Lemon Lake County Park - Red reviews
6
0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
20 years
1008 played
579 reviews
2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 7, 2018
Played the course:once
Pros:
Lemon lake red is one of four courses onsite. This is probably the second hardest course here. The course is moderately wooded with a few mostly wide open holes sprinkled in. There is some decent elevation throughout the course. Nothing extreme but enough to make it interesting in certain spots. You'll need many different shots to score well here in that there are left, right and straight shots required and specific landing zones you need to hit on certain holes to have a look at the basket. The tee pads are all nice level concrete pads that grip nicely These are not the largest but are plenty big enough for what you need here. The baskets are DISCatchers with a red band around the top that catch great and are easy to spot. One tee and basket per hole. The distances here are all around the two to three hundred foot range. The tee signs are pretty basic with the hole # and distances on them. The flow of the course is very intuitive and easy to follow. It starts in the same parking lot as the blue course and starts and ends right by the lot which is always nice. There is a pro shop with a solid selection of discs, food and beverages along with restrooms in the main building by the gold and white course parking lot.
Cons:
It gets a little confusing as to which basket you're aiming at in a few spots without a nice map of the hole or walking the whole fairway to find out which one it is. We ended up throwing at the wrong basket once here. Again, just like with the gold/silver course, tee signs would go a long way here in improving the rating. It would be nice if they had course maps and/or scorecards at the clubhouse but at least the map on this site is accurate and can help with navigation. As mentioned in earlier reviews, a number of fairways run right next to each other or even cross over each other which can present some safety hazards. It's nothing too glaring but is worth mentioning. Pay to play, but at $8 per car per day it is worth the price of admission for sure.
Other Thoughts:
This is a very fun course at a very nice complex complete with 4 different courses onsite. Definitely worth a trip out of your way to play any combination of the courses here. The red course was the most fun to play for me (intermediate level player). We played 3 of the 4 (not the white) and had a blast with all 3. If stopping here be sure to have a few hours, especially if playing the gold or silver. Very fun course at an excellent disc golf complex.
1
0
knivile1
Experience:
13 years
60 played
25 reviews
Most Fun at Lemon Lake? 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 19, 2016
Played the course:once
Pros:
-Good mix of shot variety
-Visually pleasing fairways and layout
-Good level of difficulty and challenge without being too hard
-Moderate length makes it more fun for those of lower skill level
-Easy to navigate
-Visually pleasing fairways and layout
-Good level of difficulty and challenge without being too hard
-Moderate length makes it more fun for those of lower skill level
-Easy to navigate
Cons:
-Chance of ending up in the wrong fairway on a number of holes as they criss-cross back and forth against or next to each other
Other Thoughts:
This is tied with Silver/Gold for the most enjoyable course at Lemon Lake for me. It is the most well rounded, good distance and technicality. Nothing over the top in any area, just a really solid well designed course.
7
0
Red 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jul 21, 2020
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
- Good variety throughout, plenty of interesting lines
- Good, if aging, baskets and great tee signs
- Part of a large, pay-to-play complex comprised of 4 courses and a clubhouse with pro-shop, concessions, and bathrooms
- Good, if aging, baskets and great tee signs
- Part of a large, pay-to-play complex comprised of 4 courses and a clubhouse with pro-shop, concessions, and bathrooms
Cons:
- Tee pads are a bit too short
- Fairways run close together in multiple locations
- Lacks some of the hazard variety present at other courses on site (water, dangerous greens/fairways due to elevation change)
- Fairways run close together in multiple locations
- Lacks some of the hazard variety present at other courses on site (water, dangerous greens/fairways due to elevation change)
Other Thoughts:
Lemon Lake's Red Course continually vies with Silver/Gold for my favorite course of the complex. It lacks the distance and overall challenge of its big brother, but it brings almost as much shot variety, and its more manageable length results in a round that is fun for a wide variety of skill levels. Red is a mostly wooded course, but the fairways are generous enough to not beat you into the ground on an off day, and there are enough open and longer holes throughout to keep you from getting bored of technical golf. You will throw just about every shot and disc in your bag here, and the course never gets boring. With the exception of the fantastic, top-of-the-world type hole 14 there is little elevation here, but the smaller and sporadic rolling hills that are present are put to good use. Not every hole here is great, 3 and 7 tend to annoy me a bit, but I don't find them (especially 7) as objectionable as many others seem to.
