Ocala, FL

Ocala Greenway DGC

3.915(based on 49 reviews)
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7 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.3 years 212 played 209 reviews
3.50 star(s)

24 holes and panda squirrels! What’s not to like

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 20, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is in a very interesting park that is mainly a walking path and the mainly wooded disc golf course.

As you walk up to the first hole there is a simple course map, picnic table and practice basket where you can adapt to the very nice but different looking Mach 5 baskets.

Most of the holes have two concrete pads and a single basket. It's a beautiful place with Sandy rolling terrain and a mix of pine, winding oak and palmetto trees. The distances are mainly between 250 and 450 from the longs and 180-350 from the shorts and other than the fire ant mounds there isn't a lot of danger from bad lines or risk of losing a disc.

You can enjoy this course well if you have a right turning and a left fading shot no matter how you can execute it, and there are a lot of very fun lines and mildly elevated baskets.

With the variety and beauty of the course the 24 holes nearly merit a 4.

Nice benches one most holes and good signs, but mainly just on the long tee.

Cons:

There are just a couple of funky things here that push it from being a great course. It crosses over itself a few times, so navigation can sometimes be tricky.

A few of the lines are a little funky and could be better from on teepad from the other. Nothing too bad but not perfect.

It's also really basic as a park, so only port a johns and a parking lot. No place to fill up a water bottle or anything if that matters to you.

Other Thoughts:

It's a beautiful place and tons of wildlife. I saw deer, hawks, and a few huge fox squirrels that look like mini pandas!
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12 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.1 years 764 played 387 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Florida Fun for 24 Holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 18, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

A nice park , Cross Florida Greenway offers a full 24 hole disc golf course for your pleasure . It sits away from most everything in the park , so you Shouldn't have to maneuver around non disc golf foot traffic . The idea is there , but I did run into a few hikers and a family that was mountain biking on the course , ( will talk about it later ) so please be aware . The park is well kept and clean and the grass was mowed . Port O Let at the front of the lot . Bring your water/essentials with you because once you start the course here , you won't swing back near the parking lot until the 24th hole . There are 2 good sized cement pads per hole . The signage is pretty good, with hole # par , distance and flight path . The Mach 5 baskets catch well . There are also plenty of Next Tee signs to help keep you on track . There are a couple of confusing areas to navigate . Print the map . I referenced it a few times . There is some elevation here by Florida standards . What the park has , the course designers used . This is a technical player's paradise . Tight fairways , good but fair pin placements . There are no holes longer than 474' ( hole 9 ) , but any time you feel the urge to air it out a little , it will have to be controlled . The course can bend some , with equal amounts of straight , righty and lefty shots . The course seems popular . I was here on a late Saturday afternoon , and several holes had 2,3 and foursomes playing . There are enough trees here to make most of your tee shots shaded . Some spots here for resting , benches and semi shelter areas for you to ttake a break .
There were some good holes to be played here . After a good warmup #1 hole ( 276' ) into a tight alley , The course stays tight , a lot of time from the tee , until #4 , which has an open tee with a right or left fairway angle to a tight basket placement ( 324' , 397' ) . #5 is an open S shot at over 400' but with a slightly larger fairway . #8 has trees/brush in the middle of an ascending fairway with tight door shots on the right and left to the basket and green that sits on a plateau only 248' away . The basket is on the edge of a dropoff and brush behind it . 9 is a long drive 474' . on the Next Tee , when you walk up a small hill , remember to take a hard left . You will have a little walk along the edge to #10 , a cool short shot 239' with the basket resting on a slit of dirt that drops off on both sides . Miss you midrange or putt slightly , and you could have a long putt back . 12 is a good downhill drive into tight quarters . #24 is a good finishing hole at 424' to a baskets that sits slightly uphill . Signature Hole ; For me , it was #11 a shot going slightly uphill , with a dropoff on the right , and leveling at the top . The basket sits on an elevated platform . The fun factor is definitely in the air , Solo , it took me about an hour and 20 minutes playing from the longs . I figure it will take a foursome close to 3 hours .

