Indian Lake Nazarene Camp reviews
8
0
🤔
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 29, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
Indian Lake Nazarene Camp DGC is located southeast of Kalamazoo, MI. The 9-hole course plays around and near what seems to be...the camp of the same name? A residential neighborhood? An RV storage area? Maybe it was some combination of the three.
This course plays relatively long for a 9-holer. Holes 2 and 9 are pitch-and-putt throws in the 200' range, but all of the other holes are at least 300' and a few are more like 400'-450'. The closest hole to a favorite for me was #8, which is one of the 400+' ones. It plays through a field with an appreciable number of 20'-30' tall pine trees seemingly dropped at random within it. There are several different lines between the pines that you could aim for, if you know where the basket is.
The baskets are Chainstars that are in fine shape.
This course plays relatively long for a 9-holer. Holes 2 and 9 are pitch-and-putt throws in the 200' range, but all of the other holes are at least 300' and a few are more like 400'-450'. The closest hole to a favorite for me was #8, which is one of the 400+' ones. It plays through a field with an appreciable number of 20'-30' tall pine trees seemingly dropped at random within it. There are several different lines between the pines that you could aim for, if you know where the basket is.
The baskets are Chainstars that are in fine shape.
Cons:
There are lots of potential safety issues here. I counted three holes that play across various camp roads, and two others that play near them.
Several holes are wide open with no obstacles between tee and basket. At the other extreme, #5 has you teeing off across the camp road straight at a wall of the same type of large-ish disc catching pine trees I mentioned on #8. The basket is at least 350'-400' away behind the wall of trees. Maybe this one played more like #8 when the course was installed back in 2011 - but today the only feasible options seemed to be to play your way around the trees, or maybe big arms could try to bomb it over the top.
The course is flat with no water hazards.
The tee pads are rubber mats that are relatively large, but also lumpy. The tee signs are short wood posts with only the hole number. For the couple of blind holes, it was tricky to figure out where the basket is at.
There aren't any navigational aids. Use the map available here, or UDisc for navigation. A word of advice if you park at the main lot in front of the camp office: Start at hole 2, so that you play #2-9 and then #1 last. This will save you the hassle of walking #1 two extra times.
No trash cans, benches, practice basket, or porta potty.
Several holes are wide open with no obstacles between tee and basket. At the other extreme, #5 has you teeing off across the camp road straight at a wall of the same type of large-ish disc catching pine trees I mentioned on #8. The basket is at least 350'-400' away behind the wall of trees. Maybe this one played more like #8 when the course was installed back in 2011 - but today the only feasible options seemed to be to play your way around the trees, or maybe big arms could try to bomb it over the top.
The course is flat with no water hazards.
The tee pads are rubber mats that are relatively large, but also lumpy. The tee signs are short wood posts with only the hole number. For the couple of blind holes, it was tricky to figure out where the basket is at.
There aren't any navigational aids. Use the map available here, or UDisc for navigation. A word of advice if you park at the main lot in front of the camp office: Start at hole 2, so that you play #2-9 and then #1 last. This will save you the hassle of walking #1 two extra times.
No trash cans, benches, practice basket, or porta potty.
Other Thoughts:
Holes 7 and 8 play near what seemed to be an RV camping area within, or next to, the Indian Lake Nazarene Camp itself. Apparently you can leave your RV all winter long - when I visited in late October, there were dozens of RVs claiming most of the "campsites" (some of which were still partially "set up" for camping) but zero people around. Maybe I just had Halloween on my brain, but the huge field full of abandoned - albeit presumably temporarily - RVs created an odd, spooky vibe. As I mentioned at the top, another edge of the course near the beginning of hole 1/end of hole 9 appeared to be a residential neighborhood where people live year round. I just wasn't expecting either of these things to be bordering the course, or honestly each other.
