Mason Park reviews
5
2
LoPan12
Experience:
13.9 years
35 played
10 reviews
Great little gem 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Feb 9, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
Played from the longs
+Each hole had a thoughtful layout, save for two. You were offered one or two obvious choices for lines and approaches
+Varied elevation makes for fun golf. Nothing drastic for the most part, but not flat as a board.
+Elevation also means drainage. While some courses were waterlogged, Mason was pretty dry.
+The hole design was excellent, making you think about what you wanted to do. When you pull a disc, take another look, and consider a different disc/line, the designer has done well
+Lots of parking
+Each hole had a thoughtful layout, save for two. You were offered one or two obvious choices for lines and approaches
+Varied elevation makes for fun golf. Nothing drastic for the most part, but not flat as a board.
+Elevation also means drainage. While some courses were waterlogged, Mason was pretty dry.
+The hole design was excellent, making you think about what you wanted to do. When you pull a disc, take another look, and consider a different disc/line, the designer has done well
+Lots of parking
Cons:
-Dirt pads
-Only 9! I want 9 more holes like these!
-Signage; while both tee positions had posts (and differently colored) they lacked distances, even sharpied by a helpful local.
-Hole 3
-Single chain on some baskets
-Print the map, would be hard to navigate without it
-Only 9! I want 9 more holes like these!
-Signage; while both tee positions had posts (and differently colored) they lacked distances, even sharpied by a helpful local.
-Hole 3
-Single chain on some baskets
-Print the map, would be hard to navigate without it
Other Thoughts:
Played from the long tees, had a strong wind from over the water, felt most on 5-9.
1: From the long, you have to shoot over a creek/ditch/ravine/whatever, but you have to shoot through a 15'-20' gap in the foliage, which you can see the basket through. It's a good accuracy challenge, not easy, but doable . Its hard in that even if you make it, you will likely only make it 20' past the gap. Though you might be able to go over it all with a big hyzer for more D, I'm not sure. And if you make it past, don't go down, through, and up the ditch. Just go the extra 50' around to the right.
2. A nice tunnel anny, with a roll in the hill. If you OAT, you still get a look due to more than one lane to the pin.
3. WTF. The first 90% of this hole is good, trees look dense, but the lines are there. However, just a few feet in front of the pin, is a whole line of pine trunks spaced about 2' apart. All you can do is hit the line, and then cross you fingers on whether you discs finds a gap. Infact, from the other side, it looks like its a pin for a hole going the opposite direction (like for 6...because I threw it at before realizing)
4. Another light anny tunnel, opens up in the back
5. The existence of a "Fair"-way here is debatable
6. A long hole along the bayou, despite the line on the course map. The trees from the long tee encourage a line parallel to the water. The long tee grass was very long and slick. For some reason not mowed with the rest of the park. No clear tee area, also didn't seem like it was actually flat around the marker. Felt not used very often.
7. An uphill anny, with lanes to the pin at the end
8. Fun shot! Slight downhill, but with a huge tree in the direct line to the pin. A big Hyzer is needed to clear the tree. With the wind, the tree, and the elevation change, you actually need to go around the tree, but not over it, or else you'll hyzer too far left. Gives you a tingle cause you have to aim at the water, though you won't actually go over it.
9. Trees provide a ceiling, but you can choose either direction to approach the pin from.
1: From the long, you have to shoot over a creek/ditch/ravine/whatever, but you have to shoot through a 15'-20' gap in the foliage, which you can see the basket through. It's a good accuracy challenge, not easy, but doable . Its hard in that even if you make it, you will likely only make it 20' past the gap. Though you might be able to go over it all with a big hyzer for more D, I'm not sure. And if you make it past, don't go down, through, and up the ditch. Just go the extra 50' around to the right.
2. A nice tunnel anny, with a roll in the hill. If you OAT, you still get a look due to more than one lane to the pin.
3. WTF. The first 90% of this hole is good, trees look dense, but the lines are there. However, just a few feet in front of the pin, is a whole line of pine trunks spaced about 2' apart. All you can do is hit the line, and then cross you fingers on whether you discs finds a gap. Infact, from the other side, it looks like its a pin for a hole going the opposite direction (like for 6...because I threw it at before realizing)
4. Another light anny tunnel, opens up in the back
5. The existence of a "Fair"-way here is debatable
6. A long hole along the bayou, despite the line on the course map. The trees from the long tee encourage a line parallel to the water. The long tee grass was very long and slick. For some reason not mowed with the rest of the park. No clear tee area, also didn't seem like it was actually flat around the marker. Felt not used very often.
