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Hilner Park reviews
6
0
Hillner Park In Lockwood, Montana Makes A Great 20 Minute Pit Stop! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 11, 2021
Played the course:once
Pros:
This little course is what a great little recreational course should be. It's not trying be some championship course. It's not trying to challenge seasoned disc golfers. The course designers stayed the course and created an excellent experience for their small town disc golfing population.
There's a nice big course sign at the start listing all their sponsors. Each is then recognized on each tee sign. There is a map here although it's hardly needed. The tee pads are nice, slightly undersized trapezoid shaped. The tee signs are metal showing the route which is always straight, par, distance and the hole's sponsor. The course plays mostly about the park's perimeter playing in a clockwise direction. Each hole here is an Ace possibility. Only # 9 is over 250'. # 5 is the Top of the World shot here only it's not very high and it's only 148'. But it's a soft feathery toss and you do have to avoid one tree.
I was a little confused by a couple of the tee signs. They seem to be facing the wrong direction but then I figured out they are facing so as to be seen from the previous basket.
Granted this part of town doesn't look too prosperous, but it certainly doesn't look scary dangerous or intimidating. There was some graffiti on a building here and I believe that's the first example of tagging that I've seen on this 10 day trip through Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota and Wyoming.
There's a nice big course sign at the start listing all their sponsors. Each is then recognized on each tee sign. There is a map here although it's hardly needed. The tee pads are nice, slightly undersized trapezoid shaped. The tee signs are metal showing the route which is always straight, par, distance and the hole's sponsor. The course plays mostly about the park's perimeter playing in a clockwise direction. Each hole here is an Ace possibility. Only # 9 is over 250'. # 5 is the Top of the World shot here only it's not very high and it's only 148'. But it's a soft feathery toss and you do have to avoid one tree.
I was a little confused by a couple of the tee signs. They seem to be facing the wrong direction but then I figured out they are facing so as to be seen from the previous basket.
Granted this part of town doesn't look too prosperous, but it certainly doesn't look scary dangerous or intimidating. There was some graffiti on a building here and I believe that's the first example of tagging that I've seen on this 10 day trip through Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota and Wyoming.
Cons:
Short rec distances.
Very little challenge.
Mostly flat and open.
Very little challenge.
Mostly flat and open.
Other Thoughts:
Number of Ace Runs here (9). Number of Aces by The Valkyrie Kid (0).
Number of close Ace runs by the Valkyrie Kid (0).
Easily birdable holes here (9). Birdies by the Valkyrie Kid (5).
Missed putts by the Valkyrie Kid (2).
It took me 21 minutes to bag and tag this little course. It's a perfect little pit stop/bag on your way across Montana. If the westward bound wagon trains had a disc golf pit stop like, maybe they wouldn't have had to stop and pick up buffalo chips. If the Plains Indians had a disc golf course like, maybe they wouldn't have exhausted their bullets wasting Custer's 7th Calvary. Instead, they might have challenged them to a mixed dubs tournament. The soldiers probably would've complained that the course was not challenging enough and only nine holes.
Number of close Ace runs by the Valkyrie Kid (0).
Easily birdable holes here (9). Birdies by the Valkyrie Kid (5).
Missed putts by the Valkyrie Kid (2).
It took me 21 minutes to bag and tag this little course. It's a perfect little pit stop/bag on your way across Montana. If the westward bound wagon trains had a disc golf pit stop like, maybe they wouldn't have had to stop and pick up buffalo chips. If the Plains Indians had a disc golf course like, maybe they wouldn't have exhausted their bullets wasting Custer's 7th Calvary. Instead, they might have challenged them to a mixed dubs tournament. The soldiers probably would've complained that the course was not challenging enough and only nine holes.
4
0
Agarner14
Experience:
3.8 years
10 played
7 reviews
A Great Beginner Course or Quick Short Practice option 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 15, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
- Hilner Park is located in a quiet part of Lockwood, maybe not the most "upscale" part of town, but certainly not dangerous or scary. I played the course twice in about an hour with a friend and didn't see another soul.
- DGA Mach 5s are all brand new and look great. Very professional appearing job.
- Tee Pads are good size for the shorter throws and have good traction.
- Course layout is simple but not confusing (At least it wasn't for me). Follow the signs and numbers on the baskets and you won't have a problem.
- Good use of what little landscape variety did exist.
- While not the most aesthetically beautiful park, there was not much litter or anything like that.
- Great for ace runs!
- DGA Mach 5s are all brand new and look great. Very professional appearing job.
- Tee Pads are good size for the shorter throws and have good traction.
- Course layout is simple but not confusing (At least it wasn't for me). Follow the signs and numbers on the baskets and you won't have a problem.
- Good use of what little landscape variety did exist.
- While not the most aesthetically beautiful park, there was not much litter or anything like that.
- Great for ace runs!
