Madisonville, KY

Madisonville City Park DGC

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4.25(based on 38 reviews)
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7 0
goosefraba1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.3 years 82 played 40 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Tournament Worthy 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I'm just going to freeform this one. When I pulled into this park, I couldn't help but notice the beauty of the surroundings. In way of beauty, this course has it all. Mature trees. Check. Lake. Check. Rolling greens. Check. Just a course full of eye candy. Without detailing every hole, here are some things that I noticed. This course gives you plenty of room to air some shots out. Some of the shots are Memorial-esque.... like hole 7 or 8 where you cross water and then have a low ceiling shot. Great hole. Speaking of which, the short pads on 7 and 8 are pretty awesome. Love how this course plays over some steady elevation change. This course is the type of course that is just begging for an A tier tournament.

Cons:

I still feel as if there is room for improvement here. Many of the baskets could just be moved 10 feet or so in order to make a more challenging green. My biggest concern is the 3 pads fiasco beside the playground.... with trees right beside the pads. That is just asking for the course to get pulled. It is all fun and games until a kid takes a 175g disc travelling at 35mph to the throat. Hole 9 plays downhill and then backup, but there is no way to get to the basket because there is a branch blocking the shot. Just little things like that. 11 through 14 are monotonous back and forth down the hill.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, great course. Plenty of challenge here. I feel like this course could have been made even better if there was just length added for length's sake in places. The land given allows for a blue level course.... I feel like this is a blue level course that tries to reach too far.. making several tweener holes. Would be interested in seeing the alternates and how that would change the course.
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Designer response by HB553
A tier scheduled for May 17-18, 2014 with 9 extra holes added.
7 1
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.3 years 1508 played 480 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Madness at Madisonville 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 18, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Excellent challenge on this course. There is all sorts of trouble out there to get you. It is not an easy course for anyone, even the pros would be challenged.
2) Nice concrete tees are available on this course. It is a good thing because when I played the course had just received a fair amount of rain/snow melt.
3) Discatchers are in decent condition.
4) Arrows underneath the baskets really help with navigation.
5) Tee signs have Hole #, Distance, Par, and a Map.
6) Golf clubhouse has some discs and bags and such for sale. The lady behind the counter said they loved having disc golf and are excited about their large tournament every year.
7) Typically park-like courses are not my favorite, but there is enough other challenge and beauty here to keep my interest.
8) Very large and mature trees on this property. The lady in the clubhouse said it used to have a lot more mature trees but a storm had come through and taken a lot of big trees out. What a shame!
9) Alternate tees are available on the water holes which makes the course more beginner friendly.
10) The course seemed to be well taken care of. The turf was in good shape, the leaves had all virtually been removed from the turf areas which really helps keep the turf healthy.
11) Distance variation is huge ranging from the 200's to 600's with everything in between. I love it when courses have a huge variety of shots because it makes for a ton of interesting throws. You need big drives, placement drives, upshots, recovery shots, layups, and putts. It makes for a complete experience.
12) Very nice map and kiosk area at the first tee. The whole area is surrounded with mulch which just makes perfect sense. They knew it would all become compacted and the turf would die so they put mulch down to make it look nicer.
13) Signs are located on top of 4x4 posts which also have a number on all 4 sides which helps navigation.
14) Rolling elevation changes on this course make for a really scenic and pretty course.
15) I love a course where I can throw in the air and on the ground. While a roller shot is not essential for a good experience, I sure do enjoy throwing that shot. I think I threw a handful of these on this round.
16) Practice Basket is available near the first hole.
17) Hole #8 is the ultimate in risk/reward holes. It has a shot straight at the basket but is about 95% water carry and over 350' to carry, or you can throw out to the right with 150' carry and a bail out area to the right. Then you will have another 150-200' approach over another small water area. This is a very unique hole layout that creates some score separation for sure.

Cons:

1) The road and also a couple sidewalks are not super close, but could be considered in harms way depending on who is playing.
2) Lacks the ultra tight wooded holes I love to play. It is simply not a feature available in this park. I cannot blame the designer, but it is something I like to see on every course because I feel it is an integral part of our sport.
3) I do not remember many benches on this course.
4) One place I can remember being somewhat dangerous. The bathroom (I think) next to the playground by Hole #3/4 15/16 was definitely in the way on one of the drives.
5) I am pretty sure at some times in the year, there will likely be a lot of goose poop along the edges of the water.

