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Niles, MI

Madeline Bertrand Park

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2.955(based on 31 reviews)
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Madeline Bertrand Park reviews

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5 1
BucketBonanza
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.9 years 47 played 30 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 6, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

A lovely piece of land. It calls for a variety of shots. Left and right bends. Some simple and straight. Blind shots over trees with no view of the basket. Ravine shots. There were a couple of holes that were purty decent to look at. Twelve and thirteen come to mind. Elevation changes. Some nice shots down groves. Birdies all over. Ace runs all over. A nice walk through nature.

Cons:

I was a bit taken aback by this place. Just seemed like some major wasted potential with such a great piece of property. This place plays terribly short for the majority of the holes. Having to tee off with a putter is generally not a good thing. And where are the course fees going? I was really surprised to see that there was no signage on the majority of the holes. I think I only saw a couple on the whole 18. Maybe due to the short nature of the holes, the designer didn't feel they needed sign posts with footage and a general notion of pin placement. There is just no length here. Claustrophobia.

Other Thoughts:

Okay. I had fun here. I enjoy the game. Nearly anywhere. It is just that I feel that paying to play better be a pretty sweet experience. This place was beautiful for a walk in the woods, but the disc golf course was not very inspiring. I think this course may have been designed back in 1985 when players were using big red wham-o frisbees or something. I wonder if they can utilize more of the land at this park for a more modern, longer, and more challenging course. Not bad, just a touch disappointing.

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1 2
Mattheus
Experience: 27.9 years 22 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 13, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Clean, well kept course. Trees and tight areas force you to use all your throws and keeps things fresh.

Cons:

A bit short for those with the big arms.
Pay to play is a downside. Although I don't mind because I am local and buy a season pass.

Other Thoughts:

Also a nice park for a picnic with grills, a playground, and hiking/biking trails.
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2 1
MGroothuis
Experience: 33.9 years 7 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Been playing this course for 15+ years 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 25, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Hole 1: Good opener. Mid-short length to warm up your arm. Few trees near the basket set the stage for the whole course. Aces possible.
Hole 2: Over the top of the trees to the right is a fun challenge when you can't see the basket. Trees have thinned over the years resulting in less discs caught high in pine branches.
Hole 3: Short hole. Easy float to the right for a moderate putt.
Hole 4: GREAT long hole to open up your throwing arm, but keep it tight. Fairway is somewhat narrow. Very tough to make in 2.
Hole 5: Sharp right turn with accuracy imperative around the large forked tree just off the tee.
Hole 6: Another great long hole perfect for right handers. Narrow fairway, fade at the very end to the left, approaching a downhill putt to the basket.
Hole 7: Slight uphill, short hole. Easy 2.
Hole 8: Very straight, great hole to try out your approach disc off the tee. Aces highly possible.
Hole 9: Thread your tee shot thru the large trees to a high fade to the left. Good shot leads to aces or easy deuce.
Hole 10: Mid-range hole with two large trees dead center 1/2 way down fairway. Uphill putt to an open basket.
Hole 11: Ravine hole with hidden basket, course par is 4. Good drives can lead to 2s often.
Hole 12: Nice hole throwing over a deep ravine. Accuracy is tested to keep distance under control. Shorter hole than it looks from the tee.
Hole 13: Longest hole. I throw a Leopard or a Dragon to s-curve it thru the long narrow fairway, if I get lucky. Used to be a huge tree 10 feet off the tee, dead center. Multiple hits with unlucky discs finally brought it down a few years ago.
Hole 14: Very narrow fairway opens into a fairly open putting range. Just clear the pine in the middle for a clear putt.
Hole 15: Release any frustration for a long, perfect right handed hyzer shot.
Hole 16: Very narrow drive with two choices: brave the bruised and battered center trees with hair splitting accuracy, or anhyzer around the left side off the tee.
Hole 17: Long, low and narrow. Slightly unnatural basket placement for right handers. Can be a challenge.
Hole 18: Heavily wooded with lots of trees. Fun, but your drive is crucial!

