Ham Lake DGC reviews
7
0
Poor Mans BRP (and nothing wrong with that) 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 9, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
Good recreational caliber course in the northern Twin Cities suburbs, just a few miles away from the much lauded Blue Ribbon Pines course. There's even a mock of the same short right turn hole that you'll see at BRP. Has a decent amount of woodsiness to keep you honest and rob you of parking your drive. Great for families, kids, and people out for a fun round. Lots of ace run potential if you're into that thing. Also good for working on accuracy with your mids and putters.
Cons:
Even from the long tees at under 5000' this is a very short track. Advanced/pro caliber players will find the challenge here a bit underwhelming. It was a sunny beautiful day when I was here, so you can expect one disc wonders to flock here on such a day, (but for the most part, they'll let you through). A few places where you can get led off track finding the next hole, but not overwhelmingly so.
Other Thoughts:
I actually hit here after BRP since it was in the neighborhood before driving back into the twin cities, and kind of wish that I had done things the other way around. I wouldn't call Ham Lake a must play, but if you're on your way up to BRP, this is a nice quick way to get the arm warmed up. Conveniently located just off Highway 65.
5
1
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
15.3 years
1508 played
480 reviews
OK warmup for Blue Ribbon pines 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 13, 2009
Played the course:once
Pros:
1) Course is easy to navigate despite no directional tee signs because it simply circles the 4 baseball diamonds that create a complete circle.
2) Course is designed very well for the property. It uses what little land available to the disc golf course very well. There are some great little pockets of woods that really help to make some good holes.
3) Does have asphalt tees which are better than grass or dirt.
4) Mulch is used well in areas that would be bare soil.
5) Posts at every tee showing a little desciption of the hole although very simplistic it gets hte point across.
6) Course incorporates what little elevation change there is on the property on a couple holes, and it also even has a water hazard (#6, was dry in September, but could be wet all spring) and another wetland (right of #9???) that may be underwater in spring.
7) You would think a course that goes in a cirlce wouldnt test a lot of different shots . . . but it even has two holes that go left to right (opposite the flow around the fields). The wooded areas force you to pick a line and try to execute.
8) Course plays in about 30 minutes!
2) Course is designed very well for the property. It uses what little land available to the disc golf course very well. There are some great little pockets of woods that really help to make some good holes.
3) Does have asphalt tees which are better than grass or dirt.
4) Mulch is used well in areas that would be bare soil.
5) Posts at every tee showing a little desciption of the hole although very simplistic it gets hte point across.
6) Course incorporates what little elevation change there is on the property on a couple holes, and it also even has a water hazard (#6, was dry in September, but could be wet all spring) and another wetland (right of #9???) that may be underwater in spring.
7) You would think a course that goes in a cirlce wouldnt test a lot of different shots . . . but it even has two holes that go left to right (opposite the flow around the fields). The wooded areas force you to pick a line and try to execute.
8) Course plays in about 30 minutes!
Cons:
1) Tees although asphalt are too small . . . no runup is possible because they are mostly like 6 feet long. There also is an abundance of sand in the soil around this course so the sand ends up all over the tee pads. This makes them slippery even for a simple two step approach!
2) #8 is almost a little to tight and gimmicky, there is almost no good line to even try to hit. A hyzer skip would be about the only way to get it close but tha is risky because you might just hang up in the grass instead of getting the skip.
3) Course doesn't have enough variation in distance so you end up throwing the same disc multiple times. It does have 1 long hole but all the others are very similar.
4) I wouldn't say this is a beginner friendly course despite being fairly short. Some of the tight holes are just too tight for a beginner to throw well.
5) Course is missing that really cool hole that would be its signature hole. It is a few good holes and a few average holes and one gimmicky bad hole. That equates to an average course in my opinion.
6) Walk between 1 and 2 goes across the entrance to the parking and walk between 2 and 3 is a little long and out across another parking area (for maintenance building) and walk from 6 to 7 goes out past a utility building of some sort. Not too tough to find the next holes but could lead to confusion.
2) #8 is almost a little to tight and gimmicky, there is almost no good line to even try to hit. A hyzer skip would be about the only way to get it close but tha is risky because you might just hang up in the grass instead of getting the skip.
3) Course doesn't have enough variation in distance so you end up throwing the same disc multiple times. It does have 1 long hole but all the others are very similar.
4) I wouldn't say this is a beginner friendly course despite being fairly short. Some of the tight holes are just too tight for a beginner to throw well.
5) Course is missing that really cool hole that would be its signature hole. It is a few good holes and a few average holes and one gimmicky bad hole. That equates to an average course in my opinion.
6) Walk between 1 and 2 goes across the entrance to the parking and walk between 2 and 3 is a little long and out across another parking area (for maintenance building) and walk from 6 to 7 goes out past a utility building of some sort. Not too tough to find the next holes but could lead to confusion.
Other Thoughts:
Hole recap:
1) Nice right to left shot into a fairly densely wooded area. It is mostly just tree trunk you can hit but you can pick your line and disc accordingly.
2) Shortish hole with basket tucked about 30' into a wooded opening. Not a bad hole . . . if you miss the gap intot he woods your putt may be blocked.
3) Pretty straight fairly open with a few trees left that will knock down a disc thrown to the right of the basket.
4) Big left to righter around a big evergreen tree.
5) Longish hole with basket tucked up to the right woodline. Slightly uphill to the basket also.
6) Right to lefter over wetland (dry in Sept.) and into wooded area.
7) Tee is wooded and you have to shoot the gap at the beginning and cannot see the basket from the tee but it will need to come in from the right to get it close.
8) Gimmicky hole (would be a great tomahawk or thumber hole to go over the trees and such) or you can throw out to the right with a big hyzer and try and skip it in close or just throw straight out and risk the 45' putt for birdie.
9)Good hole fairly long out over an open area with basket tucked inside of a handful of small trees. You might get lucky and get through the, or you might hit one and be left with a 35['.
Like I said this is a good warmup course for Blue Ribbon, it will help you test your straight shots and also each direction. You may not throw your fastest disc on this course but it would be a good course to wake up and play before heading up to Blue Ribbon. I wouldnt go back unless I was in the are and probably only if I was headed to Blue Ribbon pines, but I did enjoy the course.
1) Nice right to left shot into a fairly densely wooded area. It is mostly just tree trunk you can hit but you can pick your line and disc accordingly.
2) Shortish hole with basket tucked about 30' into a wooded opening. Not a bad hole . . . if you miss the gap intot he woods your putt may be blocked.
3) Pretty straight fairly open with a few trees left that will knock down a disc thrown to the right of the basket.
4) Big left to righter around a big evergreen tree.
5) Longish hole with basket tucked up to the right woodline. Slightly uphill to the basket also.
6) Right to lefter over wetland (dry in Sept.) and into wooded area.
7) Tee is wooded and you have to shoot the gap at the beginning and cannot see the basket from the tee but it will need to come in from the right to get it close.
8) Gimmicky hole (would be a great tomahawk or thumber hole to go over the trees and such) or you can throw out to the right with a big hyzer and try and skip it in close or just throw straight out and risk the 45' putt for birdie.
9)Good hole fairly long out over an open area with basket tucked inside of a handful of small trees. You might get lucky and get through the, or you might hit one and be left with a 35['.
Like I said this is a good warmup course for Blue Ribbon, it will help you test your straight shots and also each direction. You may not throw your fastest disc on this course but it would be a good course to wake up and play before heading up to Blue Ribbon. I wouldnt go back unless I was in the are and probably only if I was headed to Blue Ribbon pines, but I did enjoy the course.
