Ottawa Park reviews
5
0
Typical Toledo area disc golf 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 3, 2014
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Best course in Toledo area (south of the border at least, I haven't' tried any of the courses just into Michigan)
Heavily wooded compared to Carter Park or Woodland Park.
Multiple Concrete tees for each hole.
Easy access from all parts of Toledo
Baskets in decent shape
Multi-use park so there's stuff to keep the kiddies busy while you disc (if you have kids of course)
Strong police presence, which is good, because...
Heavily wooded compared to Carter Park or Woodland Park.
Multiple Concrete tees for each hole.
Easy access from all parts of Toledo
Baskets in decent shape
Multi-use park so there's stuff to keep the kiddies busy while you disc (if you have kids of course)
Strong police presence, which is good, because...
Cons:
the neighborhood isn't that bad, but it's not great.
The course is nothing special
Navigation can be challenging.
Several holes play too close to roads for comfort.
The course is nothing special
Navigation can be challenging.
Several holes play too close to roads for comfort.
Other Thoughts:
Ottawa Hills is my least favorite course I've played in Northwest Ohio, even though I've rated it higher than Carter Park. The neighborhood has everything to do with why I won't be back to this course. First off, it really is NOT that bad a neighborhood, but when my other options are in very safe suburbs and more importantly have positive memories for me (Carter Park was where I learned disc golf, and Woodland Park is set up in the park in front of my old elementary school) why take chances with playing a course in a somewhat rough neighborhood that isn't that much better than the competition?
With that said, technically Ottawa Park is the best course between Bowling Green and the Michigan line. It is the most heavily wooded and has multiple tees, which both Woodland and Carter lack. 12 years ago I used to not like Ottawa Park because it was much harder than Carter, and didn't cater to my game. Now I don't care for it because it doesn't compare to the courses I regularly play in Michigan (Deerfield and the Vines) or the courses I play in Columbus (Simsbury, Hoover, and Alum Creek). But comparing Ottawa Park to it's direct competition within a half hour drive of my parents house in Perrysburg it is still the best course Toledo has to offer.
Don't let the people talking about how rough the neighborhood is scare you off from trying the course. I've never been bothered while playing, although there is the occasional character walking by.
With that said, technically Ottawa Park is the best course between Bowling Green and the Michigan line. It is the most heavily wooded and has multiple tees, which both Woodland and Carter lack. 12 years ago I used to not like Ottawa Park because it was much harder than Carter, and didn't cater to my game. Now I don't care for it because it doesn't compare to the courses I regularly play in Michigan (Deerfield and the Vines) or the courses I play in Columbus (Simsbury, Hoover, and Alum Creek). But comparing Ottawa Park to it's direct competition within a half hour drive of my parents house in Perrysburg it is still the best course Toledo has to offer.
Don't let the people talking about how rough the neighborhood is scare you off from trying the course. I've never been bothered while playing, although there is the occasional character walking by.
8
0
2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 9, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
This popular course is in a nice city park with an area devoted to disc golf. There is a large course map and practice basket by hole 1. There are two sets of large concrete tee pads on nearly every hole so the course is great for players of all skill levels. There is a wide variety of hole distances from 163 to nearly 400 feet.
This semi-wooded course has lots of large, mature trees that come into play on nearly every hole as well as some modest elevation changes on a few of the holes.
The available land, trees and features are used very well to create a number of quality holes. There are turnover shots (for RHBH players), a couple low ceilings, multiple routes to the basket and some tight but fair fairways that reward a well executed shot and punish a poor one. Some of the highlights are the hill 9's basket sits on top of, the drop off right of 15's basket, the big downhill shot on hole 16 and a couple great turnover shots.
This semi-wooded course has lots of large, mature trees that come into play on nearly every hole as well as some modest elevation changes on a few of the holes.
The available land, trees and features are used very well to create a number of quality holes. There are turnover shots (for RHBH players), a couple low ceilings, multiple routes to the basket and some tight but fair fairways that reward a well executed shot and punish a poor one. Some of the highlights are the hill 9's basket sits on top of, the drop off right of 15's basket, the big downhill shot on hole 16 and a couple great turnover shots.
Cons:
My biggest con with this course is navigation and lack of tee signs. There is a large map by hole 1, I strongly suggest you take a picture of it with your phone before you start playing if this is your first time here or you WILL get lost or miss holes.
Only a couple holes have tee signs making it even more difficult to locate the next pad. When they do have tee signs, they're attached to the back corner of the tee pad itself and act as a tripping hazard. Few of the baskets have hole numbers on them so you don't always know if you're throwing at the correct basket.
There are a number of places where I could see two or three tee pads but wasn't sure which was the next hole. After hole 8 it is very easy to skip hole 9 since 10's pad is so much closer than 9's. After hole 14 you walk through the front yard of an old abandoned house to find hole 15's tee hiding on the other side of it.
