France Park is an old-school hidden gem of a course with some recent updates. The course is 24 holes and has two tees/two baskets per hole (hole 24 I recall had only one pin, and another early hole I think only had one pin, but the majority had two.) You can shoot from the short tees to the old Spiderweb baskets to get the original 1990's feel of the course, and there are long tees/long pins to give it more of an updated feel. The new long-placement baskets are I think Chainstars? I wasn't really paying attention, but they were red. The old baskets looked rough, but they catch great.

The tees are turf; they are level and in good condition. It was raining while I was there, and the tees were not a problem.

The first few holes are in a flat open field, but by hole 3 the course ducks into a heavily wooded/lots of elevation area perfect for woods disc golf. Hole 5 was a really cool elevated tee shot, I think it was hole six where the long tee was a really cool addition, and there were several really fun shots like 18 in the mix. There were blind shots, uphill shots, elevated tees, Ace runs, punishing rough…it's 16 holes of some really fun, technical golf.

Once you finish 18, 19-24 are back in the flat open area where you can air out some drives. In that open area, the long pin for one had a water hazard behind it and 24 is an island hole with a drop zone. Another pin is up on a hump to give it an elevated feel. It is basically open "throw at it" golf holes, but they put some thought into how they were laid out.

The overall combination of the wooded/hilly area and the flat/open area is a great variety of shots. It's a disc golfer's disc golf course; nothing of the contrived pro-challenging type, just solid golf and a lot of it.

I had a guide, but I was always going the wrong way. Somebody had to yell at me six or seven times that I was turned around. I got away with the lack of marking helping you find your way around, but it would be an issue playing the course blind. Better course marking would be a serious upgrade here.

Nit-picky complaint: In the woods some of the baskets are pretty close together and can be somewhat in line with each other, which makes the short baskets play like an obstacle. A guy I was playing with hit a black ace on a shot that was pretty much on-line but crashed the short basket. (DGCR regular bonus: That guy was Jukeshoe and he's real salty about it, so you should ask him about it.)

The elevation was really cool, but some of the slopes were more than I could hack in wet/muddy conditions. I wouldn't really knock the rating for having extreme elevation, but there were several really dicey areas I had a lot of issue navigating.

Also not really a con, but there is an entry fee to get into the park. I'm not sure what it was since we were camping; it was $10/tent/night. There is enough else going on in the park to make a camping the way to go here.

Usually when I review a course like France Park, I'll play the course several times before I review it. When I was at France Park the plan was to play it three times over the weekend, but rain cut the trip short and the elevation was too much for my old knees. I played the course once, and I wasn't paying super-close attention to details during that round. Basically, this review might stink.

All I had in me was to play shorts to shorts while I was there, and that layout would have been a solid 3.5 IMO. Add in the longer tees/pins and I'm going to rate it a 4. I'm not super-sold I've got that right given how little golf I actually played there, but I'm going with a 4.

France Park has got a lot going for it. The elevation and the variety that will force you to pull out a lot of shots over 24 holes. The park comes with a lot of extra activities that makes it a nice spot to spend a day or weekend. It's a little rough around the edges and it's a par 3 course that doesn't have a pro-challenging layout, but it's the kind of course the rest of us mortals should want to play.

NEW, MUCH needed, tee Signs!! Expanded to 24 holes using Alan Pier "Spiderweb" baskets. I believe all but the 6 "lettered" holes have Alt. Pin Placements. Most holes also now have "Pro tees" (red) keeping the open holes up to date with disc technology, at least for the beginner/Intermediate. The wooded holes,starting at #3 use's a dirt access road as a fairway. Then playing the topography; Baskets behind hills, in valleys, ridge to ridge, along the sides of hills, uphill, downhill, along the ridge line and lastly over the hill! #4 from BOTH tees,#8,#9 & #10 from the PRO tees, have tight wooded fairways. #3,#7 have the most open fairways. #5, #8 have open drives with tight putts. Then finish with open "rip-it" holes! #14 thru #18 and the "F" hole. All had grass cut, ball golf green short, around the tees and baskets with a "preferred flight path"? Mowed from each tee to basket. Or was this done so I knew what target to thrown to? Either way nice touch! Plenty of benches & trash cans.

