Latimer Lakes - South reviews
6
1
blemly
Experience:
46 played
2 reviews
Disappointed Overall 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 10, 2014
Played the course:once
Pros:
Despite the low-ish rating, there were some positives to Latimer Lakes.
LL is a great course for a beginner to learn on. With the exception of 1-3 holes, there isn't a real chance of losing your discs. If you prefer to hold onto discs and skip over those holes, you can still get a full 18 in.
Additionally, the holes are all on the short end, which is less intimidating and more encouraging for a beginner - beginner/intermediate player trying to learn the game.
Directions TO the course were simple and easy to find, which is no simple feat for a disc golf course. Once inside, walking through the woods was at least pleasant.
Hole 3 over the pond forces a RHBH player to throw a hyzer over the water, which is fun.
LL is a great course for a beginner to learn on. With the exception of 1-3 holes, there isn't a real chance of losing your discs. If you prefer to hold onto discs and skip over those holes, you can still get a full 18 in.
Additionally, the holes are all on the short end, which is less intimidating and more encouraging for a beginner - beginner/intermediate player trying to learn the game.
Directions TO the course were simple and easy to find, which is no simple feat for a disc golf course. Once inside, walking through the woods was at least pleasant.
Hole 3 over the pond forces a RHBH player to throw a hyzer over the water, which is fun.
Cons:
Unfortunately, this course has received far too many high reviews. To me, a 3.36 course is a solid, challenging disc golf course with some variation involved. LL is not that course
First, the course is far too crowded. From the moment you turn into the parking lot, there are people EVERYWHERE. Granted, this is a park that gets a lot of action with baseball, soccer, etc; but the course design does not do a good job of avoiding the constant traffic in and out of the park. Hole 1 is a short, ~220 foot shot with a fairway that is approximately 20 feet wide. Unfortunately, on the left is woods and on the right is the road leading in and out of the park. As a RHBH throw is called for, you are forced to wait up to 5 minutes to start your round. This is not the only hole where the road comes into play: Holes 3 and 4 also play very near the road, which is frustrating to say the least.
Secondly, the course is not all that well thought out, both in terms of navigation and overall design. I think played all 20 holes, but I cannot be sure since I walked by 2 baskets that I did not throw to during the round. Since the baskets were only sometimes labeled with their respective hole, I'm not sure if they were practice baskets or not.
The navigation of the course is poor, and with as much foot traffic as there is it wouldn't seem that difficult to put some markers indicating which hole you're playing and the direction to the next hole. I got lost several times throughout the round.
The design is less-than-desirable. The open holes that dominate the early part of the course either have traffic in the way or are boring, straight ahead shots with no obstacles between tee and basket. With the exception of 3-4 holes in the woods, the majority were 180-230 feet with no real line to take in order to get to the basket. This leaves the disc golfer with at least 6-7 holes where you have to throw at trees and hope to make it through. While I "hit the line" more often than I probably should have, I doubt I would be able to hit them with any frequency if I was to ever play here again.
First, the course is far too crowded. From the moment you turn into the parking lot, there are people EVERYWHERE. Granted, this is a park that gets a lot of action with baseball, soccer, etc; but the course design does not do a good job of avoiding the constant traffic in and out of the park. Hole 1 is a short, ~220 foot shot with a fairway that is approximately 20 feet wide. Unfortunately, on the left is woods and on the right is the road leading in and out of the park. As a RHBH throw is called for, you are forced to wait up to 5 minutes to start your round. This is not the only hole where the road comes into play: Holes 3 and 4 also play very near the road, which is frustrating to say the least.
Secondly, the course is not all that well thought out, both in terms of navigation and overall design. I think played all 20 holes, but I cannot be sure since I walked by 2 baskets that I did not throw to during the round. Since the baskets were only sometimes labeled with their respective hole, I'm not sure if they were practice baskets or not.
The navigation of the course is poor, and with as much foot traffic as there is it wouldn't seem that difficult to put some markers indicating which hole you're playing and the direction to the next hole. I got lost several times throughout the round.
The design is less-than-desirable. The open holes that dominate the early part of the course either have traffic in the way or are boring, straight ahead shots with no obstacles between tee and basket. With the exception of 3-4 holes in the woods, the majority were 180-230 feet with no real line to take in order to get to the basket. This leaves the disc golfer with at least 6-7 holes where you have to throw at trees and hope to make it through. While I "hit the line" more often than I probably should have, I doubt I would be able to hit them with any frequency if I was to ever play here again.
Other Thoughts:
My friend and I made the relatively short drive from the Memphis area to play Latimer Lakes. It is easy to find from the Memphis area and doesn't take more than 35 minutes to get there from the Midtown/Downtown area.
Both of us have been playing for ~7 years and are comparable players. I shot -4 and he shot +4 throwing almost the same shot on every hole.
With the combination of woods and standing water, bring bug spray! Mosquitoes will be present, as always.
Overall, I think it deserves the "reasonable" rating because it is a good course for a beginner to learn on and work out some of the kinks that come along with figuring out the game.
However, if you are an intermediate player or above, don't waste your time at Latimer Lakes.
Both of us have been playing for ~7 years and are comparable players. I shot -4 and he shot +4 throwing almost the same shot on every hole.
With the combination of woods and standing water, bring bug spray! Mosquitoes will be present, as always.
Overall, I think it deserves the "reasonable" rating because it is a good course for a beginner to learn on and work out some of the kinks that come along with figuring out the game.
However, if you are an intermediate player or above, don't waste your time at Latimer Lakes.
6
0
Varied Mississsippi Course! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 11, 2008
Played the course:once
Pros:
Latimer Lakes Course has a variety of holes, wide open grassy throws, wooded technical throws and some elevation to play with. Hole # 1 is a fairly long huck across the lake. The problem is that teepad is not quite lined up with where the basket is. I didn't like the risk/reward and decided to skip it. #s 2 & 3 are across the little park road before crossing back to the big, grassy field for # 4, a open 330' toss across a field. Then you head into the woods for some technical throws. # 10 opens up again before coming back into the trees for the final 8. The teepads are fine. The signs are fine but finding the next teepad is not always easy. I liked the combination of open versus technical woodsy holes. The park itself is very pretty. It's a challenge enough for most players. Not a good course for beginners or families.
Cons:
Some of the wooded holes were more luck than technical. There wasn't really a flight path to the basket. # 10 is a 570' hole with a parking lot on the left. I don't know if that lot ever fills up because if it does I'm sure some discs will hyser over into the cars. Holes 2 & 3 are kinda of easy to miss. # 17 is a bear of a hole. A long tunnel shot with deep rough on the left and the lake partially on the right. Some folks might call that hole a pro.
Other Thoughts:
I just didn't like the flow of the course starting with the first hole over water. I would like to see one of middle holes over water or maybe a finishing hole. I don't like starting my round by throwing over a lake, especially a fairly, long tough, angle shot. If I lived close to here I'd make the drive one exit north to the Central Park course.
