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FDR State Park - Main reviews
6
1
Rock Solid if Not Really Flashy, but No Real Cons
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Nov 11, 2019
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
+ Right from the start the course gives you an idea of the variety of shapes and challenges: open, wooded, staked OB, straight and doglegs in both directions...all within the first five or six holes
+ I really appreciated this time through the variety of lengths to keep your attention on the par 3's. For example on the whites, holes 14 -17 go 230 / 340 / 193 / 283. You're not just dialing in the same disc / same shot hole after hole
+ The front and back nines differ, with more woods on the front, and more length on the back.
+ Two sets of baskets - the back (white) baskets stretch out the course to 7500', and add 3 to par. The short (yellow) baskets are 5800' with five par 4's spread out between the front and back. Between them, the two layouts address a wide range of players
+ Hole #5 is a good example of "two baskets, two challenges." You're throwing down a wooded alley from a high elevated tee. The white (longer) basket is straight ahead, directly in front of a lakeshore. The yellow basket if off to the right, well short of the lake, but placed up on a high mound with a "pit" in front of it
+ I really appreciated this time through the variety of lengths to keep your attention on the par 3's. For example on the whites, holes 14 -17 go 230 / 340 / 193 / 283. You're not just dialing in the same disc / same shot hole after hole
+ The front and back nines differ, with more woods on the front, and more length on the back.
+ Two sets of baskets - the back (white) baskets stretch out the course to 7500', and add 3 to par. The short (yellow) baskets are 5800' with five par 4's spread out between the front and back. Between them, the two layouts address a wide range of players
+ Hole #5 is a good example of "two baskets, two challenges." You're throwing down a wooded alley from a high elevated tee. The white (longer) basket is straight ahead, directly in front of a lakeshore. The yellow basket if off to the right, well short of the lake, but placed up on a high mound with a "pit" in front of it
Cons:
- The back nine skirts around picnic areas and playing fields. The design is good enough that disc golfers won't often intersect with the civilians, but on a busy weekend you're probably going to run across stray picnickers, dog-walkers, kite-flyers and ball players on the open fairways that characterize the back nine. Even on a Friday morning in late Fall, I found a dog walker using the part of the front nine as a trail. I stood on the eighth tee to watch her slowly walk the middle of the fairway directly from tee to basket <sigh>
- The park charges admission (but only seasonally). If you object to paying to play, come during winter months. The course is immaculate
- The park charges admission (but only seasonally). If you object to paying to play, come during winter months. The course is immaculate
Other Thoughts:
~ Excellent signage and large, level tees (mostly pavers). Brooms at many tees
~ Hole #16 is flat, short and technical, which makes it a big change from the rest of the back nine. It's located by itself in a grove of trees across a picnic area and behind a comfort station. I understand from a local that it's one of the original holes, and I'm glad they've kept it, even if it means a little extra walking
~ The unique double-decker basket on #15 (white and yellow baskets on the same pole, with white up top) is a nice touch. And the designers had enough humor to show a difference in hole distance (five feet) depending on which you play
~ It's obvious this course gets a lot of love and care - as a recreational player who just shows up and plays courses, I recognize that I owe a lot to park management and club volunteers. While you're on site, try the new "Ace Place" for warmup and fun. Use Parking Lot 4 to access this separate niner.
~ Hole #16 is flat, short and technical, which makes it a big change from the rest of the back nine. It's located by itself in a grove of trees across a picnic area and behind a comfort station. I understand from a local that it's one of the original holes, and I'm glad they've kept it, even if it means a little extra walking
~ The unique double-decker basket on #15 (white and yellow baskets on the same pole, with white up top) is a nice touch. And the designers had enough humor to show a difference in hole distance (five feet) depending on which you play
~ It's obvious this course gets a lot of love and care - as a recreational player who just shows up and plays courses, I recognize that I owe a lot to park management and club volunteers. While you're on site, try the new "Ace Place" for warmup and fun. Use Parking Lot 4 to access this separate niner.
