First St. Beach Family DGC is a very short 18-hole course that is located at a large public park/beach in Manistee, MI. The course starts right by the parking lot, and essentially plays out to Lake Michigan and back. The highlight holes for me were #9 and #10 within view of the lake. #9 plays across a little sandy valley towards the lake, and has a nice little footbridge stretching across it. Very picturesque. #10 plays on tightly wooded, rolling terrain parallel to the lake.

Overall, there is a decent mix of throws here. Some holes are wide open, whereas others have a few obstacles to work around and a couple are pretty tight. There are a few holes where elevation changes are enough to impact play.

You should be aware that THIS IS A PUTTER AND MID ONLY COURSE (per UDisc). No high speed drivers are allowed. And you won't need them either, with all 18 hole distances falling within the range of 119'-187'. As the name of the course suggests, this is a great place to bring a family of non-DGers - or someone who is just learning how to play.

The baskets here are blue banded DISCatchers in great shape. #13's basket is set in a lighthouse fashioned to look like the actual Manistee light, which is a cool touch.

The tee pads are small circular pieces of concrete. These are only big enough to stand and throw, but that is absolutely fine for this course and I thought the circular shape was kind of unique.

The tee signs are basic but also fine. They have a blue theme to match the baskets, plus the hole number/distance/par. I'm fine with no hole map on these since the holes are short and most baskets are visible from the tee. There are also navigational signs in the same style as the tee signs, posted wherever needed.

Trash cans and benches are placed strategically around the course. There are several porta potties/restrooms within the larger park.

The designer(s) here mostly did a good job of avoiding potential safety hazards. But even with the short distances involved, I still didn't like that there is a tennis court in play on hole 6, or a couple of holes that play awfully close together. Generally, the entire course plays through a multi-use area and it's very possible that the presence of non-DGers will have an impact on your round. With most holes line-of-sight, it's on you to avoid creating hazardous situations.

This is obviously an incredibly easy course for any disc golfer above beginner level. Decent rec players will likely expect to shoot this one at least -9 (unless it's a windy day - I suppose that could make things a lot trickier). With relatively few obstacles in play on much of the course, better players will have a realistic chance at acing almost every hole.

There isn't a kiosk or course map. I think at a minimum, there should be a sign at the first tee warning players that this is a putter/mid only course.

The little concrete pads do get sandy - a couple of brooms at the pads closest to the lake would be nice.

Maybe it's unrealistic given the multiuse/safety aspect (and I'm glad that was prioritized), but I would have loved to see the lake actually come into play on a hole or two. This is not the case though. It's only visible a couple hundred feet away from the aforementioned #9 and #10.

This course is not a destination, but it's a fun play if you are in the area. It's executed well considering the available space. I visit Manistee several times a year so I'll definitely be back to play this one again. If it's a nice day, I'd recommend trying to play here in the morning before the beach fills up.

I do agree with EspressoPatronum that if you have the option to play either here or at The Tinderbox near Ludington, generally The Tinderbox is both safer and more interesting - while still being as friendly to beginners and families. Still, this course is one of only a handful within walking distance of a Great Lake and that is always fun!