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Gateway Park - Briar Run reviews
14
0
the best part of Gateway Park
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 30, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
-great wooded terrain with many tunnel fairways and tight windows
-technically it's mostly flat but there are lots of small changes in ground level and a few fairways with many mounds that have a big impact on ground play
-a nice mix of holes from short but tight ace runs to a few longer, wider tunnels including a 451' par 4 (hole 3, goes slowly left then right and water danger just past the basket)
-concrete tees on the preexisting holes, the rest are a mix of pavers, natural pads, or a mix of this and that
-basic signs with hole number and distance but great next tee signs throughout to aid navigation
-baskets are a mix of older DGAs on the front, some discatchers on the back, all pretty used but serviceable
-benches at a lot of the tees, plenty of parking, porta-potty
-another 18 holes on site
-huge park with soccer and softball fields, trails, and a dog park
-technically it's mostly flat but there are lots of small changes in ground level and a few fairways with many mounds that have a big impact on ground play
-a nice mix of holes from short but tight ace runs to a few longer, wider tunnels including a 451' par 4 (hole 3, goes slowly left then right and water danger just past the basket)
-concrete tees on the preexisting holes, the rest are a mix of pavers, natural pads, or a mix of this and that
-basic signs with hole number and distance but great next tee signs throughout to aid navigation
-baskets are a mix of older DGAs on the front, some discatchers on the back, all pretty used but serviceable
-benches at a lot of the tees, plenty of parking, porta-potty
-another 18 holes on site
-huge park with soccer and softball fields, trails, and a dog park
Cons:
-the baskets work for now but it would be cool to have a new set, the current ones are a mix of manufacturers and condition and are mostly unnumbered
-the great concrete tees from the old layout contrast sharply with the mixed bag on the new holes, 6 more concrete tees would make a big difference especially in subpar weather conditions
-some of the rough is pretty rough, you can get your scorecard and your skin punished trying to go too big on these tight fairways
-a few of the holes are pretty close together, a bad kick could make it to the next fairway on holes 8-10
-on a personal note, i really miss old holes 5-7
-the great concrete tees from the old layout contrast sharply with the mixed bag on the new holes, 6 more concrete tees would make a big difference especially in subpar weather conditions
-some of the rough is pretty rough, you can get your scorecard and your skin punished trying to go too big on these tight fairways
-a few of the holes are pretty close together, a bad kick could make it to the next fairway on holes 8-10
-on a personal note, i really miss old holes 5-7
Other Thoughts:
I always loved the original Gateway Park layout, particularly the front 9. The Briar Run layout occupies the land of that original front 9 and five of those holes are still intact in their original versions. I was really excited to see baskets back in the ground here.
The land is heavily wooded with clearly defined fairways, crowded but fair lines, tunnels and tight windows, and both left and right turning shots. It is basically flat out here but it doesn't play that way. A few holes have many smaller to somewhat bigger mounds scattering their fairways, holes 4 and 5 in particular. There are a few more instances of a handful of feet up or down coming into play and there is a cool basket on a small rock mound on hole 9's island green (interestingly, this is the original location of the old hole 7 basket).
The tees and baskets are a mixed bag but they get the job done for the most part. The natural tees on 8-10 were rough in the wet condtions I recently played in and the natural tee on 12 was underwater. The older concrete ones are great.
I really miss the old stretch of holes 5-7. New hole 7 is the old hole 5 tee but only playing to the edge of the woods instead of out and across the field, half of the old hole basically. Old hole seven used to play from that field back into the woods to the basket on a rock mound that is now basket 9. Those two par 4s had the length and change of pace from the other holes that is now missing from this layout.
I am stoked to see this course partially resurrected. I always enjoyed this place and didn't think much of the redesigned 18. Now having 30 holes on site and the potential to play something close to the original 18 if you wanted to is pretty cool. These 12 holes fit the land well and the new holes complement the style and character of the old ones nicely.
**Like this review? Hate it? Message me and let me know why! I want to make them better!**
The land is heavily wooded with clearly defined fairways, crowded but fair lines, tunnels and tight windows, and both left and right turning shots. It is basically flat out here but it doesn't play that way. A few holes have many smaller to somewhat bigger mounds scattering their fairways, holes 4 and 5 in particular. There are a few more instances of a handful of feet up or down coming into play and there is a cool basket on a small rock mound on hole 9's island green (interestingly, this is the original location of the old hole 7 basket).
The tees and baskets are a mixed bag but they get the job done for the most part. The natural tees on 8-10 were rough in the wet condtions I recently played in and the natural tee on 12 was underwater. The older concrete ones are great.
I really miss the old stretch of holes 5-7. New hole 7 is the old hole 5 tee but only playing to the edge of the woods instead of out and across the field, half of the old hole basically. Old hole seven used to play from that field back into the woods to the basket on a rock mound that is now basket 9. Those two par 4s had the length and change of pace from the other holes that is now missing from this layout.
I am stoked to see this course partially resurrected. I always enjoyed this place and didn't think much of the redesigned 18. Now having 30 holes on site and the potential to play something close to the original 18 if you wanted to is pretty cool. These 12 holes fit the land well and the new holes complement the style and character of the old ones nicely.