On multiple occasions, fairways can run quite close to each other. Those preparing to throw on hole 3 are at risk of being hit by shots cutting in early from hole 2. Errant throws from Hole 14 can threaten people on holes 2, 3, and 15. There are a couple of other problematic locations, so keep an eye and ear out for stray discs, especially if the course is crowded. Navigation is generally fine, but the close placement of some holes can cause a little confusion, and I usually end up, at least at first, taking the long walk to hole 8 when I forget which way to turn from 7's basket.
Like all the other courses at Lemon Lake, the DISCatchers are getting older, but still catch fine, and it is a great touch that they are painted the same color as the course name. The tee signs for the red course are new since my last visit, and are among the best I have seen with a great, colorful picture of the hole geometry as well as the number and distance. I know Gold/Silver does not have these style signs yet, and was in a bit of a rush and did not see if White or Blue had been similarly upgraded. The tee pads are in good shape, but did not quite meet the needs of my tall friends and I. We found most of the pads to be a foot or so too short for our 6'+ frames to get in an adequate x-step or run-up. This issue was heightened by the fact that the ground behind and/or in front of the tee pads was frequently eroded away, preventing a comfortable run-up from starting behind the concrete pad.
The Red course is usually the first or second course I play every time I visit Lemon Lake. The fun factor is probably the highest of the course for me, and I wish I lived closer and could play all the courses on the complex more often. As it stands, my infrequent trips usually only allow me to play two, maybe three of the courses: Silver/Gold and Red usually being the two, as in my most recent visit. The clubhouse with discs and concessions adds great added value (when open), and helps make this a true disc golf destination. Do yourself a favor and take an entire day to play as much golf as you can at Lemon Lake, then drive over to Three Floyds brew pub for some great beer, and talk about all the awesome disc golf you just played with your buddies.
***2020 Update:
Upon my most recent trip to Lemon Lake I was slightly disappointed at the state of the complex. The tree loss around the complex has definitely been felt. The White Course was recently closed for re-design, and the Red Course has felt the loss strongly as well. In addition, the rough off the fairways was much thicker and thornier than I recall from previous visits and my group spent significant time looking for discs across the complex even when we had a really good idea of where they landed not far off the fairway. The temporary tee signs have also aged very poorly and are frequently completely illegible or displaying outdated information. The complex could definitely use a little more attention, though the grass fairways were all recently mowed and well maintained. My rating for the Red Course has dropped from 4.0 to 3.5.
On multiple occasions, fairways can run quite close to each other. Those preparing to throw on hole 3 are at risk of being hit by shots cutting in early from hole 2. Errant throws from Hole 14 can threaten people on holes 2, 3, and 15. There are a couple of other problematic locations, so keep an eye and ear out for stray discs, especially if the course is crowded. Navigation is generally fine, but the close placement of some holes can cause a little confusion, and I usually end up, at least at first, taking the long walk to hole 8 when I forget which way to turn from 7's basket.
Like all the other courses at Lemon Lake, the DISCatchers are getting older, but still catch fine, and it is a great touch that they are painted the same color as the course name. The tee signs for the red course are new since my last visit, and are among the best I have seen with a great, colorful picture of the hole geometry as well as the number and distance. I know Gold/Silver does not have these style signs yet, and was in a bit of a rush and did not see if White or Blue had been similarly upgraded. The tee pads are in good shape, but did not quite meet the needs of my tall friends and I. We found most of the pads to be a foot or so too short for our 6'+ frames to get in an adequate x-step or run-up. This issue was heightened by the fact that the ground behind and/or in front of the tee pads was frequently eroded away, preventing a comfortable run-up from starting behind the concrete pad.
The Red course is usually the first or second course I play every time I visit Lemon Lake. The fun factor is probably the highest of the course for me, and I wish I lived closer and could play all the courses on the complex more often. As it stands, my infrequent trips usually only allow me to play two, maybe three of the courses: Silver/Gold and Red usually being the two, as in my most recent visit. The clubhouse with discs and concessions adds great added value (when open), and helps make this a true disc golf destination. Do yourself a favor and take an entire day to play as much golf as you can at Lemon Lake, then drive over to Three Floyds brew pub for some great beer, and talk about all the awesome disc golf you just played with your buddies.
