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First Responders DGC reviews
9
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New gem in central valley 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Apr 3, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
- Excellent course with a good mix of shots, distances from 196 to 565 ft.
- Off Highway 99, and from the small town of Kingsburg, it's about 6 miles to the park, which is in the middle of agricultural fields and orchards.
- Surprisingly, I had the course essentially to myself. I saw three other disc golfers at the start, and one other park user.
- Baskets are new DGA Mach V.
- Large, mature trees come into play on several of the holes, either early (shaping drive) or late (guarding basket). Trees are spread out enough to allow multiple approaches and routes to the basket.
- Essentially flat, with only very slight elevation change on hole 15. Green grass, mowed, in excellent shape.
- Most baskets are visible from the tee.
- Tee pads are cement, large, and new.
- Restroom at hole 1 is very nice, with door on the stall, very clean and well maintained.
- While the large trees provide shade, be sure to bring water, particularly if playing in the summer, when this area can hover in the high 90s.
- Trash cans can be found at each of the picnic areas, which are found throughout the park.
- Off Highway 99, and from the small town of Kingsburg, it's about 6 miles to the park, which is in the middle of agricultural fields and orchards.
- Surprisingly, I had the course essentially to myself. I saw three other disc golfers at the start, and one other park user.
- Baskets are new DGA Mach V.
- Large, mature trees come into play on several of the holes, either early (shaping drive) or late (guarding basket). Trees are spread out enough to allow multiple approaches and routes to the basket.
- Essentially flat, with only very slight elevation change on hole 15. Green grass, mowed, in excellent shape.
- Most baskets are visible from the tee.
- Tee pads are cement, large, and new.
- Restroom at hole 1 is very nice, with door on the stall, very clean and well maintained.
- While the large trees provide shade, be sure to bring water, particularly if playing in the summer, when this area can hover in the high 90s.
- Trash cans can be found at each of the picnic areas, which are found throughout the park.
Cons:
- There is no course map or kiosk, which would be great if located at the large parking area where hole 1 begins and hole 18 ends.
- Tee signs are not present yet, so no distance and direction to the basket. However, attached to most baskets there is a small, green plastic arrow that indicates the direction to the next tee. In some cases, it may be hard to tell which way to tee (e.g., hole 11), so having UDisc is helpful. Once the signs are in place, this won't be an issue.
- There are a few benches at the tees, but the picnic areas have multiple tables by the grills if you need to take a break.
- It is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April thru October.
- Tee signs are not present yet, so no distance and direction to the basket. However, attached to most baskets there is a small, green plastic arrow that indicates the direction to the next tee. In some cases, it may be hard to tell which way to tee (e.g., hole 11), so having UDisc is helpful. Once the signs are in place, this won't be an issue.
- There are a few benches at the tees, but the picnic areas have multiple tables by the grills if you need to take a break.
- It is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April thru October.
Other Thoughts:
- As of April 3, 2022 this was an 18-hole, par 57 course, 6567 feet in total length.
- I spoke with the Park Manager while there, and he indicated that holes 2 and 3, and possibly 18, would be changing to reduce potential conflict between disc golfers and those people using the picnic and grilling areas. He said tee signs are planned.
- When I entered (on a Sunday at 1015 AM), no one collected a fee, and there were only 3 other disc golfers in the park, and one other park user. Park staff were actively cleaning the area and trimming trees, since the park had just opened for the season.
- Once the signs are in place, or a map is available, then all of the potential OB and/or hazard areas will be designated. Depending on how you play cement paths and dirt paths, this could really make certain holes more complex, raising the risk/reward stakes and forcing players to really think how they want to attack a hole.
Hole by hole comments for pin positions on April 3, 2022:
#1: 433 ft. Tee between set of trees about 60 ft off tee pad. Basket up to right, past picnic area and some smaller trees guarding the approach.
#2: 196 ft. Double mandatory. Left to right shot, with cement path running down the middle of fairway.