Cons:

Hole 1: Playing crowded course conditions can cause other players to be directly in the landing zone of your first shot.
Hole 2: Really no cons other than being unable to see players by the basket.
Hole 3: No cons. Good birdie hole.
Hole 4: Keep an eye on your disc if knocked into the woods on each side.
Hole 5: No cons.
Hole 6: No cons.
Hole 7: Used to be a bit more scenic and challenging. A tornado a few years back toppled some key challenging trees. Seems a little "messy" now with fallen trees half cut up.
Hole 8: No cons.
Hole 9: No cons.
Hole 10: Placement of the hole 11 tee is bad for drives that go right. Your drive can easily hit other players on the next tee.
Hole 11: Hard to tell if hole is clear. Basket completely obscured behind a hill.
Hole 12: No cons.
Hole 13: No good "path" to throw for a drive. Bomb it and keep your fingers crossed. The tee is high, so a drive is naturally in high branches of the trees.
Hole 14: None,
Hole 15: None.
Hole 16: None.
Hole 17: None.
Hole 18: No cons, but stay out of the thick woods or you're done.

Other Thoughts:

This course is really thinning as the years go by. Though the course is still a fun challenge with lots of obstacles, many, many trees and branches are gone opening up the fairways a bit. It's tree purgatory on many holes. They're alive, but cut, bruised, and dripping sap heavily. The missing signs on a few of the tees need to be replaced.
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8 0
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 316 played 268 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Bertrand 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 16, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Awesome wooded course, with many strategically placed trees waiting to ruin your day.
-A variety of holes, many having a unique feel.
-Great use of available elevation.
-Good pro shop with a wide selection of discs. Usually friendly people working there.
-Course demands a reasonable amount of accuracy, hyzer/anhyzer shots. Several ace runs.
-Amenities are top-notch: super-awesome putting practice area; good-sized cement tees in outstanding condition; well-maintained/clean restrooms; drinks and snacks on sale; recycling/trash cans throughout course; score-card/pencils available in pro-shop.

Cons:

-Pay-to-play: $4. Parking: county residents pay $3, out-of-county $5! Very steep prices, although yearly passes minimize the hit on your pocketbook if you play somewhat regularly.
-Missing tee signs on several holes seems inexcusable given the high costs.
-Closed in winter for x-country skiing.
-Course flow for the most part is outstanding, although it can be tricky in one or two places if you are unfamiliar with the course. Missing signs exacerbate this problem, but it isn't too bad: just be sure to pick up a score-card at the shop, if only for the map.
- A few of the shorter holes seem repetitive. 200' hyzers to the basket get old after a while.
-The course can become pretty crowded.

Other Thoughts:

Unfortunately, for the price you pay to get in and park, this course does not deliver. Definitely a fun course, but not having the missing signs replaced after a year really makes you wonder where your fees are going. Most of the people in the pro shop are okay, but occasionally you'll run into someone who is downright rude.
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1 1
MotoDj
Experience: 15.2 years 20 played 8 reviews
2.50 star(s)

compared to local courses 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

fun, works on your accuracy more than anything
a mid/putter type of course, in hindsight i kinda like the blind holes, but its tough when you dont know where they're at
best "shop' around, and its nothing to brag about

Cons:

hard to navigate, almost have to see the "local homeboy route"
lots of repeat holes - rhbh hyzers
rather short

Other Thoughts:

i'd like it more if it was closer, seems those that play there only play there...
least played course for me locally, many reasons
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1 4
MDeezy
Experience: 20.9 years 132 played 14 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pay it to play it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 18, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Well maintained reasonable woods course. Great for beginners and intermediates alike. Great ace runs and birdie opportunities. Winds through secluded woods and plays with some rolling elevation. Nice cement pads and trash cans at most holes. Cool putting area by hole 1, and great pro shop plus facilities on site.

Cons:

Short holes and lack of variety might not appeal to all players. You are charged a fee for your car and individual player fees.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a solid 3.5. I enjoy playing this course on my way to or from South Bend or Chicago. It doesn't take too long to play and always provides a good round. Most shots don't require a big drive, but a controlled mid range. Very nice layout, course flows well.
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11 0
DiscChick
Experience: 25.1 years 10 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My first and favorite 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Excellent pro-shop. Large disc selection. Friendly people. Scorecards with course maps available. Drinks & snacks for sale. Bathrooms & water fountain. There's even a water bowl at the pro-shop for your dog.
Cement tees. Beautiful wooded area, so as the seasons change it feels like the course does too. Recycle bins on the course (trash cans too). Benches at at least 4 holes. Signs at most holes.