Cons:

#1 Safety . Sometimes , you will have to walk next to or across a fairway in order to get to the next hole . Combine that with a couple of park patrons and maybe a biker or 2 , and you might see an incident once in a while . Please be aware or others and be aware of where you are walking or standing . I was walking with someone and we were trying to determine where we were and walked right into another golfers line .
#2 Navigation . Some bad spots here . Print the map . 9-10 , 15-16 are just a couple of places that can cause you some frustration .
#3 Disc Risk I was here in the middle of January when the rough was manageable , but from looking at the tight fairways and where ricochets can go , it can be tough to find a disc in the summer .Also , it looks like it could be muddy in spots after a good rain . You might want to rethink going to play soon after . The bugs might also be a concern . Spray down before playing . Other than maybe an extra trash can or 2 ( please pack out what you bring in .

Other Thoughts:

The course isn't a destination course by any standards , but it is solid . 24 holes , but not long enough to throw your arm out of its socket trying to cap a 400' + foot drive . Trees ? You are going to hit some , but I doubt it's going to bother you too much . Combining this with Sawmill less than 5 miles away and you double your holes . I had a good time playing this course , and from looking at the amount of locals here on a Saturday night , I imagine they feel the same way that I did .A fairly scenic course , I understand it was built on a n old abandoned barge canal area ( kind of cool , just like the shade that makes up most of this course ) . This would be the kind of course where you meet up with your friends, play and socialize for a weekend or evening . Be aware that because of this course being popular , there are doubles leagues on some Tuesday evenings from February through at least June , and Saturday morning Handicaps March thru June . Check the Facebook page in the front of DGR . My Recommendation : Acceptable for maybe anyone above newbie , casuals , locals course baggers ( 15 minutes off of I-75 ) , fanatics , intermediates , even pros to work on their technical game . Play It !!!
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10 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 658 played 636 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Wooded Gem 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 19, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.528 Rating) A great woods course.
- RAW BEAUTY - The natural elements here are solid. There are scenic terrain changes, great fauna and minimal manmade features in view. Although nothing here really blew me away, there were no blemishes or yawn type tee shots to be found.
- SHOT SHAPING - A great amount of thought will be required at the tee. I went back to my bag several times after having second thoughts from looking down fairway, with the disc in hand. Technical players will love this course.
- CHALLENGING - With much tighter than normal fairways and with an average hole length of 320 feet from the backs, posting scores below par on a regular basis is likely only going to occur for advanced players and above.
- ELEVATION FOR FLORIDA - Nice elevation changes for a south Florida course. There's a nice 25-30 foot down shot on (12). Holes (8) and (9) are nice 15 to 20 foot drops as well. Hole (10) basket is perched on a 15 to 20 foot ridge and it brings into play the rare Florida death role putt. However, I think several regions of the country would consider this course flat. Just prior to playing this course, it was listed as Florida's only permanent very hilly course. However, considering I've played five Florida courses with more elevation changes, I relisted the course info back to moderately hilly.
- CHILL AREAS - The Greenway course is almost entirely secluded. There are benches at most holes, so there's lots of good break locations to be tapped into.
- CHARACTER - First and foremost, every tee is shaded. Every tee is concrete and most holes have two tees for pros and ams. All of the tees have hole signage as well. There are a few mini shelters along the layout, there are directional path arrows, there is adequate seating and there are a couple picnic tables. As for missing items, I didn't see a practice basket and there are no alternate pin locations.
- OVERGROWTH - For a course this wooded, I was totally surprised by the less than usually overgrown brush areas. I played in mid May when overgrowth starts to build back real heavy too. I only saw one palmetto bush the whole round, although it's probably because my disc found the center of it.

Cons:

No real issues with Ocala Greenway, its above average in all five of my core rating areas (Fun factor, Character, Uniqueness, Difficulty and Beauty). However it's also not elite in any of these core areas either.
- FORGIVENESS - Being wooded, this course will not generally be not be to kind to misguided shots. I think I hit a tree on at least half of the holes. Being a good mid range thrower, and scrambling for par, will be key to shoot low.
- NAVIGATION - Passable, but I've experienced much better on other similar type courses. To start. printing or downloading the map to your phone is a must, and I repeatedly checked mine. There are a bunch of directional ques along the layout, but it's missing in a couple spots to confuse the heck out of you. In addition, it didn't help considering the hole signage condition either, see con one line below.
- VANDELISM - I think there may had been a vandal that came threw just prior to my round. Every one of the hole signs appeared to have been beat up with a bat. Hole (9B's) tee sign was torn in half and hole (13's) tee sign was completely gone.
- SPACING - There are a couple of real nice opportunities to walk into the line of fire. (6b) to tee (7) is the best example, be wary of throwers on (6). There is also a close grouping of baskets and tees on holes (5, 7, 9B, 9C and 10). Other than that, not too bad.
- UNIQUENESS - Not to be confused with shop shaping, which is great (see pros). The hole variety is above average, but below average for courses I've rated 3.5 or higher. The greenway is almost all technical wooded shots and many of these holes will blend together after you finish your first round here. Several holes can only be played from one angle. There is no water along the course to force a line. No par 4s and no par 5s from the back tees. There is however a bit of elevation for a Florida course, as mentioned above in the PRO comments, but it's still very minimal. There is a nice dogleg on (12) and a couple other ones that are borderline. There are lots of pockets and tree gaps to hit as well.