Cons:
- Hard to say that there are "cons" given the purpose of this course. It is small and simple. It will not challenge experienced players, and it could be in a more beautiful setting. Even so, the designer clearly made good use of the space and brought another disc golfing option to the Billings Area. Anything that I would consider a "con" is simply something that would only be possible in a different area with a larger playing area and more varied landscape.
12
0
Neighborhood Rec Course 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Aug 20, 2020
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
- 9 well mounted Mach Vs, all in good repair. Large colored plates on top have the hole number.
- 8 level concrete tee pads with appropriate texture and size.(Hole 5 is a natural tee)
- Nice little course map at the parking lot.
- Tee signs have Hole number, distance, and a squiggly line "depicting" the flight path.
- Designer did nice job of using the available trees to create forced lines and a couple guarded greens despite the park not being particularly wooded. Hole 1s green, Hole 4s tunnel, Hole 6s "goalpost" trees are all great examples. Definitely nothing mind blowing but good for what's there to work with.
- Good mix of holes length for a beginner track with holes ranging from around 150' to 280'.
- There's a little drainage creek that comes into play on a couple holes adding variety.
- In a park with minimal elevation, they got a couple holes to not be flat. 5 is a nice mini TOTW shot and 6 has a mild uphill grade. Nowhere near enough variation for my taste but what was there was nicely used.
- No user conflicts as the park has nothing else there.
- Free to play.
- 8 level concrete tee pads with appropriate texture and size.(Hole 5 is a natural tee)
- Nice little course map at the parking lot.
- Tee signs have Hole number, distance, and a squiggly line "depicting" the flight path.
- Designer did nice job of using the available trees to create forced lines and a couple guarded greens despite the park not being particularly wooded. Hole 1s green, Hole 4s tunnel, Hole 6s "goalpost" trees are all great examples. Definitely nothing mind blowing but good for what's there to work with.
- Good mix of holes length for a beginner track with holes ranging from around 150' to 280'.
- There's a little drainage creek that comes into play on a couple holes adding variety.
- In a park with minimal elevation, they got a couple holes to not be flat. 5 is a nice mini TOTW shot and 6 has a mild uphill grade. Nowhere near enough variation for my taste but what was there was nicely used.
- No user conflicts as the park has nothing else there.
- Free to play.
Cons:
- The biggest con for me was the neighborhood. Not a super nice part of town, it won't give you that nice vibe that some courses will.
- Lot of animal poop in the park; dog poop, deer poop, and other various critter poop, yet to be identified.
- Not a ton of challenge to score well for most experienced players. As stated, they used the trees, creek, and hillside as they could, but there just isn't a ton of substance to the land and the distances are all beginner-rec friendly. Higher skilled players would likely get a little bored with repeat play here.
- Not much for variety in hole length. Decent range for low skill levels but would be nice to see some more range.
- You can see all 9 baskets if you stand in the right spot.
- Lack of elevation outside the couple holes just leaves something to be desired. Again, not much to work with which just speaks to quality of land, more than the actual course design. But I could see a couple more opportunities left on the table.
- Navigation is pretty easy but there are a couple places where next tee signs would prevent wandering/confusion, particularly for the intended audience of new players.
- No bathrooms or amenities of any sort. I mean, there are structures there that were bathrooms but eeek.
- Lot of animal poop in the park; dog poop, deer poop, and other various critter poop, yet to be identified.
- Not a ton of challenge to score well for most experienced players. As stated, they used the trees, creek, and hillside as they could, but there just isn't a ton of substance to the land and the distances are all beginner-rec friendly. Higher skilled players would likely get a little bored with repeat play here.
- Not much for variety in hole length. Decent range for low skill levels but would be nice to see some more range.
- You can see all 9 baskets if you stand in the right spot.
- Lack of elevation outside the couple holes just leaves something to be desired. Again, not much to work with which just speaks to quality of land, more than the actual course design. But I could see a couple more opportunities left on the table.
- Navigation is pretty easy but there are a couple places where next tee signs would prevent wandering/confusion, particularly for the intended audience of new players.
- No bathrooms or amenities of any sort. I mean, there are structures there that were bathrooms but eeek.
Other Thoughts:
January 2021 update - Tee signs, course map, and hole number plates on baskets are installed except for Hole 6(assuming it's awaiting sponsorship?). All said, this is a fine little beginner/rec course installation in a suburb with a need as the closest course is 15 minutes away in Billings proper. Really, outside of a couple holes, they all have something decent to offer. Newer players can hone some basic skills and gain confidence and more experienced players can enjoy mostly all ace runs or shoot for the 9 under round. Not too far off the interstate so if you're on a bagging run this is completely worth the stop. Outside of the neighborhood being kinda meh, I really enjoy this course. Design and infrastructure have been pretty well maximized for the available land. Probably won't go out of my way to play it again when I'm back in town but if I venture East or South of Billings on the interstate, it'll be worth stopping again.
