Jesse James DGC reviews
9
0
12 Acres, 18 Holes. How does this course work? 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Mar 7, 2021
Played the course:once
Pros:
Jesse James features a variety of wooded and open holes, lots of elevation change, and general challenge overall. It's old enough to have the feeling of a course that's been around for a while, but still new enough that most holes are basically the same. They do look a lot different than they did in 2012, however.
Even the small changes in elevation make for some pretty challenging holes. On hole 3, you're throwing over a small rise that really throws off the angle, holes 4 and 6 are difficult to get all the way there, and the downhill nature of holes 8, 12, and 13 means speed is really important, and controlling the angle of the disc to get - or avoid - a big skip is important.
The par 4's, holes 10 and 17, are both pretty fun. 10 is under 400 feet, but is uphill, dogleg left, and really difficult. I'm not sure there's a legitimate eagle line. 17 is the right way to do a flat, straight shot - woods on one side, OB path on the other; air it out at your own risk.
No hole is absolutely boring. Despite being on such a small piece of property, the course manages to provide some challenge on every hole. It may be a little gimmicky, or it certainly makes some tweener holes for certain skill levels, but there is always some line to hit or some danger to get into.
Even the small changes in elevation make for some pretty challenging holes. On hole 3, you're throwing over a small rise that really throws off the angle, holes 4 and 6 are difficult to get all the way there, and the downhill nature of holes 8, 12, and 13 means speed is really important, and controlling the angle of the disc to get - or avoid - a big skip is important.
The par 4's, holes 10 and 17, are both pretty fun. 10 is under 400 feet, but is uphill, dogleg left, and really difficult. I'm not sure there's a legitimate eagle line. 17 is the right way to do a flat, straight shot - woods on one side, OB path on the other; air it out at your own risk.
No hole is absolutely boring. Despite being on such a small piece of property, the course manages to provide some challenge on every hole. It may be a little gimmicky, or it certainly makes some tweener holes for certain skill levels, but there is always some line to hit or some danger to get into.
Cons:
Because there was so little room to work with, several holes have just terrible design. A walking path is nearby on 11-12 and 14-18, and of those only 17 is any good. Sure, it's an OB challenge, but it's not the same as the rest of the course. Hole 14 even has a telephone pole coming into play. Also, hole 5 is ridiculous; it's a dogleg left with basically no way to get to the basket in one except with maybe an overhand or a lucky cut roll.
The tee signs aren't great, and navigation is sometimes a little tricky. It's always easy to tell where the hole goes, but there are sometimes around five teepads visible from the previous basket. Good luck guessing. Other times, there are several paths through the woods, and there's no way to tell which is the right way to go; feel free to lay some sticks across false paths to help out future players. Also, holes 10-13 double back on each other a little bit. From 11 to 12, you're backtracking, and from 12 to 13, you're walking across the fairway of 10. At least no fairways cross each other, unless you take a shortcut route on 10 (which is a bad idea).
A lot of holes, despite having some challenging part, don't have much going for them. Apart from the stretch with walking paths, hole 1 is just straight uphill, 2 is an ordinary right-to-left shot, and 9 and 13 just didn't feel right. On some of these, just a little more distance would have improved them significantly, though that would have put baskets in the next fairway.
No alternate tee pads or pin placements. Obviously, there isn't much room for either, but a few more pins would help give a little more variety.
The tee signs aren't great, and navigation is sometimes a little tricky. It's always easy to tell where the hole goes, but there are sometimes around five teepads visible from the previous basket. Good luck guessing. Other times, there are several paths through the woods, and there's no way to tell which is the right way to go; feel free to lay some sticks across false paths to help out future players. Also, holes 10-13 double back on each other a little bit. From 11 to 12, you're backtracking, and from 12 to 13, you're walking across the fairway of 10. At least no fairways cross each other, unless you take a shortcut route on 10 (which is a bad idea).
A lot of holes, despite having some challenging part, don't have much going for them. Apart from the stretch with walking paths, hole 1 is just straight uphill, 2 is an ordinary right-to-left shot, and 9 and 13 just didn't feel right. On some of these, just a little more distance would have improved them significantly, though that would have put baskets in the next fairway.
No alternate tee pads or pin placements. Obviously, there isn't much room for either, but a few more pins would help give a little more variety.
Other Thoughts:
Despite the obvious pitfalls this course fell into and the fact it's all squished together, it really isn't all that bad. The good holes certainly stand out more than the bad ones.
I would have liked to see some holes that start in the woods and finish in the open, or vise-versa. They wouldn't have to be par 4, but they would be a better use of the open area than holes 14 and 16. Also, there's some land to the south of hole 17, across the path, that isn't being used for anything. Annexing that land would have given some more breathing room and would have introduced some exciting water hazards.
At the end of the day, this course doesn't have enough superb about it to justify a high rating. It's certainly a fun play, and should go pretty fast if you can avoid the rough, so you won't regret popping over here for a round.
I would have liked to see some holes that start in the woods and finish in the open, or vise-versa. They wouldn't have to be par 4, but they would be a better use of the open area than holes 14 and 16. Also, there's some land to the south of hole 17, across the path, that isn't being used for anything. Annexing that land would have given some more breathing room and would have introduced some exciting water hazards.
At the end of the day, this course doesn't have enough superb about it to justify a high rating. It's certainly a fun play, and should go pretty fast if you can avoid the rough, so you won't regret popping over here for a round.
5
2
astomps
Experience:
12.7 years
76 played
42 reviews
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jan 12, 2013
Played the course:once
Pros:
+ Holes 3,5,7,8,13
+ Brand new baskets
+ lots of technical shots and elevations changes
+ Brand new baskets
+ lots of technical shots and elevations changes
Cons:
- needs grass in several places
- navigation doesnt flow logical in several spots (2->3, 6->7, 12->13)
- too many holes that are < 300 and dead straight with no obstacles (1,11,15, 16)
- thorns everywhere
- water hazard was torn up and drained when I was there
-if rainy or wet, very muddy
- navigation doesnt flow logical in several spots (2->3, 6->7, 12->13)
- too many holes that are < 300 and dead straight with no obstacles (1,11,15, 16)
- thorns everywhere
- water hazard was torn up and drained when I was there
-if rainy or wet, very muddy
Other Thoughts:
room for improvement but several good holes. 15-18 need pine trees or some obstacle...maybe man made wall or something.
Several holes could be improved by 40 extra feet or different basket placement
Several holes could be improved by 40 extra feet or different basket placement
3
4
redbirdfaninkc
Experience:
4 played
4 reviews
Good, but oh so bad 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 15, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
Great little course. Isn't all the way finished yet but when it is it will be nice.
Cons:
It is impossible to know where to throw unless you have played it and you know, or there is someone else that knows. In my case there were people there to ask or I would've been wondering all over. THE SINGLE biggest CON of this course is the narrow fairways and thick thick woods on either side and TONS of poison Ivy, oak, and sumac. I played one time and two days later and I got poison ivy all over me. It makes the course not worth playing.
Other Thoughts:
If you can drive perfectly straight and never go off course you will love this place, if you get off course, GOOD LUCK!
