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Lenape Park (Skippack) reviews
13
0
Don't Bring Your Tree Magnets!
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Nov 2, 2023
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
A new course, Lenape in Skippack that is practically in my backyard, and has quickly turned into my favorite amongst my area community parks -- Upper Salford (USal), Boyertown Community (BC), Kenilworth (Ken), Rez Park (REZ). The care this course was made with, from the tees to carefully crafted fairways to the wood chips laid down is pretty evident.
It's completely forested and plays mostly on hillside or on top of the hills, much like back half of REZ or Green Lane's Green Monster, but without the rocks or constant up and down of the latter.
The distances are mostly Community Park but it's more challenging than numbers indicate. The fairways are shaped with trees that have been heavily magnetized towards attracting flying plastic in some secret, proprietary process.
Elevation is there and variable but not excessive, the front two go up up up and there's a corresponding climb down near the end. In a perfect game. A good number of hillside holes can have a bad tree kick, or good old griplock, can have you chasing down a disc downhill, sometimes even over a hundred feet. Sometimes it's steep.
The middle holes become tamer hilltop and plenty of good forest fare. A lot of the baskets are straight on or hyzer shots. There's a few holes ending on the right, but our LHBH and RHFH friends will get more love from scramble shots than off the tee in general. Even with my tree magnets, I enjoyed scrambling here because there is very little brush to contend with throughout.
This time of year, October and November autumn, tends to be very windy around here, and where some nearby open courses become unplayable, like USal, the forest and hillside here will shield it from breeze and drizzles.
The asphalt tees are always most generous and well laid (I'm jealous), and the new park pavilion with tables, benches, grills and bathrooms are just gorgeous and still have that freshly cut cedar smell. The bathrooms were actually open, which I rarely see this time of year around here.
Solid, fun course, my new local favorite. Just writing it up makes me want to play another round. Especially close to USal and 15 minutes from Green Monster.
It's completely forested and plays mostly on hillside or on top of the hills, much like back half of REZ or Green Lane's Green Monster, but without the rocks or constant up and down of the latter.
The distances are mostly Community Park but it's more challenging than numbers indicate. The fairways are shaped with trees that have been heavily magnetized towards attracting flying plastic in some secret, proprietary process.
Elevation is there and variable but not excessive, the front two go up up up and there's a corresponding climb down near the end. In a perfect game. A good number of hillside holes can have a bad tree kick, or good old griplock, can have you chasing down a disc downhill, sometimes even over a hundred feet. Sometimes it's steep.
The middle holes become tamer hilltop and plenty of good forest fare. A lot of the baskets are straight on or hyzer shots. There's a few holes ending on the right, but our LHBH and RHFH friends will get more love from scramble shots than off the tee in general. Even with my tree magnets, I enjoyed scrambling here because there is very little brush to contend with throughout.
This time of year, October and November autumn, tends to be very windy around here, and where some nearby open courses become unplayable, like USal, the forest and hillside here will shield it from breeze and drizzles.
The asphalt tees are always most generous and well laid (I'm jealous), and the new park pavilion with tables, benches, grills and bathrooms are just gorgeous and still have that freshly cut cedar smell. The bathrooms were actually open, which I rarely see this time of year around here.
Solid, fun course, my new local favorite. Just writing it up makes me want to play another round. Especially close to USal and 15 minutes from Green Monster.
Cons:
There is little to complain about but those who regulary shoot over 300' and have a very solid approach game in forest will find this course wanting in distance.
RHBH biased. Almost every hillside hole is left-high/right-down slope and just works better with a fade left. Especially the ones where discs can roll, roll, roll down the hillside.
There are two big uphills upfront and two downhills at the end, but #2's steep climb really isn't rewarded with it's own downhill. #17 is bought by #1's climb. #16's downhill is won through the barely noticeable cumulative climb of the middle holes. A bit of a bummer, but inevitable with the landscape as there was no space for a safe one.
Tee numbers are on posts but distance and layout signs, yet. There is no big course map to photograph either. There were Tee Maps at the beginning, in a plastic holder the first time -- they quickly ran out.
No hanging Next Basket arrows iirc. It's mostly self-explanatory but there are two sizable jumps. #12 to 13 and #16 to 17.
RHBH biased. Almost every hillside hole is left-high/right-down slope and just works better with a fade left. Especially the ones where discs can roll, roll, roll down the hillside.
There are two big uphills upfront and two downhills at the end, but #2's steep climb really isn't rewarded with it's own downhill. #17 is bought by #1's climb. #16's downhill is won through the barely noticeable cumulative climb of the middle holes. A bit of a bummer, but inevitable with the landscape as there was no space for a safe one.
Tee numbers are on posts but distance and layout signs, yet. There is no big course map to photograph either. There were Tee Maps at the beginning, in a plastic holder the first time -- they quickly ran out.
No hanging Next Basket arrows iirc. It's mostly self-explanatory but there are two sizable jumps. #12 to 13 and #16 to 17.
Other Thoughts:
Beware, this course may be a bit of a Bermuda Triangle for plastic. I have already found 5 lost discs in just 6 rounds. It's a good 30x my normal find rate. The named ones have been returned, but a drop box would be nice.