***2020 Update:
Upon my most recent trip to Lemon Lake I was slightly disappointed at the state of the complex. The tree loss around the complex has definitely been felt. The White Course was recently closed for re-design, and the Red Course has felt the loss strongly as well. In addition, the rough off the fairways was much thicker and thornier than I recall from previous visits and my group spent significant time looking for discs across the complex even when we had a really good idea of where they landed not far off the fairway. The temporary tee signs have also aged very poorly and are frequently completely illegible or displaying outdated information. The complex could definitely use a little more attention, though the grass fairways were all recently mowed and well maintained. My rating for the Red Course has dropped from 4.0 to 3.5.
10
0
2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 21, 2011
Played the course:once
Pros:
The Lemon Lake Red course has a great shot variety with plenty of anhyzer shots for RHBH players, a wide variety of hole length ranging from 200 - 550ft. I especially like some of the longer wooded holes and the challenges they present. This course definitely forces you to hit your line go get birdies. This course is mostly wooded and shots lacking control and accuracy are usually punished leaving you struggling to get par. A few of the holes have good elevation changes that impact how you throw that hole.
While there aren't many elevation changes on the putting greens to make traditional challenging putting greens, a number of the baskets are well protected (but not unfairly) by trees which can make them tough.
The signage here is excellent making it very easy to navigate this course. The tee signs list the distance and have a good hole diagram which is very helpful, especially your first time here. The tees are a mix of concrete and grippy brick so I didn't have a problem with them.
While there aren't many elevation changes on the putting greens to make traditional challenging putting greens, a number of the baskets are well protected (but not unfairly) by trees which can make them tough.
The signage here is excellent making it very easy to navigate this course. The tee signs list the distance and have a good hole diagram which is very helpful, especially your first time here. The tees are a mix of concrete and grippy brick so I didn't have a problem with them.
Cons:
The course seems a little crammed in some areas. In a couple places, my decent drive wandered very close to or on another fairway and I still had a long putt.
A couple holes have long and short baskets in the ground at the same time. I suppose this could be a pro or a con depending on your point of view. I didn't care for it because I threw at the first basket I saw when I'd rather play the longs if I'd known there was a choice, but local players probably know about it and like the choice.
When I was here the ground was very soft and muddy in places, but I understand it recently rained so I won't hold that against the course.
I wasn't a big fan of hole 7 which is a 300ft hole with a dogleg right. I like holes that make you shape shots and think about landing zones, unfortunately this hole is so short and tight it doesn't seem like golf shots to me. You pitch a putter 100-150ft off the tee so can turn 90 degrees right and throw it another 150ft. Because of the mando there's no risk/reward because it's basically impossible to go for it.
A couple holes have long and short baskets in the ground at the same time. I suppose this could be a pro or a con depending on your point of view. I didn't care for it because I threw at the first basket I saw when I'd rather play the longs if I'd known there was a choice, but local players probably know about it and like the choice.
When I was here the ground was very soft and muddy in places, but I understand it recently rained so I won't hold that against the course.
I wasn't a big fan of hole 7 which is a 300ft hole with a dogleg right. I like holes that make you shape shots and think about landing zones, unfortunately this hole is so short and tight it doesn't seem like golf shots to me. You pitch a putter 100-150ft off the tee so can turn 90 degrees right and throw it another 150ft. Because of the mando there's no risk/reward because it's basically impossible to go for it.
Other Thoughts:
The Lemon Lake complex is most definitely worth going out of your way to spend a day or two playing here. While all courses here have nice variety on their own, as a whole the courses also compliment each other well. It's very cool that the baskets, posts for the tee signs and benches are color coded to match the course you're playing.
I see why this is the most popular course of the four here. The fun factor is huge and the challenge is definitely present.
I see why this is the most popular course of the four here. The fun factor is huge and the challenge is definitely present.
7
0
Long Yet Compact 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 10, 2011
Played the course:once
Pros:
At the same location as four other courses. Extremely well-stocked pro shop.
Cons:
A bit confusing at the start, as the most visible basket was pink - is it a practice basket, or is it basket-1? The second most visible basket, straight ahead, was actually number-14 long. After playing to the pink basket, we looked around the corner, and saw, hidden from view from the tee-1, a red basket with a "1" on it.
Other Thoughts:
The course very smartly weaves its way back-n-forth along the gently-rising terrain, through thick patches of mid-sized trees and small, grassy glades. The walk from basket to next tee is never long, but the thickness of the trees and bushes makes you unaware of how close the surrounding holes actually are - very well designed.
