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Lions Den DGC reviews
12
0
PastorofMuppets
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
4.9 years
150 played
118 reviews
Beginner Focused, Veteran Frustrating
Reviewed:
Played on:May 21, 2023
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
***I am reviewing this course differently than others on my list as I put in all the legwork to build this course from acquiring use of the property, to course design, to purchasing baskets, tee pad material, and incur all the current maintenance and improvement costs myself. I will simply rate this course as "good" to be fair and let others make their own decisions, as this course does it's intended purpose but could be much better. I'll simply explain each hole for those who might come play and leave the true reviewing to those who visit.
1) Across the street from Marion Disc Golf Course (a rec/advanced level course designed by HB Clark), the Lion's Den Beginner Course is situation on shared land on the Crittenden County Lion's Club property. This course was requested by locals who wanted a more beginner friendly course to bring small children, new players, their wives, etc to an easy to play, easy to learn the game, and low risk of losing discs (As the MDGC has water on almost every hole and lost discs are very frustrating to new players).
2) There is a large painted course sign detailing 2 separate layouts, a Blue short tee pad layout, and a Black long tee pad layout, for a 9 hole loop that begins and ends next to the parking lot. There is a donation box attached to the sign but the course only requests donations and does not charge a fee to play.
Hole by Hole breakdown
3) Hole #1 is situated just left of the parking lot and plays along the property chain link fence line. It is a short flat 200 ft shot (short pad), 279 ft (long pad) with a tight fence OB left the entire length of the hole, a gravel road OB behind, and a Veteran basket with a 15 foot downhill slope behind that leads to the OB. Pretty stock shot to open. No trees, plenty of space to the right, tight OB left and long, roll away potential behind basket. Purposefully designed to be a righty hyzer hole.
4) Hole #2 is a short walk to the right and plays 253 ft (short pad) 373 ft (long pad) severely downhill into the corner of the property. Hole is shaped like a triangle with OB fences the entire length down the left and right sides, with a Veteran basket placed 10-15 feet from the tip of the point where the two OB fences meet. Hole plays significantly shorter than the distance. Any shot left up that glides too much will sail over the fence, there is also the chance of sliding under the fence in spots. Very easy to Par, risk reward for the birdie. No trees or obstacles on this hole, just distance control. This hole allows approach angles from the left, straight, or right, each posing their own difficulties.
5) Hole #3 The only Par 4 on the course 425 feet (short pad), 432 feet (long pad). The long pad is pushed right and forces a much more difficult angle off the tee. This hole is lined the entire left side with an OB chain link fence and the fairway slopes drastically downhill towards this fence. You must navigate a left of a mando tree about 75 feet off the pad with low hanging branches that negate the righty hyzer and force either a low straight shot or a big left to right shot. Dangers include cut rolling under the OB fence, Missing the Mando, or stalling out and fading over the OB fence. The green is protected by a knoll, a tiny creek in front, and a massive Maple tree on the left. This Veteran basket is attackable from the right side. Big arms can get aggressive and go for the two, a simple chip chip putt with result in an easy three, but mistakes with nose angle will get punished with big numbers on this hole.
6) Hole #4 This 192 feet (short pad) 267 feet (long pad) par 3 plays to an elevated Recruit basket on a platform of telephone poles. The entire left side is lined with an OB gravel road. The long right side is protected by a large pole barn and a couple trees. The basket is perched 10-15 feet from the left side OB. Ideal shot is something left to right or straight at it. The ground is very skippy and anything coming in right to left usually skips OB.
7) Hole #5 The signature hole on this short course. The 152 feet (short pad) 206 feet (long pad) hole forces your to play through a triple mando through a pole barn. This low ceiling shot is intended to teach players to keep the nose down. After you navigate the barn there is an OB river gravel road you must cross and the green slopes upward to a Recruit basket with a Building behind it. Shots must cleanly navigate multiple animal enclosure fences, pole barn support poles, roof support beams and avoid missing left of the basket and going long and being blocked by the building on your way back. Not aesthetically pleasing at all really, but very fun to throw and it is always a conversation piece.