Other Thoughts:

There are just not that many things I can say bad about this course. While I also have a lot of Pros written down I just cannot give this course a rating higher than 4.5. It lacks just a couple things . . . unique basket locations. Everything was somewhat cookie cutter and in the middle of the turf with 15-30' green around the basket. If some of the baskets could have been elevated or perhaps some green areas that were landscaped out. While it is mostly open and moderately wooded, it feels more open than it is. It does not have any super tight wooded holes which I really like to see on a course with everything. If this course was in my backyard I would probably play it everyday because of how diverse it is.
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4 2
DG addict24
Experience: 12.6 years 29 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best in Western Ky 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 4, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great concrete tee pads.Great length, 3 holes 590 or further. Some wooded areas that aren't really tight though, just enough so you can't just fling it. Alternate tee pads on two holes for beginners/recreational players. Probably the most well-kept course I've ever seen. It's always in great shape, yet you always see the workers looking for a way to improve it.

Cons:

The only one I can think of is pretty boring starting and finishing holes. Most of the holes are just normal holes to me. With the exception of 8, none of the holes wow me. The rest of the holes are nice, but that's really all they are, just nice holes. A few more wows, and it would be a 4.5

Other Thoughts:

Great course overall, probably in my top 3 that I have played. I have a very small arm and I still found the course fun and playable with how long it is. About as good of a city park course as you're gonna find.
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Designer response by HB553
Thanks for the review . . . the boring hole one is due to the park department wanting the starting hole as near the pro shop as possible, sharing the same parking lot. Visit the city pro shop for disc, bags, beverages while at the course.
1 3
mancide
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My home course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 3, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Wide open on most holes, even the wooded holes are pretty forgiving for beginners. Water and trees are used perfectly on most holes, and alternate tees for the two main water holes help newer players.

Cons:

Some holes are really long for beginners, and even with alternate tees can be a bit discouraging for shorter arms.
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2 1
Tacoma4x4
Experience: 11.9 years 7 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beautifully manicured 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great total maintenance...wonderful markings, easy flow, just a wonderful afternoon experience. Good blend of trees in bad spots...water in bad spots...and distance.

Cons:

Not many to note. Could use a marker from 1 to 2 tee box, but honestly I had a beginner with me and he loved it as much as I did.

Other Thoughts:

Thank you Madisonville city park...you guys do a great job.
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8 0
weeman
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.1 years 651 played 61 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course to let 'em fly! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is a fun challenge to consistently make long accurate drives and in several cases upshots. Madisonville DGC sits among a large multi-use park along with a couple lakes, a playground, baseball field, walking trail and golf course (doesn't come into play though). Near number one is a practice basket in a large area for some decent length putter shots. There's also a good course map and scorecards available at the first tee. All the pads are large and very grippy even when wet. The signs are accurate about tree, OB and water locations. This is very important as several of the drives are to hidden baskets that have some hidden water hazards. Madisonville is one of the most consistently long courses I've played in a while with only two holes less than 300 feet with multiple holes pushing 600 feet. The front nine plays closer to the lake with two (number 7 & 8) requiring long drives over water. Both of these holes have shorter alternate tee pads/drop zones as well. The back nine traverses a large moderately wooded ravine for several holes before heading back towards the lake near the end. A good portion of the holes play through large old growth trees with high ceilings (pines on front nine, oaks, etc. on back nine) with little to no underbrush throughout the course. Each hole utilizes elevation in some way, shape or form. These can range from extreme to very subtle with several playing across a large ravine. The ravine holes don't seem that long unless you hit a tree and end up at the bottom for your second shot. The elevation changes makes multiple holes play shorter than they are with the large descents. THe park also drains very well with few spots I saw with standing water (played it first while raining). All holes that have trees leave multiple routes to the basket so you're not confined to one line. That being said, you have to hit your lines otherwise you'll be scrambling to make par. This is great to practice different types of drives.