There are a few places where fairways are too close together, be sure to watch for other people.
A few holes bring the road in play if a shot is poorly executed so watch for cars.
There was a sign by hole 1 saying the course was being evaluated because of litter. I saw a LOT of litter on the course and was happy to pick some up as I played. The problem is I only saw one trash can in the front 9. It was in the middle of 2's fairway and not near any tee pad. By the time I finished hole 6 I had tons more trash and had to walk back to the trash can on 2 since I had yet to find another can. After that I gave up on picking up trash since garbage cans seem to be scarse.
Only a couple holes have tee signs making it even more difficult to locate the next pad. When they do have tee signs, they're attached to the back corner of the tee pad itself and act as a tripping hazard. Few of the baskets have hole numbers on them so you don't always know if you're throwing at the correct basket.
There are a number of places where I could see two or three tee pads but wasn't sure which was the next hole. After hole 8 it is very easy to skip hole 9 since 10's pad is so much closer than 9's. After hole 14 you walk through the front yard of an old abandoned house to find hole 15's tee hiding on the other side of it.
There are a few places where fairways are too close together, be sure to watch for other people.
A few holes bring the road in play if a shot is poorly executed so watch for cars.
There was a sign by hole 1 saying the course was being evaluated because of litter. I saw a LOT of litter on the course and was happy to pick some up as I played. The problem is I only saw one trash can in the front 9. It was in the middle of 2's fairway and not near any tee pad. By the time I finished hole 6 I had tons more trash and had to walk back to the trash can on 2 since I had yet to find another can. After that I gave up on picking up trash since garbage cans seem to be scarse.
Other Thoughts:
This is a fun, challenging course for all skill level of players. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge the course presented from the longs, and the short pads and lack of underbrush make it great for newer or less experienced players.
The course design is solid here and If I was rating the course solely that aspect I would easily be a 3, probably a 3.5. This is a good course and I hope some of the con's are addressed so I can update my review next time I'm passing through Toledo.
The course design is solid here and If I was rating the course solely that aspect I would easily be a 3, probably a 3.5. This is a good course and I hope some of the con's are addressed so I can update my review next time I'm passing through Toledo.
9
2
Still Trying To Get The Vanilla Taste Out Of My Mouth 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 12, 2011
Played the course:once
Pros:
Dual tees have cement pads and the Ams have some fairly different looks at the tee even if the distance is similar. There are also some old tees that still can be used if you are feeling inventive.
Fantastic Trees - The trees here are big and sprawiling. Since there are very few elevation changes here, it is the trees that define the holes here, and the low, fat limbs keep your lines very close to the ground.
Pleasant Park - This park is kind of an "According To Hoyle" city park; it fits the definition without any unique characteristics. Big trees with lots of shade, lush grass, with a urban feel.
Great Access - Easy to find, and great parking make this an easy stop. I was into the park and out of my car in two minutes, and able to find hole one two minutes after that.
Fantastic Trees - The trees here are big and sprawiling. Since there are very few elevation changes here, it is the trees that define the holes here, and the low, fat limbs keep your lines very close to the ground.
Pleasant Park - This park is kind of an "According To Hoyle" city park; it fits the definition without any unique characteristics. Big trees with lots of shade, lush grass, with a urban feel.
Great Access - Easy to find, and great parking make this an easy stop. I was into the park and out of my car in two minutes, and able to find hole one two minutes after that.
Cons:
Lack Of Originality - There aren't any distinguishing facets of these holes. Sure, you are required to use different shots on different holes, but they all feel/look/play quite the same. It made me feel like I was playing the same basket or two, but coming at them from a different direction each time. It wasn't exactly bad, but I imagine I would tire quickly of it.
This could have been remedied by some greater disparity in the length of the holes, but even the distances played much the same.
This course hits all the check boxes of shot selection/ types of fairways/etc, but does it without any sense of flair or character. It is a textbook example of how to do something correctly, and completely fail at the same time.
Ghetto-Fab neighborhood - There weren't any incidents during my round, but plenty of stories were told painting a picture of urban bliss. Not to say that it is a dangerous place, but you aren't getting any kind of seclusion or quiet.
This could have been remedied by some greater disparity in the length of the holes, but even the distances played much the same.
This course hits all the check boxes of shot selection/ types of fairways/etc, but does it without any sense of flair or character. It is a textbook example of how to do something correctly, and completely fail at the same time.
Ghetto-Fab neighborhood - There weren't any incidents during my round, but plenty of stories were told painting a picture of urban bliss. Not to say that it is a dangerous place, but you aren't getting any kind of seclusion or quiet.
