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Florence, AL

McFarland Park

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3.55(based on 16 reviews)
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McFarland Park reviews

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11 0
sjutton
Experience: 3.3 years 25 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Bombs away on this ball golf conversion

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Concrete Tees (short and long) now on all holes
- Decent baskets
- Open golf course layout is generally forgiving for newer players
- Pretty easy to navigate
- Has challenging length with a few water carries and water OBs - especially on long tees.
- Enjoy river views while on 6 and 7.

Cons:

- Course is on a lowland which does not drain quickly.
- Hole 3 short sign is out-of-date (shows 375 par 3, but hole is around 600ft par 4). Udisc does correctly show a par 4 though.
- Length requires some walking (slight con for older players)
- Udisc app scorecard distances are all jacked up.

Other Thoughts:

Despite my older noodle arm, I enjoyed my round on a warm, windy spring day (short tees). This course is a great place for longer arms to air it out. There's only a couple of wooded technical holes, but water does come into play on a few of the open holes. Could be improved for the future with tree plantings. Players that are looking for a quicker round with less walking should look at nearby Veteran's Park (Lakeside DGC) and Heritage Christian University courses.
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12 0
TRoss886
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.9 years 283 played 32 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Scenic ball golf course conversion 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 12, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Signage: New metal signs have been installed and are a major improvement from previous reviews. There is now a course map and kiosk. Each tee pad (am and pro) has its own individual detailed sign.
- Pro Tees: Nearly every hole has two sets of tees. The back tees are thoroughly challenging for any level. The short tees are still above average in length compared to the average course. This opens the course up to a very large range of skill levels.
- Baskets: 18 DISCatchers with two layers of chains all in good shape.
- Alternate Pins: Most holes (14 or so) have alternate pin placements. This keeps things interesting for future rounds if they have been moved.
- Signature Holes: This course has a few signature holes thanks to various ponds. Stepping up to a water carry always sticks with you in your mind.
- Beauty: When this course is dry and well groomed, it can be quite the looker. Its beauty falls under the ball golf course of beauty. Ponds, tall pines planted in rows, and elevated greens are most of the highlights.
- Turn: Makes a turn at the parking lot after hole 9. This is always nice for a quick break. You need it on this course with the extended distance. There is also a trash can here.

Cons:

- Tee pads: The only big con for this course (in my opinion) are the carpet tee pads. Concrete pads would elevate this course tremendously. The biggest problem with carpet, is the fact that the course finds itself completely under water a couple times per year. For this reason the carpets stay soggy at times and collect mud.
- Swamp: This course holds on to water well above average compared to the average course. Don't make plans to play this course after a big rain, it's quite frustrating.
- Benches: Not a single bench on this long walker. This is another feature (paired with the concrete pads) that would elevate this course to one of the better courses in the entire state.
- Navigation: This can be somewhat of a challenge at times. There are some crucial next tee signs, but a few more would probably help greatly to the first time player.
- Practice Basket: No practice basket to be found.

Other Thoughts:

- Grooming: This can be hit or miss. Sometimes it is incredible. Like playing on the ball golf course it used to be. Unfortunately, when the course floods or there is a good bit of rain, the mowers have to wait until it dries out to be able to cut the grass. This can take weeks sometimes.
- Drop Zones: Adding permanent drop zones on holes with water carries would be a really nice feature on this course, although not totally necessary.
- Shot Shaping: Not a ton of different types of shots here. Not listing this as a con because if you are a grip it and rip it fan, you'll love this course.
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7 0
wericsson
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.9 years 53 played 45 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Challenging water course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 21, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Former ball golf course, so a very picturesque course (right next to the Tennessee, to boot), and plenty of room for some long roomy fairways. Trees in play are almost all tall pines, which are well-established, so getting a disc stuck in a tree is unlikely. Clever usage of former greens as either tee locations or, uh, greens adds elevation to an otherwise level course. Water hazards help spice things up, adding some risk/reward calculations for most players. The long tees actually do play quite differently from the shorts.