Cons:

My only real main complaint about this course is that there are so many other things around it. The playground can be very busy and noisy on nice days and can be very distracting as its adjacent to 3's tee, 8's basket, 9's tee, 14's basket and 15's tee. Also the road that leads you through the park to the course runs right next to several holes and right behind number one's basket. Several of the holes had benches on which to rest while others didn't but there didn't appear to be any scheme to where they were placed. I'd have put one each after each of the 600 footers and other difficult holes. I felt like number one and 18 were tweener holes that are only included to make a full 18 hole course. Neither provided anywhere near the same kind of challenge as any of the other holes.

Other Thoughts:

Madisonville shows how to make a fun course with a decently challenging design. The wind out there definitely adds another element to the round. It was a stiff breeze out there when I played and wouldn't surprise me if that was normal conditions for the course. I'd rate this course for mid-level amateur players and up to go out and be challenged to score well. Less skilled players will enjoy the lack of underbrush and inherent searching for discs but may be frustrated by the consistently long holes. I had read there is a pro shop near the course in the park but I didn't have the time to seek it out while I was there. Maybe next time I'll get to stop in for a few minutes.
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6 0
link_smitty42205
Experience: 17 years 63 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A must stop for western KY. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

I was staying in KY over the Thanksgiving holiday and came on here to see what courses were around the area and this one jumped out at me from other reviews. Let me tell you, this course did not disappoint. It was worth the hour drive to play.
This course required a variety of shots if you wanted to play it well. It was a course primarily designed for RHBH throwers from what I could tell, and being that I throw that style, I loved that this course was very friendly for my style of play. A lot of opportunities for hyzers, anhyzers, straight shots, S-Curves, you name it.

All of the holes are between about 280 to 600 ft long, with the average distance probably falling between 350 to 400 ft. If you can throw a consistent 300 foot drive, you will be able to play this course fairly well. The course is fairly open with opportunities to hit some trees on at least half of the holes. Therefore, it is a very fun course to just open up and give your drives all you can muster.

One of the major positives was the challenge of the water hazards. It only comes into play on about 4 holes, but I came close to the hazard on all of them. The lake was low when I played, which made it a bit friendlier, but when it is at its regular level I am sure it is rather intimidating.

Elevation was utilized well for multiple holes with the rolling hills and valleys to help compliment the water hazards. I love a course that has these challenges along with some distance, which is why this course was a joy to play for me.

I thought they utilized the land well for this course, and made the most out of what they had to work with.

The course was very well groomed and you could tell they took pride in its appearance.

Cons:

A major con for me was that the signage, while being in good condition, did not direct you to the next tee pad. The map at the beginning of the course gives a great idea as to where all the holes are located and the general flow of the course, but unless you have a photographic memory, it will be hard to remember exactly the right direction to the next tee.

The lack in direction of the signs kind of made the flow a tad off. It flowed well for the most part. Much better than a lot of courses I have played, but there were a few spots that could be better. I am sure a lot of it had to do with the fact the tees were around other attractions and they had to make do with what they had available. (playground by tee pads 3, 9, and 16.)

As mentioned in other reviews, some overflow from some of the other attractions causes you to stay on your toes and not be too careless with your drives. I played in late November, so the activity in the park was minimal, but I am sure it is a different story in the summer. So be aware of other park users while playing.

Too many par 4's. This is a par 3 course in my eyes. Very reasonable to reach every pin in two good shots and finish with a solid putt.

If it weren't for holes 1 and 18, this course would have gotten a 4.5 from me. But they were let downs. Straight forward and were both very easy to park next to the pin with little room for error. 18 should be the the best hole on the course imo that ends your round "with a bang" so to speak...luckily the rest of the course makes up for it.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, I thought this was a must stop if you are in the area and have the time. It won't disappoint. Its a very nice course and there is something to do there for the whole family. (regular golf course, tennis courts, playgrounds, etc.) Worth your time.

The course was in good shape and was very clean. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and really wish I lived closer to a course like this.