#3: 348 ft. Several trees widely spaced add some obstacles. Tree canopy lowers the ceiling. Road to right and behind pin, but not really in play.
#4: 584 ft par 4. This is the course's signature hole, the Candy Cane, according to the Park Manager. Tee is between road on right and low fence on left, with green grass strip about 30 ft wide that extends about 500 ft of hole. RHBH throw down the road, hyzer into Velcro grass, hoping it does not skip OB on left. Basket is on small grass peninsula, with OB around the whole area. I loved this hole.
#5: 565 ft par 4. Slightly to left, this heads back from where you just teed for hole 4, but now the low fence is OB on the left. Again, several trees force you to choose your line of attack.
#6: 302 ft. Pin is just visible behind a large tree. OB fence all along hole on left, and a meandering path on the right adds difficulty, depending on if you play it as OB, hazard, river, or right and beyond also OB. Depending on how you designate/use regulated areas, this can be easy or really hard. Low ceiling from trees.
#7: 348 ft. Similar to the last whole, since it plays along the same barbed wire fence, and the dirt path continues, but trees are less of an issue and the grass left of the path is a bit wider. Basket is elevated (pole extension) and surrounded by 4 large trees.
#8: 352 ft. This feels wide open, but just in comparison to the last two holes, and there are trees shaping the approach. The basket is framed by two large trees, but you do not need to pass through the trees, although that would be a great double mando.
#9: 338 ft. Pin is just barely visible surrounded by multiple conifers. Wide open to the right, and trees are not an issue until the approach. OB fence behind basket (about 40 ft?).
#10: 387 ft. OB fence on left along the whole fairway, curves behind basket. A bathroom/utility building is on the right, and a couple of big trees. Basket has a pole extension and a couple of large trees on the edge of Circle 1.
#11: 326 ft. Tee has baskets in both directions, but continue in same direction you played previous hole. Low wood fence OB on left, bushy tree right off tee, and mature trees 2/3 down the fairway.
#12: 326 ft. Basket near smaller trees but relatively open shot.
#13: 261 ft. One of the easier holes, very open to approach on right, harder to come in from left or thread the trees with a straight shot.
#14: 411 ft. Elevated basket on a pole extension. Chain link fence on right of tee may force you to throw a little higher than planned. There is a road that bisects the fairway at about 280 ft. Road on right, chain link fence on left, and low fence behind the basket (about 35 ft).
#15: 279 ft. Three large trees are the issue on this tee, all about 25 ft off the pad, and a road along the whole left side (this is the entrance road). Basket has OB fence left and behind it, but should not come into play.
#16: 290 ft. Quirky shot, with row of redwoods protecting the fire house, and a mando sign on the last redwood, indicating you need to go right around the row of trees, with the basket hard left. Forehand roller worked very well, with fade heading left to basket.
#17: 449 ft par 4. Fairly open, with a road bisecting the fairway about 200 ft past the tee, and a fence on the left side. Near the basket is a pad full of cement picnic tables (right side), which is presumably OB. Basket is on a huge pole extension, so the bottom of the basket is at about 7.5 ft.
#18: 371 ft. Not sure if this will stay, since there is a picnic area in the driving path, unless the two trees off the tee are a double mando. If you have to split the trees, road and dirt path come into play to left and center, respectively. Trees also force you to shape a left to right drive. Basket it left of the backstop, on a slightly elevated pole, with road OB to left and behind, but not really in play.
- I spoke with the Park Manager while there, and he indicated that holes 2 and 3, and possibly 18, would be changing to reduce potential conflict between disc golfers and those people using the picnic and grilling areas. He said tee signs are planned.
- When I entered (on a Sunday at 1015 AM), no one collected a fee, and there were only 3 other disc golfers in the park, and one other park user. Park staff were actively cleaning the area and trimming trees, since the park had just opened for the season.