8) Hole #6 This 188 feet (short pad) 288 feet (long pad) hole plays down and around the pole barn you just threw through. This downhill shot requires you to make a choice of either throwing a blind spike hyzer over the pole barn to a sloping away from you green, or play the left to right shot down and around the pole barn which is also protected by several large trees that extend out beside the end of the pole barn. The roof of the pole barn collects a lot of discs, luckily they are easy to retrieve. Course rules dictate playing a disc on the roof as a hazard and taking a drop directly below it inside the pole barn, punishing you but creating a unique scramble opportunity. The Recruit basket is perched on a severe downslope and ideal tee shots will be long of the basket putting back up at the pin.
9) Hole #7 This 189 feet (short pad) 265 feet (long pad) hole requires a slightly uphill shot from right to left around a late mando light pole. There is usually a large water tank behind the mando pole making this a mini Ledgestone water tower hole. The basket is perched in the center of a 45 foot green area with an OB road behind it and the mando in front of it. It is set roughly 15 feet left of the mando which you must navigate around the right of. The late nature of the mando allows a missed mando the chance to make a par save putt from roughly 20 feet.
10) Hole #8 This 180 feet (short pad) 280 feet (long pad) hole plays to a hanging basket in a large Oak tree. The right side is protected by the tree and it's low hanging branches. The left side is open. The top of the cage hangs right at 6' off the ground and due to it's hanging nature allows for a slight bit of sway in strong wind. A pretty nerving putt unless you put it close.
11) Hole #9 This 202 feet (short pad) 290 feet (long pad) hole plays severely uphill to an island green plateau surrounded by OB gravel roads up to and right and left of the green. The basket is perched on the very edge of a flat plateau that slopes off severely in front and off each side. If you throw up onto the flat part of the green you have a true death putt coming back at the basket and anything short of the basket off the tee leaves you with a steep uphill putt where hitting metal will result in a roll away into OB.
12) This course is great for the skill level it is designed for, little danger, manageable distances, forced multiple shot angles, and allows room for growth as you get better with multiple tee pad locations. The course plays extremely quickly (30-40 minutes for 9 holes) and despite subtle elevation changes, is pretty flat and easy to walk. Additionally this is an excellent course for more skilled players to work on their short game. The same forced shot shapes and "approach" distances allow more skilled players to work on shaping their approach shots and getting the disc to land at the correct angle on these sloped greens on the correct side of the basket. The course is also mowed regularly (once a week) and provides trash cans throughout.
1) Across the street from Marion Disc Golf Course (a rec/advanced level course designed by HB Clark), the Lion's Den Beginner Course is situation on shared land on the Crittenden County Lion's Club property. This course was requested by locals who wanted a more beginner friendly course to bring small children, new players, their wives, etc to an easy to play, easy to learn the game, and low risk of losing discs (As the MDGC has water on almost every hole and lost discs are very frustrating to new players).
2) There is a large painted course sign detailing 2 separate layouts, a Blue short tee pad layout, and a Black long tee pad layout, for a 9 hole loop that begins and ends next to the parking lot. There is a donation box attached to the sign but the course only requests donations and does not charge a fee to play.
Hole by Hole breakdown
3) Hole #1 is situated just left of the parking lot and plays along the property chain link fence line. It is a short flat 200 ft shot (short pad), 279 ft (long pad) with a tight fence OB left the entire length of the hole, a gravel road OB behind, and a Veteran basket with a 15 foot downhill slope behind that leads to the OB. Pretty stock shot to open. No trees, plenty of space to the right, tight OB left and long, roll away potential behind basket. Purposefully designed to be a righty hyzer hole.
4) Hole #2 is a short walk to the right and plays 253 ft (short pad) 373 ft (long pad) severely downhill into the corner of the property. Hole is shaped like a triangle with OB fences the entire length down the left and right sides, with a Veteran basket placed 10-15 feet from the tip of the point where the two OB fences meet. Hole plays significantly shorter than the distance. Any shot left up that glides too much will sail over the fence, there is also the chance of sliding under the fence in spots. Very easy to Par, risk reward for the birdie. No trees or obstacles on this hole, just distance control. This hole allows approach angles from the left, straight, or right, each posing their own difficulties.