If you are looking for a course that is fairly open with some distance to the drives, while utilizing multiple hazards, this is a fun course to play. I wouldn't pass it up if I were you.
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6 0
Mr Mirth
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 34.9 years 107 played 16 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid City Park Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 17, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

As you enter this city park, spying a few baskets and tees, you immediately realize the terrain and challenge: fairly open with large oak and pine over rolling hills and big water on the side. Well maintained with nice baskets, tees (a few alts), and signage, much of the course offers nice vistas of the lake and park. There's a pro shop / clubhouse and kiosk with map (be sure to review it so as not to get confused) and scorecards at the start.
This course provides a solid challenge for players of any level, having a good variety of shot shapes (little brush and openness also allows for some imaginative lines). All but two holes being under 300', and a couple up to 600', long drivers will enjoy this challenge, however there's a definite emphasis on the second shot with some excellent pin placements (water's edge, protected, hillsides). The 610' #7 with much of the fairway being over the water / edge and the pin within 20 of the bank is particularly good challenge (more so for RHBH). #8's tee within feet of water and the protected basket 410' across (some 360' over water) is quite good too; go long and land the peninsula or play the nearer peninsula with challenging approach? Nice! Holes 10 through 13 are seemingly more wooded and require some good technical ability as well as distance (an outbuilding for water coolers between holes 11 and 12 is a nice fixture). A few ace runs and plentiful birdie ops round out this rather challenging but quite fun-to-play picturesque course.

Cons:

First and last holes are rather blase being open with mainly OB road, power pole/lines/torque cables and a few trees as obstacle. A single bench sits at #1. Although it's not in play, the playground area near the intersection of tees 3, 9, and 16 is somewhat congested. Teeing from #16 one could potentially grip-lock and throw at the restrooms building.

Other Thoughts:

As far city parks go this is a solid pro caliber layout, utilizing the available land with great effect. I tend to favor more secluded, woodsy courses but being little more than an hour away I'd love to have this one closer to me.
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3 0
lschrock
Experience: 23.1 years 38 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wonderful course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is so much fun. It's always clean, with a great variety of shots, and never crowded. I've been twice now, in winter and summer, and have had a blast. I really wanted to link up with some locals, to see some of the lines that they tried, but had to play solo both times. There is excellent variety, lots of long throws, about a third of the course is wooded for some really technical shots. The course borders a ball golf course, and is well taken care of. There is a playground close as well, and you may run into some picknicking. Signs are tremendous, they give distance, and routes with landscape.

Cons:

10 par 4's? really? I played the entire course as a par 3 and still scored under par. There are some danger areas where you could throw into water because you can't see it, so make sure you know where you're throwing.

Other Thoughts:

Must play for western Kentucky. This is the course to play if you have to pick between the west kentucky courses. (except for bowling green, of course)
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5 0
absolutdork
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.7 years 51 played 28 reviews
4.00 star(s)

City Park Course at it's finest 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

A lot of city parks that build courses build them short, or build them on weak parts of their land. Not the Madisonville course. This course is lengthy, scenic, and smacks the water right at you. The elevation changes are amazing, as well as the tall mature trees. Midway through the course we discovered what at first appeared to be an outhouse, but actually was an enclosed Gatorade cooler with ICE COLD water! I dumped out my lukewarm water bottle and replaced it with that. Big props to that, as I've never seen anything like it. Big arms will love this course, as well as those that like to do technical courses. The beauty of this course is in itself the best part.

Cons:

Hard to think of much. A little trick to find #9's teepad, but it was near both 3's and 16's right next to the playground. The playground, tho extremely close, never came into play thankfully. I guess the only other con I can think of is my pathetic game, but that's my own problem.

Other Thoughts:

I would recommend this course as a destination course. The gorgeous, enormous sized city park makes for a great day of disc golf. Once you get through the lackluster #1 hole, it really falls into a great course. I only live about 45 minutes away from here, and I will be back to play very soon!
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6 1
hognosesucker
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25 years 443 played 87 reviews
4.00 star(s)