With distances ranging from175' to 615', averaging ~350', and nearly half the holes requiring some type of right-turn from the tee, you'll likely find yourself using a wide variety of discs for your first shot at each hole. Although a few holes (1,8,18) are open for nearly the entirety, most of the holes fall into two categories - long, grassy, but somewhat-narrow fairways defined by the bordering mid-sized trees, with the odd tree or two in the midst of the fairway, just to keep things interesting; Or, tighter fairways, more like wide walking paths, but the shorter distances keep them from being oppressive.
To me, this course really nails the length-to-tightness ratio, i.e. tighter holes with sharp turns should be on the shorter, while the longer holes should be more open. Roughly 2/3rds of these holes fall nicely in-between - 250-350', with challenging-but-fair lines to hit, and errant shots typically costing you a stroke - no more, and no less.
With five courses located at a single site, supported by a fine pro shop, Lemon Lakes is a destination which should satisfy a wide spectrum of players for an entire day.
With distances ranging from175' to 615', averaging ~350', and nearly half the holes requiring some type of right-turn from the tee, you'll likely find yourself using a wide variety of discs for your first shot at each hole. Although a few holes (1,8,18) are open for nearly the entirety, most of the holes fall into two categories - long, grassy, but somewhat-narrow fairways defined by the bordering mid-sized trees, with the odd tree or two in the midst of the fairway, just to keep things interesting; Or, tighter fairways, more like wide walking paths, but the shorter distances keep them from being oppressive.
To me, this course really nails the length-to-tightness ratio, i.e. tighter holes with sharp turns should be on the shorter, while the longer holes should be more open. Roughly 2/3rds of these holes fall nicely in-between - 250-350', with challenging-but-fair lines to hit, and errant shots typically costing you a stroke - no more, and no less.
With five courses located at a single site, supported by a fine pro shop, Lemon Lakes is a destination which should satisfy a wide spectrum of players for an entire day.
1
4
NKlassy
Experience:
13.8 years
11 played
7 reviews
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 14, 2011
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
great challenging course with many difficult wooded shots. A good test of your ability.
Cons:
cant really think of any cons, other than if you have a bad through then you maight be searching through some pretty thick brush to find your disc
Other Thoughts:
With so many trees it seemed that with alot of holes your mid-range game came more into affect than your drives.
7
0
Fun Course 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Sep 17, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
First off this course is located in a great county park that has 4 disc golf courses on site. There are lots of other ameneties available also, sand volleyball, basketball, a huge playground, great bathroom facilities, vending machines, large pavilions, walking trails and a fishing lake.
This course is a mostly short and technical wooded course with a few mostly open, longer holes to break up the design (#9, #14, #18). All of the holes have very distinct fairways but the wooded holes leave you alot of options on what routes to take around and through trees.
There is a pretty good shot selection on this course. I used BH's, FH's, overhands, drivers and putters all from the tee box. Hitting your lines and staying in the fairway are important for picking up birdies on this course.
Everything on the Red course is in great shape. This might be leftover from worlds preparation but the tees, signs, fairways, and baskets were all in great condition. There are lots of benches and garbage cans on this course also. You can tell that alot of work goes into maintaining this course.
Multiple tees on some holes and multiple baskets on others. This was nice since I was playing with my wife I could play from the longer tees or to the longer basket while she played the shorter ones.
This course is short enough to be beginner friendly and is technical enough with low ceilings and necessary shot shaping to be alot of fun for more experienced players.
The course is beautiful. Lots of great trees, mowed fairways and good pin placements.
Navigation was really easy on this course. Really no confusion at all on where to go.
This course is a mostly short and technical wooded course with a few mostly open, longer holes to break up the design (#9, #14, #18). All of the holes have very distinct fairways but the wooded holes leave you alot of options on what routes to take around and through trees.
There is a pretty good shot selection on this course. I used BH's, FH's, overhands, drivers and putters all from the tee box. Hitting your lines and staying in the fairway are important for picking up birdies on this course.
Everything on the Red course is in great shape. This might be leftover from worlds preparation but the tees, signs, fairways, and baskets were all in great condition. There are lots of benches and garbage cans on this course also. You can tell that alot of work goes into maintaining this course.