7. An uphill anny, with lanes to the pin at the end
8. Fun shot! Slight downhill, but with a huge tree in the direct line to the pin. A big Hyzer is needed to clear the tree. With the wind, the tree, and the elevation change, you actually need to go around the tree, but not over it, or else you'll hyzer too far left. Gives you a tingle cause you have to aim at the water, though you won't actually go over it.
9. Trees provide a ceiling, but you can choose either direction to approach the pin from.
5
1
Back to life! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Feb 13, 2010
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
In early 2010 Birdshot and HPARD set to work on restoring this course and they did a great job. Nestled into a park that is ten years into a reforestation project, the Mason Park DGC is one of the most technical courses in the area. Five of the nine holes play through woods consisting of tight rows of pine trees about ten feet apart. These rows demand excellent disc control otherwise you'll hit a tree and bounce off to who knows where. Almost all of the holes also feature elevation changes to add to your challenge.
The best thing about this course is how fast it dries after rain. Compared to 18 hole courses like MacGregor and Moffit this course has drainage meaning you can play it the day after it rains and still keep somewhat dry.
The best thing about this course is how fast it dries after rain. Compared to 18 hole courses like MacGregor and Moffit this course has drainage meaning you can play it the day after it rains and still keep somewhat dry.
Cons:
The park is not the cleanest park in the city. Prior to the restoration the course was in abysmal state and it could still use a clean-up in parts. Finding your way from basket to tee isn't always clear either. Most of these issues can be worked out if the course starts getting regular play again.
Other Thoughts:
This course is a unique challenge that will test any player's skills. I can't think of another course like it in the city and will be back to play it often.
28
3
Rising From the Dead 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:May 20, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
Mason Park has currently been redesigned using what was available. Please take this in account when looking at the shape of the baskets. There are two boxes to choose from at each hole, indicated by a different color marker for longs and shorts. The tees are natural and haven't been worn in by use. There are park amenities, but it is a walk.
For Houston, one must mention any elevation changes present at a course. These are killer, but by Houston standards are fantastic and compare well to Jim Mazola Memorial DGC course. The length and lines from the long tees are also killer if you're not accurate. This new design put a much bigger premium on accuracy rather than power.
BEST HOLE/S: #1; #8
For Houston, one must mention any elevation changes present at a course. These are killer, but by Houston standards are fantastic and compare well to Jim Mazola Memorial DGC course. The length and lines from the long tees are also killer if you're not accurate. This new design put a much bigger premium on accuracy rather than power.
BEST HOLE/S: #1; #8
Cons:
This park is busy, and you run a real risk at hitting a walker on both holes three and six. Hole six is probably the most dangerous. I had to wait about five minutes for a good gap in the joggers and walkers to tee off - good thing to because I landed it right on the jogging path.
Hole three is was a little lame. It's a position drive with no chance at the pin. I'm okay with tight difficult holes, but I don't like it when there is absolutely no window to aim for. The line almost forces you to drive far left and play over the new trees, but shots like this won't exist in ten years with the growth.
Some of the shorts aren't really for newer players as much as they are positioned just to be different. Hole seven is a great example where the short placement played more difficult than the long because of the line. Plus, the short placement on eight is difficult to locate, so always good to have a map handy.
WORST HOLE/S: #3
Hole three is was a little lame. It's a position drive with no chance at the pin. I'm okay with tight difficult holes, but I don't like it when there is absolutely no window to aim for. The line almost forces you to drive far left and play over the new trees, but shots like this won't exist in ten years with the growth.
Some of the shorts aren't really for newer players as much as they are positioned just to be different. Hole seven is a great example where the short placement played more difficult than the long because of the line. Plus, the short placement on eight is difficult to locate, so always good to have a map handy.
WORST HOLE/S: #3
Other Thoughts:
Mason Park is the perfect wish of a dilapidated park becoming what it once was - one of the best nine courses in Houston. With its mix of some elevation, tight lines, challenging distances, and varied terrain, one could argue that it is a step above Terramont Park and the Bayou course, my two current top rated nine holers in the area.
Bottom line however, no matter what the rating, anyone who was out before the redo and then after knows that this place just received the best case scenario. I'm just sad that it's so far away from where I live. Hopefully, the course remains kept up - and given the close proximity to MacGregor Park, you now have an excellent one-two tandem in this area.
Bottom line however, no matter what the rating, anyone who was out before the redo and then after knows that this place just received the best case scenario. I'm just sad that it's so far away from where I live. Hopefully, the course remains kept up - and given the close proximity to MacGregor Park, you now have an excellent one-two tandem in this area.