fantastic course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

As you are driving through the park before you get to the course, you can tell this would be a great place for dg. Rolling hills, well manicured, a lot of of big mature trees and little undergrowth. The course certainly does not disappoint as it uses all these features well.
-Most of the holes take advantage of the rolling hills and thus there are a lot of uphill and downhill holes and lots of holes with both downhill and uphill portions.
-Although I would call this a mostly open course, about a third of the holesplay in pretty dense mature city park woods, forcing you to choose a line through the trees and kind of make your own fairway.
-WATER, irretrievable water at that. 7 and 8 are the 2 monster overwater carry shots. Both great holes, both offer early but tough bailouts. The bailouts were more wooded (7) or hilly with a blind landing (8) and tougher to land than the carry shots IMO. There were also more deceiving water shots. 16 is a great example, a fairly large finger of water plays into the left fairway of the hole and will kill shots that fade back out (rhbh) which is kind of the deceiving part, because you can't see the finger from the tee what looks like a good shot could be wet. The hole then plays along the water's edge so the subsequent shots are also dangerous.
-The length of the course is also nice. It's long but not so long that it leaves people disgusted. The shots holes are set up in a way that most can reached in two shooting for a 3 with a 300' placed drive and a good upshot. This is my favorite kind of golf. Where you are rewarded for consistency rather than just big d or just accuracy.
--As mentioned before, the park is well maintained, grass was short and there was little undergrowth. There were minor trash issues but most courses have this.
--As great as this course was, it was DESERTED. A lot of people were in the park, just no other group was playing golf. Always a plus having no one pushing your pace or no one to wait for.
--Navigation was easy.

Cons:

- the lack of the extras...No trash cans or benches, and the water fountains were turned off. It was kind of hot when we were there (mid 80s) This course doesn't have a ton of shade, so the lack of benches was pretty blaring, and the water being turned off was kind of ridiculous.
--Lack of forced lines, because the park is mostly open, I can't think of a single ohole were a line was forced. This is usually not a terrible thing and isn't a major con in any way, but most courses of this caliber have a couple holes that force lines, but the complete lack of it was noticeable.
-The major con for this course is the 2 throwaway holes 1 and 18, they were just lackluster. both straight shots with no obstacles, 1 shorter and 18 a bit longer.

Other Thoughts:

I've added this course to my favorites because it is great. A lot of city park courses that have lacks don't utilize them or utilize them in a lackluster way. This course is not like that. It shoves the water in your face. The course has great variety and I would recommend it to any one except the extreme beginner. Even they'll have a great walk in the park.
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9 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.7 years 350 played 321 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is scenic course in a beautiful and spacious city park. Course is played on gently rolling hills containing several isolated large trees with nicely manicured fairways. There is a lake in the middle of the park that comes into play on several holes, and as a bonus is almost always in view making for a very nice backdrop. (The pics on this site do not do the course justice, playing in the Spring or Summer just adds to the overall beauty.) As a whole, this course is very nice- it reminded me of the potential that all disc golf courses could be if they were viewed with the same importance of having nice land like what is used for ball golf. The city of Madisonville was very generous in dedicated this land for disc golf!

As always with HB courses, there is a large full color map at the kiosk by hole 1 with scorecards. (take note of after which holes the course crosses the road) Every hole has concrete tees, a nice detailed map of the hole, and the baskets are in excellent shape. There are a couple of holes that play really long over the water (only pros and the longest of arms will make it), but there are shorter amateur tees for these holes that still make the hole challenging, but make it more realistic for most players. Other than the lake, it is hard to lose a disc as there is not much rough.

This course makes good use of the land, with challenges coming from trees, elevation, and water hazards. One of the strengths of this course is the overall basket placement- they are extremely well placed making approach shots very important- on hills, behind trees, over the lake, on the edge of the lake, on peninsulas, etc. Those that like to throw the long bombs will enjoy this course as well, as there are several longer holes and not too many obstacles in the way giving you a chance to let them fly.

Beginners will like the relatively openness of this course to work on their game without fear of super thick disc eating rough, but this course is one that most advanced players will enjoy as it is longer and birdie opportunities are definitely earned, not gimmees, as there are only 2 holes under 300'.