- Once the signs are in place, or a map is available, then all of the potential OB and/or hazard areas will be designated. Depending on how you play cement paths and dirt paths, this could really make certain holes more complex, raising the risk/reward stakes and forcing players to really think how they want to attack a hole.
Hole by hole comments for pin positions on April 3, 2022:
#1: 433 ft. Tee between set of trees about 60 ft off tee pad. Basket up to right, past picnic area and some smaller trees guarding the approach.
#2: 196 ft. Double mandatory. Left to right shot, with cement path running down the middle of fairway.
#3: 348 ft. Several trees widely spaced add some obstacles. Tree canopy lowers the ceiling. Road to right and behind pin, but not really in play.
#4: 584 ft par 4. This is the course's signature hole, the Candy Cane, according to the Park Manager. Tee is between road on right and low fence on left, with green grass strip about 30 ft wide that extends about 500 ft of hole. RHBH throw down the road, hyzer into Velcro grass, hoping it does not skip OB on left. Basket is on small grass peninsula, with OB around the whole area. I loved this hole.
#5: 565 ft par 4. Slightly to left, this heads back from where you just teed for hole 4, but now the low fence is OB on the left. Again, several trees force you to choose your line of attack.
#6: 302 ft. Pin is just visible behind a large tree. OB fence all along hole on left, and a meandering path on the right adds difficulty, depending on if you play it as OB, hazard, river, or right and beyond also OB. Depending on how you designate/use regulated areas, this can be easy or really hard. Low ceiling from trees.
#7: 348 ft. Similar to the last whole, since it plays along the same barbed wire fence, and the dirt path continues, but trees are less of an issue and the grass left of the path is a bit wider. Basket is elevated (pole extension) and surrounded by 4 large trees.
#8: 352 ft. This feels wide open, but just in comparison to the last two holes, and there are trees shaping the approach. The basket is framed by two large trees, but you do not need to pass through the trees, although that would be a great double mando.
#9: 338 ft. Pin is just barely visible surrounded by multiple conifers. Wide open to the right, and trees are not an issue until the approach. OB fence behind basket (about 40 ft?).
#10: 387 ft. OB fence on left along the whole fairway, curves behind basket. A bathroom/utility building is on the right, and a couple of big trees. Basket has a pole extension and a couple of large trees on the edge of Circle 1.
#11: 326 ft. Tee has baskets in both directions, but continue in same direction you played previous hole. Low wood fence OB on left, bushy tree right off tee, and mature trees 2/3 down the fairway.
#12: 326 ft. Basket near smaller trees but relatively open shot.
#13: 261 ft. One of the easier holes, very open to approach on right, harder to come in from left or thread the trees with a straight shot.
#14: 411 ft. Elevated basket on a pole extension. Chain link fence on right of tee may force you to throw a little higher than planned. There is a road that bisects the fairway at about 280 ft. Road on right, chain link fence on left, and low fence behind the basket (about 35 ft).
#15: 279 ft. Three large trees are the issue on this tee, all about 25 ft off the pad, and a road along the whole left side (this is the entrance road). Basket has OB fence left and behind it, but should not come into play.
#16: 290 ft. Quirky shot, with row of redwoods protecting the fire house, and a mando sign on the last redwood, indicating you need to go right around the row of trees, with the basket hard left. Forehand roller worked very well, with fade heading left to basket.
#17: 449 ft par 4. Fairly open, with a road bisecting the fairway about 200 ft past the tee, and a fence on the left side. Near the basket is a pad full of cement picnic tables (right side), which is presumably OB. Basket is on a huge pole extension, so the bottom of the basket is at about 7.5 ft.
#18: 371 ft. Not sure if this will stay, since there is a picnic area in the driving path, unless the two trees off the tee are a double mando. If you have to split the trees, road and dirt path come into play to left and center, respectively. Trees also force you to shape a left to right drive. Basket it left of the backstop, on a slightly elevated pole, with road OB to left and behind, but not really in play.