All tees are either gravel or dirt. I really don't see concrete getting done in the woods. Some areas it would be a pain to get that done.

This is the course that started my addiction on DG! As a beginner I've never played a course with so much terrain changes. I updated the best I could,under "Hole Info." the distance of each hole. I hope to get the pictures I took up soon. Make sure you print a map under "Links/Files". You'll need it the first time out or if you want to play the lettered holes. Pro's will find the wooded holes short. So, here is a Safari course I made up; #1 tee to #2 basket. #3 tee to basket "A". #4 tee to #5 basket. #6 to #7. #8 to #9. #10 to #11. #12 to "E". Play 13 as designed. Then play the open holes. Hope you enjoy the Safari!

- Located in a spacious park. Pass over the bridge spanning the waterfall and proceed to the open field. The first two (as well as the last several) holes are located in this mostly flat, grassy space. Cross the road for hole 3, and let the real fun begin as you enter the section of course that is built on a sort of wooded ridge.
- Solid design maximizes the many drastic elevation changes throughout the wooded section of the course. Play only the "numbered" holes for an 18 holer, or also play the 6 "lettered" holes expertly interspersed along the way to stretch the course out to 24. The way the course naturally flows even after so many optional holes and twists and turns and ups and downs is nothing short of amazing.
- Several technical holes requiring precision and several longer open holes for big arms.
-Long (orange) and short (white) tees. Long tees can be brutal but are outstandingly fun. Dual pin positions on most holes add to the fun and replayability. Pin positions often create great risk/reward opportunities, as rollaway chances abound in the wooded section.
- Signage really aides in the proper navigation of this course. Keep your eyes peeled for where to go next, depending on which holes you've chosen to play.
-Camping available on site. Camping areas near waterfall and 1st teebox. This course would be the IDEAL course to stop at if roadtripping through the area and looking to camp.
- $3 for a completely deserted course. Where are the locals?

-The lack of proper concrete tees really detracts from this otherwise quite fine course. The natural/gravel tees are actually in pretty good condition (as it appears that NOBODY plays this course) but are short in some places, not really allowing a run up or even sure footing.
-Really could use another couple of trash cans along the course. Additional foot traffic would clear up most of the minor shule blanketing the fairways in places.

-Overall the flow is very seamless and astounding in the manner that the "lettered" holes are optionally interspersed between the 18 "numbered" holes. Super surrealistic signage art adds to the charm of this kinda rough but outstandingly cool course.
-Despite being fairly well upkept, this course otherwise appeared abandoned on a beautiful sunny friday afternoon in June. It is truly a shame that such a magnificently challenging and interesting course doesn't see much more play.
- I came away with a really high regard and respect for France Park. Although it is well over an hour's drive away, I envision several future trips to further explore the intricacies of this solid but tragically flawed* course.
*see comments re: lack of better tees.

Update (7/10/2019): France Park, as another astute reviewer noted, has aged like a fine wine. Since writing my initial review almost *gulp* a decade ago, France Park's disc golf course has grown and changed for the better without losing the old school charm appeal. While some holes have added longer tee or pin positions, the old short layouts are still there, evidenced by the sleeves.

Don't sleep on the quarry swimming just down the park road from the disc golf course...luxuriating in a nice ice-cold dip in between rounds on a hot summer day is golden.

Pro tip: set up camp near the waterfall, walk to the disc golf course, walk to the quarry to swim and back for more dg. Second round is perfect to put glow sticks on basket if you're in the mood for a third, glow round (just don't forget to pick up your glow sticks on the way out...please don't litter!)

Although I never really minded the slightly rutted, less-than-ideal gravel tees, I also didn't mind seeing some newer (within the last couple of years) turf pads...definitely a plus.