Cons:

Because of the openness in general you are not often forced to take any particular route of the tee, just the best way you can to throw it really far- backhand, forehand, rollers will work on almost every hole. There were a couple of holes that weren't at the level as the rest of the course. #1 and #18 come to mind as they were just open with little to no obstacles or special challenges. Even though each hole is somewhat different from the rest, the overall style of each hole is the same. (for example: not any tight/wooded/technical type holes or dogleg style holes of both left and right)

Other Thoughts:

*Tip- Hole 1 starts on the far side of the baseball field near the golf course. The first big parking lot you come to looks like it is where you should start (there are restrooms here), but drive on around and turn right and you will see the kiosk. Navigation can be a little tricky at a couple of spots mainly because the course is relatively open and you can often see multiple tees and baskets at all times- don't assume what you see first and what is next.

I was not blown away by this course (not a 4.5-5.0), but it is definitely a nice and enjoyable top level course geared more towards advanced players and those with better than average distance.
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9 0
ZMan44
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.1 years 179 played 110 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Nice Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Madisonville City Park is the home to a very challenging course. The layout is very long and the terrain is very conducive to disc golf. Tee signs were informative and seemed to be reasonably accurate with reported distances. Alternate tees are definitely a plus...especially because I cannot carry 325 feet of water. (probably more than that, but I am writing off of memory) It would have to take a perfect throw for me to clear that into a headwind. I think it is awesome that the shot is there for the Pros, but the alternate tee on that hole is just fine for me. There were a number of excellent holes with many posing different challenges based on the terrain and the wind.

Cons:

There weren't any benches that I noticed throughout the course. It would have been nice to have a few scattered around. There was a lot of goose poop around. Holes #1 and #18 were really a let-down. In my opinion, these are two of the most important holes to any disc golf course. Hole #1 should always introduce you to the course. It can get you pumped up, or really bog you down. Hole #1 at Madisonville is weak...and I mean weak. Wide open, around 300 feet, no obstacles. Hole #18, should be the icing on the cake, or at least be difficult enough to give someone a chance to win or tie if they might be a stroke behind. If you are behind after 17...you lost. Deal with it. Because 18 is not going to challenge anybody. The course was very RHBH friendly. I may have thrown 2 anhyzers the whole round.

Other Thoughts:

Madisonville City Park is an excellent disc golf course. There are a number of challenges including wind, terrain (blind shots, etc.), distance, and water. However, it is not necessary to be a skilled shot "shaper" to play this course well.

One of my favorite things about the course is that it is not located on "thrown-away" land. Too often, disc golf courses in city parks are stuck on the crappy tracts of land that cannot really be used for anything else. This is not the case at Madisonville. It is a wonderful piece of land for disc golf.

This course had the best layout I have ever seen with reference to playgrounds. There was a very nice, busy playground, but it was never in the line of fire. In fact, there is a slight ridge about 30 feet away from the playground that houses 3 different tee pads, for three different holes, going in three different directions. It was the "crossroads" of the course, I guess you might say.

In conclusion, Madisonville is a tough course, that will challenge most any disc golfer. It is worth driving out of your way to play this course. In my opinion, it will not disappoint.
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2 1
peabody
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 55 played 34 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Just a great mix of open and slightly wooded holes that challenge your arm as well as your mind. Beautiful scenery with the lake as not only the backdrop but using it as a hazard on several of the holes. Bathrooms after hole two as well as in the pro shop where you can buy a few Innova discs at a decent price. Waste baskets at many of the teepads as this place is clean to a T. Large teepads and arrows on the Innova baskets showing the next hole direction make this a wonderful experience worth the two hour drive from my house.

Cons:

There wasn't benches at all of the holes and the throw on 7 does take you over lots of water. After hole 8 my shoes were soaked from retrieving my errant throws.

Other Thoughts:

The alternate tees are'nt really alternate, they are drop zone tees so you are still throwing three from them even though on #8 it works out pretty good. Bring some new DX versions of your favorite discs as you are likely to loose one or two discs in the drink.
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1 1
kdos
Experience: 15.6 years 24 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 30, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

a nice walk around the lake and through the woods. the front 9 and mostly open with a few holes that come close to water. hole 8 is a LONG shot across the lake. of course with an alt tee. the back 9 are a little more technical be around quite a few trees and the edge of the lake.

Cons:

Water shot on hole 8 is very long. I can't make it. would not be a con if i could.