Multiple tees on some holes and multiple baskets on others. This was nice since I was playing with my wife I could play from the longer tees or to the longer basket while she played the shorter ones.
This course is short enough to be beginner friendly and is technical enough with low ceilings and necessary shot shaping to be alot of fun for more experienced players.
The course is beautiful. Lots of great trees, mowed fairways and good pin placements.
Navigation was really easy on this course. Really no confusion at all on where to go.
Cons:
A litte bit short. I used a putter off the tee 6 times on this course and I am not a big arm player.
Hole #2 plays right over number 3's tee. Although the correct shot is a RHFH or RH anny that is not too close to the tee, it is very easy to put a disc right through #3's tee box. Although I like 2's pin placement in the trees it should probably be moved out for safety.
#7 is just a hole that I really dislike. 60 feet off the tee there is a 90 degree right turn that has a mando you must follow. Although it is an interesting hole, I think it is not very well designed.
Other than hole #14 there is not alot of elevation on this course.
Hole #2 plays right over number 3's tee. Although the correct shot is a RHFH or RH anny that is not too close to the tee, it is very easy to put a disc right through #3's tee box. Although I like 2's pin placement in the trees it should probably be moved out for safety.
#7 is just a hole that I really dislike. 60 feet off the tee there is a 90 degree right turn that has a mando you must follow. Although it is an interesting hole, I think it is not very well designed.
Other than hole #14 there is not alot of elevation on this course.
Other Thoughts:
Lemon Lake Red was probably the most fun of the 4 courses on site. Not very challenging, but fun to play with great variety of shots that can be played pretty quickly.
I really liked the multiple pins that I mentioned earlier. It really gave my wife a chance to play distances that she was more comfortable with while I could do the same with the longer pins/tees.
There are a couple of notable holes on this course but I personally really liked #14 which is a long downhill drive into a short narrow opening in some woods with the pin out in the open on the far side. I also appreciated #9 which plays through a nice narrow gap off the tee as well as over a little creek (gulch) to a pin gaurded by some bushes.
Just another great course in the great Lemon Lake complex. This park would be a worthwhile trip for any disc golfer.
I really liked the multiple pins that I mentioned earlier. It really gave my wife a chance to play distances that she was more comfortable with while I could do the same with the longer pins/tees.
There are a couple of notable holes on this course but I personally really liked #14 which is a long downhill drive into a short narrow opening in some woods with the pin out in the open on the far side. I also appreciated #9 which plays through a nice narrow gap off the tee as well as over a little creek (gulch) to a pin gaurded by some bushes.
Just another great course in the great Lemon Lake complex. This park would be a worthwhile trip for any disc golfer.
7
0
Most all-around fun course at Lemon Lake 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 22, 2010
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
The Red course is the most popular and most all-around fun course at the Lemon Lake disc golf complex. Excellently manicured course with red Discatcher baskets. The cement teepads are nicely roughed to avoid slippage even in wet conditions. Red benches around the course are another nice touch that elevate this course beyond what you'll see at your average public park. The holes are more wooded than that of its Blue course counterpart. Its listed as a Par 59 and scores of around 51 have produced 1000 rated rounds. There are alot of deuce holes under 350 feet here, but they are not easy by any means. The course is favorable to players who have big overhand thumber/tomahawk shots. There are a few bomber holes to please the big arms as well. Again, a little bit of everything here makes for a great course on a great piece of property. If you only have time for 1 course when visiting Lemon Lake, make sure to hit the Red course!
Cons:
Tee pads are a little short and not flush with the ground. A couple of the holes (9, 11, 12) are 'thread the needle' type deuce holes. Great if thats what you are looking for, not so great if the super-tight wooded holes aren't what you are in to. Again, having a big overhand shot can really pay some dividends on this course. I'd rather the tees were moved around a touch to take away some of these over the top routes.
Other Thoughts:
Bring bug spray.
5
0
Excellent course for any level 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Sep 6, 2009
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
Has a lot of challenging shots that leave you feeling satisfied. It isnt overly long like Gold and has a lot of holes that can allow beginners a chance. lots of woods if you are a fan of that. multiple pin placements on many holes which makes for a different feel. enough spread between holes that you dont have to be afraid of hitting someone on a different hole. there were some new tee pads going in so it will now have multiple tees as well. level concrete pads.
