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Gilbertsville, PA

New Hanover Community Park

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1.435(based on 15 reviews)
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New Hanover Community Park reviews

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9 0
lukedpt
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.4 years 75 played 55 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Short and overgrown

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

-This short course is near a small and well cared for playground with plenty of parking
-Baskets are old DGAs, see below for more
-Concrete tee pads for most holes. Short and some are broken
-SOME holes have tee signs, most don't
-Small variety of shots, but most are tight and short, but I blame this on the upkeep as well.

Cons:

-This course his severely overgrown. At least 3 of the baskets had so much grass growing around it that it was difficult to putt as well as retrieve the disc. The final basket is completely overtaken by vines, almost replacing the chains
-The tee signs that are present don't necessarily point in the right direction, have correct information, or have any information at all
-Navigation is very challenging, struggling without use of navigation.

Other Thoughts:

My low score is most reflective of course upkeep, with really limits the fun of this course. If it was better maintained, all aspects of gameplay would be better, and likely some of the missing tee boxes could be found. I lost 2 discs in the 3 foot high grass here, so I would recommend bringing a friend as spotter and moral support. I hope whoever is responsible for this course can take better care of it, because a fast 9-holer around Pottstown would be great, just not worth the hassle right now.
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13 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.9 years 222 played 185 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Disc-Over New Hanover 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 28, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+ The course plays primarily in a quiet wooded section off from a sleepy neighborhood park. The player won't be bothered here.
+ The fairways, short as they are, contain a different kind of challenge for each hole.
+ This course will force you to learn/relearn power control and angle control.
+ There are two tee pads per hole for the beginner and advanced beginner, but...

Cons:

- ...Those tee pads are nothing more than tiny squares of concrete in the ground. Some are slanted, damaged or both.
- Some baskets are slanted, old or both.
- Tee signs, while at all tee pads (+), are bare-bones basic. Some don't even have the par and distance- just the shape of the optimal throw and nothing else.
- Why is the practice basket in the middle of hole 1's fairway?
- No 'next hole' indicators anywhere.
- Some of the most unforgiving rough and undergrowth I've ever encountered at a disc golf course exists here.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole here to look at was hole4 because 4 clearly resembles the end of the more open holes and the beginning of the forested ones. My favorite hole here to play was hole6 because 6 caught me off guard with its challenging fairway. My least favorite was hole1 because it gave me the wrong idea about this course.

I'll be honest here, folks. When I first set eyes on New Hanover DGC-9, with its miniature tee pads, slanted signs and strangely-placed practice basket, my first thoughts were what you might expect, "Oh, great. This already looks like a slap dash and slipshod kind of a course. Good thing I'm using my beta bag of discs!" The tee signs are woefully inadequate. The baskets are a disjointed mix of old and new. And first-time navigation requires some guess work.

But a strange thing happened by the time I finished hole2. I started having fun. Yes, this course has much to be desired in terms of infrastructure. I've played at many 9-hole courses that have perfect tee signs, long and wide tee pads, pristine baskets and highly visible 'next tee' signs. However, stuff like that, important as it is, is not the main focus of a disc golf course. How does it play? How accommodating are the fairways and their challenges? Despite the many shortcomings of New Hanover, the throw by throw moments kept me engaged.

I always forget that wooded 9-hole disc golf courses tend to focus more on short tactics and piecemeal approaches to their fairways. During my first round, I threw with the intent to cover as much distance as possible and ended up in the thorny, twiggy, branchy and nasty woods for most of my tee-offs because I always ricocheted off of trees. Once I realized that the proper thing to do was to craft my throws around the narrow corners and somewhat constricted tunnels instead of powering past it all, I had a better time and landed closer to the basket without trying hard. New Hanover is here to remind new and old players alike that there is more to disc golf than crushing every drive.

It might be a suitable training ground because few other courses have undergrowth this clingy and fairways this narrow. And I do think that it's worth at least one visit if you are interested in reacquainting yourself with what it feels like to focus more on finesse over ferocity.