Other Thoughts:

I was expecting a bit more from this course, considering its current rating. Still a great course and I would play it often if I lived within a 30 minute drive. IMO, I don't find the Greenway to be at same level as the top courses in the nearby Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and even the Tallahassee metro areas.
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7 0
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 484 played 183 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Elevated from the norm 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 30, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Solidly designed course in quiet, out of the way neighborhood park with paved bike/skate/walk path and picnic areas well away from the course - makes for a peaceful round.
• Variety: well balanced between L/R/straight fairways, as well as wooded and semi-open. Good spread of distances from short Ace Runs to long open holes with a few long woodsy holes, too. Offers ample opportunity to whack a ton of trees, while providing several holes with the L-R space certain shots need to work, plus some low canopies and several well-thought out pin placements. Many holes are tough par 3's and I can see how some would say this course has a couple of legit par 4's from the longs. Gives you chances to work all kinds of lines and all kinds of shots.
• Elevation: 10-12 holes where elevation comes into play in one way or another (a true rarity for Florida)... not just mildly rolling terrain, but substantial uphills, downhills, gulleys, elevated pins, and rollaway greens. Don't expect mountains, but it's legit and nicely used to make the course more challenging, fun and interesting.
• Equipment: Tee signs with distance and basic overview of the fairway along with occasional Next Tee signs help you get from hole to hole. Concrete tees were adequate and DGA baskets perform as expected. Everything was in good shape and I don't recall seeing much in the way of vandalism. Short, painted posts near each tee tell you if it's short (orange), long (lime green) or single, combined tee (green/orange). Enough benches and trash cans to not be an issue.
• Aesthetics: Ocala's a fairly pleasant course, and while I personally don't find hammocks of scrub, palmetto, oak and pine separated by patches of sand particularly beautiful, it's ubiquitous to central/northern FL. Doesn't enhance the course this reviewer's opinion, but it's certainly not ugly by any stretch and your tastes may differ.
• Disc golf dedicated land: you might come across a hiker or two, but there's little other traffic to contend with where the course is.
• Memorable holes: I liked the elevated basket on # 8 and the use of timbers to box in the base and make it look nice - well done. There's a splendid hole (#12 maybe ??) that tees off "looking" downhill through some tight, well positioned trees, and plays back uphill and to the left of the low point - I'm not sure the basket is really any lower than the tee, but the hole can play quite down-hill off the tee, and unless you carry the green on your tee shot, you'll be throwing up a substantial incline for your approach. I also have to give props to 6B: one of the longer holes, requiring a good line off the tee and a solid upshot to a nicely sloped and reasonable well-guarded green to set up a putt.

Cons:

• Navigation: The original 18 was a bit iffy in spots, but not actually all that bad - it's the supplemental holes that impede flow IMHO. Even with the map I had a hard time finding them. I'm sure locals think its fine, but every course feels OK "once you get the hang of it."
• Supplemental holes: they don't necessarily suck out loud, but five of the six are meh, and definitely are among the weakest holes on the course. Admittedly, 6B is a very good hole, and given how it routes away from the rest of the course, I suppose 6C makes sense to bring you back (not that I'm typically an advocate of "filler" holes). But when you consider what holes 1-18 offer, I don't see the point in adding less interesting holes, particularly when they screw up the flow on a course that already had couple of navigational rough spots. They make a not so bad situation worse while adding no new or interesting wrinkles to the experience. Even if you concede 6B and 6C, the remaining four (4B, 4C, 9B, 9C) don't add something the course was lacking; more does not necessarily = better. Using those baskets as alt pin locations on some of the more interesting, existing fairways would have been a better choice.
• Sandy tees - tees themselves were fine, but Ocala would benefit from brooms more than most courses.
• Hard to spot DGA baskets in the woods, especially well-guarded baskets in the shade - a blast of fluorescent paint on the lollipops would work wonders.
• For what seemed like a "sleepy, out of the way" park, the small parking lot was quite crowded.