With the continuing improvements, tweaks, and
the new pads, France Park deserves a bump up in my rating rubric from a very solid 3.5 to a 4.

One last thought, subjective vs. objective: France Park is my personal little slice of heaven, and my all-time favorite course to play. I've played more beautiful, epic, better designed courses...but for some reason this scruffy ol' bugger really captures my heart.

Great scenery. Lots of unique holes. Pro and amature tees available.

Many holes are probably too tough for beginners. Dirt/grass tee pads. Course not well marked.

After playing fairly well at my local course a couple of times, my wife and I decided to try out the France Park course on a camping trip that we took recently. We quickly learned that we have a lot of work to do before we're anywhere close to good at this game.

I gave the course a "4" because I really think it probably is a great course- just very frustrating for beginners. The first two holes and the last five holes were flat and fairly wide open, which was a lot of fun. Holes 3 through 13, however, are played in a thick woods with many tight fairways and lots of elevation changes. We spent a lot of time looking for discs until we finally developed a system of spotting for each other's tee shots.

The course really is beautiful. The walk to the first tee takes you over a creek and right past the France Park waterfall. The course iteself is laid out on a combinations of a well-manicured flatland and a beautiful wooded area. The course could definitely benefit from some concrete tee pads and more signage on the course directing you from hole to hole. Be sure to pick up a course map at the gate house before starting. We would've been lost without ours.

We don't expect to play this course anytime soon, but that's not meant to be a knock on the course. We just need to work on our game a lot before we venture out to a course this difficult.

WOW! This course is an amazing example of some great land! Great 24 hole course with steep inclines, declines, and flat open shots with defined fairways with about 2ft rough all around which will eat an errant throw in a minute. This course is fairly easy from the white tee's and provides some difficulty from the Orange tee's. This course has a little to offer everyone and doesn't favor righty, or lefty and has a great mix of shots! The thick woods provide an amazing need for some finesse along with accuracy. You can easily turn a easy par 3 hole into a double bogey just from the trees gaurding the fairway or the basket.

Does flood. During the tournament we had about 4 holes under water along with the "open" holes being quite sloppy to walk on. Dirt tee pads + water = slippery!!! Try to go later in the day when the dew on the grass is dried up and you don't have to worry about slipping around on the teepads.

This course is an AMAZING use of its land. It has a beatiful waterfall that you walk over to get to the disc golf course. The variety of shots will for sure make you interested in wanting to play it more then once! Tomahawks, Thumbers, Forehand, Backhand, you name it there is a hole for it.

Mix of holes in the open and wooded, elevated tee shots, de-elevatated tee shots, great fairways in the woods and in the open, alternate pin locations, great navigation signs, alternate tees, trash cans at many holes, an extra 6 holes available as fillers, very nice baskets, beautiful waterfall when walking to first tee.

Natural/gravel tees, tee signs were not at every tee, and those that were in place were not in very good shape.

First, let me begin by telling you where the disc golf course is as I had trouble locating it since nobody was at the gate. When entering the park and after proceeding through the gate, take a right and follow the road around a curve to the left. There is a small parking area on the right side with two walking bridges crossing the stream. Park in this parking lot and then walk over the bridge to get to the first tee.

The first two holes were in the open area and then play proceeded in the woods. The amount of variety that this course offers is extroidinary. The holes in the woods had beautiful fairways, some wide, some narrow. The length of the holes varies as well.

The title of my review says it best. For instance, on one hole I threw from the top of a large hill, the very next hole I threw up another hill. Then down, then up, then around, and one hole I had to throw my drive over a ridge.

The hills will really make your legs tired as they are long and steep. I saw a deer prancing through the woods as I was playing, the woodly environment is awesome.

The last 5 holes are out in the open and you can really let a bomb off; a great way to finish the course after the technical holes in my opionion.
If this course had concrete tees and better signage, I would definitley rate it a 4.5 or 5. The course design is excellent and I can't wait to go back.