Lake Malone DGC reviews
2
1
AHagglund
Experience:
17 years
77 played
19 reviews
Don't throw any disc you aren't prepared to lose 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Mar 22, 2013
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
-The holes themselves are actually designed pretty well.
-relatively challenging. Par is a good score here
-relatively challenging. Par is a good score here
Cons:
Not maintained at all. Very, very hard to play a full round here without losing a disc.
Overgrown to the point that there are no lines on some holes.
Overgrown to the point that there are no lines on some holes.
Other Thoughts:
Don't recommend playing the course in this condition. Luckily, De Witt's course is only 5-10 minutes away.
6
0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
15.3 years
1508 played
480 reviews
Potential to be great, right now virtually unplayable 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 28, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
1) This course has 12 fairly well designed holes in a part of Iowa I wouldn't think would have much.
2) A recent upgrade apparently is the new concrete teepads. They are massive and have fairly good grip for traction. This is a sign that they are planning on keeping this course around. Since the last review was almost a year ago and he still had grass tees listed, I would think this course is due for some improvements.
3) The chain on the baskets is actually pretty nice. It is heavy and does it's job in stopping the disc. The problema s listed in the cons is that the disc could so easily fall out because of damage to the entrapment devices (PVC) which many of them have pieces missing or cracks in them.
4) This course presents a lot of challenge for a course in the middle of nowhere. There is danger of losing a disc int he water on a couple holes, into a cornfield with a barbed wire fence stating "Keep Out, No Tresspassing", there is a pond located on a 60 degree dogleg so you better pick your line well, and if you turn it over too much to the right you are nestled in some thick punishing rough that is growing out of a wetland (I went in there and it is wet). I like that this course presents some challenge both in shot shaping as well as length.
2) A recent upgrade apparently is the new concrete teepads. They are massive and have fairly good grip for traction. This is a sign that they are planning on keeping this course around. Since the last review was almost a year ago and he still had grass tees listed, I would think this course is due for some improvements.
3) The chain on the baskets is actually pretty nice. It is heavy and does it's job in stopping the disc. The problema s listed in the cons is that the disc could so easily fall out because of damage to the entrapment devices (PVC) which many of them have pieces missing or cracks in them.
4) This course presents a lot of challenge for a course in the middle of nowhere. There is danger of losing a disc int he water on a couple holes, into a cornfield with a barbed wire fence stating "Keep Out, No Tresspassing", there is a pond located on a 60 degree dogleg so you better pick your line well, and if you turn it over too much to the right you are nestled in some thick punishing rough that is growing out of a wetland (I went in there and it is wet). I like that this course presents some challenge both in shot shaping as well as length.
Cons:
1) This course as it was when I played it is virtually unplayable. The fairways hadn't been mowed in months and the rough was even more punishing because there was no defined fairway to pick where you wanted to throw. The hillside of the expressway was about 3-4' tall thistle, vetch, and I would guess even Wild Parsnip and other assorted horrible weeds. You throw up there, there is virtually no way to find your disc. I lost 2 discs on the hillside on two different holes. While I like challenge I hate the punishment of constantly looking for lost discs. If only those areas could be kept at a 1-2' height it wouldn't be an issue. Perhaps this is due to the wet year they have had in the area and perhaps the wetland was higher than normal too, I cannot say. I just know if it was in this condition when I was in the area again I would not play it again.
2) Homemade baskets are busted and cracked. For the design of the basket it wasn;t bad at all, and they do catch well, but the fact that multiple baskets are broken leads me to believe they will always be a problem. I could imagine that plastic heating up or play in winter when it is brittle and it would just crack fro a disc even. Or perhaps it is vandalism. Either way I would fix the baskets first! One basket is shared which is a negative, but I wouldn't worry too much about it impacting your play as there is likely noone ever here. The plastic entrapment device is also a little smaller than regulation I believe. They were slightly warped in spots also, but I could see discs falling out easily that would have been caught by a normal basket.
3) Signs were missing for #2 and #3 and I think #7 was laying on the ground . . . probably due to the recent concrete teepad installation. They also don't have any kind of descriptive diagram, just length and par basically.
4) I doubt it was by design but there is virtually no fairway on Hole #11. There are two rows of evergreens that take up the entire fairway width. You try and throw to the right of them you risk water shots.
5) #9 is a virtually blind up and over type shot. I tried a spike hyzer, but if you have a thumber or tamahawk I would recommend those shots. While this adds variety, I am not sure what to think about forcing that type of shot. I like having those abnormal throws as options, but as the only option (since there is no fairway) I am not sure.