Cons:

Nicknamed the Swamp, which is only funny because it's true. Casual water happens (this past winter/spring, hole 3 had the same casual water standing for several months without interruption), and will get your feet wet. The water hazards are downright fetid, managing to be both overgrown with vegetation and yet still littered with dead plants. Discs that splash down and sink are unlikely to be visible, even from directly above. There's no telling what you might find in the ponds (aside from the concrete blocks of their formerly upright retaining walls) - hole 4 has 1.5 pairs of my sandals, and I found an old tee sign in hole 2's pond once. On a related note, the park occasionally floods outright.

Recently I've noticed a very few snakes in/around the water. While less dangerous, the geese are also nuisances by way of leaving little messes all over certain tee pads.

My only serious issues not related to water are the relatively open nature of even the wooded holes and the lack of more serious elevation changes - both of which are limitations pretty much inherent in the land, to be fair, rather than design issues.

Other Thoughts:

Hole 6 does not have a separate long tee. All other holes do.

The morning dew is very heavy, and can really bog down early rounds. Midday heat in summer is harsh, given the relative lack of shade on most holes and high humidity, but it also means you'll have the course more or less to yourself.

The tees, while carpet, aren't bad, since they don't tend to get muddy or mossy. Concrete is always nice, but these don't pose any issues.
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7 0
AdamE
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.6 years 267 played 148 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 7, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a very pretty course with lots of mature pine trees and water set on an old ball golf course with great views of the Tennessee River.

The tee pads are carpet, they're nice and level so I didn't have any issue with them. The tees are marked by 4x4's with the top painted red or blue to indicate which tee you're at. The hole number and distances are carved into the post as well. There are 2 sets of tees on all but one hole. The blue tees are quite a bit longer and sometimes bring water into play or force longer water carries while the short pads are usually safer shots or short water carries. The course does a good job of catering to a wide variety of skill level with dramatic differences in length and risk between the two sets of tees.

The course has Discatchers so the yellow band makes them easy to locate. There's a decent amount of elevation on the course and the hills are incorporated into the design well. The course plays among tall mature trees so there is no rough to loose a disc in here, just water.

Cons:

The course was a big soggy when I happened to be here but there had been quite a bit of rain recently.

The course could use navigation signs in a few areas so it's easier to find the next tee, although this isn't an issue once you've played here a couple times.

Because it's set on an old ball golf course the course definitely leans more towards a grip and rip style where errants shots are rarely punished (unless water is involved) than a technical course, but there are a few good technical shots mixed in as well.

The shot selection here is just ok, I only recall 2 holes forcing RHBH turnover shots.

Other Thoughts:

I played here with friend who's a Rec player so I played the longs and he the shorts. While there is a lot of water here the design makes it fairly easy to play it safe (or as risky as you want) so we didn't have any issues navigating the water. He appreciate the shorts pads and the challenges they provided while I had a blast from the longs bombing drives over the water trying to chase birdies.

This course is worth checking out if you're in the area, it's a fun challenge and quite scenic. Navigation is a little tricky in a few places your first time here though so hopefully a course map will be made soon.
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8 0
arrdee33
Experience: 29.9 years 123 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

so long ball golf 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 20, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-This course is layed out on an old ball golf course which IMO makes a great layout.
-Has Pro and Am pads that are truly different when distance is the factor
-nice new discatchers
-course is spread out as to not ever feel like your on top of other groups
-utilizes the old elevated ball golf tee boxes as target areas and tees, the slopes also come into play to force smart putting
-lots and lots of water, on at least 70% of the holes. you really only have to throw over it in direct line to the basket 3 or 4 holes, but it comes into play on the left and right the fairways- punishing bad drives
-no shule
-nice large mature trees are sprinkled throughout the lines of play
-nice park in walking distance form the TN river for viewing enjoyment during a visit

Cons:

-its in a flood plain, aparent by the maintnence building being on stilts (as long as it hasnt recently rained the course is rather dry)
-carpet tees (listed only because some dont like carpet, these are in great shape and if level, i prefer carpet as it seems to be easier on the knees)
-no benches or trashcans yet

this is a BRAND new course, so it just needs some time to gain the aminities

Other Thoughts:

Its very close to veterans park, these make a great 2 a day trip
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