Other Thoughts:

Of the ten or socourses I've played in the state so far, Ocala Greenway is easily one of the best (Magnolia and River City Nature Park being the others in that conversation), and is the only one of those with real topography - a welcome breath of fresh air in FLatland.

I like my courses "greener" than this and freely admit the indigenous landscape isn't my idea of a beautiful course, but the disc play here is damned good, and that's why we throw, right? Fun, challenging, and makes you think. Trying to put my personal tastes aside, Greenway it isn't quite on par with some of the other 4.0 courses I've played... upon revaluation, I've dropped it down to 3.5, but I'd actually describe it as a 3.75... falls just a bit short of being a truly excellent course.

Tenting it? Santos Campground (state run) is 7 miles away. Nice campground with clean facilities.
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7 1
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 278 played 276 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Out There 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ocala Greenway may not actually be far from civilization. You drive through a neighborhood to reach the entrance, after all. But it feels as if it is a world away from anything. Part of that is the long drive that it takes to get to Ocala from, well, anywhere. But mostly, it is due to the raw, almost primordial landscape on the course itself. We saw one other player out there, a solitary gent who we let play through.

The terrain is best described as light woods, with a mix of sand and soil supporting a multitude of trees with little underbrush. By trees i mean big beefy trunks with thick branches covered in surprisingly solid leaves just waiting to knock a disc down. Considering that this is Florida it's mostly flat but the natural escarpments are used well to create a few elevation changes. (Typically, there will be a sharp rise at one point in the fairway, after which its flat again to the pin.)

The Greenway also features some of the nicest benches I've seen on a course. They aren't on every hole but they all feature a small roof for shade. This makes a ton of sense because A: it gets hot out there, and B: its extremely likely that you will wait out a short downpour at some point. Very thoughtful. They really did think a lot about the needed amenities here.

Cons:

That said, this course needs next tee signs badly. There are a multitude of trails out there, which I assume are used for dirtbiking or hiking perhaps. Some of the greens have several trails leading away that could go to a tee. Frequently had to split up and yell back and forth when the next hole was found.

Other Thoughts:

I would love for this to be my local course. Great mix of shots that I could play again and again. But it falls into a bit of a grey area for me. Not awesome enough to be a destination. Not close enough to anything to be a regular course. If I regularly traveled I75, this would be a frequent stop and if there was a 3.75 option, this would be the ideal candidate for it.
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0 2
djpatch28
Experience: 10.8 years 23 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tight, Tight, Tight 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tight holes
Elevation variety
Extra holes
Under tree cover for a majority of the course
Nice baskets
Doable signs
Tee pads!

Cons:

Too tight in spots
Hard to follow the setup, especially the extra holes... missed a few of those
Sandy...should have worn shoes, not sandals

Other Thoughts:

I got rained on at hole #15 and it was a Godsend...so hot, even with all that tree cover. I was the only one out there and wanted to play another 18...darn you rain! Fun for my first time out, when i visit the state again, I will gladly play this again!
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7 0
Oruatyrim
Experience: 13 years 67 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth the Drive 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 26, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

*Varied shots-tight fairways, open fairways, anhyzers, hyzers, straight, uphill/downhill.
*Challenging course- nothing too easy, but nothing so hard that you'll want to run away.
*Very well marked holes-once you found the teepad, it was easy to locate the basket and select a path to get to it. The signs are very accurate.
*Good use of terrain-Fully utilized what is out there, whether it be a skinny ATV trail, a nice open field with a protected green, or slight hills for elevation changes.
*More than 18 Holes- Would have been fine with the 18, but the addition of the b and c holes I got to experience more disc golf that day!

Cons:

*Navigation from basket to tee-Bring a guide. It's sometimes confusing on how to get from 1 hole to the next especially with the addition of so many extra holes, it can get confusing coming back across fairways, and moving around to find the next teepad. It wasn't too easy to locate hole #1 without reading the reviews and descriptions here first.
*Port-a-Potty-I brought my wife and parents out to try and get them 'into' playing. Most of the courses I bring her to, has #9 ending near a restroom. This one is not to female or eldery couple friendly.
Hot-Not really a con, but the course is only 75% covered by foliage while playing. In the summer, bring sunscreen and a hat.
Not too beginner friendly- Again, took out some new people and they had a difficult time 'having fun' because the course wasn't too forgiving at times.