But the bottom line is that New Hanover is still just a brief disc golf diversion. It could very well surprise you with its layout, and its short distances might tempt you to play multiple times to go for as many birdies as you can. However, I don't imagine that it will have much impact on too many people.
Give it a try if you live nearby or if you really gotta have a short and tactic-heavy round in a secluded setting.
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8 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.8 years 421 played 388 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Short, Tight and Overgrown 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

A short, narrow 9 holer through dense woods; almost all holes incorporate the hillside

+ Plenty of parking, in a pleasant neighborhood park with other activities. It's doubtful you'll have to contend with other golfers on the course at the same time as you

+ It's wooded and narrow - even more so because its overgrown. The fairways were probably never much wider than 15'-20', but the woods have encroached so much that some of them are half that wide now

+ Hole #1 is a nice starter - it's only a little over 200 with a slight turn to the left. You have to thread your throw between a hillside up on the left, and thick woods along the right

+ You'll notice that much of the course is on a pretty steep hillside, adding to the challenge. For example, hole #5 is a nice right dogleg, but the terrain is slanted down to your left. If you hang a RHFH shot out too straight, you'll be downhill, and in the woods

+ The thick overgrown woods make for genuine challenge and obstacles. Offline shots can end up in jail



Cons:

- Two sets of tiny concrete teepads on most holes. They're so small that two of them wouldn't have enough surface area to make a single standard pad. So, be ready to throw standstill

- The "Advanced" and "Novice" tee locations are sometimes within about 10' of one another, and don't provide much difference in angles

- Hole #6 is a mess. It's VERY narrow, a bit downhill, and turns left-then-right in the space of about 250 feet. The overgrowth of trees eliminates realistic shapes: I think the only way to play this hole is along the ground, in 100' bites

- Hole #8 is so short: about 100 feet downhill through a window of trees. It's a fun ace run, but feels like a gimmick: you aim for the window and let gravity do the rest. It reminded me a little of Hole #12 up at Covered Bridge Park in Allentown. That hole is a bit more open, but it's sort of like throwing off a cliff: you flick your wrist and pray


Other Thoughts:

~ When you get out of your car, you'll know you're in the right place when you see a basket marked #10. There is no Hole #10. I treated it as a practice basket

~ Even though it's short, it's not for beginners. Even though there are "Novice" tees, you don't want to bring newbies here. The lanes are too tight and the woods are too thick with prickers

~ There's a nice (if unremarkable) course here, underneath all the vines, thorns and branches. It's nice that it's here, but wish it were maintained

~ Bring your mids and your putters. Enjoy the challenge of threading tight shots, trading distance for accuracy. It's a fun 30 minutes


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4 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 46 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Slightly Better Than Advertised! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 3, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wow, talk about a popular park on a lovely sunny spring day. New Hanover Community Park had a steady stream of walkers and joggers all out enjoy the unseasonable warm weather. The disc golf course, however, was empty. I had it all to myself.

This little technical course starts just below the parking lot and weaves it's way through mostly a thick wooded area. It's a technically recreation course. Accuracy and hitting your lines will prove successful here.

The course has the very simple old fiberglass tee signs. Surprisingly, I don't remember any of them being trashed. There are two sets of small concrete pads cleverly called the Pro (Blue) and Am (Red) tees. They are small, probably 2' x 3'. Not much room for a run up but with these short holes you really don't need one. The designer did not get real creative when adding the Am tees. Often they are right in line with each other maybe just 25' apart. Seven baskets are Mach III's and there are two Discatchers.

The holes are all pretty similar. Usually you're throwing down a narrow path while trying to thread the needle through a narrow gap along the way. The rough is thick and filled with stickers. It's enviable that you're going to be spending some time surgically removing your disc from some entanglement.

My favorite hole was actually # 8, the shortie at just 115'. If you can hit this small window, you are definitely thinking Ace. If not, it's like wrestling with an unhappy tom cat. Bleeding is a real possibility.