5) Hole #3 The only Par 4 on the course 425 feet (short pad), 432 feet (long pad). The long pad is pushed right and forces a much more difficult angle off the tee. This hole is lined the entire left side with an OB chain link fence and the fairway slopes drastically downhill towards this fence. You must navigate a left of a mando tree about 75 feet off the pad with low hanging branches that negate the righty hyzer and force either a low straight shot or a big left to right shot. Dangers include cut rolling under the OB fence, Missing the Mando, or stalling out and fading over the OB fence. The green is protected by a knoll, a tiny creek in front, and a massive Maple tree on the left. This Veteran basket is attackable from the right side. Big arms can get aggressive and go for the two, a simple chip chip putt with result in an easy three, but mistakes with nose angle will get punished with big numbers on this hole.
6) Hole #4 This 192 feet (short pad) 267 feet (long pad) par 3 plays to an elevated Recruit basket on a platform of telephone poles. The entire left side is lined with an OB gravel road. The long right side is protected by a large pole barn and a couple trees. The basket is perched 10-15 feet from the left side OB. Ideal shot is something left to right or straight at it. The ground is very skippy and anything coming in right to left usually skips OB.
7) Hole #5 The signature hole on this short course. The 152 feet (short pad) 206 feet (long pad) hole forces your to play through a triple mando through a pole barn. This low ceiling shot is intended to teach players to keep the nose down. After you navigate the barn there is an OB river gravel road you must cross and the green slopes upward to a Recruit basket with a Building behind it. Shots must cleanly navigate multiple animal enclosure fences, pole barn support poles, roof support beams and avoid missing left of the basket and going long and being blocked by the building on your way back. Not aesthetically pleasing at all really, but very fun to throw and it is always a conversation piece.
8) Hole #6 This 188 feet (short pad) 288 feet (long pad) hole plays down and around the pole barn you just threw through. This downhill shot requires you to make a choice of either throwing a blind spike hyzer over the pole barn to a sloping away from you green, or play the left to right shot down and around the pole barn which is also protected by several large trees that extend out beside the end of the pole barn. The roof of the pole barn collects a lot of discs, luckily they are easy to retrieve. Course rules dictate playing a disc on the roof as a hazard and taking a drop directly below it inside the pole barn, punishing you but creating a unique scramble opportunity. The Recruit basket is perched on a severe downslope and ideal tee shots will be long of the basket putting back up at the pin.
9) Hole #7 This 189 feet (short pad) 265 feet (long pad) hole requires a slightly uphill shot from right to left around a late mando light pole. There is usually a large water tank behind the mando pole making this a mini Ledgestone water tower hole. The basket is perched in the center of a 45 foot green area with an OB road behind it and the mando in front of it. It is set roughly 15 feet left of the mando which you must navigate around the right of. The late nature of the mando allows a missed mando the chance to make a par save putt from roughly 20 feet.
10) Hole #8 This 180 feet (short pad) 280 feet (long pad) hole plays to a hanging basket in a large Oak tree. The right side is protected by the tree and it's low hanging branches. The left side is open. The top of the cage hangs right at 6' off the ground and due to it's hanging nature allows for a slight bit of sway in strong wind. A pretty nerving putt unless you put it close.
11) Hole #9 This 202 feet (short pad) 290 feet (long pad) hole plays severely uphill to an island green plateau surrounded by OB gravel roads up to and right and left of the green. The basket is perched on the very edge of a flat plateau that slopes off severely in front and off each side. If you throw up onto the flat part of the green you have a true death putt coming back at the basket and anything short of the basket off the tee leaves you with a steep uphill putt where hitting metal will result in a roll away into OB.
12) This course is great for the skill level it is designed for, little danger, manageable distances, forced multiple shot angles, and allows room for growth as you get better with multiple tee pad locations. The course plays extremely quickly (30-40 minutes for 9 holes) and despite subtle elevation changes, is pretty flat and easy to walk. Additionally this is an excellent course for more skilled players to work on their short game. The same forced shot shapes and "approach" distances allow more skilled players to work on shaping their approach shots and getting the disc to land at the correct angle on these sloped greens on the correct side of the basket. The course is also mowed regularly (once a week) and provides trash cans throughout.