Cons:

I play in shorts quite a bit, and though I've never had a problem here with poison oak or poison ivy, watch out for the pricker bushes.

Other Thoughts:

Some may have issues with the pay to park and pay to play, but when I look at how well kept the park is I figure I get what I'm paying for. Also, season passes are available for parking and for playing. If you're going to play the course more than 6 or 7 times in the season buy the pass and you will soon be throwing for free on a really nice course.

It's a well planned course. The next tee is usually within sight of the last basket. No crossing fairways. Unless you count the elevated tee at 13 that has you throw over the tee for 7.

The people that throw here are genuinely friendly and often encouraging. Slow groups let faster ones play through. I've had strangers tromp through the woods with me trying to find an errant disc.

It was my first course and is still my favorite.
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3 0
mmyersdisc
Experience: 15.8 years 14 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice and Wooded! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 24, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good pro shop, very friendly people! Well groomed course and taken care of. Short holes with trees all around except for a few that have some distance past 300'. Hole #16 has a fun tree obstacle right in front of the teepad that everyone hits at least once! :) Also a nice place for biking, hiking, and having famly events due to a big outdoor shelter area.

Cons:

I find it expensive to play here, 3 dollars to park, 4 to play I think it was? So pile in all of your discing buddies! In the discing season it tends to get kinda crowded with families and such trying to play so takes a little while to complete

Other Thoughts:

First tournament was played here and I placed 6th and only had been playing for about 1 month :). Was about 10 strokes behind someone that had been playing for years! Very good tournament around november I think it was if anyone around the area wants to check it out!
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1 1
discNDav
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37.9 years 437 played 91 reviews
2.00 star(s)

short and wooded 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 16, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good baskets and cement tees.Discs for sale in the park office. It's a typical Steady Ed course from the mid 80's.

Trash cans are located near almost every tee area. Very clean county park.

Very easy to follow, the next tee is fairly close to the previous basket. No map is needed.


Cons:

Not worth the entrance fee, pay to play...
$3 to park, $2 for DG.

Very short and technical, plenty of holes under 200 feet. Beginner friendly if not for the tight shots required.

Tee signs need upgrading, most are missing. Years ago it was only 9 holes during winter since cross country skiing took priority.

Other Thoughts:

This was my first course ever, 23 years and 340+ courses later, it will always be special in my mind. Don't go out of your way for this one, go play Rum Village in SB or Wilson in Mishawaka instead.

More discs for sale can be found at the archery/billards store on hiway 31 and the Ind/Mich state line road.




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3 0
djext1
Experience: 27.9 years 15 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 13, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This park makes excellent use of the small strip of land this course sits on. The course offers a variety of shots to let you play every shot in your bag, except maybe big arms. It's pretty much a bunny hop course for most seasoned players, yet it's still very fun.

The park staff are some of the best i have encountered, very friendly, very helpful. They truly seem to care about their course. It's not uncommon for staff to do quick walkthroughs of the course (check for non-payers, illegal activities, etc) and sweep off dirty tee's or clear stuff off fairways.

There is a pro shop filled with mostly Innova, but does have a variety of weights/colors to choose from.

Cons:

No real open holes that can put a big arm to work. Everything here is 300' or less. Mind you, most holes are still technical and require at least some accuracy, but still 300' or less.

Other Thoughts:

It's a good course to take a trip out to. We get a season pass (which if you play just a few times a year is worth it) and play quite a bit at this course. We enjoy the staff, the park, and the course. I really wish they would consider putting in another 18 holes on the property, or at least adding a few more holes to give some open, big arm holes a shot.

I always recommend this course locally, as the staff of this park have my full respect. Be sure to check it out.
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3 1
TimSyl
Experience: 17.2 years 172 played 35 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 26, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Older course always in great condition. Concrete pads. Nice people in pro shop. Short holes but still challenging. Good course for any level.

Cons:

Since it's older, just not enough length to justify a higher rating. Can get pretty busy, so a course that should take an hour at most, can take longer at times.

Other Thoughts:

Fun to play, lots of deuces and ace runs.
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