Cons:

Small concrete tees.

Constant thick underbrush to contend with. You will get tired of dealing with the clinging plants and nasty little stickery bushes. Course would be better in winter than in summer.

Certainly no where to throw any distance.

Not much separation between Reds and Blues tees. There's not enough that would make you want to play the course again because the different tees give you a totally different look.

Too much of a one trick pony.

Other Thoughts:

There is a reason this course has such a abysmal rating. It's appeal is very limited. The occasional technical hole is acceptable but dealing with it hole after hole gets old. The course just lacks the enjoyment factor for me. I think New Hanover could use a good trimming, maybe open things up some. If nothing else, try to clean up the rough some. Give my scratched up legs a break.
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12 1
itsRudy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.8 years 74 played 63 reviews
1.50 star(s)

A Course That Fights Back

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 2, 2024 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

First I want to give thanks to the people who revamped New Hanover (NH) over the years. Kudos. I seen the results at least twice of their efforts, they do try... but the course also valiantly and viciously fights back.

Unlike a lot of other lower rated niners, it's not because NH is overly easy or boring. Never that, far from it actually. It just has other issues.

Mostly, at its core, #5, 6, 7, 1-2 which are side by side by side, they are long enough, but the small footprint made the fairways laser tight, unrealistically so, I feel. And the brush on the sides thick and unforgiving. Lots of pickers too.

The short distances on paper never matched up to its utter difficulty but yet doesn't attract the advanced crowd either. NH is my #3 course in the immediate area, after Boyertown Community and Kenilworth, but far ahead of Earl Township and Boyertown HS, despite the low points. Yet, I don't come here much, 30x in 7 years maybe? Fundamentally, these aren't enjoyable rounds, especially in summer.

It's a good fit for someone that thinks they have excellent aim and trajectories and wants to really prove it. Others can scramble, although the heavy brush makes it a pain.

It's also that rare course tilted towards LHBH/RHFHers. They will do well on #3, #5, and #9. Even hyzered #1 can be thrown a left trajectory over the parking lot.

If you make par here on advanced tees, unlike most other 9ers, it's a bit of an achievement. Idk if I ever quite reached it. Several holes usually foul it up for me.

+I make an unofficial #10 out of the practice basket near the beginning/end by teeing off from across the street hockey rink.
+Interesting terrain, especially the ravines by #3/4 and valley by #5.
+Park portopotty near start
+No DG crowd.

Cons:

NH has a way of making average days bad and bad days miserable. Maybe it can make good days excellent but I have yet to experience that here. That's just how playing here is and why I don't get to it more often.

#4/5 is most likely where you can lose a disc with bad kicks or simply rolling into the stream.

Shortly after every cleanup, it's like the course wants to fight back with fallen trees and what not. There were several tree trunks on fairways this time. The brush also sucks and a good retriever makes the course far more bearable.

Tees are a joke, concrete the size of a mat, and often badly placed by several feet in terms of angle. I've taken to ignoring them when it suits me. Some tees are more hidden over time but still findable. Some of the advanced ones in the middle are really hard.

Niceties like signs are from the stone age, an arrow and distance on fiberboard. Since a number are uprooted from their original position, complete with a concrete foot at the base, I doubt many accurate with the course changes anyway. Don't expect next basket arrows or a course sign.

-This is a winter only course for me. Playing it end April / beginning May is already too much vegetation.
-Two Discatcher baskets on #7/8, but rest are old DGA that often look abused by falling trees and such.

Other Thoughts:

After #3 tee, I walked out straight back and there is good amount of land on wider trails with no one on them. Easily enough for 3 more baskets. It leaves me wondering why they designed the middle holes so packed next to each other.