Other Thoughts:
I had course guides helping me (thanks Canis Lupus and Hooked312!), and I'm glad I did, as the lack of next tee signs would have left me scratching my head.
This is a good course to get a DG workout session. You can get in a couple of solo rounds easily in two hours, and work on your game, while keeping your car close if you want to swap out discs.
I hit this course up on the way home from West Virginia, and I stopped because I wanted to meet and play with some DGCRers. This was an acceptable course in a nice park. I imagine I would play it often if I lived in Toledo, but I don't ever plan on returning to play it again. My 2.5 disc rating has much more to do with the good quality of the park than the course itself.
Just writing this review is making me taste the vanilla.
This is a good course to get a DG workout session. You can get in a couple of solo rounds easily in two hours, and work on your game, while keeping your car close if you want to swap out discs.
I hit this course up on the way home from West Virginia, and I stopped because I wanted to meet and play with some DGCRers. This was an acceptable course in a nice park. I imagine I would play it often if I lived in Toledo, but I don't ever plan on returning to play it again. My 2.5 disc rating has much more to do with the good quality of the park than the course itself.
Just writing this review is making me taste the vanilla.
2
2
andrewkh
Experience:
16.8 years
54 played
28 reviews
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Apr 6, 2010
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
-good layout
-lots of deuce opps
-lots of mature trees as obsticles
-some rolling hills add to shot complexity
-no chance of loosing a disc
-lots of deuce opps
-lots of mature trees as obsticles
-some rolling hills add to shot complexity
-no chance of loosing a disc
Cons:
-in the ghetto
-hard to navigate
-gets crowded
-seems kind of run down
-hard to navigate
-gets crowded
-seems kind of run down
Other Thoughts:
it's been awhile since i've been to this course, usually when i'm in the area i prefer to play parmelee or vienna. i here they have a good league in the area so i might be back up to check it out
9
2
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jun 9, 2007
Played the course:once
Pros:
Hole Variety/Course Layout--
Fun layout that gives you natural obsticals but at the same time dosnt make you have to alter the power on your shot too much. Mostly all the holes are medium to longer.
Course Maintenance--
I went awhile back and the baskets where brand new and every thing was in place, but I havnt been there in a while. There are concrete tee pads on every hole.
Fun layout that gives you natural obsticals but at the same time dosnt make you have to alter the power on your shot too much. Mostly all the holes are medium to longer.
Course Maintenance--
I went awhile back and the baskets where brand new and every thing was in place, but I havnt been there in a while. There are concrete tee pads on every hole.
Cons:
Course Navigation--
There are no signs and sometimes its hard to determine where the next hole is or what basket goes to that hole. It would be a good idea for a first timer to print a map off this site!!
There are no signs and sometimes its hard to determine where the next hole is or what basket goes to that hole. It would be a good idea for a first timer to print a map off this site!!
Other Thoughts:
Course Atmosphere--
You kinda feel like your in the the middle of the hood when on the way to this course but once you get there you see its a nice park.
Hazards--
Not too many, a couple spots where it can be a little thick but it would still be very hard to lose a disc.
--This is a perfect course to hit up on your way to cedar point (coming from michigan or the east).
You kinda feel like your in the the middle of the hood when on the way to this course but once you get there you see its a nice park.
Hazards--
Not too many, a couple spots where it can be a little thick but it would still be very hard to lose a disc.
--This is a perfect course to hit up on your way to cedar point (coming from michigan or the east).
6
0
Great Introductory Course 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 22, 2008
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
Ottawa Park is a very solid course for beginning golfers from the red tees. If you're rated at or under 900, you'll find some challenge from the shorts. If you're higher rated, you'll want to golf from the blue tees for a decent challenge. The blues offer a decent challenge for anyone rated at or under 950.
Altogether the lack of undergrowth off of the fairways, and forgiveness to bad drives, makes it an excellent course to introduce new golfers at. Additionally there is an excellent pre-set Safari Route to play for a great challenge, a map is on the Links/Files page.
Altogether the lack of undergrowth off of the fairways, and forgiveness to bad drives, makes it an excellent course to introduce new golfers at. Additionally there is an excellent pre-set Safari Route to play for a great challenge, a map is on the Links/Files page.
Cons:
It is smack between the ghetto and the college neighborhood. This results in a lot of beer bottle buildup on the course. The trash is an issue, and bags are frequently carried during weekly leagues to keep it clean.
There is an issue with confusion between holes 8 and 9, where some players can inadvertently head for hole 10's teepad which is near 8's pin placement. Be sure to check the course map beforehand to get your bearings.
There is an issue with confusion between holes 8 and 9, where some players can inadvertently head for hole 10's teepad which is near 8's pin placement. Be sure to check the course map beforehand to get your bearings.
Other Thoughts:
There are better courses around, but Ottawa Park is the only one in the city limits.