Other Thoughts:

All in all a great time for a Disc Golfer. I wouldn't recommend bringing family out to this course unless they want to just go walking along. I would like to see a map printed out and made available at the kiosk in the parking lot. It would help people navigate to the first hole, and through the course.

I find myself describing Hole 9 to my friends quite often as it is one my most remembered holes anywhere. Also there was an alternate pin hole on either 4 or 6 that was just a skinny trail straight up the gut that was quite memorable. It was beautiful and with the overhanging palm trees on both sides it felt like I was throwing in a rainforest or a jungle in South America.

Being from NC this course was the most challenging in the area and one I would place on par with the courses in my area. 100% worth that 54minute drive I had to make to get my 'fix'. Next time I travel that way I will definately be stopping by again, I just won't bring the family out.
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3 0
tiger5
Experience: 13.9 years 23 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is one of the better ones I've played in FL. It's not as open as I thought it would be which makes you have to work harder and shape your shots. Didn't get to play this with any locals so a few of the holes on the back 9 were a little tricky to make out where the basket was in relationship to the tee sign. Really enjoyed the course and would go back again just a little more off I-95 than I expected. Great use of elevation, I was actually very impressed with a few of the holes. Lots of blind tee shots made for some interesting approach shots. I'll play this one again if I'm passing through. Very well maintained and lots of benches at almost every hole.

Cons:

I wish there were a few more open holes on this course, guess that's just personal preference, but it's a little more wooded than most other courses I've played in FL. Had several people walk through the course while I was playing (walkers, joggers, mount. bikers) so just be aware.

Other Thoughts:

Course is very easy to navigate, had the map on my phone, only used it maybe once, but other than that it's a fun course that makes you work for birdies.
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4 0
stsren
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.3 years 38 played 24 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of Central Florida's Best! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 4, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. Concrete tee boxes (Greens)
2. Good tee signage indicating distance and par (though the basket locations are sometimes different from where they appear on the signs)
3. Next Tee signs (still confusing if you're playing it for the first time, but good for following rounds)
4. Great variety of shots required and will challenge both righty and lefty players equally
5. Adequate seating and trash receptacles
6. Port-o-Let on site (better than nothing)
7. 24 holes with almost no repeats / deja vu
8. Good challenge for different skill levels (maybe a little tough for beginners, but definitely playable!)

Cons:

1. Difficult to navigate for first-timer
2. Yellow tee pads weren't concrete (rubber mats are playable, though)
3. No water in play

Other Thoughts:

Overall this course is a challenging and fun one... The elevation changes make for some tough and interesting shots, and the layout (though very confusing for a first timer) works. I personally enjoyed #8, the Lighthouse, with the uphill and small ravines of the fairway ending with a putt to an elevated basket - don't miss or you're down in the gulley! Each hole had a different challenge, whether it was distance, pin location, tree location, elevation, or various combinations... With some updating of the signage, all concrete tee boxes, and maybe some permanent restrooms, the course would score higher. In the end, this is a great course in Central Florida and if you're in the area I'd strongly recommend it (even if you have to drive a ways!).
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4 2
BENFTS
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 30.1 years 102 played 33 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fantastic course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 20, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Everytime I go back to Florida I stop by this course simply because it is half a block from my dads house. Location for me is a huge pro but the course speaks for it's self.

DG exclusive. Hole layout can be a bit tricky the first time through but with DGCR maps it was easy. Great mix of short and long holes with plenty for left and right handers. Some very slight evlevation in play but well placed to add course quality. The baskets were nice and not rusty and the course was well mantained. Plenty to offer for ace runs and big bombs. I am really a big fan of the fact that this course plays all the elevation in the area to its best potential.

Cons:

Some minor teepad issues need to be resolved if they haven't already. I would love to see running water.

Other Thoughts:

A perfect hidden gem to play a round at and always feel good about the way I shot. It's no DeLa but it's just right.
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2 0
Hitman
Experience: 13.9 years 13 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Secluded course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 28, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Secluded. Played in the middle of the day during the week & I was the only one out there.
2) Saw plenty of wildlife, none to dangerous.
3) Great use of elevation chage.
4) Each hole has it's own character. Nothing boring here.
5) Extra holes
6) Post markers at the tees
7) Not every hole is a par 3. 4 & 5 par holes makes for a good birdie oppurtunity for new players without a long throw.
8) Benches & trashcans throughout the course.