This is a private course. I emailed the camp prior to visiting and confirmed that members of the public are welcome to visit and use the course without contacting the camp prior to playing, so long as they respect the rules. From the camp staff: "ILNC is a ministry of the Michigan District Church of the Nazrene, so alcohol/smoking/vaping/tobacco/cannabis products are not permitted on the property." If you're a course bagger looking to add another one to your total, please respect these rules.
I was between a 1.0 and 1.5 here. The primary feeling I got from playing this one was just..."hmmm". That's why I went with the review title I did. It's sort of a weird course that is too long for campers, and too open to really be interesting for most other players. It's a decent spot for field work, but that's about all I can really say. Unless you're trying to hit them all, give this one a miss.
This is a private course. I emailed the camp prior to visiting and confirmed that members of the public are welcome to visit and use the course without contacting the camp prior to playing, so long as they respect the rules. From the camp staff: "ILNC is a ministry of the Michigan District Church of the Nazrene, so alcohol/smoking/vaping/tobacco/cannabis products are not permitted on the property." If you're a course bagger looking to add another one to your total, please respect these rules.
I was between a 1.0 and 1.5 here. The primary feeling I got from playing this one was just..."hmmm". That's why I went with the review title I did. It's sort of a weird course that is too long for campers, and too open to really be interesting for most other players. It's a decent spot for field work, but that's about all I can really say. Unless you're trying to hit them all, give this one a miss.
6
1
Basic Beginner Style 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 17, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
- I'm not exactly sure what the deal is with Indian Lake Nazarene Camp (ILNC). The property seems like some strange chimera of private neighborhood, trailer park, summer camp, and public park. Smack in the middle is a beginner-level nine-hole disc golf course. The course plays over a mostly open, grassy, lawn-like flat surface with a few small pines scattered about.
- Each tee has a bed of rocks covered with a rubber mat. The mats provide a decent enough surface, but the rocks underneath make things a bit lumpy and uneven. Signs designate each hole number but do not provide any other information.
- A few small pines come into play. Used to decent effect on #'s 4, 5 and 8. Some larger deciduous trees pop up on #3, but are mostly absent from the course.
- # 6's comparative length keeps this from completely being pitch and putt.
- Each tee has a bed of rocks covered with a rubber mat. The mats provide a decent enough surface, but the rocks underneath make things a bit lumpy and uneven. Signs designate each hole number but do not provide any other information.
- A few small pines come into play. Used to decent effect on #'s 4, 5 and 8. Some larger deciduous trees pop up on #3, but are mostly absent from the course.
- # 6's comparative length keeps this from completely being pitch and putt.
Cons:
- Flat. Mostly open. Mostly mindless, easy disc golf. Even beginners won't find much challenge or excitement.
- #'s 4 and 5 throw over a road, albeit one that seems to have little traffic.
- Not much in the way of parking by #1's tee. I ended up parking by #2's tee and walked to #1.
- There are many wooden posts placed at intervals in the open space that comprises #'s 1 and 2's fairways. I don't know if these are RV/camper hookups or what, but if anything ever parks by them then you can forget playing the first and last hole of ILNC.
- #'s 4 and 5 throw over a road, albeit one that seems to have little traffic.
- Not much in the way of parking by #1's tee. I ended up parking by #2's tee and walked to #1.
- There are many wooden posts placed at intervals in the open space that comprises #'s 1 and 2's fairways. I don't know if these are RV/camper hookups or what, but if anything ever parks by them then you can forget playing the first and last hole of ILNC.
Other Thoughts:
- I got a weird vibe from the surrounding area. It seems like a strange area to have a disc golf course, and it definitely puts off a private camp course vibe. I kept expecting someone to come out and yell at me that the course was closed or that I didn't pay or I had to join their cult or something.
- Yeah, unless you're course bagging or into really bland golf just go to Vicksburg Rec instead. Really, just about any of the surrounding area courses beat this.
- Yeah, unless you're course bagging or into really bland golf just go to Vicksburg Rec instead. Really, just about any of the surrounding area courses beat this.