Cons:
hole signs were in need of some repair. i believe the local crew was already in the process of putting some new ones in. a few spots could use some pea gravel or crushed lime stone to keep you out of the mud paths. a few holes you will find it hard to see where your disc is going which may cause some locating problems. the sharp dog leg right (hole 7 i believe) really takes a lot of shots out of your hand because of the mando. it is a long 2 if you get it.
Other Thoughts:
great course, clean park. located near 3 (4 if you count silver/gold as two different) courses. lots of people in the area to help you out. good crew there to keep it in shape and fun to play. if you have a full day bring a group of people and some coolers with food and drinks and play all 4 courses...would be a great way to have a doubles tournament in the summer. the additions for worlds definitely make the course tougher, it will be interesting to see how well the pro's will do. it is now longer, but much more fun was added as well.
13
4
the gem! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Sep 24, 2009
Played the course:once
Pros:
-so beautiful
-short and technical with an occasional let 'er rip hole
-trees perfectly used
-signs, benches, baskets, RED. Loved it.
-peaceful setting
-all cement tee pads
-variety
-a few mandos, if I remember correctly
-short and technical with an occasional let 'er rip hole
-trees perfectly used
-signs, benches, baskets, RED. Loved it.
-peaceful setting
-all cement tee pads
-variety
-a few mandos, if I remember correctly
Cons:
-no pro pads
-just a few give away holes
-short, I wanted more!
-kind of a lack of elevation/risk reward basket placements
-MAY be a bit to easy for pro level players, but still fun
-just a few give away holes
-short, I wanted more!
-kind of a lack of elevation/risk reward basket placements
-MAY be a bit to easy for pro level players, but still fun
Other Thoughts:
wow. SURPRISE! After so much talk and then eventual let down of the hype of the gold/silver course in this park I got to play the little gem that is the Red course! This is also what the locals were playing and still having fun with!
You start off on one of the two throw away holes. Basically in the open and to a basket by some trees. blah. then all of a sudden you turn and head into the amazingly manicured grove of bushes and perfectly spaced trees. This is when you know how cute this course is while still being technical.
shots include hyzers, bombs, layups, dinks, thumbers, you name it. probably one of the best laid out courses for the available land space I have played. Even hole 14 offers this illusion of bombing it down a huge hill into a great basket location (parked it).
I had a blast here and ended up shooting a -10 first time through, but that was with the help of locals helping me out with the best lines.. This might make it seem a bit too easy for skilled players but I know they will have fun the whole time playing it.
SUMMARY: PLAY THE RED COURSE. it will surely make you smile. is it the most technical or hardest at this park? Probably not. Is it the most fun, yeah, without a doubt.
You start off on one of the two throw away holes. Basically in the open and to a basket by some trees. blah. then all of a sudden you turn and head into the amazingly manicured grove of bushes and perfectly spaced trees. This is when you know how cute this course is while still being technical.
shots include hyzers, bombs, layups, dinks, thumbers, you name it. probably one of the best laid out courses for the available land space I have played. Even hole 14 offers this illusion of bombing it down a huge hill into a great basket location (parked it).
I had a blast here and ended up shooting a -10 first time through, but that was with the help of locals helping me out with the best lines.. This might make it seem a bit too easy for skilled players but I know they will have fun the whole time playing it.
SUMMARY: PLAY THE RED COURSE. it will surely make you smile. is it the most technical or hardest at this park? Probably not. Is it the most fun, yeah, without a doubt.
16
0
tallpaul
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
35.9 years
934 played
137 reviews
my "favorite" 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jun 20, 2009
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
First visited this course not long after it was installed. I have loved it from day one and the trip with Texconsonite was my third time here. We all respected silver/gold as the toughest; then our opinions varied....I find this the second best course on this wonderful site...White is good; but short; Blue, a little too open (update note, that blue has had both length and toughness added); Red a perfect combination of blue and white. I believe it requires quite an assortment of shots to score well on Red. This is the course here that they have spent a number of years refining; and to me; it shows.
(Another update: A few new, long tees at red. Including, a gorgeous long tee on #18, which adds length to what was already a 435 ft. hole. Also, elevation; and a great tee area, surrounded by huge pines, which play a part in your disc exit to pin.
As of 11-19-09, blue and red courses considered to be in the placements intended for Worlds. Club has done this to allow players to play courses as they will be used in 2010.
