of the wooded holes are shorter just because they are more technical.
Most of the course is rather short. There is distance variety but sometimes all similar distances go in a row. For example holes 2-7 are all between 230 and 300', mid range shots for most people. Also 14A-17 are all 200' or under. It gets repitive. It shows the generalization I made above.
This course gets very busy in the summer mostly with chuckers and huge groups golfing together. Sometimes there are even backups at the first tee.
Prairie rough in the open holes is very annoying in the summer. It is infuriating to throw your disc and not be able to find it even though the area is completely open. It is mowed occassionally. It is not like 3 feet tall priairie grass adds any chalenge except for finding your disc.
Course is right next to the road, not secluded.
No signs except for 1 randomly in the middle of the park that says no drinking and that the park closes at sundown.
This course can get very flooded. When it is super flooded is is not much fun to play. Definately go somewhere else if it is raining or after a rain, or in the spring when all the snow melts.
Other Thoughts:
For now, if you are around here go to Lippold or Crystal Lake or Bevier in Waukegan over fairfield. Some good local 9 holers include Warren in Gurnee and Adler in Libertyville.
There is a possibility of a redesign, we'll have to wait and see for now.
Local club Discontinuum put in 11A and 14A. (11A is the basket that double functions as a practice basket)
There is a possibility of a redesign, we'll have to wait and see for now.
Local club Discontinuum put in 11A and 14A. (11A is the basket that double functions as a practice basket)
10
0
Frustrating Fairfield as the Swamp Thing 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 20, 2009
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
Please read in other thoughts about the swamp, course map, and course tour.
Practice basket near tee #1 comes in handy when you are waiting on large crowds.
Last spring the park district placed a garbage barrel near each tee. They painted the hole # on each barrell to mark each tee. There has been a lot less trash.
Distance. This course has 5 holes over 350ft.
Although mostly open, the wooded holes of 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, & 17 are solid. You will pay the price on bad shots.
Risk/Reward Holes. There are several holes where you can take a chance to throw over trees or the swamp to net birdies. If you make a mistake you can land in some heavy rough or The Swamp and pay the price. These holes include 6, 10, 12, 14, & 18.
Altough this course is pretty flat it utilizes minor elevation very good.
Practice basket near tee #1 comes in handy when you are waiting on large crowds.
Last spring the park district placed a garbage barrel near each tee. They painted the hole # on each barrell to mark each tee. There has been a lot less trash.
Distance. This course has 5 holes over 350ft.
Although mostly open, the wooded holes of 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, & 17 are solid. You will pay the price on bad shots.
Risk/Reward Holes. There are several holes where you can take a chance to throw over trees or the swamp to net birdies. If you make a mistake you can land in some heavy rough or The Swamp and pay the price. These holes include 6, 10, 12, 14, & 18.
Altough this course is pretty flat it utilizes minor elevation very good.
Cons:
The tee pads are one of the most frustrating and ongoing problems at Fairfield. They are limestone tee pads that are not boxed in. They are very uneven and have ruts. Often they get washed out by rain. They are much better than the old dirt/mud tees but they are still in bad condition. Please be careful.
Navigation of this course can be very difficult. There are no tee signs.
Print a map at the below.
http://discontinuum.org/index...amp;Itemid=60
This course can be very muddy after rain and especially during the early spring.
This course gets an unbelievable amount of play. They had to expand the parking lot a few years ago. Be prepared to wait and be patient during prime evening hours and weekends.
Overall there are way too many open holes which leads to repetitive shots.
If this course had cement tee pads and tee signs i'd rate it 3-Good.
Navigation of this course can be very difficult. There are no tee signs.
Print a map at the below.
http://discontinuum.org/index...amp;Itemid=60
This course can be very muddy after rain and especially during the early spring.
This course gets an unbelievable amount of play. They had to expand the parking lot a few years ago. Be prepared to wait and be patient during prime evening hours and weekends.
Overall there are way too many open holes which leads to repetitive shots.
If this course had cement tee pads and tee signs i'd rate it 3-Good.
Other Thoughts:
I live about 2 miles from this course and play this course often. If you need a guide send me a message.
Watch out for "The SWAMP" !!! This is a disc eating swamp and you do not want to go in there. It smells and it's nasty. It comes into play on #'s 10, 12, & 18.
The skeeters can get pretty bad during the warmer monthes. Bring bug spray.
Here is a photo tour with description of each hole. The baskets have been painted and restored since they were taken.
http://discontinuum.org/index...amp;Itemid=60
I have talked to the park district and there is a possibility of the total redesign if the forest preserve builds a bike path to link millenium trail. There will be a bridge built that will access the wooded area across the creek. The bridge would also span the swamp on hole #12.
Check out my Illinois Top 10.
http://discontinuum.org/index...1486.msg68704#msg68704
Watch out for "The SWAMP" !!! This is a disc eating swamp and you do not want to go in there. It smells and it's nasty. It comes into play on #'s 10, 12, & 18.
The skeeters can get pretty bad during the warmer monthes. Bring bug spray.
Here is a photo tour with description of each hole. The baskets have been painted and restored since they were taken.
http://discontinuum.org/index...amp;Itemid=60
I have talked to the park district and there is a possibility of the total redesign if the forest preserve builds a bike path to link millenium trail. There will be a bridge built that will access the wooded area across the creek. The bridge would also span the swamp on hole #12.
Check out my Illinois Top 10.
http://discontinuum.org/index...1486.msg68704#msg68704
0
3
Okay, not great. 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 20, 2009
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
Many opportunites to bust out long drives. A little bit of elevation change. Variety of anhyzer/hyzer shots to work your game. Some tight short wooded holes on the back and some wide open deuce holes on the front. Wind will play a part in most rounds here. Hole 18 is an 800 footer going way downhill with a swamp on the left and then way uphill with woods on your right the length of the fairway. Wide variety of scores on this excellent hole.
Cons:
Very open and boring course on alot of the holes. Not alot of excitement in a round out here and its not going to make you think much. Alot of long grass defines the fairways which can make finding your discs difficult in the summer. Tees are limestone and in pretty terrible condition.
Other Thoughts:
Pretty boring, needs a couple more holes that make you think and get your heart pumping to make this a better course. Way too many wide open hyzer shots.
2
5
NIBSTOOLS
Experience:
35 played
35 reviews
Nice course 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 12, 2008
Played the course:never
Pros:
Course seemed well maintained
Cons:
front half of course just zig zags back and forth across a field. Not much imagination used in layout.
Other Thoughts:
The day I played the course was full and there were several foursomes waiting to start! Never seen so many people on a course outside of a tournament.