The asphalt path winds throughout and walkers are generally out of the way but I already had several bad kicks land them on the path. Like on #9.
The asphalt path winds throughout and walkers are generally out of the way but I already had several bad kicks land them on the path. Like on #9.
17
0
Very Good Addition to the Area
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 1, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
Almost-finished but very playable wooded 18 when I visited in October 2023
+ New DisCatchers and asphalt tees. The course has been cut out of dense woods up, on top of, and down, a high ridge bordering a town park. Most holes have generous fairways, and there isn't much underbrush to lose discs in. Judging from the many big piles of wood chips, the town must have done a lot of tree cutting to create this course,
+ Par 54 and mostly short distances, but two "tweener" holes (#4 is 368' and #18 is 436') add a little more distance. When you take away these two, and the steep downhill #17 (315'), the remaining 15 holes average 200'. Experienced players = ace runs.
+ The layout takes full advantage of elevation change (there are very few holes here that are really and truly "flat"), and provides a good mix of left-to-right and right-to-left shapes.
+ The first two holes have a huge amount of uphill elevation change. Hole #1 plays up alongside the ridge; hole #2 is shorter and plays directly up to the top. The rollaway potential on these and a few other holes, are massive. An errant shot could leave you a hundred feet away from the basket.
+ Hole #17 is an open, dramatic 300' downhill to a basket tucked on the right. It's the first open hole and comes as a complete surprise. The wide and steep fairway probably makes for a great sledding hill in the winter
+ New DisCatchers and asphalt tees. The course has been cut out of dense woods up, on top of, and down, a high ridge bordering a town park. Most holes have generous fairways, and there isn't much underbrush to lose discs in. Judging from the many big piles of wood chips, the town must have done a lot of tree cutting to create this course,
+ Par 54 and mostly short distances, but two "tweener" holes (#4 is 368' and #18 is 436') add a little more distance. When you take away these two, and the steep downhill #17 (315'), the remaining 15 holes average 200'. Experienced players = ace runs.
+ The layout takes full advantage of elevation change (there are very few holes here that are really and truly "flat"), and provides a good mix of left-to-right and right-to-left shapes.
+ The first two holes have a huge amount of uphill elevation change. Hole #1 plays up alongside the ridge; hole #2 is shorter and plays directly up to the top. The rollaway potential on these and a few other holes, are massive. An errant shot could leave you a hundred feet away from the basket.
+ Hole #17 is an open, dramatic 300' downhill to a basket tucked on the right. It's the first open hole and comes as a complete surprise. The wide and steep fairway probably makes for a great sledding hill in the winter
Cons:
- Hole #15 is a slightly uphill, 300' par 3 with a left dogleg halfway. The turn is so severe (it might actually be 90 degrees) and the lane is so tight that I don't know how anyone could even make it to C2 from the tee
- There are a few spots on the back nine that really require wayfinding signage to find the next tee. Arrows might be installed when the tee signs go in. In the meantime, uDisc helps a lot
- There are a few spots on the back nine that really require wayfinding signage to find the next tee. Arrows might be installed when the tee signs go in. In the meantime, uDisc helps a lot
Other Thoughts:
~ The baskets are all mounted on circular asphalt pads, maybe 4' across with the post in the middle. I'm guessing this is to prevent erosion and to keep the baskets up straight, but I've never seen it on a course before. Will this increase the chance of skips or rollaways for low approaches?
~ No signage when I played, but given how much the township is helping with this course installation, they might have been put in since. The lane for 18 through the woods had not been created when I played, but I've seen posts that trees have since been removed. At 430' this is a par 3 "tweener", and I'm not sure how much it's going to be liked by players. It's long for a 3, has a narrow gap to clear, and a pretty low ceiling created by large trees in the open area on the approach. This closing hole might create score separation, or it might just leave a bad taste as players finish up
~ Although the fairways are still rough because they're new, holes 3 -18 are fine with a cart. But dragging that cart up the first two holes will be a workout
~ A paved walking trail winds through the park, parallel to several holes. Not right next to the fairways, but wide shots could endanger walkers.
~ Welcoming to new players without feeling like a "beginner park course." Enough challenge to make for a fun round for experienced players. A lot more interesting than the nearby Upper Salford Park, and a good layout for players who aren't up to the challenge of Ryan Kelly Green Monster.
~ No signage when I played, but given how much the township is helping with this course installation, they might have been put in since. The lane for 18 through the woods had not been created when I played, but I've seen posts that trees have since been removed. At 430' this is a par 3 "tweener", and I'm not sure how much it's going to be liked by players. It's long for a 3, has a narrow gap to clear, and a pretty low ceiling created by large trees in the open area on the approach. This closing hole might create score separation, or it might just leave a bad taste as players finish up
~ Although the fairways are still rough because they're new, holes 3 -18 are fine with a cart. But dragging that cart up the first two holes will be a workout
~ A paved walking trail winds through the park, parallel to several holes. Not right next to the fairways, but wide shots could endanger walkers.
~ Welcoming to new players without feeling like a "beginner park course." Enough challenge to make for a fun round for experienced players. A lot more interesting than the nearby Upper Salford Park, and a good layout for players who aren't up to the challenge of Ryan Kelly Green Monster.