6) Not beginner friendly at all in its current status. I would imagine there aren't a high number of hardcore DGers out there, it would cater to more people and get more use if it had a better maintenance regime. They also might need to add some shorter tee locations if that was the case because the carry on #12 is too much over water, the tightness of 4 or 5 of the other holes would cause newbies to lose discs all over the place.
2) Homemade baskets are busted and cracked. For the design of the basket it wasn;t bad at all, and they do catch well, but the fact that multiple baskets are broken leads me to believe they will always be a problem. I could imagine that plastic heating up or play in winter when it is brittle and it would just crack fro a disc even. Or perhaps it is vandalism. Either way I would fix the baskets first! One basket is shared which is a negative, but I wouldn't worry too much about it impacting your play as there is likely noone ever here. The plastic entrapment device is also a little smaller than regulation I believe. They were slightly warped in spots also, but I could see discs falling out easily that would have been caught by a normal basket.
3) Signs were missing for #2 and #3 and I think #7 was laying on the ground . . . probably due to the recent concrete teepad installation. They also don't have any kind of descriptive diagram, just length and par basically.
4) I doubt it was by design but there is virtually no fairway on Hole #11. There are two rows of evergreens that take up the entire fairway width. You try and throw to the right of them you risk water shots.
5) #9 is a virtually blind up and over type shot. I tried a spike hyzer, but if you have a thumber or tamahawk I would recommend those shots. While this adds variety, I am not sure what to think about forcing that type of shot. I like having those abnormal throws as options, but as the only option (since there is no fairway) I am not sure.
6) Not beginner friendly at all in its current status. I would imagine there aren't a high number of hardcore DGers out there, it would cater to more people and get more use if it had a better maintenance regime. They also might need to add some shorter tee locations if that was the case because the carry on #12 is too much over water, the tightness of 4 or 5 of the other holes would cause newbies to lose discs all over the place.
Other Thoughts:
Basically what my review comes down to is this . . . would I go back . . . yes . . . but only if the maintenance were improved. It is a solid design on a pretty cool property, it presents challenge on every hole, but the rough is as punishing as any course I have been on in its current condition. I am giving this course a rating of 1, based solely on its potential, but the potential is based on a course recieving normal maintenance. If the maintenance isn't improved, nor the baskets repaired, I would likely not return. SO I guess I will leave it at this. They put concrete in in the last year or so, which shows they are investing in the course. They already have a cool property and a well designed course. They just need to improve the baskets and upgrade the maintenance and I could see giving this course a 3 and would always stop by if I was in the area to play it.
4
0
modified 55 gallon drums...what? 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 28, 2009
Played the course:once
Pros:
-course has a good variety of shots, rhbh hyzers, anhyzers, straight
-good variety of length, a couple over 400' a couple just over 200' and most are in the 300' range.
-Some tight fairways here with (probably) ob corn field on the first 2 holes, and then some tight lines dictated by trees holes 7, 8, 9, 11
-Hole 12 is a great finisher over the corner of the lake, about 280' or so to clear.
-Seasonal bathrooms by the parking lot.
-good variety of length, a couple over 400' a couple just over 200' and most are in the 300' range.
-Some tight fairways here with (probably) ob corn field on the first 2 holes, and then some tight lines dictated by trees holes 7, 8, 9, 11
-Hole 12 is a great finisher over the corner of the lake, about 280' or so to clear.
-Seasonal bathrooms by the parking lot.
Cons:
-Grass tees
-Signage is poor with length and hole number only.
-Had to guess on holes 2, 3 as there were no signs.
-A couple of the catcher, plastic parts of the basket were broken.
-Hole 4 and hole 9 use the same basket, which is one of the baskets with broken plastic.
-Poorly maintained grass on the dg only part of the park, by the lake the grass was fine.
-A couple of throws along the interstate which breaks the concentration a bit.
-Signage is poor with length and hole number only.
-Had to guess on holes 2, 3 as there were no signs.
-A couple of the catcher, plastic parts of the basket were broken.
-Hole 4 and hole 9 use the same basket, which is one of the baskets with broken plastic.
-Poorly maintained grass on the dg only part of the park, by the lake the grass was fine.
-A couple of throws along the interstate which breaks the concentration a bit.
Other Thoughts:
Fun little course, I was a bit creeped out by a guy searching in the woods for something, I asked him if he was looking for a frisbee, he said he was looking for something else, then he was creeping around hole 12's basket, then peeing in a field...probably a fluke occurance, but creepy nonetheless
