Galloway Hammond Rec Center reviews
3
1
theolddude
Experience:
39.7 years
5 played
5 reviews
Challenging but fun
Reviewed:
Played on:Dec 23, 2023
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Nice layout around a creek, but easy to stay out of the water. Most holes are not real long but must be accurate.
Cons:
fairly tough but fun. a lot of trees, mostly hyzer shot on back 9
Other Thoughts:
Reviewer below gives good details. Fun course, will play tournaments there next year
5
0
A Wise Engineer
Experience:
15.3 years
19 played
2 reviews
Updates address many of the previous complaints regarding this course in older reviews 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Mar 5, 2017
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
• Concrete tee pads
• Great signs at every hole
• Plenty of parking near the tee so long as there isn't any major games being played on the nearby baseball/softball fields
• The creek the course is built around comes into play nicely on several of the holes.
• The course is typically well maintained
• Good use of the terrain to make holes interesting
• In most places the creek is shallow and narrow enough to retrieve your disc with either a stick or a bit of wading
• Great signs at every hole
• Plenty of parking near the tee so long as there isn't any major games being played on the nearby baseball/softball fields
• The creek the course is built around comes into play nicely on several of the holes.
• The course is typically well maintained
• Good use of the terrain to make holes interesting
• In most places the creek is shallow and narrow enough to retrieve your disc with either a stick or a bit of wading
Cons:
• Only one set of teepads
• The creek I mentioned before can rise after rains making the natural crossings to a couple holes difficult to navigate
• Shot selection is mostly limited to hyzers and straight shots for a RHBH player due to the layout of the holes
• Holes 9-12 are all very similar in approach and distance
• There's a decent amount of doubling back to get to the next hole in a few places, primarily 3->4, 15->16, and 16->17. However it's not too much of an inconvenience, especially with the signs pointing in the direction of the next tee pad on every hole.
• The creek I mentioned before can rise after rains making the natural crossings to a couple holes difficult to navigate
• Shot selection is mostly limited to hyzers and straight shots for a RHBH player due to the layout of the holes
• Holes 9-12 are all very similar in approach and distance
• There's a decent amount of doubling back to get to the next hole in a few places, primarily 3->4, 15->16, and 16->17. However it's not too much of an inconvenience, especially with the signs pointing in the direction of the next tee pad on every hole.
Other Thoughts:
I'd disregard most of the reviews predating the course update in late 2013. The YMCA bought out the rec center who's land this course was built on, adding concrete tee pads and signs in the process which addresses many people's primary complaint. The current map on this page isn't updated with the new layout which got rid of holes 17 and 18 and moved them between holes 13 and what used to be 14 (now 16). I have added a simple updated version of the map. While this may be the only 18 hole course in the area, all in all it's a lot of fun to play and definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!
10
0
Good Course, NEW Tees 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Dec 20, 2013
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
NEW AND IMPROVED. After suffering for years with lousy natural tees and no signage, this course has been updated with brand new concrete teepads and very nice signs.
This 18 hole course is built behind the newly renamed "YMCA of the Highland Lakes at Galloway Hammond." There is a very large parking area that places you right on the first tee.
The course covers a nice area of treed land that is divided by a creek. There is usually some water in the lower areas of the creek, but not so much that you can't retrieve discs. During wet times of year the water becomes a more significant obstacle.
Holes 1 through 4 work around an area south of the access drive. Good use of the creek and large trees in the area create holes requiring a variety of straight, hyzer and anhyzer drives. Basket for Hole 4 is perched at the edge of the creek bed, and offers good risk/reward on the approach shot.
Holes 5, 6 & 7 are on the north side of the access road and play along the west side the creek. There are some decent elevation changes and large trees to add challenge to the holes.
Hole 8 tees off from the highest ground, across the creek, and down to the basket probably 25' below. The basket is guarded by trees but the shortish downhill drive gives a good birdie opportunity here.
Holes 9 - 16 play down a stretch that is bordered by the creek to the north and private land (fenceline) to the south. There are several mandos to keep you from driving onto folks playing back toward you on the other side of the lane. With the creek and fenceline O.B. and considerable trees to work through these holes place a premium on line shaping and disc placement.
Hole 16 is the only Par 4 and the longest at 623'. The fenceline is a tight O.B. on the left side of most of the hole, and a walking trail is O.B. on the right so the ability to drive straight is helpful here.
Holes 17 and 18 offer the best opportunities to air out your drive as they are wide open off of the tee, but the baskets themselves are well guarded by trees.
Even though most holes are in the 250' - 350' range, they are well designed using the available elevation and especially the trees and O.B.
This 18 hole course is built behind the newly renamed "YMCA of the Highland Lakes at Galloway Hammond." There is a very large parking area that places you right on the first tee.
The course covers a nice area of treed land that is divided by a creek. There is usually some water in the lower areas of the creek, but not so much that you can't retrieve discs. During wet times of year the water becomes a more significant obstacle.
Holes 1 through 4 work around an area south of the access drive. Good use of the creek and large trees in the area create holes requiring a variety of straight, hyzer and anhyzer drives. Basket for Hole 4 is perched at the edge of the creek bed, and offers good risk/reward on the approach shot.
Holes 5, 6 & 7 are on the north side of the access road and play along the west side the creek. There are some decent elevation changes and large trees to add challenge to the holes.
Hole 8 tees off from the highest ground, across the creek, and down to the basket probably 25' below. The basket is guarded by trees but the shortish downhill drive gives a good birdie opportunity here.
Holes 9 - 16 play down a stretch that is bordered by the creek to the north and private land (fenceline) to the south. There are several mandos to keep you from driving onto folks playing back toward you on the other side of the lane. With the creek and fenceline O.B. and considerable trees to work through these holes place a premium on line shaping and disc placement.
Hole 16 is the only Par 4 and the longest at 623'. The fenceline is a tight O.B. on the left side of most of the hole, and a walking trail is O.B. on the right so the ability to drive straight is helpful here.
Holes 17 and 18 offer the best opportunities to air out your drive as they are wide open off of the tee, but the baskets themselves are well guarded by trees.
Even though most holes are in the 250' - 350' range, they are well designed using the available elevation and especially the trees and O.B.
Cons:
Most of my past "cons" have been eliminated with construction of concrete teepads and installation of good, descriptive signs. Such an improvement!
There are no restrooms or water out on the course, but I assume that you can use those inside the YMCA building.
There are no restrooms or water out on the course, but I assume that you can use those inside the YMCA building.
Other Thoughts:
The recent re-design has eliminated old holes 17 & 18 due to conflicts with parking for the ball fields. New holes 14 & 15 now play down into a new area and are worthy replacements for the old holes.