**Like this review? Hate it? Message me and let me know why! I want to make them better!**
2
0
Can be played as 18
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 12, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
This layout is the perfect amount of trees and fun. Signs and baskets. Good use of the forest.
Cons:
No map. Holes 10-12 natural pads.
Other Thoughts:
If you did not know about the other course this can be played as 18. Yes when you get to 13 the other course will flow into this but this is really still an 18 hole layout.
8
0
Briar Run
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 15, 2023
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
-- Good use of land. Trees are abundant and well used. There isn't much water or elevation, but what is there is well used. A lot of holes would be described as flat, but there are mounds and undulations that add some challenge and appeal.
-- Seating at T pads.
-- Navigation is excellent. Signs nailed to trees direct you to the next tee.
-- One legitimate par 4. Hole 3 is 451 feet. You've got about 300 feet off the tee to a corner, where you take a 45-degree turn right to a basket about 15 feet short of murky creek water.
-- The other good holes tend to be shorter: No. 5 is 170 feet RHBH hyzer. Dozens of small trees keep you from going straight at the basket, and the hyzer line is through a tight opening off the tee. No. 9 is 183 feet down a tight tunnel with the basket slightly right on what appears to be an island mando.
-- A couple of holes have alternate pin positions.
-- Good distance variation. With the alternate pin position, you can have four holes longer than 300 feet and three shorter than 200 feet.
-- With an 18-hole course in the same park, you can easily play 30 holes. The best option is to play this course first; when you finish 12, you've got a couple hundred foot walk to No. 13 on Gateway West. When you finish 12 on the course, you're about 500 feet from your car. If you play this course as the first 12 holes of an 18-hole layout, you finish 18 at least half a mile from where you started.
-- Port-o-potty at parking lot.
-- Seating at T pads.
-- Navigation is excellent. Signs nailed to trees direct you to the next tee.
-- One legitimate par 4. Hole 3 is 451 feet. You've got about 300 feet off the tee to a corner, where you take a 45-degree turn right to a basket about 15 feet short of murky creek water.
-- The other good holes tend to be shorter: No. 5 is 170 feet RHBH hyzer. Dozens of small trees keep you from going straight at the basket, and the hyzer line is through a tight opening off the tee. No. 9 is 183 feet down a tight tunnel with the basket slightly right on what appears to be an island mando.
-- A couple of holes have alternate pin positions.
-- Good distance variation. With the alternate pin position, you can have four holes longer than 300 feet and three shorter than 200 feet.
-- With an 18-hole course in the same park, you can easily play 30 holes. The best option is to play this course first; when you finish 12, you've got a couple hundred foot walk to No. 13 on Gateway West. When you finish 12 on the course, you're about 500 feet from your car. If you play this course as the first 12 holes of an 18-hole layout, you finish 18 at least half a mile from where you started.
-- Port-o-potty at parking lot.
Cons:
-- No map.
-- No drinking water.
-- Tee signs have hole number and distance but nothing else.
-- Baskets are a mix, mostly older baskets from multiple manufacturers. Those baskets are either not numbered or numbered incorrectly.
-- Tee pads are a mix as well. Many of the holes are remnants from a previous version of the Gateway West course; those have nice concrete tee pads. The holes that have been added have a mix of paver stone, gravel and natural tees. All are functional, but four different tee types on a 12-hole course is weird.
-- Long walks. 1-2 and 7-8 are the worst. The path to 2 is well marked, but the path brings you out 60 feet in front of the 2 tee, so you could get hit by a drive if you are not careful. Getting to 8 requires a long walk on a walking path, away from the road.
-- Holes 8 and 11 throw across a walking path. Because of bushes and trees, anyone walking down that path won't be visible to someone on the tee until they are almost directly in front of the tee.
-- No drinking water.
-- Tee signs have hole number and distance but nothing else.
-- Baskets are a mix, mostly older baskets from multiple manufacturers. Those baskets are either not numbered or numbered incorrectly.
-- Tee pads are a mix as well. Many of the holes are remnants from a previous version of the Gateway West course; those have nice concrete tee pads. The holes that have been added have a mix of paver stone, gravel and natural tees. All are functional, but four different tee types on a 12-hole course is weird.
-- Long walks. 1-2 and 7-8 are the worst. The path to 2 is well marked, but the path brings you out 60 feet in front of the 2 tee, so you could get hit by a drive if you are not careful. Getting to 8 requires a long walk on a walking path, away from the road.
-- Holes 8 and 11 throw across a walking path. Because of bushes and trees, anyone walking down that path won't be visible to someone on the tee until they are almost directly in front of the tee.
Other Thoughts:
-- A storm a month ago brought down some trees and big limbs. Holes were still playable a few days after the storm despite some paths being partially blocked, but the local club has done an amazing job of getting those trees and limbs removed.
-- Even with 30 holes in one park, this is not a destination site. However, the holes are well designed and fun.
-- Even with 30 holes in one park, this is not a destination site. However, the holes are well designed and fun.