Cons:

1) Hole 9 does not finish up front. Sometimes you need that mid-game potty break.
2) Got lost going to 6c took 30 min to get back on track. Find a local if possible for your first round.
3) Took a little searching to find the first hole. Not to bad, found it first try, just wasn't sure I was going the right way until I ran into it.
4) Some tee signs missing.

Other Thoughts:

Great overall course. The play itself was a blast, will be going back soon with the wife & daughter. The course could use some more signage to help newcomers navigate the holes, including getting to the first hole. Bring plenty of water & hit the porta potty before you go out.
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13 1
chain-addicted
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.2 years 43 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great secluded course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Secluded - No outside "noise interference" (i.e. NO: kids on jungle-gyms, roadways, barking dogs, etc.)
* Multiple Tee-pads - Gives you variety whether you want a longer tougher challenge or a shorter game if you happen to bring someone new to the sport
* Concrete Tee-pads on the Pro Tees
* Tee-signs - The tee-signs were accurate and gave you a good idea of where to drive on a blind hole
* DGA baskets - Double-chained baskets make for a more confident putt in my opinion (i.e. less "spit-outs")
* 24 holes! - It was great getting to play those extra holes, it sure beats just 18
* Benches at most holes, including a couple of picnic tables throughout the course
* Trashcans - They are scattered throughout the course
* Good use of elevation - Florida can be known for being relatively flat but the designer has made great use of the somewhat moderate elevation in this area.
* Port-o-potty at the beginning of the course (but this is also a con)
* Great shot variety - Every hole out on this course was a new experience. Definitely not a "monotonous" course.
* Locals! - Everyone I ran into out there had a great attitude and was very kind (Including the TD that happened to be there while a tourney was going on: He mentioned he was from NC as well and gave us a couple of beers from his cooler he had on the back of his golf-cart! Thanks guy!)
* Wildlife abounds here - We saw lots of diverse wildlife here including a large gopher tortoise that was poking his head out of a large hole in the ground. Saw a beautiful Kite-tailed Hawk flying overhead as well as some interesting "Big Headed" ants. Numerous cool lizards as well.... (Thankfully we didnt run into any rattlers that have been known to be on the course!)

Cons:

* Navigation - I had to contact a DGCR member to guide me through the course before coming to play this one.... I suggest you do the same. If it hadnt been for a course guide, I dont think I would have been able to find the first tee, let alone navigate through the course.
* The port-o-potty - I had to use it (twice) before starting the round and lets just say I should have brought some nose-plugs or at least stopped by a store to use the restroom before coming to play.
* No multiple pin placements - this could be an erosion/wear problem for this course in the future.
* Sand - It started to get a little annoying after my shoes were filled with sand after only about 4 holes. I used to live in the panhandle of Florida and I feel that sand only belongs on the beach, but its just a minor gripe. It gets all over your discs. The sand on the ground did help keep the disc from rolling away after a missed putt though so in that case it could be seen as a "pro".
* Lack of defined fairways on some of the holes
* The shorter/alternate tee-pads were not concrete
* This course could use a little more TLC/clean-up on some of the fairways

Other Thoughts:

I contacted I3ooI3oo before coming down to Ocala and he met up with me at the course. He was fun to play with and an all around great guy. If you plan on playing this course it would be wise to contact him before coming down due to the navigation issues. He will be able to show you all of the added/extra holes as well.

Every local I talked to was just as nice as can be. That really makes the course experience that much more enjoyable.

It was very hot there on the day that we played, and I would suggest applying some sunscreen before starting your round (if you play it in the summertime like we did!). Also: BE SURE to bring extra water.... You'll need it.

A few of the reviews before me had mentioned paint-ballers but there were none to be found there that day.... good thing.

I know this course has gotten 4.5 disc ratings in the past but after playing a course like Bracketts Bluff, I had to give OGDGC a 3.5 rating. If there was an option, I would have given this course a 3.75 disc rating but I feel a 3.5 is fair. OGDGC is a great course and I will definitely be coming back down through to play it again.
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4 0
thisdoesfine
Experience: 24 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

#1 Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 29, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful use of nature! I always see Deer tracks but haven't seen one yet. Often see turtles though! Great layout, only one time on two side holes (4b,4c) are the holes laid out to where you could possibly throw into the oncoming fairway. This course is quite wooded but not overly. Trees either leave you praying for luck or make you fine tune your shots. Uphill (That's right - in FL) and downhill shots! Short and long holes along with most where you can see the basket others leave you with just a main direction. Mostly concrete tees. Benches at most holes for those waiting. (A few with covers to hold you through those daily FL rains). Signs at every hole describing the best route(s) to throw. (Hint, hole 9 for RHBH throwers, hyzer to the right of the big tree directly in front of the tee, don't follow the obvious path) 24 holes! We love the game, why stop at 18??!

