Pros:
A large spacious park with a small 9-hole course squeezed in the far back. Hey, at least the tee pads have been poured.
- This is a beginner level course, nothing more than that. Nine holes totaling less than 1,200 feet with the longest hole listed (based on UDisc's info) at 177 feet. I carried two putters, which was more than enough.
- Variety? I mean when you have wide open holes such as 1 & 2, then you have wooded holes (#4 & 5), boom. Variety! Plus, there is some (relatively) decent elevation variances.
- Lots of ace runs. On back to back holes, I had discs sail directly overtop of the basket. Had several others land in gimmie-range. If you want an ego boost, great course for that.
- There are several scenic layouts. First off, the course backs up to a rail road track. I was throwing on #4 when a train was passing by. Yes, I did think about throwing a disc at it.
- The best scenery is around the creek with holes #6 - 9. #6 has you throwing over a pedestrian bridge to a basket alongside the creek. Side note: the creek is less than a foot deep so no concern about a lost disc. Then #9 plays parallel to the creek. Throw in some old looking buildings, and this has a quaint, peaceful aura.
- There's a neighborhood that butts up to #7. If you lived here, you'd be walking down here all the time practicing putts and approaches.
- Concrete pads are already installed.
- Nice overall park. With the amount of ball fields, I suspect this parking lot could be packed on some weekends.
Cons:
Layout/flow could be improved.
- The biggest issue, which I'm chalking up to 'new course' problems is the lack of signage. No tee signs, no next tee signs, nothing. Without the UDisc map, it actually would have been a challenge throwing from the correct tee for all 9 holes. I had the map, and I still played out of order, going from #6 to 9 based simply on locale.
- In the woods around holes #3 - 6 is a bike trail. Without signs, and UDisc's slowness, I walked down one of the paths wondering where the tee pad was, only to discover I was on a bike trail 30 feet from the pad. Granted there were trees and underbrush between us.
- The layout is a little quirky. The first basket you see next to the parking lot is #3. You throw slightly downhill on #1. Then the baskets for #2 & 3 are pretty close together. After finishing #2, you essentially walk backwards, down most of #3's fairway to turn right back around. I already mentioned the close proximity of #6 & 9. Then, after finishing the round, you walk past holes/baskets for #6 - 2 to get back to the parking lot.
- Holes #7 & 8 play alongside (in?) an area that's designated as the town's farmer's market. That might make these holes unplayable on some weekends.
Other Thoughts:
Harrisburg Park clearly wanted to have a course. When a sub-1200 foot layout feels cramped, maybe that's a bad sign? No?
- For as simple as the layout is, there was a enough random factors to add a pinch of challenge. On #2, my tee shot, and subsequent cubby throw, both hit the side of the hill near the basket. And both ended up rolling 30-40 feet away from the basket. My second throw on #1 caught a gust of wind, and combined with the downhill slope, seemingly left me just as far from the basket as when I was standing on the tee. It's an 86-foot hole.
- This will be an excellent course for an ace race. Make a run at every basket from every tee. Because, in the end, you'll remember your round more if you have 1 ace and 8 pars due to tee shots sailing 40 feet past than you will with 9 birdies because you aimed for circle one putts off the tee.
- Excellent course for beginners and kids. If you can only throw 125 - 150 feet, you're looking at possible birdie chances on every hole but #7. In that regard, this course is a success.
- On the whole, it's just another basic, pitch-n-putt course. It's not even as challenging as Dorton Park, which seems to get flack for it's sub 100-foot hole. Well, this course has two of those holes.
- It seems a lot like one of the York or Lancaster counties school courses, including, wait for it….Harrisburg Elementary. It's a perfectly suitable 1.0 rated course, assuming, the course ever gets signage. If not, the rating is getting cut in half.