Cons:
1) There is nothing aesthetically pleasing about the course. As it is not a dedicated disc golf course, the lack of trees, water features, and multiple buildings throughout definitely don't do it any favors.
2) The course was required to be a COMPLETELY temporary and moveable install. Everything from the baskets to the tee pads and signs had to be able to be removed whenever the Lions Club is having an event on the grounds. As such, there are times that this course is not available for a few days several times a year. This also makes pouring concrete tee pads impossible and utilizing permanent in ground baskets a no go. As such you encounter all the short tee pads consisting of 4' wide by 6.5' concrete pavers. The long tee pads are 4' by 8' rubber mats that are 1" thick.
3) While the multiple "fun" fundraiser tournaments at this course (Like the New Years Day Freeze Your Ace Off event) are well loved by those who attend, this is not a tournament course and is not designed to be. If the spirit of the game and getting new people involved at a level they won't get discouraged at isn't your thing, I would pass on this course.
4) The lack of trees and lack of distance make the short tee pad layout extremely easy. But if you enjoy ace runs and working on your short game this course can come in handy. A lot of us use it as a warm up area before heading across the street to play the big course. The long tees have teeth despite the relatively short distances. The forced shot shapes are much more pronounced and the tight OB throughout the course really comes into play from those distances.
5) Well over half of the available property is not utilized. While the course is only 9 holes (semi-permanent) there is plenty of room to install 18. Events here do utilize multiple additional temp holes, but only 9 stay in day to day. This results from this course being donation only and raising money to improve. Long term plans include purchasing more baskets and improving tee pads and signage. I have donated 4 Veteran baskets to the course so far and as soon as we can raise enough more to purchase the additional 5 we will begin installing the other 9 holes permanently.
2) The course was required to be a COMPLETELY temporary and moveable install. Everything from the baskets to the tee pads and signs had to be able to be removed whenever the Lions Club is having an event on the grounds. As such, there are times that this course is not available for a few days several times a year. This also makes pouring concrete tee pads impossible and utilizing permanent in ground baskets a no go. As such you encounter all the short tee pads consisting of 4' wide by 6.5' concrete pavers. The long tee pads are 4' by 8' rubber mats that are 1" thick.
3) While the multiple "fun" fundraiser tournaments at this course (Like the New Years Day Freeze Your Ace Off event) are well loved by those who attend, this is not a tournament course and is not designed to be. If the spirit of the game and getting new people involved at a level they won't get discouraged at isn't your thing, I would pass on this course.
4) The lack of trees and lack of distance make the short tee pad layout extremely easy. But if you enjoy ace runs and working on your short game this course can come in handy. A lot of us use it as a warm up area before heading across the street to play the big course. The long tees have teeth despite the relatively short distances. The forced shot shapes are much more pronounced and the tight OB throughout the course really comes into play from those distances.
5) Well over half of the available property is not utilized. While the course is only 9 holes (semi-permanent) there is plenty of room to install 18. Events here do utilize multiple additional temp holes, but only 9 stay in day to day. This results from this course being donation only and raising money to improve. Long term plans include purchasing more baskets and improving tee pads and signage. I have donated 4 Veteran baskets to the course so far and as soon as we can raise enough more to purchase the additional 5 we will begin installing the other 9 holes permanently.
Other Thoughts:
This is not a destination course. This is not a course to be taken seriously by any competitive player (though I have had several pros come play it with me and they absolutely loved the experience and were surprised by the difficulty). This is a get what you want from it course. If you wanna run aces all day, have at it. If you want to work on your 200 ft approach game, it has it. If you are struggling with a certain shot shape, there's a hole you can play on repeat to dial that in. Throwing putters not your strong suit, play a putter round here to work on it. This course also serves as a spot to give your wife/kids something to do if you wanna play the big course. It is also adjacent to a large playground and the city park with multiple ball fields, walking track, etc. If you make the trip to play the big course (Marion Disc Golf Course), this course is definitely worth tacking on another 30 minutes to try out. Remember that this course operates only on donations, and can only improve if people donate. So if you feel inclined, drop a dollar or two in the box provided.