Other Thoughts:

highly recommended if you take a trip to play courses around different states stop here.
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tamahawk
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 50 played 50 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Nice Layout, Great Course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The disc golf course in Madisonville is a very nice, well-designed and scenic 18-hole course located at a great little community park. I was very impressed with the layout of this course. The designer made great use of the land, elevations, and available resources to create a fun, challenging layout with a good mix of holes.

The proper essentials for a good course are all here, including a course layout sign located at the first tee. Large, level concrete tee pads, DISCatcher baskets that are practically brand new, and tee signs at each hole that accurately represent the layout, par, and length of each hole. Many of the baskets also had arrows marked on the yellow rim at the top to point the direction of the next hole, which was very helpful. There are several tee boxes that are somewhat close together, but the post for each tee sign had the hole number at the top which helped to identify the tee without having to look at the sign, nice feature. The course did flow well making one continuous loop from start to finish. The fairways were clearly defined and easy to follow. There was basically no excessive foliage or underbrush to speak of. Maintenance appeared to be very good at the course.

As mentioned earlier, the course makes great use of the moderate elevations throughout the park. There is a good mix of uphill and downhill shots both off the tee and on the approach. Several pins are located on the side of a hill, calling for a risk/reward decision on these putts. Risking a 30ft putt on the side of one of these hills could easy turn up and roll putting you at the base of the hill, putting back up for a 40+ft par save. There is a good variety in distances of the holes. The longer holes are mixed into the layout very well, so you aren't throwing a bunch of short or long holes back to back.

There are no real technical holes on the course, and only a couple of wide open holes. Just about every hole has some type of obstacle to navigate off of the tee or on the approach. Some holes are open enough to allow a player to choose their line off of the tee, others utilize the trees/water or general layout of the hole to force a specific line. The lake is used to create some very challenging and visually appealing holes. On two of the holes (7 & 8), I had to throw from the alternate tee box because I didn't have the length that would be required to clear the water. The alternate boxes still bring the water into play, but not a direct carry over the lake. Hole 7 was probably my favorite hole on the course with an amazing view from the tee and a very challenging layout that runs alongside the edge of the lake with several large trees to navigate.

Cons:

There are a few things to mention here. The tee signs were accurate, and in good condition, but there was no way to know how much length is required to clear the lake on Hole 7 & 8. I throw around 280ft on average, and I certainly did not feel like I could clear the hazard. It would be nice if the distance to clear the hazard was noted on the signs for these holes. Also, the alternate tee pads on 7 & 8 did not have a sign (or nothing noted on the sign at the main box) to show the overall distance. Other than the alternate pads on the water holes, there is only one tee box and one pin placement for each hole. If you don't play the course very often, that is fine, but some alternate pin placements could really add a lot to the overall layout and design of the course.

There is a stage area used for concerts/performances located near hole 8's basket and 16's fairway. I'm just guessing here, but I'd say if there was an event at the stage, these holes would be closed. Also, the park was very busy, and some of the holes are located near parts of the park where other activities take place. There were people near the fairways throwing Frisbees, hitting baseballs, walking, kicking soccer balls/kickballs, etc. A couple of times there were some pedestrians in the line of fire, so just pay attention as you navigate. There are a couple of blind tee shots over a hill throwing into potential pedestrian traffic, just proceed with caution and make sure the coast is clear.

This last statement isn't a con, and does not affect the rating of this course at all, but there were still several large brush piles in the fairways from where downed trees/limbs were cut up from the ice storm. They have done a good job of cleaning up the course, and all holes were playable. It looks like they are almost finished, but the brush piles did alter a couple of my approach shots. This is only mentioned as a note for someone who doesn't play here regularly.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, this course provides a challenging layout for the recreational player with lots of visual appeal. The holes average around 400ft, so many of the holes for me were a drive, an approach and a putt with only a couple of baskets reachable from the tee. This really forced me to position my tee shots for the best angle of approach, and challenged my mid game to get close enough to the basket for the 3. For more experienced players who throw over 400ft, the course will not be as challenging, but still visually stimulating and fun to play. The park itself is very nice and also includes a 9-hole ball golf course (pro shop also sells/rents discs), tennis courts, swimming pool, volleyball, baseball, 2 fishing lakes and some nice playground equipment for the kids. All in all, a great course and great design.
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