(Another update: A few new, long tees at red. Including, a gorgeous long tee on #18, which adds length to what was already a 435 ft. hole. Also, elevation; and a great tee area, surrounded by huge pines, which play a part in your disc exit to pin.
As of 11-19-09, blue and red courses considered to be in the placements intended for Worlds. Club has done this to allow players to play courses as they will be used in 2010.
Cons:
When Red had expanded past it's original 18 hole format; a few nice hill/lake in play holes were added. These have become part of the blue course, and thus, are still in play. These are the only two things that would make red better. Instead, they make blue better. So, this isn't really a con; just a reply to red missing those two ingredients.
Other Thoughts:
This is the course that set the bar for the remaining venues on this site; and imho; after playing red; you'll understand why the local crew has advanced to the point of hosting a worlds event.
18
0
The Original 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 20, 2009
Played the course:once
Pros:
As the other three all will eventually, Red has all concrete tees with pretty good tee signs, and colorfully marked baskets.
As Red is the oldest course, it is the most polished of the four. The teepads, pin locations and signs are all set and accurate. The fairways are manicured and maintained here, as opposed to gold or white, where there is still much brush-clearing to be done.
Red is probably the most balanced of the four. It offers a nice mix of relatively open and more tightly wooded holes, though woods are in play on every hole to some extent.
This course likes to squeeze you, and give you stretches of trouble. For example, you give have to shoot through an open field, but the pin will be tucked back into a wooded area. Or you may have a sharp hyzer or narrow tunnel shot off the tee, but after that chokepoint it gets easier. Thus, this course will throw challenges at you, but more like a few hurdles on every hole than a maintained tightrope walk like some courses force.
This is nice, as it lets you break down the challenges a piece at a time, especially on the longer holes, where you will probably only throw through one kink in the fairway at a time.
Many baskets are blind off the tee, but odds are you probably saw the basket through the woods while walking down a previous fairway, and thus have some idea of where you're aiming, plus the good signage helps.
Also, because this course is so compact, it has great flow, so you don't spend much time walking. We played this course after Silver, and Red felt like such a relaxing break after 3 hours of abuse. Red is fun without feeling ridiculously hard, though it is still quite technical and challenging.
This course has tons of trees, and several of the holes will have you scratching your head off the tee, including some tough right curving shots.
This course boasts some nice elevation (up or down) on a few holes, and has a tricky thread-the-needle shot over a small creek as well, on top of trees everywhere.
This course also offers a nice mix of long and short. Holes range from several under 300 to a couple over 500ft in length. Deuce opportunities are balanced out by tough 3's, and any hole on this course has the potential to trip you up if you're not careful, as the hole scoring spreads within our group showed.
Several holes were of this mold: Thread a maze of scattered trees on the wide fairway to the pin with bushy shule behind and on either side of it. Each one poses a different puzzle of which gap you want to shape your drive through.
This is a nice, broken-in wooded course with many very interesting holes. Also, it has easily the best drainage of the four courses here, so on a wet day, this is your best bet.
As Red is the oldest course, it is the most polished of the four. The teepads, pin locations and signs are all set and accurate. The fairways are manicured and maintained here, as opposed to gold or white, where there is still much brush-clearing to be done.
Red is probably the most balanced of the four. It offers a nice mix of relatively open and more tightly wooded holes, though woods are in play on every hole to some extent.
This course likes to squeeze you, and give you stretches of trouble. For example, you give have to shoot through an open field, but the pin will be tucked back into a wooded area. Or you may have a sharp hyzer or narrow tunnel shot off the tee, but after that chokepoint it gets easier. Thus, this course will throw challenges at you, but more like a few hurdles on every hole than a maintained tightrope walk like some courses force.
This is nice, as it lets you break down the challenges a piece at a time, especially on the longer holes, where you will probably only throw through one kink in the fairway at a time.
Many baskets are blind off the tee, but odds are you probably saw the basket through the woods while walking down a previous fairway, and thus have some idea of where you're aiming, plus the good signage helps.
Also, because this course is so compact, it has great flow, so you don't spend much time walking. We played this course after Silver, and Red felt like such a relaxing break after 3 hours of abuse. Red is fun without feeling ridiculously hard, though it is still quite technical and challenging.
This course has tons of trees, and several of the holes will have you scratching your head off the tee, including some tough right curving shots.
This course boasts some nice elevation (up or down) on a few holes, and has a tricky thread-the-needle shot over a small creek as well, on top of trees everywhere.