Once, on #7, this narrow serpentine hole doing a reverse 'S', my friend chucked a forehand roller from the tee through the tees onto #2 and it somehow curled back to the middle of 7's fairway putting distance from the basket. I just had to laugh since it was inventive but also far farther than I ever got off the tee cause that fairway is not much wider than a bowling lane.
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1 0
S.Cann
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15 years 156 played 83 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Short and Rough 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Baskets were all there. Most were Mach IIIs except 7 & 8 were brand new DISCatchers.
-Navigation was pretty straight forward. Most tees were visible from the previous basket and there were 2 tees for almost every hole.
The course played in a circle with hole 10 ending back at the parking lot.

Cons:

-No room to air it out at all. Every hole was short and tight.
-Most holes had lines that were nearly impossible to hit or really had no line at all.
-VERY easy to lose a disc. The rough was rough.
-These were literally the shortest tee pads I have ever seen. They were all standstill room only unless you started behind.
-There was no tee for the basket labeled "10" we just played from the picnic table.

Other Thoughts:

This course is definitely not worth going out of your way to play. If you're in the area and in the mood for looking for discs then this is the course for you. Otherwise, there are lots of other great courses in the vicinity.
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2 0
cblack129
Experience: 14.9 years 50 played 12 reviews
1.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 23, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The baskets are in excellent condition except for #8 which is currently missing. It is a good course for improving your short game. There are 2 tees for each hole. Just about every basket is visible from the tee. Next tees are not far away from basket, almost impossible to get lost.

Cons:

Very small concrete tee pads. Some lettering on the tee signs is falling off. Some tee pads are starting to fall apart.

Other Thoughts:

There is a hole with a 6 ft. high basket. Adds something different to the course. Disc loss in fall and winter should not be a problem but i'm sure in summer the brush is very thick.
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10 0
optidiscic
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.9 years 156 played 149 reviews
1.50 star(s)

1 Cinderella amongst 8 Ugly Step-Sisters 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 5, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hole #4 makes this course worth playing...I call this hole Cinderella. Tight wooded lane between 2 streambeds that then opens to a sloping green that falls sharply into a huge deep creek...the basket is set in a hyzer angle but that hyzer may induce you to miss and roll into the creek. Really fun hole with plenty of challenge on the drive, approach, and putt. I would play that hole a few times if I came back. Hole #5 plays tight as well to a basket which is on a six foot pole...so you have to shoot at eye level...different. Hole #8 is a short shot, 100 ft?, that forces a delicate short approach perfect anhyzer and you got an ace. The other holes mostly play tight and require very controlled drives to score par. The tees are concrete and tiny...but you don't need a run up so relax already. Course definetely rewards controlled and conservative golf. A good place to work on your 100-200 foot accuracy game. 2 tees for each hole. Marked adequately and easy to find way around for most part.

Cons:

The course is just 9 holes, It is mostly short, There are no big holes to really unload a drive on. If you find yourself in the rough be prepared to get scratched up a bit and not get a good look. It's even hard to tomahawk out of trouble here..basically impossible if your off the fairways. No elevation really.

Other Thoughts:

Funny thing I did. After hole 5 I threw over some bushes a sweet little anhyzer to a basket perched in an opening....I later found out I just safaried to the wrong basket. Was a deuce too..damn! I suppose if you are a local you could play this tight little flat course and then play the nearby little hilly but open 9 holer Earl Township course and call it a well balanced day.
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3 1
NateyFresh
Experience: 15 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Bring your putter 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well, honestly there arent many pros. Well one pro would be, if your back is hurting and dont wanna lug around your bag, then your in luck. Bring a putter and a midrange and you should be alright.

Cons:

Redundant holes, picker bushes everywhere, and some holes are so short you question why you are even throwing. Hole 1, you need to be careful not to sail a disc to the left or you will hit a car if one is park in the parking lot.

Other Thoughts:

Maybe change the pin positions and make real tee pads, and this 9 hole has some potential. It is beginner friendly i suppose.
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3 6
discNDav
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 38 years 437 played 91 reviews
1.50 star(s)

short and tight 9 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 29, 2005 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

9 baskets

Cons:

too short on many holes, hole 8 is about
90 feet...this is stupid. Small cement tee pads.

Other Thoughts:

very wooded technical course
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