Cons:

(-0.5) A few of the holes have alternate pins and there is no designation of which is in play. Hopefully new signs are bought and this is addressed. There's a missing tee sign or two and a couple signs wear vandalism.

Navigation can be tricky for new players. There are stickers on the signs for where the next basket is and also some in ground posts pointing to the next basket, although not on all holes. New signs would again help greatly if they referenced the next hole.

(-0.5) Only 1 porta-potty @ the beginning and this is a fairly lengthy course, those that don't want to "go" in the woods may suffer as the half way point in the course is also the furthest from the porta-potty.

Other Thoughts:

I've yet to see a 5/5 course. I imagine it will be professionally manicured much like a ball golf course. Until I find that course, all of my reviews start from a 4.5 max rating.

Although there are some things that could be improved upon (Mostly the care of the course) This course is by far my favorite to play! This course tests my abilities every time I play and I love it!

Bring all of your discs and Water! Especially in the summer!

Extra holes are as follows: 4b/4c - after getting your discs out of 4's basket, turn to tee # 5 and walk straight past it. Two paths are visible, the right one takes you out and the left one brings you back. 6b/6c - after taking your discs out of the basket go down the path that is to your left as you were approaching the basket. 6b is long and when done with that go up the hill to the left and make your way back towards 6. 6c is quite short. 9b/9c - 9b is right in line with the main course (I couldn't imagine the course without 9b). After you take your disc out of 9b - continue straight and pass up hole 10 to your left. 9c is around the bunch of trees on your right.
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12 1
denny ritner
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26 years 170 played 115 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A very good course that could be great 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 6, 2004 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is situated in a gorgeous greenway. The only other park users are found on the bike/blade path that doesn't come into play on the disc golf course.

Decent elevation changes and beautiful big pines contribute to a wonderful walk through the secluded woods.

The course favors a strong arm, but also tests technical skills. There is a good variety of hole looks and shots required. The challenge factor is higher than many courses, but not the absolute toughest.

Excellent tee signs and benches, ease of navigation, and low schule factor also contribute to this being a very enjoyable/ challenging walk through the woods.

Cons:

This property is one of the best in Florida. It's a shame that an amazing course doesn't live there.

The course doesn't route back to the parking lot after nine holes, which can make for a tiring round lugging around extra food and water.

There's plenty of room to have an amazing 18 hole par 60+ layout instead of the 24. A few of the holes are throw-aways.

Some of the baskets are strategically placed on sand mounds, which are beginning to create erosion problems. These could be fine if the sand hills were reinforced or if the baskets had alternate placements which were rotated. Unfortunately, all the baskets have been welded into the sleeves, precluding the addition of alternate locations.

Other Thoughts:

A couple quick notes that pertain to all my course reviews:

I don't use a numerical "system" for coming up with a final rating, such as 20% for aesthetics, 20% for challenge, 30% for safety, and 50% for amenities, or the like, except for the fact that I automatically deduct .5 for all 9-hole courses. I've established a base "criteria" based on the fact that more courses will receive a 3 than any other rating. I've created my number standards by grouping "like calibre" courses together and then comparing them to other groups of courses.

A few things that do weigh heavily in my mind are ease of course navigation, degree of nasty schule, likelihood of losing discs, degree of on-course crime, property aesthetics, hole variety, and good score distribution for a standardized gold, blue, white, or red skill level.

Using the 1-5 scale with a "normal" distribution in mind, most courses will fall in the 2.5-3.5 range and nearly all courses will fall in the 2-4 range. I believe that we've yet to create a "5" disc golf course. With that in mind, my highest rating rating given thus far is a 4.5, given to Idlewild. I'll never give an "all par 3's" course higher than a 4 rating.

My reviews are not meant to hurt the feelings of any designers and/or clubs, but I honestly believe that some of our courses do more harm for the sport than good. These courses have received ratings in the 0-1 range.
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