This course also offers a nice mix of long and short. Holes range from several under 300 to a couple over 500ft in length. Deuce opportunities are balanced out by tough 3's, and any hole on this course has the potential to trip you up if you're not careful, as the hole scoring spreads within our group showed.
Several holes were of this mold: Thread a maze of scattered trees on the wide fairway to the pin with bushy shule behind and on either side of it. Each one poses a different puzzle of which gap you want to shape your drive through.
This is a nice, broken-in wooded course with many very interesting holes. Also, it has easily the best drainage of the four courses here, so on a wet day, this is your best bet.
Cons:
Red is relatively flat course, other than the large open hillside that a few holes play on. This limits the course more than anything else, because as far as wooded holes go, it delivers the goods.
This course is amazingly compact, which is impressive considering its length and variety, but also has its downsides. It seems like several holes are almost too close together. As you can often see another fairway through a narrow band of trees, its very feasible that an errant shot could end up shooting through the trees onto another hole, which could potentially be dangerous.
Also, the open hillside that you start in and return through towards the end has several problems. Firstly, you can see several baskets off the tee, so it can be a little confusing to know which one you are shooting at sometimes.
Also, hole 2 curves along the treeline and curves right into the trees past tee 3. Though there are a few trees there, an errant drive right on 2 could hit someone teeing off on 3, which is a big problem. Both holes are great, but perhaps a sign or something downhill from tee 3 doubling as a shield from fairway 2 wouldn't be a bad idea here, for safety.
Navigation gets confusing in one spot. From basket 12, go to your right through the woods to get to tee 13. Its obvious once you find it, just not easy to see through the woods, and because 13 has no sign.
The holes here will challenge you, and this course is a blast to play, perfect for a nice relaxing round, if you want more distance than the white course offers. However, I believe that the designers at Lemon Lake really learned alot with each subsequent course they put in, steadily improving their designs.
Right now, this course is the only one with all concrete tees and a real "finished" feel to it. But, as the other 3 catch up in preparation for Nationals, they will all increasingly outshine this course, IMO.
This course is amazingly compact, which is impressive considering its length and variety, but also has its downsides. It seems like several holes are almost too close together. As you can often see another fairway through a narrow band of trees, its very feasible that an errant shot could end up shooting through the trees onto another hole, which could potentially be dangerous.
Also, the open hillside that you start in and return through towards the end has several problems. Firstly, you can see several baskets off the tee, so it can be a little confusing to know which one you are shooting at sometimes.
Also, hole 2 curves along the treeline and curves right into the trees past tee 3. Though there are a few trees there, an errant drive right on 2 could hit someone teeing off on 3, which is a big problem. Both holes are great, but perhaps a sign or something downhill from tee 3 doubling as a shield from fairway 2 wouldn't be a bad idea here, for safety.
Navigation gets confusing in one spot. From basket 12, go to your right through the woods to get to tee 13. Its obvious once you find it, just not easy to see through the woods, and because 13 has no sign.
The holes here will challenge you, and this course is a blast to play, perfect for a nice relaxing round, if you want more distance than the white course offers. However, I believe that the designers at Lemon Lake really learned alot with each subsequent course they put in, steadily improving their designs.
Right now, this course is the only one with all concrete tees and a real "finished" feel to it. But, as the other 3 catch up in preparation for Nationals, they will all increasingly outshine this course, IMO.
Other Thoughts:
According to a sign on this course, Matt "Homie" Lovasko, a dearly departed local DG legend, once aced holes 2 & 3 of this course in the same round. That is an amazing homie story. When you are here, ask the locals about him, he lives on through their continual dedication as well as their "homie" shirts and discs. Ask a dozen of them and you will hear as many different stories about homie, all of them good.
Its just something that really stuck with me when we played here, what a wonderful group the locals are, and how they honor their dead friend is very indicative of that. On top of the four wonderful courses here, the locals are what makes Lemon Lake such a special place, truly deserving of hosting Worlds. I would not hesitate to go back here for several days, to play each course several times and hopefully do them justice.
Its just something that really stuck with me when we played here, what a wonderful group the locals are, and how they honor their dead friend is very indicative of that. On top of the four wonderful courses here, the locals are what makes Lemon Lake such a special place, truly deserving of hosting Worlds. I would not hesitate to go back here for several days, to play each course several times and hopefully do them justice.
